Can't get college courses

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'd like to eventually change careers. I thought I would start taking college courses. However it seems it is nearly impossible to get college courses at the state college (very few offered and those that are offered fill up really fast). I feel like all roads to career change are blocked or littered with nearly impossible obstacles (such as inability to get the classes you need!).

Sigh, what to do then? Accept that one is somewhat stuck in their current career for life (ha, assuming they can get a job in that). There are other paths to satisfaction outside of career certainly. Perhaps that's just the way it is now. I've paid MASSIVE AMOUNTS of taxes to this state (California) in my working life, but the education system that I've paid for seems to have become impossible to use, so that I'll never benefit from it. Such is life, right? You are a certain age and so you will reap the curses of the age you live in (these are "interesting times").

P.S. I do know it is possible to get certain non-degree oriented personal enrichment or job skills training courses (that stuff isn't even funded by taxpayers!) and I appreciate it. I'm just saying that courses toward a degree have become near impossible to get.

[Merski]

What about online courses from truly accredited colleges? I've heard that they can be great, though I've never done one....

[Zoe Girl]

I hear ya, my personal issue is that I see free and uber cheap classes for Spanish speakers in my area and now I really need to learn Spanish. I am finding most of the classes that have certifications are realy expensive. I would like to at least be able to take some basics for the similar price as Spanish speakers take English classes as this is essential to my career. Sigh,

[mira]

I agree with Merski's suggestion. Accredited online or distance-learning courses could be an option. You'd get more choice and flexibility.

Zoe Girl - you don't necessarily need to get any sort of certification to begin with, especially if your main aim is just to be able to communicate with your colleagues in your current job. Are classes maybe offered at your local library or community centre? Maybe your Spanish-speaking colleagues know of someone who teaches Spanish privately, either one-to-one or in groups? Failing that, I'm sure Craigslist is full of people who want to teach Spanish!

[treehugger]

My husband has been getting his AA at the local community college to prepare to transfer to a state university this fall, and has definitely had more and more trouble getting the classes he needs due to across the board budget cuts at both types of institutions (community colleges and universities). The good news is that the more classes you complete, the higher you move up in the registration heirarchy, so you have more chances of getting into the classes you want.

It's frustrating for sure, but it can definitely still be done. It just takes longer and costs more. Don't give up and continue to explore all options.

Kara

[jennipurrr]

What about online courses from truly accredited colleges? I've heard that they can be great, though I've never done one....

I second this. I would first look and see what options exist as far as public universities go in CA, since you may be able to get a good tuition rate being in state. You may also be able to find an actual department at your local university that handles adult student services or distance student services that can help you out here.

Stay away from strictly online schools...many have a bad rep and won't get you much in way of a resume boost. Plus many have fairly low standards and high tuition.

A lot of large, accredited universities now have a huge distance presence. Many good state schools have entirely online programs and a "distance rate" that is much cheaper than out of state tuition. One program I know is inexpensive is LSU (Louisiana State University). I just checked and it is $92 credit hour...but I don't know the specifics of programs they offer. But, there are tons of great schools out there that have distance programs (including my own employer!)

[ApatheticNoMore]

I second this. I would first look and see what options exist as far as public universities go in CA, since you may be able to get a good tuition rate being in state. You may also be able to find an actual department at your local university that handles adult student services or distance student services that can help you out here.

I've never heard of a CA state school (the UC or Cal State systems) having an online degree (haven't heard of any community colleges doing it either for that matter, although that is understandable). I would love to be able to get an education partly/mostly online! It would be extremely well suited to me (I tend to learn mostly from books anyway, the one exception being hands on lab courses). If anyone knows otherwise of a CA state school that does offer this kind of distance learning let me know. I could totally go for it, but do kinda fear I wouldn't be able to get those classes either, since the whole CA college system is massively overcrowded at this point! But I'd still be very interested in online opportunities.


Stay away from strictly online schools...many have a bad rep and won't get you much in way of a resume boost. Plus many have fairly low standards and high tuition.

