Are you taking advantage of the education benefits you have earned?

Izzy Avila — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 12:25:22 -0500

A study released by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that the type of college one attends can have an impact on employment odds. The study used fictional résumés to measure the odds of getting a call-back for various jobs, enabling comparison of people with identical backgrounds except for the institutions they attended. Those with a bachelor's degree in business from a for-profit online institution were 22 percent less likely to receive a callback from a potential employer than those who had attended non-selective public institutions. The gap disappears, however, for for-profit institutions that have a physical campus and a strong local presence.

https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/09/29/study-examines-how-employers-judge-degrees

While many service-members I know have decided on schools based on a variety of reasons (financial expediency, the number of military credit transferred in, and/or overall "military friendliness"), I am interested in hearing your perspective on this topic. What has been your experience? Do you believe that where you go to school matters? What are the particular things that you look for in a school and how much does "prospective-employer perception" shape your opinion/ decison?

Study Examines How Employers Judge Degrees | InsideHigherEd

A study released Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that the type of college one attends can have an impact on employment odds. The study used fictional résumés to measure the odds of getting a call-back for various jobs, enabling comparison of people with identical backgrounds except for the institutions they attended. Those with a bachelor's degree in business from a for-profit online institution were 22 percent less...

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2014 12:30 PM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 12:30:39 -0500

Izzy Avila, that bit of the study about online degrees does not bode well for many military personnel, because sometimes online is either the only or the best option for military folks.

My experience getting a government job - at least as far as I know - was not impacted by where I got my degree. It was just important that I had a degree. Mine happened to be from a physical school (University of Maryland, College Park, MD), but I don't think it mattered for a government job.

Response by CMSgt Mark Lewis made Nov 18 at 2014 3:18 PM

CMSgt Mark Lewis — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 15:18:45 -0500

Izzy Avila, as the senior enlisted in my last few organizations, I frequently discussed educational opportunities and benefits with my fellow enlisted members. I always emphasized that no matter what program or institution they decided to attend that they needed to be concerned about the school's or program's "accreditation." I do believe that employers pay attention to whether a degree was earned from a "public/private not-for-profit" or "for-profit" educational institution, even more so if the institution is not "accredited."

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2014 5:47 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:47:40 -0500

Well, I used my TA for an MBA from an online school, and I transferred my GI bill to my daughter. I'm banking on the idea that years from now, when I'm back in the civilian labor pool, employers will care more about work history and less about where my MBA came from.

Response by SGT James Bradley made Jan 5 at 2022 9:36 PM

SGT James Bradley — Wed, 05 Jan 2022 21:36:02 -0500

Yes, got a Master’s Degree under the GI Bill which allowed me to be competitive in the job market in 1973.