Graduating in December 2008 with AAS in Early Childhood

[Myhearts]

Hey Demi,

Associate in Applied Sciences degree.

 It has taken me a long time to get this degree and I want to get my Bachelor's but think that it would take a long time and I don't have a lot of time allocated for school right now, though I know learning is an ongoing process and things are forever changing...   Maybe I will do it on line and that would work for me because I don't have to drive to school and I like the online classes... 

Hearts

[haulingthescoreup]

Hi, Hearts, I've got an AAS in Health Information Technology, and it seems to be doing quite nicely for me. I'm looking hard at an online completion program.

One thing that I've noticed is that if there's a real need for bachelors degrees and beyond, there are legitimate online programs to take care of it. Skip the generic diploma-issuers, and find the ones who know and care about what they're doing.

Congrats! It's a lot tougher doing this once you're married with kids.

[Myhearts]

Hauling,

You are so right...  I have been married for 18 years and have 2 grown daughters and one granddaughter and it is hard to stay motivated to do things for myself that really matter and are important to me after doing for my family and others for so long.   I am taking a play and creative expression class right now and one of the goals of the class is to teach adults how to play and for us to see the impact that it has on our lives and how important it is.  Ultimately, we will learn from these experiences and a goal is to get parents to see that play is very fundamental and that it fosters learning in children and (adult children).....  I will probably take online classes working on my BA...  That won't be until next year though.  

Hearts

[demi]

Would this qualify you for something like an Aide in the schools?  Just thinking if you like kids, might be an opportunity.  If you could get in a school district, they might pay for further education.  Weird, not sure  where you are located, just never heard of a AAS, only AA ands AS, might just be different terminology.  I personally was on the 8 year BS plan and spent 5 years at a Community College, and did not complete the requirements for the AS (didn't want to take a foreign language, always my least favorite subject, then of course I move to a community with 60% spanish speaking population...I do understand it, just hated taking the class), not sure how I managed to get out of the California University system without it (wouldn't today)

Congratualitons

[haulingthescoreup]

Wiki to the rescue:

The Associate in Applied Science degree is awarded to students who are permitted to relax some of the general education requirements in order to study more course work in their program area. This kind of degree is for students who intend to enter the work force upon graduation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associate's_degree

Couldn't have explained it better myself!

So rather than being an AA or AS that can serve as a preparation for a four-year degree, an AAS is classified as a career or professional degree, and that's how mine works. There are a very few degree-completion programs in my field which will take the AAS as adequate preparation for the 3rd and 4th years of study, but even then, I would need to take additional courses in ethics and so forth that weren't part of the AAS curriculum.

[Myhearts]

Hauling,

You are correct....  I did bypass a lot of the core classes that are required to get the 4 year degree, so I would have to take a lot of those classes (probably online) just to meet the requirement and then get into the major that I have chosen.  Still a lot of work, but is doable.  I am meeting with one of our aldermen in 2 weeks to help kickstart the maternity home and I realize that further education will be needed in the future but not at this exact moment for me to do what is in my heart to do.

Hearts