Oh yea, I'd avoid these like the plague. The way I see it:

For profit colleges: stay very very far away from these

Decent local private universities: don't easily have that kind of money :( - but hey maybe when I'm working again. Also the offerings for adult education are often very limited. Still this is a possibility.

Local public universities: yes these are ok and was what I was trying to do, but IF I CAN'T GET CLASSES, then the whole thing becomes impossible. And I begin thinking I REALLY need to modify this plan ....

I guess what you are saying is there are accredited colleges in other states I could attend via distance learning? I admit I have become somewhat skeptical of ALL distance learning due to all the diploma mills there are out there, and I hardly know how to distinguish a legitimate opportunity from a rip off (with CA state schools I do actually know I'm getting a credible entity and there are a few local private schools I also trust).

[Anne Lee]

This looked like a good clearinghouse on distance education classes in CA, many from state universities. http://www.cvc.edu/students/courses/

[reader99]

I have learned quite a bit of Japanese from audio CDs I got from the public library. Pimsleur is the publisher. I play them as I go about my activities at home, and they gradually sink in. So when I do sit down and activiely work with it, I find I know quite a bit just from listening.

[Bastelmutti]

Zoe Girl - You could try LiveMocha.com for free.

[rodeosweetheart]

California is full of online degree options. Here is one from Dominguez Hills:

DominguezOnline
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Online Degree and Certificate Programs

Masters Degree Programs

M.A. Humanities External Degree (HUX)
M.A. Negotiation, Conflict Res. and Peacebuilding (NCRP)
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Public Administration (MPA)
M.S. Nursing (MSN)
M.S. Quality Assurance (MSQA)
Bachelors Degree Programs

B.S. Applied Studies
B.S. Nursing (BSN)
B.S. Quality Assurance (BSQA)

Go here:
http://dominguezonline.csudh.edu/programs.php

Colorado Community Colleges online and SUNY online have huge online presences, too.

Please, everyone, just because a college is for profit does not mean that it is not accredited. Please do your research, and many people do advance their careers through for profit institutions. Many professors I know personally have obtained their graduate degrees through the likes of Capella, Kaplan, and Phoenix.

I have taught in for profit, state universities, and private colleges. There is absolutely no difference in the standard of teaching that I have seen, and in some ways, the profits are leading the way with online education. I teach at both state schools and for profit right now, and state schools are scrambling to keep up.

And by the way, I have a PhD from a first class private university, and went to one of the most competitive undergraduate colleges in the country (a hundred years ago), and I have experienced a wide range of academic situations as a student, as well as an instructor.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Please, everyone, just because a college is for profit does not mean that it is not accredited. Please do your research

I attended an accredited for profit vocational school (long ago). NOT RECOMMENDED. Once burned and twice shy and yes that is indeed the last time I will ever trust anything just because it is accredited. Whether I was able to learn from it well I .... SELF-TEACH, so I can learn regardless of the situation (why online education would actually work for me), but it was despite and not because of the school.

I don't think for profit schools are as respected as state and good private schools are and let's face they are also quite expensive. Now yes, if you can't get classes at public schools this does pose a dilemma and the price may begin to seem worth it. I also don't like accelerated degree programs (classes of only 6 weeks versus a 10-12 week quarter) which many for profit schools have (but perhaps not all of them. I think University of Phoenix does it this way, but I haven't looked at all of them).

All I really want is career relevant education that will allow me to eventually change careers, whether it takes a masters degree or the community college - no I never thought I'd end up back at the CC again, but whatever it takes (and yes there are several careers I am considering). But at the same time, I don't want to waste my money at a really bad rip off school again (been there, done that, that's enough for one lifetime).

I will of course consider all the online degree programs at state schools within or outside of CA because it would work well for me.

[rodeosweetheart]

I will of course consider all the online degree programs at state schools within or outside of CA because it would work well for me.[/QUOTE]

Then you will definitely be able to find something. Try Petersons to get you started. There are many more in California--there is a totally distance social work program at USC, for example, but it is INCREDIBLY expensive- they quoted me 80,000 dollars.

