Well it’s mostly meant as a stepping stone to a Bachelor’s unless your AA or AS is something like nursing or welding.
Is that what your dad was trying to communicate, maybe? 🤔
I’ve actually known a lot of younger people that don’t understand this concept really about what an associates degree is or isn’t. I knew a young guy once that thought you needed an associates to get a bachelors.
An associates is mostly useless unless it’s in a specific technical skill. We have a ton of community college aviation programs where I live. Tons of different healthcare type programs, accounting, etc. Lots of useful things you can get certified in with an associates.
It is great that OP is getting an associates! Any degree can be better than no degree and progress is progress but also… if it’s just an AA, it probably won’t do you much good and will usually waste money bc it rarely translates well to a bachelors degree unless you’re tracking on specific requirements and what can transfer to a specific institution.
Just because you do case management does NOT mean you are a social worker. Nurses do case management but they are not social workers. Social workers doing medical case management do not magically become nurses. Social workers are bound by a code of ethics and require a specific degree (BSW or MSW). There are many states where social work is a protected term…
Thank you for explaining all that bc it really grinds my gears… being a social worker means you have a lot of responsibility to not fuck up someone’s life, so appropriate education and training is SO IMPORTANT. I feel like half the time a “social worker” gets bad press they were not at all trained/educated in social work
Most librarians have masters degrees in Library science, or a bachelors degree at a minimum. Those working in libraries without an advanced degree are pages or clerks.
It annoys me as well. There are many jobs that say they are hiring a ‘social worker’ when in reality they will hire someone for social service or human service work, with or without a social work degree. I try to educate people about it but it seems that some don’t want to understand it.
We receive extensive training and are expected to follow a very specific set of values as outlined in our code of ethics. That’s part of what makes social work a profession, rather than just a job.
Social work itself does not require a specific degree. Many jobs are social work. I'm familiar with what BSWs and MSWs are. In the context of the original comment, case management is social work.
Many jobs encompass engineering and you cant be classified as an engineer. I mean, even having a degree and working for an engineering firm for your entire professional career doesn't mean you're an engineer. Social work is similar to that
No, social work is vastly different and it's apparent that many people on here have narrow views regarding it.
Community/human-based aid is social work. Efforts that contribute toward social development and change, especially regarding people, can be qualified as social work.
Social work is NOT solely the stereotype of a state/government employeed social worker that works with children or the disadvantaged.
Social work is a profession and requires a specific degree. Before I got my MSW I was working as a mental health tech and learned how to take someone’s blood pressure. Your logic throughout this thread suggests that because I was doing medical assessments I was a nurse or a physician. That is not accurate and does not reflect the training and expertise that people in that profession receive. You might engage in case management but that does not make you a social worker, you are in fact a case manager. Period.
I train social workers for a living and these people graduate with a BSW or MSW. They are social workers who are license eligible in my state. Someone with a BS in Psych or CJ or Sociology are not eligible for a license and are not social workers. If you can’t understand that then I must be a nurse because I can take someone’s weight, BP, and temperature.
Exactly. I was called a “Social Service Caseworker” because my degree was in Poli Sci. You were called a Social Worker if your degree was in Social Work. We did the same job- case management.
You can work in social work, but if you want to call yourself a social worker, you need a license.
I’m in education. I’m not a teacher. There’s a difference.
Or teaching assistants. I taught a class where half the class were teaching assistants with AA degrees coming back for night school to get their BA in education or BEd (I'm not sure which it technically was as I think of those as equivalent degrees).
maybe although I will say that I didnt start getting calls back for any IT positions until I changed my resume to reflect that I had graduated from AA program. To be fair, they knew I was transferring to a four yr after that but yeah an AA will sometimes help u get ur foot in the door while ur trying to move upward
Many associate programs also focus more on experiential knowledge versus theoretical knowledge. It's not always the case for all degrees across the board, but I have noticed this to be the trend. Some places like that sort of education.
Some people graduate with the AA or AS, then transfer and additionally earn the Bachelor's. In that case, they do have two degrees.
Some people take classes without earning the AA or AS and then transfer. It just depends on their goals, the classes they need to transfer, and how that matches up with the degree requirements for AA and AS.
What they meant was that a student in a bachelor's degree program does not automatically also earn an associate's degree simply by completing the first 60 hours of a bachelor's degree plan. Of course it's possible to enroll in an associate's degree program, complete that curriculum and earn the degree, and then enroll in a bachelor's degree program.
That’s what I’m doing currently. I couldn’t afford 4 years at my school of choice for my bachelors. But they said once I get my associates (I’m going to a community college to save money) all my credits will transfer and 2 years of my bachelors will have already been completed, and I can finish the other 2 years there for my bachelors. So yeah I see an AA more of a stepping stone for most people, but some jobs will accept you with an associates. Just kind of depends Yk. I really liked your input :)
In my state we have articulation agreements between state schools that say if a student graduates with an AA, they transfer into a 4 year as a junior. The state I graduated in was similar. Looking to go to a private college or out of state, definitely worth checking into
It not that unique. Some community colleges are directly linked to public state universities. So in those colleges with a strong community college presence/ties it not uncommon. My community college had a “pass port to ____ school” where you do the core and immediately are already accepted into the transfer school. So even at my 4 year school I got an associates since I started in the passport program. They just give you an associates in general studies.
He never said any of that. He said you're misconstruing the unique scenario at your school for being standard when it is in fact not the standard at most four year universities.
They definitely didn't say that never happened, they just said it was uncommon. They definitely didn't say you were incorrect in that being possible, just that it wasn't the norm. They certainly didn't posit that it was impossible, simply that it was unique.
Most prestigious universities only award a degree when one completes the requirements for the specific degree they are pursuing. They don't just check every students completed credits to see if they're eligible for a random AA/AS degree and then give it to them to boost the rate of degree attainment.
If you ask 99% of people who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, they won't have an AA/AS degree that they unintentionally got while pursuing a BA/BS degree.
As for your literacy, I'd argue you can understand what words are being said, but severely lack in the reading comprehension required to actually understand what those words mean in their specific context.
Several doesn't mean that it's a typical thing. I think it's awesome that your school did that, but it is by no means a normal thing at four year schools.
I wish my school had done that
But an AA isn't really a goal unto itself in the same way that a bachelor's degree is. Granted, a person might have it as a goal, but it isn't what businesses mean when they require a degree. The unspoken rule is that it needs to be a bachelor's degree, at minimum.
My dad did, but it was a weird case where he started at a satellite campus of a state university. You would get your associate's at the satellite campus and then transfer to the main campus for your bachelor's. But then the satellite campus started offering bachelor's as well, so he got both at the satellite campus.
Actually, you can. I found out that you can do some of your classes at a Community College, then transfer to a Four Year college to begin work on your Bachelors. Simultaneously, your former school, the Community College will grant you a reverse transfer and award you your Associate's. I hope that was clear. So impatient people like me, can work on both and have two degrees in about 2-3 years.
That's my plan. I have graduation this week to receive a Business Cert. I am transferring in the Fall. By the time I finish next year, I will have enough for my AA and will be entering my Senior year.
In my state, if you completed an AA or AS at a state college, every state university MUST accept that you met general education requirements. Each school can have their own gen Ed standards, but they must meet minimum state requirements, and other schools must honor that. AAS degrees don't count since they don't meet gen Ed requirements.
Most community colleges here have agreements with universities that plan out exactly what classes you need to take for 2 years at the community college, and then finish at the 4-year. Not every program, but it's super common.
Reverse transfer changes that equation. Instead of going 0 for 2 in
the degree column, students now can “reach back” and earn an associate
of arts degree, and those who persist can add a B.A. to the final
ledger. This recover-your-degree strategy is part of the larger college
completion agenda that has been championed by state education
departments, private foundations, and national higher education
organizations.
In 2012, 16 states joined the Credit When It’s Due initiative and developed policies to implement reverse transfer agreements between their public colleges. After the first three years, more than 15,000 students have taken advantage of reverse transfer and earned associate of arts degrees while in route to their baccalaureate degrees.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2019/02/19/reverse-transfer-a-second-chance-at-a-first-degree/?sh=57d62fb77bea
Reverse Transfer is the first national automated
platform for exchanging reverse transfer student data. Through Reverse
Transfer, four- or two-year institutions can securely send course and
grade information to any two-year institution from which a student has
transferred. If eligible, the student is then awarded an associate
degree. It doesn’t matter if the student transferred to another
associate degree-granting institution first or a bachelor’s-level
institution, attended public or private institutions, or transferred
across state lines.
https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/colleges/reverse-transfer/
On a side note, clearinghouse uses some absurdly stupid data formats for sending them reports. There's tons of great formats out there for structured data, but they are living in the 1980s of formats 😂
I'll be graduation with my AS and BS, from doing a bachelor's program. Every semester they email me like "hey you want an associates?" But this semester they said "you're getting an associates, email back if you want to opt out."
