Distance Learning Can Turn Your AAS into a BS, Starting Today!

The rising cost of a college education is sending more students to begin their learning careers in a community college rather than a four-year school. For some learners it is the question between earning an AAS degree or going all the way for a Bachelor's. Of course, when opting for the former, there is the naggin question if -- with an AAS degree -- is it worth it to choose coursework with a look to transferring the credits later on?

Today’s modern student, who may not have taken the opportunity of earning a degree right after high school, is also the more mature individual in search of an associate degree. With a heavy work load and perhaps also a family, it makes sense to check online first. A good example is Bismarck State College, which caters to the non-traditional learner. Students intend to follow up their initial coursework with a distance learning bachelor's degree later on. The benefits of this maneuver are clear.

Forward-thinking colleges are now in the process of forging agreements and relationships with brick and mortar universities and also online schools that allow students to put their associate degrees to work academically and provide the foundation for a bachelor degree.

Cuyahoga Community College’s Online Degree Partnerships

Cuyahoga Community College has numerous agreements with schools like Capella -, Franklin -, Kaplan -, Indiana Wesleyan - and Ohio Dominican Universities to accept their students. For example, an AAS degree holder may continue on to a bachelor degree at Indiana Wesleyan University through its CAPS program. An AAS in Human Services can become an online Bachelor of Science degree in Addiction Studies at the University of Cincinnati.

Kentucky Community & Technical College System Partnerships

Where else does an AAS offer a smooth transfer to a Bachelor's Degree? Kentucky community colleges help AAS students to transfer to online colleges for their bachelor degrees. An AAS in Information Technology transfers into a BS in Business from Murray State University; it can also become a BA in Organizational Leadership from Northern Kentucky University.

Working on a two-year degree -- with the understanding that the AAS transfer to an online bachelor degree is the long term plan -- is a necessity to break into a profession. Yet it is the four-year degree that makes the graduate more marketable with respect to upward mobility in the work place.

Depending on the kind of position and employer that the worker has, there is a good chance that tuition reimbursement programs will cover a lion’s share of the cost associated with the additional education. Looking at the educational career from this point of view, it is clear that getting the extra education is definitely worth it. Moreover, relying on distance learning keeps the employee at work and the already forged business relationship intact.

• Cuyahoga Community College’s Online Degree Partnerships: http://www.tri-c.edu/transfer/Pages/OnlineDegreePartnerships.aspx (accessed May 29, 2011)
• Kentucky Community & Technical College System Partnerships: http://www.kyvu.org/transferdegrees.shtm (accessed May 29, 2011)