Real World Acceptance of Life Experience Degrees
C'mon, will these Degrees Really Work?
I am answering this question for people that are seeking employment in the private sector. After all, I assume that's what you are curious about. Will employers recognize and accept these Life Experience Degrees? Well, if you know what you are doing and know how to work them, the answer is an astounding - YES.
Don't believe the garbage you read on any website that tells you that Life Experience Degrees are fakes or scams or that these degrees will get you fired. Those websites (such as degree.net) are written by the people that run and dominate the "institutions of higher learning." They want to dictate the rules and set the terms with an iron first. You conform to their standards or you're railroaded off to the unemployment line, the hell with you as far as they're concerned. Like all dictators, they understand quite well that to control the population you must control the education system. You either toe the party line or you're an outcast or worse - they call you names, claim you're inferior, and disparage your experience and degree, saying you got your Life Experience degree at a "diploma mill" rather than somewhere that recognizes your experience and rewards you for it. They are totally against private institutions and hate Life Experience Degree programs because they see student loans, financial aid, and the tuition money (paid by student loans and financial aid) as a huge source of revenue.
On the other hand, do not believe the websites created by these Life Experience Degree schools that promise full acceptance. That's not accurate either. Their claims of achieving success and recognition are often highly exaggerated.
The bottom line here is that these degrees do have a place in the world. You just have to know how to work them. Keep reading and you will learn!
Can I use my Life Experience Degree to transfer or enroll in a traditional College or University?
Yes you can! But it's not going to be easy. Forget the public colleges. They really only like to see credits from other schools that reinforce their own dubious system. Private colleges are much more accepting -- but even with private colleges, the success rate of acceptance may only be about 15 percent. If you are seeking to enroll at a school that is local to your home, seek out all the PRIVATE colleges and apply to them all. If you are lucky, you will find one that accepts your Life Experience Degree credits.
If you are an online learner, your chances are greater. You can choose from schools nationwide regardless of their location. Canadian schools are much more accepting of experiential education than the USA schools. Enroll for a year at an online Canadian institution. Those credits earned from Canada will then be golden in the USA.
The key here (and the key to success in life) is persistence.
Are Canadian corporations more or less likely to accept my Life
Experience Degree than USA corporations?
More and less. Canadian employers are more likely to accept the concept of experiential learning as a valid form of education. Private employers in Canada accept Life Experience degrees at a higher rate than in the United States. However, industries that are presumably private, but highly regulated such as Canada Post and the entire Banking industry will conform to the same regulations as direct government employers -- thus insisting all applicants have college degrees from a school that is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (or equivalent accreditation).
Under the Bank Act, the Canadian federal government is responsible for the regulation of the banking sector in Canada. Foreign banks may establish operations in Canada without having to set up Canadian incorporated subsidiaries. Many foreign banks do not acquiesce to the Canadian federal government's hiring standards and thus some will accept applicants with Life Experience Degrees.
Who will not accept my Life Experience Degree?
Do not get a degree from any of the schools on www.degreeinspector.com if you are thinking that the degree will get you
acceptance to any and every traditional 4-year college. It won't. You will have
to work hard for your acceptance to traditional college.
Next, do not get
a Life Experience high-school diploma (only a few schools such as Belford and Rochville offer
High School degrees). A Life Experience high school diploma is NOT a G.E.D.!! Nobody will accept it. No college and
almost no employer. You should just go out and get your G.E.D. It's not as hard
as you might think. Do it at your own pace. You will be better for it.
Lastly, if you plan
to work in a government job, do not attempt to get your degree from any of these
schools. That means TEACHERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, COUNTY WORKERS, ETC.
STAY AWAY!
Who will accept my Life Experience Degree?