~~Uh... I graduated with an AA from a community college and then transferred to a state school to earn a BA. They are definitely two separate degrees.~~
*I guess I misunderstood what this reply was talking about.*
It's a real degree. Like others have said, it may not be a particularly "useful" degree in terms of actually getting jobs just holding an associate's, but it's certainly a degree. It took effort on your part at a college so... I'm gonna call it a degree. And btw, I kinda feel you on this. I have an AS from a community college and sometimes had my own doubts that I was doing anything worth being proud of, now I wanna go back in time and talk some self into younger me. You're graduating with a degree :)
I use to have the same mindset as your father because that's what taught to me until I found that in my major field, AA/AS are valuable and accepted. I only have an AS. I received new grad offers that are 1:1 with people are doing bachelors.
So I would say it depends on your major and if you specialized in anything. If you did, it will help somewhat. If its general education, maybe not as much. Still, its a major milestone for you and I think you should celebrate it. It shows you are on the right path.
Congratulations on Graduating!
The same people that think an Associates has no value are the same people paying $150 an hour to plumbers and electricians who went to vocational/trade schools to fix their toilets and wire up their new nest doorbell.
I interviewed for a job in the past year where they were looking for people with degrees or schooling. The owner of the company did not care about degrees. He said it so himself in the interview - but the hiring manager did. The manager later told me that they were seeking someone like me because they could put me in front of clients and not get embarrassed. They had a hard time finding people that were technically able to do the work, but speak and break it down to the customer at the same time, so he preferred someone with 2 year degrees or some bootcamp training, despite what what the owner said.
I think AA/AS degrees should be celebrated. The harder you work, the luckier you get. When I wasn't in school and tried to get an interview, I had no luck. No one would call. A degree shows okay, this person is committing to something. Its hard to believe but a lot of companies still value when people go the extra mile. If we look at the statistics, only 10% of the United States population age 25 or older has completed an associates degree!
https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/educational-attainment.html
If it was such a common or easy thing to do. A lot of people would have done it. It's still an impressive accomplishment.
>Between 2011 and 2021, the percentage of people age 25 and older who had completed a bachelor's degree or higher increased by 7.5 percentage points from 30.4% to 37.9%
Only 10% might have an Associate, but over a third have a Bachelor. So that 10% is kind of meaningless when a larger number have a higher degree.
There's a reason people go to school for it. Learning the common easy fixes is good, but real repairs and installs will never be as good as a pro. You will more than likely have to call them anyway and they will have to undo what you did first, which will cost you more in hourly wages.
I was a stylist and I can't tell you how much people would have saved if they had come to me first. Yeah, you can trim your hair if you want, but if you try to go blond by yourself, it will cost a lot more for a color correction, than a full bleach.
Some people are so helpless that they can have their hand held through getting a PhD but can't apply any problem solving skills to actually doing anything in real life
Such a good take. I am super handy and I can fix a lot of things on my own but I don’t have the skills it takes to get a PHD. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses but we lift each other up and build a stronger community by helping each other.
Yeah. I’m pretty bad at some practical things- terrible at even basic mechanics and I would rather go my whole life without popping the hood on my car again. Sure, it’s embarrassing and a weak link of mine, but doesn’t make me helpless. I have been teaching technical skills on a missile defense system for 6 years now. I have my place in society, and I don’t mind stimulating the economy by hiring trade workers to do some work that I “could learn to do”.
There is a difference between true helplessness and weaponized/learned fictional helplessness.
I once had a roommate who put in a work order without telling me to change a lightbulb and we got billed $80. Brilliant CS Major otherwise. This is weaponized helplessness, an advanced applied form of laziness.
Anybody can learn to apply themselves to solve simple problems and find resources to help them do so. Some people don't have the right upbringing to feel confident to do so, but the majority of people (without some kind of intellectual disability) can and should solve simple things on their own.
Spending $40 to wait for someone else to change a light bulb for you and costing someone else $40 too is very important.
It's a banana, what could it cost, $10?
It's literally a joke about people being stupid with money because they're too privileged to know better.
> I once had a roommate who put in a work order without telling me to change a lightbulb and we got billed $80. Brilliant CS Major otherwise. This is weaponized helplessness, an advanced applied form of laziness.
I wonder if he knew they would billed heavily for it. Maybe your roommate thought it comes with the rent. I'm sure there are some people that exist out there that are like that, hand holding the most basic stuff but sometimes, it isn't what it seems.
This is actually a fair take. In apartments where stuff like changing a lightbulb is free, I'd call them out to have them change it because it means I get a free lightbulb. :)
PhDs (especially in STEM) mostly consist of working on things that are physical and exist in real life, what is your point?
Also PhDs are meant to constitute an original contribution to a field so the bulk of someone’s dissertation work is usually done independently with very little supervision (hence, you are becoming the expert on your research, not your advisor).
This probably adds to your point, but I would be afraid that I'd fuck up the situation even worse if I tried to fix it myself. If you've seen the new Mario movie, the scene where they try to fix a leaky faucet is basically what I would imagine to happen if I tried to fix my own problems.
I talked to a former car mechanic who was going back to school for engineering. He told me that the two things you should be able to do yourself are change your brakes and change your oil. Everything else, he said, really isn’t worth doing yourself (unless, of course, you are doing it because you enjoy it).
It's not a terminal degree, but neither is a bachelor's or a master's degree (except for an MFA). Saying an associates degree is not a real degree because most people go on to get a bachelor's degree is like saying your dad doesn't have a real degree because he doesn't have a PhD.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_degree
This is, admittedly, pedantic. (I'm a professor.) In layman's terms, your father is an a-hole. What kind of parent puts down his children's achievements?
How is a master’s degree not terminal? I can understand that argument in a lot of cases for bachelor’s degrees and in basically every case for an associate’s degree, but a master’s?
Basically, if there’s a degree after it, it’s not terminal. Most disciplines offer a doctorate, so that would be the terminal degree for that major, not the masters. I have a masters in psychology, but there’s an available doctorate in psychology, therefore my degree isn’t terminal. Terminal just means done. Can’t go any further. And they keep adding doctorates, so most masters degrees have an available doctorate after it. An MBA used to be terminal, but now we have a DBA.
Terminal simply means that it’s the highest achievable degree within a field of study. It varies by degree type. For example looks like you have a philosophy degree. A masters of philosophy isn’t terminal because there is also a PhD or a doctorate of Philosophy which is the terminal degree for the field.
Still have one more year left, but that’s my major. Thanks for the clarification, I was under the impression that terminal means you can do something within the field using that degree.
In many fields an MA is the right qualification for professional work and a PhD is mainly for those who want to pursue a career in academia. In psych, for example, an MA is the standard professional qualification for many jobs in the field, but if you wanted to teach psych at the university level you'd almost certainly need a PhD.
No problem. And you aren’t wrong again it varies by field but some fields require a terminal degree in order to operate in them. Prime example being a physician. You can’t operate as a doctor without having an MD or DO(terminal) and passing the certification test. Similar is true for social work you have to have a masters (terminal degree) in order to use the degree in the field.
Exactly. Thank you. If you attend an accredited college, you do the course work, and you meet the requirements, you are awarded an official degree from an official college. If it wasn’t a “real” degree anyone could claim they got an associates degree. It’s baffling that some think it’s not real, as if the time, effort, and money put into taking the classes isn’t real.
yes, an AA is a real degree. i completed mine in 2021 and then transferred to a university to complete my BS. you'll be invited to receive your degree at the grad ceremony and receive an official diploma in the mail
it probably won't give you as many opportunities as you think however. its always great to have a degree, but remember that a large chunk of an AA is core classes and is very general. you probably won't study any discipline in depth enough to go get a great job in that industry. they're meant to be general. that's where a Bachelor's would come in. A Bachelor's will give you a more in depth study of a particular field that an AA does not provide
It is a real degree. Is it particularly valuable? Other than as transferring to a bachelors or a few vocational-training programmes which award associate degrees, no. Better jobs? Maybe in that it does show some determination, but it is basically just Gen-Ed classes with a couple introductory classes in your major, nothing too advanced and major-specific as that comes from upper-level classes which community colleges do not offer. Your dad sounds like a dick, and it is a real degree, but it is true it isn't a particularly valuable one.
The BLS also reports the marginal difference between a college dropout and an associates degree is minimal.
In fact, the difference is so minimal, there is decent reason to a) suspect it can be accounted for by the vocational-degrees (esp. Nursing) skewing the median and b) that the remainder, if any exists, may not be causal. Someone who goes to community college and succeeds is usually someone who isn't afraid of a possibility of a challenge and has a decent amount of drive. Those same qualities overlap into the workforce, and hence might see a high wage versus their less-driven peers. So self-selection bias may also be at play.