Just figure out a couple of possible directions and get googling, and you should be fine. Another great direction to consider is nursing school, which can open incredible doors and be done very inexpensively, although not online. I tried to do that but could not continue because of health issues, but it might be up your ally. And yes, I did continue at a community college, and that is another plus for nursing school; inexpensive and lots of bang for your buck.

But since I don't know what direction you are interested in, I can't give any better advice!

[mira]

California is full of online degree options. Here is one from Dominguez Hills:
Online Degree and Certificate Programs
M.S. Nursing (MSN)

Bachelors Degree Programs
B.S. Nursing (BSN)


How does one qualify as a nurse through an online course? Isn't it, well, a pretty hands-on profession?!

[rodeosweetheart]

To get an MSN in nursing in an online program, you would already have to be a working RN. It is, as you say, a very hands on degree!

[Selah]

I once lived in Nevada and had the same problem...massive unemployment with the recession meant everyone went back to to school at the same time, just as the state was cutting the higher ed budget. What I did find is that some community colleges (Great Basin College, in my state) offered a reduced tuition for people living in adjacent states, CA included. It wasn't as cheap as in-state tuition, but it wasn't as expensive as the typical jacked-up out-of-state tuition, either. If nothing in CA suits you or isn't available, you might consider looking at online courses in neighboring states. UNLV (University of Nevada - Las Vegas) also did quite a bunch of them, including professional certification programs. Good luck!

[RosieTR]

I think sometimes the online courses require you to have some sort of partnership or do some intern thing with a local hospital or clinic; how they get around the online thing. Basic biology can be online, but human anatomy might be another story. I did hear WGU covered on NPR-it's a non-profit, all online degree for 1/3 to 1/2 what the private online schools might charge. Not sure the difference with public universities, but the public U system seems like an anachronism more and more.

[leslieann]

My DIL took her midwifery master's program at SUNY Stoneybrook, a distance learning program. They have a cohort system; the students are in residence all together for two weeks (I thinK) each year of their program. The second and third years include a preceptorship with an agency providing ob/gyn services. Year two is all prenatal/postpartum care while year three is birth and birth and more birth. The coursework was completed online; exams were proctored at a local institution (hospital or university). The prerequisites for the program included a BSN and 1000 hours of work in labour and delivery, so it was clearly aimed at working professional nurses. For all that, it was distinctly and distinctively a distance program. It really made me understand that distance learning (not just online education) can be for just about any subject/profession. Midwifery, after all....

I have taught online undergrad courses and not enjoyed it much. However, taking them may be another matter entirely. You certainly DO get lots of one to one attention from the prof. And most school are ramping up their DL offerings because it is seen as the way to make ends meet in an uncertain future. Cheaper to administer and you can actually charge more for online (and many brick-and-mortar schools do just that).

I do agree that universities are doing a crummy job of getting traditional students out with a degree in four years...and where I was recently teaching, we were crunching course offerings because of enrollment drops, which translates into fewer slots in needed courses, fewer sections, and infrequent offerings of some electives. Also most places will offer the option to take a course or two before committing to a program, but usually registration for the casual student opens AFTER degree students have registered (the U. has a responsibility to them first) and so often it seems that there are no seats available...but that might be different if you were enrolled.

I hope you find what you are looking for....Self taught might really describe how a lot of online education happens. I know I offered many ways to interact with material and the great number of students chose the least contact option ("do I have to know this for the test?").

[puglogic]

When your registration date and time comes up, are you on-the-dot with your registration? In other words, if registration opens to you at 9:00am on June 23, do you get online to register at 9:01? Seriously, that's what you have to do here, and that's what I did. I was never boxed out of a class I wanted, because I'm smarter and more motivated than a 20-year-old to get in there. And as was mentioned above, the longer you're enrolled, the higher up on the totem pole you go, so it's really just that first semester or two that are hard. Maybe a good time to get those essential liberal arts classes (which typically have lots and lots of sections) out of the way, if you need them. Just sayin'.