What does work is this . . . .using these degrees for jobs in private industry. It's true that not 100% of all private employers will accept your Almeda University or Suffield University degree. But SO WHAT? Estimates are that 50 to 65 percent will. True - if you get your degree for $500.00 you will have to apply to TWICE as many companies than you would if you had a traditional degree. So what? Think that's a big deal? Is this too much to ask? Is it easier to drop $25,000 and 4 years of your life to get that traditional degree? For some, perhaps it is. The choice is yours.
What is the best way to represent my Life Experience Degree to employers?
This is what you need to do to be successful with your Life Experience Degree. List it on your resume toward the bottom. Do not try to hide it. Do not be ashamed of it. Do not include it on your cover letter. You are selling your skills and abilities. The psychology behind this is that you want the employer to be interested in you all through reading of your resume. When (if) the hiring manager gets to the part about your having a degree, he/she will be so relived that you meet the minimum qualification that it will not be as much of an issue. Most resumes get less than a 30 second glance. Get your story out BEFORE they see your education. Let that college degree act only like a "check box" requirement (such as "are you over 18?" and "are you legally allowed to work in the United States?") and not a qualification.
What can I do to ensure acceptance of my Life Experience Degree?
Next you should see if the college will BACKDATE your degree. Get your degree dated 10 years back or more and it is less likely to be an issue with employers. This is especially true in an interview. Interviewers are more likely to question you about more recent experiences. Additionally, being vague is perfectly acceptable for something that happened 11 years ago. But if you are vague about a degree you got last week, either you have a severe memory problem or you are trying to hide something.
Is there anything else can I do to maximize the acceptance of my Life Experience Degree?
Yes. Take the heat off your degree by having your major in a field that is not directly related to the job you are seeking. For example, if you are applying for a manager position at a retail establishment, a major in "Management" will come with all kinds of questions about it. On the other hand, a major in "Manufacturing Technology" (for example) will still be sufficient to meet the degree requirements, but will not be questioned as deeply, nor will the interviewer be as qualified to ask you about it and therefore will question it less.
What if I am called-out about my Life Experience Degree during the interview process?
Let's say you are interviewing and you are using your degree (dated 10 years ago) with
a major not directly related to your job. Suddenly, your worst fears now become reality.
The interviewer puts the degree on the spot. Are you prepared to equivocate a little?
You must be - because you already got your degree backdated. (Do you think
Donald Trump got where he is today without the occasional transgression?) If you are still uncomfortable, just remember
Robert Louis Stevenson's definition of honesty: "not just to state the true
facts, but to convey a true impression." That is what you are doing. You are
creating a true impression of yourself because YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE BEST
CANDIDATE FOR THE JOB.
Now you are asked the most unnerving question of them
all. Interviewer Says "I read here that your school is listed as a degree mill
on the government's list of unaccredited institutions blah blah blah . . . ."
Your reply: "Yes. I read that too. I was quite disturbed to see what became of
my alma mater. When I was attending in 1996, the school seemed to be as
legitimate as any. I worked hard to earn my degree and I was shocked to see that
xyz school took the low-road to profitability. When I was attending in 1996, the
school was seeking regional accreditation and the workload was challenging and
complex. It's a shame that what they have become cheapens the degree for the
older hard working alumni. Nonetheless, I know that I earned my degree through
hard work and dedication and have nothing to be ashamed of."
What if I don't get the job?
If you don't get the job, MOVE ON! Get over it. Success require perseverance if it is to be realized. What makes an Olympic skater so successful? Practice and perseverance. That is exactly what you need to land your dream job. That's also what you need to do to really get your Life Experience Degree accepted. First, you need to accept it. You need to be happy with it. You need to feel okay with it. Then you need to sell it. You are the persuasive one.
What if I get no interviews?
If nobody is calling to interview you, the problem is not with your credentials as much as it is with your resume or tactic. Change it up. Call the employer. There are hundreds of tactics to getting interviews you can find on the Internet. If you think your Life Experience Degree is holding you back from getting interviews, it's not! Employers don't verify or look into validating credentials until AFTER the interview. It's too much work to validate credentials before narrowing down the candidate pool.