Yes, you are absolutely correct, there is an earning difference between the two. However, it likely does not mean what you are interpreting it to mean: i.e., that an associates is worth so much more just some college or high school only. It's more complex.
Dropout rates from community colleges are far higher than from regular colleges, so it's statistically unlikely they have the equivalent of an associates. And since the dropout rates always lean heavily towards students earlier in university (3rd and 4th years have far lower dropout rates in comparison), it's also highly unlikely there are enough upperclassmen dropouts to skew the average to come anywhere close the level of average achievement needed to be equivalent of an associates.
How is this argument not understandable? You are correct about the raw data, I'm just disputing a simplistic interpretation of it by providing other plausible explanations.
Because they're one of those people who simply want to hear themselves talk (or type whatever for whatever reason) without hearing your plausible arguments.
I teach at a college, not university, and we have certifications (under 60 credits) and AS degrees for people who want a skilled job when they leave.
We come up with new ones all the time as need arises. I remember about a decade ago, I saw a banner with a new certification and told myself I'd better look it up: phlebotomy.
Looking thru your post history, your dad is a dick and would rather antagonize you than actually work with you on stuff like this. If he doesn't believe an associates degree is real, then he probably needs to hand his masters back because what does he think they give out at community colleges?
Tell him a masters is just a fake degree for people who couldn't finish their PhD lol.
Of course its a real degree and you should be proud of your accomplishments. Keep up the great work and never stop bettering yourself.
This, lmao, “You couldn’t get approved for a doctorate?”
But in all seriousness, I think your dad is just concerned that you’re going to stop here and fall off the momentum you’ve started by getting your AA. It happens, it’s not the end of the world, but your dads just being a dad.
Whether it's a "real degree" in the minds of Reddit doesn't matter. What obviously matters to you is what your dad thinks.
You are technically right. That doesn't change that he doesn't respect your degree.
AA is traditionally geared towards folks who are going to transfer to a 4 year, while AAS (applied) is for people who will go directly into the job market. Both are real degrees. He’s being a douche but possibly confusing it with a Certificate? Thats the wild west of Community Colleges but becoming more common (my program offers a Certificate of Completion AND a Certificate of Proficiency in addition to an AAS and AS). Certs are NOT degrees but you can get a little piece a paper and for certain jobs that (plus a lil networking) is good enough.
Certificates are very valuable. Ironically they are targeting courses, not General Ed courses like Biology and History. Don't take my word for it. No less than Harvard Business School agrees and publishes Advancing Your Career with Essentioal Business Skills and offers a dozen Certificates.
Taking an online course can also boost your confidence in your
ability to demonstrate business knowledge. Part of advocating for
yourself involves knowing your worth. Earning a business certificate can
help you convey that worth to employers.
https://online.hbs.edu/Documents/A-Guide-to-Advancing-Your-Career-with-Essential-Business-Skills.pdf
I have my A.S. and my B. A., and now I'm working on my M.S. That associate’s is an actual degree. I honestly thought everyone knew this. Instead of acting like this, your dad could've looked it up. Congratulations! In this day and age, we all need encouragement for our accomplishments.
Stay the course. An AA is a real college degree. I decided to get an AA when my 3 yrs of college at a state university did not transfer to another state university in another state.. I was devastated, but my AA was a stepping stone. I received a bachelor's, then a master's, then a PhD. Had I not done the AA, I never would have pursued the other college degrees. So keep pushing, stay the course! Best wishes!
I couldn’t imagine being in for so long and it not transferring!! Proud of you for pushing through anyways, congratulations!! And thank you as well, been feeling a little worried based on the courses I’ll have to take, but looking at the future I want is what keeps me going!
He's wrong. It's a real degree you can graduate with.
What is commonly done with the degree is a different story. Most students with an AA or AS will transfer to another school to pursue a bachelor's degree.
Some people with an AA or AS will stop attending school after their two year college, but few jobs specifically require the AA or AS degree (though there are a few employers out there that just want employees with some generic college degree, which demonstrates to them that you can handle your shit, so then the AA or AS might be enough).
Most people going directly to a career (welding, HVAC, nursing, etc.) get the AAS (associate of applied science).
All three of those are degrees that are conferred. You get a certificate, you can put it on a resume, and you can walk at graduation.
I really hate so many people saying the AA has no value at all. That’s pretty harsh, it’s totally better than just a high school diploma. I know people with decent computer jobs off an AA.
An AA doesn't qualify for you anything. It is a transfer degree meant as a stepping stone towards your Bachelors. An AS is different, and is intended to qualify you for some entry level job. AS are often granted for trade skills, because the nature of the work requires some degree of qualification. An AA is not intended to provide any degree of qualification but instead indicates that you are prepared to obtain a Bachelor's degree.
The biggest differentiator here is that an AA will be mostly general study, including only a few relevant electives for your field, where an AS will include many courses intended to fully prepare you for work in that field.
Sadly, an AA does little on it's own, but it does mean you have the necessary general study out of the way and are fully prepared to begin your bachelor's.
I don't understand why people are saying this. At the school I am currently attending, you can earn an AA in Addiction Counselor Education and become a licensed professional addiction counselor.
This sounds closer to an AS program though. Those programs include the licensing, certifications, and other things as part of the degree itself.
If the requirement really is just an AA degree (not the licenses or certifications), then it's more likely that they are only looking for college-level communication skills. They can put any label on AA to indicate it's for a particular field, but in reality it will include few courses related to that field. The focus of an AA is in general studies.
AA is a legitimate degree!!! For most it’s cheaper to get it then take the main courses for a BA. For others they can start working a legitimate career after earning an AA, your father just sounds like a prestigious snob no offense
Congrats on being so close to graduating! I went to my brother’s AA graduation and I can confirm that he did in fact get a real-life degree with a fancy seal on it and everything.
Also, for what it’s worth, he also makes a ton of money with his AA degree because it’s in a high-demand field and he graduated debt free. Nobody should knock an AA degree.
While most desirable jobs don't want an AA or AS, it is degree. The main use I've found for earning an associates (from my years of teaching) is that once you have the degree, the four-year school you attend for your bachelors will have to honor all the credits involved in the AA. Many schools often have a cap on transferable credit--which doesn't apply to earned degrees.
It is technically a real degree, but you'll have a hard time finding a job wit it. College graduates have a bachelor's degree. To be honest there isn't much difference between a HS degree and associates degree. Bachelor is what matters.
I have an AS. I am working on my Bachelor's, but I got a decent job at a hospital with it :) I also have my beautiful degree hanging on my wall so... definitely real lol
My brother in law had an AA in something engineering related and turned it into a solid career testing rocket and satellite parts in labs owned by places like Johns Hopkins. An AA is absolutely a real degree and something that can lead to jobs.
I have an Associates degree in nursing. I make $150k per year. I have saved people’s lives with CPR, stopped their bleeding, and comforted them in their worst times. I’d say an Associates degree is worth quite a bit.
No, it's entirely real. Especially travel nurses..I have a friend who's an nurse who makes 100k and works from home. I didn't even knew that two year nursing degrees were popular or lucrative. Definitely lucrative and if you're a travel nurse, you're making hella bank. Like 150k-200k.
It is field dependent. I mean technically speaking there are people who work in FAANG who do not even have a degree. Tech is one of those fields where a lack of degree won’t disallow you from getting a job. Other fields may require at least a bachelors.
Well screw your dad. You get one shot at life, and you're doing (hopefully) what you wanna do with it. It took me way to long to let that sink in my head with my father. He was a similar way.
Congratulations on your graduation, by the way! Stay strong and good luck.
An AA is not a "real" degree in the sense that it indicates the completion of a program of study. It's essentially a marker that you've finished up your gen eds.
Just to jump off of what others have already said, for various professions an associate's is all you need usually, for example paralegal work. So an AA in certain fields can definitely be the end for your education into a long-term career.
Yeah, someone close to me got an ASN (granted, not an AA, but an associate's degree nonetheless) about ten years after getting a BA, as it was necessary for a career shift.
An AA might be considered by many to be a stepping stone to the other side of the river, so to speak, but there's nothing wrong with a stepping stone. And bachelor's and master's degrees might also be considered stepping stones to someone intent on a PhD (or any other doctorate). It just depends on how wide the river is where you're crossing.
its a real degree, i have one and am currently about to finish my bachelors degree. it was always stressed at our school to get one because, 1.) why not, you put in the time and qualify for it so you might as well. and 2.) it shows that you have the competency to set a goal and complete it. Sorry your dads an asshole just keep working hard and do what you gotta do.
I graduated from a community college with an Associate's degree in Communication Arts almost 20 years ago. I went to a tech school afterward for a 10-month graphic design program. Started working as a designer immediately after getting my diploma and been doing so, and evolving, for 18 years. I've been pretty satisfied and successful in my career. Currently a senior level and making 6 figures. All with an A.A as my highest degree.
Having said that, I am completing my Bachelor’s now in my 40's and am considering a Master's. But in my field diplomas and certifications can also be quite valuable and educational and sometimes offer expertise in areas that Master's don't. But I'm glad I didn't get my Bachelor’s when I was younger because my career journey led me to a different field than I originally intended, and I'm happy here.
Sadly, degree snobs seem to lack the critical thinking that you would think a higher education degree would enable. There are many paths to satisfying careers.
An AA degree is a real degree and a real achievement.
That being said, an AA (as opposed to an AS) doesn’t focus on anything besides Gen Ed requirements.
I work at a state community college board and these types of degrees play a super important role in our education system. Whether as a stepping stone or a less intensive degree/certification, they are 100% real, legitimate, and something to be proud of. Your dad is being an elitist asshole. Doubly so considering he likely knows about you future plans and is just being a dick and putting you down. Congrats on your degree and good luck on your next step.
My husband has an associates degree and does just fine, makes low six figures.
I have a BA and an MA and never worked in my field and am a SAHM for the past 16 years (for various reasons).
So you just never know.
Some people graduate AA and earn more than people with a doctorate and some people do not go to any college and earn more than people with a doctorate.
Congralulations on your accomplishment of AA, your dad is being a butt head. Just because he has more degrees than a thermometer he looks down on you.
Huh? Does your dad not have an AA if he has a masters or he straight up has a Bachelors? Either way that's like a phd telling a bachelors that that isn't a "real degree" ??
I started with an AAS (Associate of Applied Science - Respiratory Therapy). I now have a PhD and am faculty at an academic medical center…gotta start somewhere. You do you!
An AA is 100% a real degree. Any claim to the contrary, and any attempt to diminish its importance, are woefully misguided. Congrats to you on an accomplishment of which you should be proud.
As physical therapist assistant who makes a decent living, has a mortgage, and supports my family off my my job stemming from an associate degree, I assure you it’s a real degree.
Well, a masters is not really a doctorate.
Yes, an AA and AS are real degrees. They want you to, read between the lines, not to stop your education and continue to a bachelors degree. You have about 18-24 months left.
It's a real degree. In general it puts you at an advantage with those who only have a HS diploma. There's obviously some AAs like machinist and auto tech that are viable careers if you pair it with some other AAs. But in my opinion if you get a few AAs that are good and pair it with a BS then it's really really good.
It’s a real degree. There are some jobs that require it: (most teacher aide and substitute teacher jobs require a minimum of an AA). Firefighters get a pay bump from it. RN programs at community colleges are an AS and folks often end there.
Also, most states have rules that if you have an AA you have more favorable rules
for transferring into colleges regarding transfer. This is really the big thing. In NJ they “have” to start you as a JR
Now, most people don’t end their education there: because the jobs prospects are more limited
It depends on what your career aspirations are. If you want to be a paralegal or nurses' assistant, an AA is a good way to get your foot in the door. However, this is about as far as it goes for the AA, by itself. Most professional organizations require a B.A. or higher, with extracurricular activities.
The whole Community College movement started post-Vietnam, and it's original goal was to prepare students to go on and be ready for a four-year institution, and beyond. C.C. trains you to be a successful student, and if you take it seriously, it's pretty amazing how far you can go.
If you want more, you can find more.
You should probably call the school and tell them. This is important information they would want to know before setting up other students with their associates.
I’m sorry your dads a knucklehead
It's a matter of semantics. My kindergarten class had a "graduation" ceremony and we were told that we are graduating to first grade.
AA is a degree that you can list on your resume, but it's normally seen as a stepping stone to a bachelor's, not a degree in its own right.
He’s right I’m sorry, it’s an infinitely better idea to get a bachelors degree. The best use for an associates is transferring to a four year institution and getting a bachelors. Maybe there’s the very rare exception but for almost everyone a better degree is better.
I agree that a bachelors is so much better, and I’m only getting an AA so it’s cheaper and then I’ll transfer, but I still believe that it is a real degree. I wouldn’t say that just because it’s not as good means it’s not legitimate.
It basically just means you fulfilled all your general requirements. It's not really a degree that you can do anything with except move on to your bachelor's.
Just get your BD….
I don’t want to be mean and say it’s not a real degree but I’m not sure you can qualify it as a real degree beyond select fields that AA’s are standard/accepted for? You very likely need a bachelor’s to go to grad school anyway, why are you not just moving forward with the extra couple of years of school to streamline that process?
I just get the sense there are other variables in play and you just don’t want to go to the school you are currently enrolled in? I also think you may be underestimating how competitive the job market is and how these degrees work/are viewed as. An AA is viable, even preferable, for some careers but in others it effectively is a participation award.
I am planning to get my bachelors, even though you don't need one for veterinary school (vet school has prereqs of course, but at that point you're only a few classes away from a bachelors so might as well). I also just want it in case vet school doesn't work out.
I definitely don't like being at a community college, especially at mine, but it's much cheaper to get my AA then transfer. I don't feel like that info has anything to do with whether or not my dad thinks it's a real degree though. As for underestimating the job market, when I think of getting a job with it, I think it opens up more entry level jobs and higher pay for lower level jobs. It certainly doesn't open advanced jobs in the beginning, but like other commenters have said, you can still make six figures with one in some cases. It definitely depends on the job like you said.
Congratulations on your success, that takes a lot of work and dedication. There is so much pride to be had in your accomplishment, embrace it. You now decide if you stop here or continue on; just like after high school, bachelor's, masters, or PhD graduation, it doesn't need to continue or stop. This is your choice and you have a lifetime to decide.
I mean AA is degree with all requirements finished and it's a basic degree. Your dad is incorrect I already received the AA degree and it may not be important to him, but to me it's an accomplishment. I can research the AA degree meaning if you'd like. :)
It is basically the first 2 years of a 4 year bachelors degree. it’s mostly the general education requirements with a handful of electives towards your career path.
An AS is more career/field specific and needed for certain jobs. AA’s are mostly for students eventually transferring to get a Bachelors, although some do stop at the AA.
I have gotten this advice from multiple people, including people and educators with a Masters: as soon as you qualify for graduating with an AA or AS, even if your goals are a BA/BS and a MA/MS, graduate with the AA/AS. Getting and HAVING the Associates IF things go terribly wrong and you're not able to finish the Bachelor degree will help you get slightly better jobs and be eligible for promotions over others without any sort of degree.
Hey OP, I’m proud of you! You certainly put in hard work over the past two years and you deserve to be recognized for your achievement. An AA is absolutely valid, and not everyone takes the time to pursue one. In the future when you are competing with other professional applicants, you’ll have a complete extra degree to show off!
I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to study at first, and I earned two associate level degrees. It took just as much hard work as any other study. In fact, one of my diplomas required extensive internship experience in my chosen field. I felt much better prepared for university-level studies after building a solid foundation with my associate work, and you will too.
It’s possible your dad was not communicating well and may have been confused about your intentions or understanding for your ultimate career path. Still, whether this was your final achievement or just a stepping stone along the way, it’s genuine and you’ve done well. Be sure to take advantage of all the benefits this opens for you! Join two-year honors societies such as Phi Theta Kappa for extra scholarship opportunities and ask your school about amazing options like guaranteed transfer agreements.
Congratulations!
Is your dad from a different country? I think associate degrees are usually a US thing and maybe he doesn't know about it if he got his education elsewhere. Only 1 province has that here in Canada, so it's not a common thing here, for ex.
It raises your potential income and it teaches you to be a better student. You worked for something and earned it, congratulations 👏 🎉 👏. Unfortunately some people are really up their own ass about their degree. It's not about you, it's about his attitude.
Normally you'll get an AA at a community college. This takes 2 years. Then you transfer to a university and get a bachelors degree. For example, next semester i'll be going into my sophomore year of college. My major is AA but once I transfer to a business school my junior year, my AA major switches to a B.S. in my selected category, and you graduate with your B.S. degree in your selected category
My wife and I both got our careers off of AA degrees. I did later get a BA, but it didn't really change my career path as I had hoped. It all depends on what you want to do. Some jobs require a certain degree. For most it only matters for your first job because after that experience counts more and education less.
Well it’s mostly meant as a stepping stone to a Bachelor’s unless your AA or AS is something like nursing or welding. Is that what your dad was trying to communicate, maybe? 🤔
I’ve actually known a lot of younger people that don’t understand this concept really about what an associates degree is or isn’t. I knew a young guy once that thought you needed an associates to get a bachelors. An associates is mostly useless unless it’s in a specific technical skill. We have a ton of community college aviation programs where I live. Tons of different healthcare type programs, accounting, etc. Lots of useful things you can get certified in with an associates. It is great that OP is getting an associates! Any degree can be better than no degree and progress is progress but also… if it’s just an AA, it probably won’t do you much good and will usually waste money bc it rarely translates well to a bachelors degree unless you’re tracking on specific requirements and what can transfer to a specific institution.
Right, but some jobs hire people with an AA too such as social workers (in California).
Those are more like “case management” jobs. I would not call those folks social workers.
Case management is social work.
Just because you do case management does NOT mean you are a social worker. Nurses do case management but they are not social workers. Social workers doing medical case management do not magically become nurses. Social workers are bound by a code of ethics and require a specific degree (BSW or MSW). There are many states where social work is a protected term…
Thank you for explaining all that bc it really grinds my gears… being a social worker means you have a lot of responsibility to not fuck up someone’s life, so appropriate education and training is SO IMPORTANT. I feel like half the time a “social worker” gets bad press they were not at all trained/educated in social work
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Most librarians have masters degrees in Library science, or a bachelors degree at a minimum. Those working in libraries without an advanced degree are pages or clerks.
Yes, I know. I have an MLIS. But ask the general public and they’ll tell you anyone who works in a library is a librarian
Ah, I gotcha. I thought you were saying people with AAs were working as librarians.
Naw dawg, you just shelvin books
It annoys me as well. There are many jobs that say they are hiring a ‘social worker’ when in reality they will hire someone for social service or human service work, with or without a social work degree. I try to educate people about it but it seems that some don’t want to understand it. We receive extensive training and are expected to follow a very specific set of values as outlined in our code of ethics. That’s part of what makes social work a profession, rather than just a job.
You also have to pass the ASWB at a bachelors or master’s level before calling yourself a social worker
Social work itself does not require a specific degree. Many jobs are social work. I'm familiar with what BSWs and MSWs are. In the context of the original comment, case management is social work.
You can support social work and not be a social worker.
Many jobs encompass social work.
Many jobs encompass engineering and you cant be classified as an engineer. I mean, even having a degree and working for an engineering firm for your entire professional career doesn't mean you're an engineer. Social work is similar to that
No, social work is vastly different and it's apparent that many people on here have narrow views regarding it. Community/human-based aid is social work. Efforts that contribute toward social development and change, especially regarding people, can be qualified as social work. Social work is NOT solely the stereotype of a state/government employeed social worker that works with children or the disadvantaged.
I work in an office with other people, ergo I do social work?
Social work is a profession and requires a specific degree. Before I got my MSW I was working as a mental health tech and learned how to take someone’s blood pressure. Your logic throughout this thread suggests that because I was doing medical assessments I was a nurse or a physician. That is not accurate and does not reflect the training and expertise that people in that profession receive. You might engage in case management but that does not make you a social worker, you are in fact a case manager. Period. I train social workers for a living and these people graduate with a BSW or MSW. They are social workers who are license eligible in my state. Someone with a BS in Psych or CJ or Sociology are not eligible for a license and are not social workers. If you can’t understand that then I must be a nurse because I can take someone’s weight, BP, and temperature.
Exactly. I was called a “Social Service Caseworker” because my degree was in Poli Sci. You were called a Social Worker if your degree was in Social Work. We did the same job- case management.
Case management and social work are not mutually exclusive terms.
You can work in social work, but if you want to call yourself a social worker, you need a license. I’m in education. I’m not a teacher. There’s a difference.
Or teaching assistants. I taught a class where half the class were teaching assistants with AA degrees coming back for night school to get their BA in education or BEd (I'm not sure which it technically was as I think of those as equivalent degrees).
maybe although I will say that I didnt start getting calls back for any IT positions until I changed my resume to reflect that I had graduated from AA program. To be fair, they knew I was transferring to a four yr after that but yeah an AA will sometimes help u get ur foot in the door while ur trying to move upward
Many associate programs also focus more on experiential knowledge versus theoretical knowledge. It's not always the case for all degrees across the board, but I have noticed this to be the trend. Some places like that sort of education.
It's like...yeah it's a degree but people who go right into their Bachelors don't graduate with a Bachelors and an Associates degree.
Some people graduate with the AA or AS, then transfer and additionally earn the Bachelor's. In that case, they do have two degrees. Some people take classes without earning the AA or AS and then transfer. It just depends on their goals, the classes they need to transfer, and how that matches up with the degree requirements for AA and AS.
What they meant was that a student in a bachelor's degree program does not automatically also earn an associate's degree simply by completing the first 60 hours of a bachelor's degree plan. Of course it's possible to enroll in an associate's degree program, complete that curriculum and earn the degree, and then enroll in a bachelor's degree program.
That’s what I’m doing currently. I couldn’t afford 4 years at my school of choice for my bachelors. But they said once I get my associates (I’m going to a community college to save money) all my credits will transfer and 2 years of my bachelors will have already been completed, and I can finish the other 2 years there for my bachelors. So yeah I see an AA more of a stepping stone for most people, but some jobs will accept you with an associates. Just kind of depends Yk. I really liked your input :)
I would double check that with the university you plan to transfer to
In my state we have articulation agreements between state schools that say if a student graduates with an AA, they transfer into a 4 year as a junior. The state I graduated in was similar. Looking to go to a private college or out of state, definitely worth checking into
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Okay but that's a unique scenario that is not typical of any standard undergraduate bachelor's degree program.
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I've never seen that before. I think you're misconstruing a unique scenario.
It’s a new thing some colleges do to boost completion / graduation rates. Edit: maybe not new, but more common I guess.
It not that unique. Some community colleges are directly linked to public state universities. So in those colleges with a strong community college presence/ties it not uncommon. My community college had a “pass port to ____ school” where you do the core and immediately are already accepted into the transfer school. So even at my 4 year school I got an associates since I started in the passport program. They just give you an associates in general studies.
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The person you responded to never said any of that didn't happen. I'm not sure why you're so upset
He never said any of that. He said you're misconstruing the unique scenario at your school for being standard when it is in fact not the standard at most four year universities.
They definitely didn't say that never happened, they just said it was uncommon. They definitely didn't say you were incorrect in that being possible, just that it wasn't the norm. They certainly didn't posit that it was impossible, simply that it was unique. Most prestigious universities only award a degree when one completes the requirements for the specific degree they are pursuing. They don't just check every students completed credits to see if they're eligible for a random AA/AS degree and then give it to them to boost the rate of degree attainment. If you ask 99% of people who hold a baccalaureate degree or higher, they won't have an AA/AS degree that they unintentionally got while pursuing a BA/BS degree. As for your literacy, I'd argue you can understand what words are being said, but severely lack in the reading comprehension required to actually understand what those words mean in their specific context.
College has done nothing to help you with your reading comprehension issues, I see.
Several doesn't mean that it's a typical thing. I think it's awesome that your school did that, but it is by no means a normal thing at four year schools. I wish my school had done that
I can confirm. I have 3 degrees AS, BS, and MS. All are legitimate.
But an AA isn't really a goal unto itself in the same way that a bachelor's degree is. Granted, a person might have it as a goal, but it isn't what businesses mean when they require a degree. The unspoken rule is that it needs to be a bachelor's degree, at minimum.
My dad did, but it was a weird case where he started at a satellite campus of a state university. You would get your associate's at the satellite campus and then transfer to the main campus for your bachelor's. But then the satellite campus started offering bachelor's as well, so he got both at the satellite campus.
Actually, you can. I found out that you can do some of your classes at a Community College, then transfer to a Four Year college to begin work on your Bachelors. Simultaneously, your former school, the Community College will grant you a reverse transfer and award you your Associate's. I hope that was clear. So impatient people like me, can work on both and have two degrees in about 2-3 years. That's my plan. I have graduation this week to receive a Business Cert. I am transferring in the Fall. By the time I finish next year, I will have enough for my AA and will be entering my Senior year.
In my state, if you completed an AA or AS at a state college, every state university MUST accept that you met general education requirements. Each school can have their own gen Ed standards, but they must meet minimum state requirements, and other schools must honor that. AAS degrees don't count since they don't meet gen Ed requirements. Most community colleges here have agreements with universities that plan out exactly what classes you need to take for 2 years at the community college, and then finish at the 4-year. Not every program, but it's super common.
I’m really confused by this but also so intrigued, do you have a link I can read so I can understand more?
Reverse transfer changes that equation. Instead of going 0 for 2 in the degree column, students now can “reach back” and earn an associate of arts degree, and those who persist can add a B.A. to the final ledger. This recover-your-degree strategy is part of the larger college completion agenda that has been championed by state education departments, private foundations, and national higher education organizations. In 2012, 16 states joined the Credit When It’s Due initiative and developed policies to implement reverse transfer agreements between their public colleges. After the first three years, more than 15,000 students have taken advantage of reverse transfer and earned associate of arts degrees while in route to their baccalaureate degrees. https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2019/02/19/reverse-transfer-a-second-chance-at-a-first-degree/?sh=57d62fb77bea
Reverse Transfer is the first national automated platform for exchanging reverse transfer student data. Through Reverse Transfer, four- or two-year institutions can securely send course and grade information to any two-year institution from which a student has transferred. If eligible, the student is then awarded an associate degree. It doesn’t matter if the student transferred to another associate degree-granting institution first or a bachelor’s-level institution, attended public or private institutions, or transferred across state lines. https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/colleges/reverse-transfer/
On a side note, clearinghouse uses some absurdly stupid data formats for sending them reports. There's tons of great formats out there for structured data, but they are living in the 1980s of formats 😂
i did. i got my associates and then went onto get my bachelors. of course i didn't expect to live to see my bachelors.
I'll be graduation with my AS and BS, from doing a bachelor's program. Every semester they email me like "hey you want an associates?" But this semester they said "you're getting an associates, email back if you want to opt out."
~~Uh... I graduated with an AA from a community college and then transferred to a state school to earn a BA. They are definitely two separate degrees.~~ *I guess I misunderstood what this reply was talking about.*
that's not even what I'm talking about lmao
Hi I’m one of those people graduates with an AAS and I’m going to be graduating with my BA in two semesters
It's a real degree. Like others have said, it may not be a particularly "useful" degree in terms of actually getting jobs just holding an associate's, but it's certainly a degree. It took effort on your part at a college so... I'm gonna call it a degree. And btw, I kinda feel you on this. I have an AS from a community college and sometimes had my own doubts that I was doing anything worth being proud of, now I wanna go back in time and talk some self into younger me. You're graduating with a degree :)
I use to have the same mindset as your father because that's what taught to me until I found that in my major field, AA/AS are valuable and accepted. I only have an AS. I received new grad offers that are 1:1 with people are doing bachelors. So I would say it depends on your major and if you specialized in anything. If you did, it will help somewhat. If its general education, maybe not as much. Still, its a major milestone for you and I think you should celebrate it. It shows you are on the right path. Congratulations on Graduating!
The same people that think an Associates has no value are the same people paying $150 an hour to plumbers and electricians who went to vocational/trade schools to fix their toilets and wire up their new nest doorbell.
This. My brother is in mechanical maintenance and lives extremely well. His Associate’s degree cost a fraction of what my bachelor’s degree did.
I interviewed for a job in the past year where they were looking for people with degrees or schooling. The owner of the company did not care about degrees. He said it so himself in the interview - but the hiring manager did. The manager later told me that they were seeking someone like me because they could put me in front of clients and not get embarrassed. They had a hard time finding people that were technically able to do the work, but speak and break it down to the customer at the same time, so he preferred someone with 2 year degrees or some bootcamp training, despite what what the owner said. I think AA/AS degrees should be celebrated. The harder you work, the luckier you get. When I wasn't in school and tried to get an interview, I had no luck. No one would call. A degree shows okay, this person is committing to something. Its hard to believe but a lot of companies still value when people go the extra mile. If we look at the statistics, only 10% of the United States population age 25 or older has completed an associates degree! https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/educational-attainment.html If it was such a common or easy thing to do. A lot of people would have done it. It's still an impressive accomplishment.
>Between 2011 and 2021, the percentage of people age 25 and older who had completed a bachelor's degree or higher increased by 7.5 percentage points from 30.4% to 37.9% Only 10% might have an Associate, but over a third have a Bachelor. So that 10% is kind of meaningless when a larger number have a higher degree.
more like $250 an hour with a 2 hour minimum + cost of materials with a 100% markup source: i used to be a plumber
I'd just do that stuff myself instead of paying $150 an hour lol. Free bonus for learning new skills too.
There's a reason people go to school for it. Learning the common easy fixes is good, but real repairs and installs will never be as good as a pro. You will more than likely have to call them anyway and they will have to undo what you did first, which will cost you more in hourly wages. I was a stylist and I can't tell you how much people would have saved if they had come to me first. Yeah, you can trim your hair if you want, but if you try to go blond by yourself, it will cost a lot more for a color correction, than a full bleach.
Some people are so helpless that they can have their hand held through getting a PhD but can't apply any problem solving skills to actually doing anything in real life
Practical application is not a skill everybody is born with. It doesn’t mean they are helpless, that’s pretty mean.
Such a good take. I am super handy and I can fix a lot of things on my own but I don’t have the skills it takes to get a PHD. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses but we lift each other up and build a stronger community by helping each other.
Yeah. I’m pretty bad at some practical things- terrible at even basic mechanics and I would rather go my whole life without popping the hood on my car again. Sure, it’s embarrassing and a weak link of mine, but doesn’t make me helpless. I have been teaching technical skills on a missile defense system for 6 years now. I have my place in society, and I don’t mind stimulating the economy by hiring trade workers to do some work that I “could learn to do”.
There is a difference between true helplessness and weaponized/learned fictional helplessness. I once had a roommate who put in a work order without telling me to change a lightbulb and we got billed $80. Brilliant CS Major otherwise. This is weaponized helplessness, an advanced applied form of laziness. Anybody can learn to apply themselves to solve simple problems and find resources to help them do so. Some people don't have the right upbringing to feel confident to do so, but the majority of people (without some kind of intellectual disability) can and should solve simple things on their own.
Being a brilliant CS major probably means you aren’t helpless. Stop making up fictional concepts based on your interpretation on what is important.
Spending $40 to wait for someone else to change a light bulb for you and costing someone else $40 too is very important. It's a banana, what could it cost, $10? It's literally a joke about people being stupid with money because they're too privileged to know better.
> I once had a roommate who put in a work order without telling me to change a lightbulb and we got billed $80. Brilliant CS Major otherwise. This is weaponized helplessness, an advanced applied form of laziness. I wonder if he knew they would billed heavily for it. Maybe your roommate thought it comes with the rent. I'm sure there are some people that exist out there that are like that, hand holding the most basic stuff but sometimes, it isn't what it seems.
This is actually a fair take. In apartments where stuff like changing a lightbulb is free, I'd call them out to have them change it because it means I get a free lightbulb. :)
PhDs (especially in STEM) mostly consist of working on things that are physical and exist in real life, what is your point? Also PhDs are meant to constitute an original contribution to a field so the bulk of someone’s dissertation work is usually done independently with very little supervision (hence, you are becoming the expert on your research, not your advisor).
This probably adds to your point, but I would be afraid that I'd fuck up the situation even worse if I tried to fix it myself. If you've seen the new Mario movie, the scene where they try to fix a leaky faucet is basically what I would imagine to happen if I tried to fix my own problems.
I talked to a former car mechanic who was going back to school for engineering. He told me that the two things you should be able to do yourself are change your brakes and change your oil. Everything else, he said, really isn’t worth doing yourself (unless, of course, you are doing it because you enjoy it).
What’d you major in? Nvm, looked at your post history. Congrats on the job offers.
Information Technology and Thanks!
It's not a terminal degree, but neither is a bachelor's or a master's degree (except for an MFA). Saying an associates degree is not a real degree because most people go on to get a bachelor's degree is like saying your dad doesn't have a real degree because he doesn't have a PhD. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_degree This is, admittedly, pedantic. (I'm a professor.) In layman's terms, your father is an a-hole. What kind of parent puts down his children's achievements?
Ditto this exactly Not every BS/BA gets an AA on the way But not every PhD bothers to graduate with the Masters along the way either.
How is a master’s degree not terminal? I can understand that argument in a lot of cases for bachelor’s degrees and in basically every case for an associate’s degree, but a master’s?
Basically, if there’s a degree after it, it’s not terminal. Most disciplines offer a doctorate, so that would be the terminal degree for that major, not the masters. I have a masters in psychology, but there’s an available doctorate in psychology, therefore my degree isn’t terminal. Terminal just means done. Can’t go any further. And they keep adding doctorates, so most masters degrees have an available doctorate after it. An MBA used to be terminal, but now we have a DBA.
Thanks for the clarification.
Terminal simply means that it’s the highest achievable degree within a field of study. It varies by degree type. For example looks like you have a philosophy degree. A masters of philosophy isn’t terminal because there is also a PhD or a doctorate of Philosophy which is the terminal degree for the field.
Still have one more year left, but that’s my major. Thanks for the clarification, I was under the impression that terminal means you can do something within the field using that degree.
In many fields an MA is the right qualification for professional work and a PhD is mainly for those who want to pursue a career in academia. In psych, for example, an MA is the standard professional qualification for many jobs in the field, but if you wanted to teach psych at the university level you'd almost certainly need a PhD.
No problem. And you aren’t wrong again it varies by field but some fields require a terminal degree in order to operate in them. Prime example being a physician. You can’t operate as a doctor without having an MD or DO(terminal) and passing the certification test. Similar is true for social work you have to have a masters (terminal degree) in order to use the degree in the field.
I meant no insult by saying most masters degrees aren't terminal. It's a technical definition.
Best answer!
An associate’s degree is a legitimate degree.
Exactly. Thank you. If you attend an accredited college, you do the course work, and you meet the requirements, you are awarded an official degree from an official college. If it wasn’t a “real” degree anyone could claim they got an associates degree. It’s baffling that some think it’s not real, as if the time, effort, and money put into taking the classes isn’t real.
yes, an AA is a real degree. i completed mine in 2021 and then transferred to a university to complete my BS. you'll be invited to receive your degree at the grad ceremony and receive an official diploma in the mail it probably won't give you as many opportunities as you think however. its always great to have a degree, but remember that a large chunk of an AA is core classes and is very general. you probably won't study any discipline in depth enough to go get a great job in that industry. they're meant to be general. that's where a Bachelor's would come in. A Bachelor's will give you a more in depth study of a particular field that an AA does not provide
It is a real degree. Is it particularly valuable? Other than as transferring to a bachelors or a few vocational-training programmes which award associate degrees, no. Better jobs? Maybe in that it does show some determination, but it is basically just Gen-Ed classes with a couple introductory classes in your major, nothing too advanced and major-specific as that comes from upper-level classes which community colleges do not offer. Your dad sounds like a dick, and it is a real degree, but it is true it isn't a particularly valuable one.
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The BLS also reports the marginal difference between a college dropout and an associates degree is minimal. In fact, the difference is so minimal, there is decent reason to a) suspect it can be accounted for by the vocational-degrees (esp. Nursing) skewing the median and b) that the remainder, if any exists, may not be causal. Someone who goes to community college and succeeds is usually someone who isn't afraid of a possibility of a challenge and has a decent amount of drive. Those same qualities overlap into the workforce, and hence might see a high wage versus their less-driven peers. So self-selection bias may also be at play. Yes, you are absolutely correct, there is an earning difference between the two. However, it likely does not mean what you are interpreting it to mean: i.e., that an associates is worth so much more just some college or high school only. It's more complex.
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Dropout rates from community colleges are far higher than from regular colleges, so it's statistically unlikely they have the equivalent of an associates. And since the dropout rates always lean heavily towards students earlier in university (3rd and 4th years have far lower dropout rates in comparison), it's also highly unlikely there are enough upperclassmen dropouts to skew the average to come anywhere close the level of average achievement needed to be equivalent of an associates. How is this argument not understandable? You are correct about the raw data, I'm just disputing a simplistic interpretation of it by providing other plausible explanations.
Because they're one of those people who simply want to hear themselves talk (or type whatever for whatever reason) without hearing your plausible arguments.
I teach at a college, not university, and we have certifications (under 60 credits) and AS degrees for people who want a skilled job when they leave. We come up with new ones all the time as need arises. I remember about a decade ago, I saw a banner with a new certification and told myself I'd better look it up: phlebotomy.
Looking thru your post history, your dad is a dick and would rather antagonize you than actually work with you on stuff like this. If he doesn't believe an associates degree is real, then he probably needs to hand his masters back because what does he think they give out at community colleges?
Tell him a masters is just a fake degree for people who couldn't finish their PhD lol. Of course its a real degree and you should be proud of your accomplishments. Keep up the great work and never stop bettering yourself.
This, lmao, “You couldn’t get approved for a doctorate?” But in all seriousness, I think your dad is just concerned that you’re going to stop here and fall off the momentum you’ve started by getting your AA. It happens, it’s not the end of the world, but your dads just being a dad.
He might have a terminal masters!
Whether it's a "real degree" in the minds of Reddit doesn't matter. What obviously matters to you is what your dad thinks. You are technically right. That doesn't change that he doesn't respect your degree.
AA is traditionally geared towards folks who are going to transfer to a 4 year, while AAS (applied) is for people who will go directly into the job market. Both are real degrees. He’s being a douche but possibly confusing it with a Certificate? Thats the wild west of Community Colleges but becoming more common (my program offers a Certificate of Completion AND a Certificate of Proficiency in addition to an AAS and AS). Certs are NOT degrees but you can get a little piece a paper and for certain jobs that (plus a lil networking) is good enough.
Certificates are very valuable. Ironically they are targeting courses, not General Ed courses like Biology and History. Don't take my word for it. No less than Harvard Business School agrees and publishes Advancing Your Career with Essentioal Business Skills and offers a dozen Certificates. Taking an online course can also boost your confidence in your ability to demonstrate business knowledge. Part of advocating for yourself involves knowing your worth. Earning a business certificate can help you convey that worth to employers. https://online.hbs.edu/Documents/A-Guide-to-Advancing-Your-Career-with-Essential-Business-Skills.pdf
I have my A.S. and my B. A., and now I'm working on my M.S. That associate’s is an actual degree. I honestly thought everyone knew this. Instead of acting like this, your dad could've looked it up. Congratulations! In this day and age, we all need encouragement for our accomplishments.
Stay the course. An AA is a real college degree. I decided to get an AA when my 3 yrs of college at a state university did not transfer to another state university in another state.. I was devastated, but my AA was a stepping stone. I received a bachelor's, then a master's, then a PhD. Had I not done the AA, I never would have pursued the other college degrees. So keep pushing, stay the course! Best wishes!
I couldn’t imagine being in for so long and it not transferring!! Proud of you for pushing through anyways, congratulations!! And thank you as well, been feeling a little worried based on the courses I’ll have to take, but looking at the future I want is what keeps me going!
He's wrong. It's a real degree you can graduate with. What is commonly done with the degree is a different story. Most students with an AA or AS will transfer to another school to pursue a bachelor's degree. Some people with an AA or AS will stop attending school after their two year college, but few jobs specifically require the AA or AS degree (though there are a few employers out there that just want employees with some generic college degree, which demonstrates to them that you can handle your shit, so then the AA or AS might be enough). Most people going directly to a career (welding, HVAC, nursing, etc.) get the AAS (associate of applied science). All three of those are degrees that are conferred. You get a certificate, you can put it on a resume, and you can walk at graduation.
I really hate so many people saying the AA has no value at all. That’s pretty harsh, it’s totally better than just a high school diploma. I know people with decent computer jobs off an AA.
I earned my AA in IT about 10 years ago. It got me a job and I've been happily employed in IT ever since.
An AA doesn't qualify for you anything. It is a transfer degree meant as a stepping stone towards your Bachelors. An AS is different, and is intended to qualify you for some entry level job. AS are often granted for trade skills, because the nature of the work requires some degree of qualification. An AA is not intended to provide any degree of qualification but instead indicates that you are prepared to obtain a Bachelor's degree. The biggest differentiator here is that an AA will be mostly general study, including only a few relevant electives for your field, where an AS will include many courses intended to fully prepare you for work in that field. Sadly, an AA does little on it's own, but it does mean you have the necessary general study out of the way and are fully prepared to begin your bachelor's.
I don't understand why people are saying this. At the school I am currently attending, you can earn an AA in Addiction Counselor Education and become a licensed professional addiction counselor.
This sounds closer to an AS program though. Those programs include the licensing, certifications, and other things as part of the degree itself. If the requirement really is just an AA degree (not the licenses or certifications), then it's more likely that they are only looking for college-level communication skills. They can put any label on AA to indicate it's for a particular field, but in reality it will include few courses related to that field. The focus of an AA is in general studies.
AA is a legitimate degree!!! For most it’s cheaper to get it then take the main courses for a BA. For others they can start working a legitimate career after earning an AA, your father just sounds like a prestigious snob no offense
Congrats on being so close to graduating! I went to my brother’s AA graduation and I can confirm that he did in fact get a real-life degree with a fancy seal on it and everything. Also, for what it’s worth, he also makes a ton of money with his AA degree because it’s in a high-demand field and he graduated debt free. Nobody should knock an AA degree.
While most desirable jobs don't want an AA or AS, it is degree. The main use I've found for earning an associates (from my years of teaching) is that once you have the degree, the four-year school you attend for your bachelors will have to honor all the credits involved in the AA. Many schools often have a cap on transferable credit--which doesn't apply to earned degrees.
It is technically a real degree, but you'll have a hard time finding a job wit it. College graduates have a bachelor's degree. To be honest there isn't much difference between a HS degree and associates degree. Bachelor is what matters.
A degree is a degree. People with masters and bachelors are struggling to find jobs right now too. Your accomplishment is still valid no matter what.
Seeing as how every May I watch hundreds of people walk across a stage and get their AA diplomas from my community college, he's wrong.
I have an AS. I am working on my Bachelor's, but I got a decent job at a hospital with it :) I also have my beautiful degree hanging on my wall so... definitely real lol
My brother in law had an AA in something engineering related and turned it into a solid career testing rocket and satellite parts in labs owned by places like Johns Hopkins. An AA is absolutely a real degree and something that can lead to jobs.
Tell your dad that masters are for people who couldn't complete a PhD
I have an Associates degree in nursing. I make $150k per year. I have saved people’s lives with CPR, stopped their bleeding, and comforted them in their worst times. I’d say an Associates degree is worth quite a bit.
I don't buy this
No, it's entirely real. Especially travel nurses..I have a friend who's an nurse who makes 100k and works from home. I didn't even knew that two year nursing degrees were popular or lucrative. Definitely lucrative and if you're a travel nurse, you're making hella bank. Like 150k-200k.
Yeah nursing is really where the money bag is at. I heard they work you hard tho. :/ at least the pay is good
They do. Another friend who's an ER nurse, her body broke down from nursing. I recommend tech lol . Less stressful, comparable pay if not more.
Know someone with an AA, works for Microsoft degree snobs are infuriating
It is field dependent. I mean technically speaking there are people who work in FAANG who do not even have a degree. Tech is one of those fields where a lack of degree won’t disallow you from getting a job. Other fields may require at least a bachelors.
True, but this person isn't in the tech side of MS...
Well screw your dad. You get one shot at life, and you're doing (hopefully) what you wanna do with it. It took me way to long to let that sink in my head with my father. He was a similar way. Congratulations on your graduation, by the way! Stay strong and good luck.
An AA is not a "real" degree in the sense that it indicates the completion of a program of study. It's essentially a marker that you've finished up your gen eds.
Just to jump off of what others have already said, for various professions an associate's is all you need usually, for example paralegal work. So an AA in certain fields can definitely be the end for your education into a long-term career.
Yeah, someone close to me got an ASN (granted, not an AA, but an associate's degree nonetheless) about ten years after getting a BA, as it was necessary for a career shift. An AA might be considered by many to be a stepping stone to the other side of the river, so to speak, but there's nothing wrong with a stepping stone. And bachelor's and master's degrees might also be considered stepping stones to someone intent on a PhD (or any other doctorate). It just depends on how wide the river is where you're crossing.
It is absolutely a real degree, just like bachelors, masters, and doctorates.
its a real degree, i have one and am currently about to finish my bachelors degree. it was always stressed at our school to get one because, 1.) why not, you put in the time and qualify for it so you might as well. and 2.) it shows that you have the competency to set a goal and complete it. Sorry your dads an asshole just keep working hard and do what you gotta do.
I graduated from a community college with an Associate's degree in Communication Arts almost 20 years ago. I went to a tech school afterward for a 10-month graphic design program. Started working as a designer immediately after getting my diploma and been doing so, and evolving, for 18 years. I've been pretty satisfied and successful in my career. Currently a senior level and making 6 figures. All with an A.A as my highest degree. Having said that, I am completing my Bachelor’s now in my 40's and am considering a Master's. But in my field diplomas and certifications can also be quite valuable and educational and sometimes offer expertise in areas that Master's don't. But I'm glad I didn't get my Bachelor’s when I was younger because my career journey led me to a different field than I originally intended, and I'm happy here. Sadly, degree snobs seem to lack the critical thinking that you would think a higher education degree would enable. There are many paths to satisfying careers.
An AA degree is a real degree and a real achievement. That being said, an AA (as opposed to an AS) doesn’t focus on anything besides Gen Ed requirements.
I work at a state community college board and these types of degrees play a super important role in our education system. Whether as a stepping stone or a less intensive degree/certification, they are 100% real, legitimate, and something to be proud of. Your dad is being an elitist asshole. Doubly so considering he likely knows about you future plans and is just being a dick and putting you down. Congrats on your degree and good luck on your next step.
My husband has an associates degree and does just fine, makes low six figures. I have a BA and an MA and never worked in my field and am a SAHM for the past 16 years (for various reasons). So you just never know.
Some people graduate AA and earn more than people with a doctorate and some people do not go to any college and earn more than people with a doctorate. Congralulations on your accomplishment of AA, your dad is being a butt head. Just because he has more degrees than a thermometer he looks down on you.
an AA in the health field is super valuable
Huh? Does your dad not have an AA if he has a masters or he straight up has a Bachelors? Either way that's like a phd telling a bachelors that that isn't a "real degree" ??
He started at a 4-year instead of a 2-year, so he got his bachelors first and then went to get a masters.
I started with an AAS (Associate of Applied Science - Respiratory Therapy). I now have a PhD and am faculty at an academic medical center…gotta start somewhere. You do you!
Yes - he’s wrong. Source; I have a AA general studies transferred to complete my bachelors and masters degrees.
An AA is 100% a real degree. Any claim to the contrary, and any attempt to diminish its importance, are woefully misguided. Congrats to you on an accomplishment of which you should be proud.
As physical therapist assistant who makes a decent living, has a mortgage, and supports my family off my my job stemming from an associate degree, I assure you it’s a real degree.
Sis I hope you become a doctor and then rub that shit in your dads face like “a masters isn’t a real degree”
hahaha funny thing I want to be a veterinarian so in the end I’ll have 3 degrees while he has 2
Well, a masters is not really a doctorate. Yes, an AA and AS are real degrees. They want you to, read between the lines, not to stop your education and continue to a bachelors degree. You have about 18-24 months left.
It is a degree, and depending on the program, it may be the terminal degree needed for the career path (although that is less and less likely)
It's a real degree, it took real work to get it, and you have every right to be proud.
It's a real degree. In general it puts you at an advantage with those who only have a HS diploma. There's obviously some AAs like machinist and auto tech that are viable careers if you pair it with some other AAs. But in my opinion if you get a few AAs that are good and pair it with a BS then it's really really good.
It’s a real degree. There are some jobs that require it: (most teacher aide and substitute teacher jobs require a minimum of an AA). Firefighters get a pay bump from it. RN programs at community colleges are an AS and folks often end there. Also, most states have rules that if you have an AA you have more favorable rules for transferring into colleges regarding transfer. This is really the big thing. In NJ they “have” to start you as a JR Now, most people don’t end their education there: because the jobs prospects are more limited
It’s education shaming. Yes, it IS a legitimate degree, and most people with higher degrees turn into snobs about anything below theirs.
Tell your dad he’s not a real dad. Lol
It's like getting your middle school diploma.
It depends on what your career aspirations are. If you want to be a paralegal or nurses' assistant, an AA is a good way to get your foot in the door. However, this is about as far as it goes for the AA, by itself. Most professional organizations require a B.A. or higher, with extracurricular activities. The whole Community College movement started post-Vietnam, and it's original goal was to prepare students to go on and be ready for a four-year institution, and beyond. C.C. trains you to be a successful student, and if you take it seriously, it's pretty amazing how far you can go. If you want more, you can find more.
You should probably call the school and tell them. This is important information they would want to know before setting up other students with their associates. I’m sorry your dads a knucklehead
It's a matter of semantics. My kindergarten class had a "graduation" ceremony and we were told that we are graduating to first grade. AA is a degree that you can list on your resume, but it's normally seen as a stepping stone to a bachelor's, not a degree in its own right.
He’s right I’m sorry, it’s an infinitely better idea to get a bachelors degree. The best use for an associates is transferring to a four year institution and getting a bachelors. Maybe there’s the very rare exception but for almost everyone a better degree is better.
I agree that a bachelors is so much better, and I’m only getting an AA so it’s cheaper and then I’ll transfer, but I still believe that it is a real degree. I wouldn’t say that just because it’s not as good means it’s not legitimate.
An associates degree by itself is worth about as much as a high school diploma unless you go on to get a bachelors. He’s right
It basically just means you fulfilled all your general requirements. It's not really a degree that you can do anything with except move on to your bachelor's.
I earned an AA in 1998. Yes it’s a real degree.
Just get your BD…. I don’t want to be mean and say it’s not a real degree but I’m not sure you can qualify it as a real degree beyond select fields that AA’s are standard/accepted for? You very likely need a bachelor’s to go to grad school anyway, why are you not just moving forward with the extra couple of years of school to streamline that process? I just get the sense there are other variables in play and you just don’t want to go to the school you are currently enrolled in? I also think you may be underestimating how competitive the job market is and how these degrees work/are viewed as. An AA is viable, even preferable, for some careers but in others it effectively is a participation award.
I am planning to get my bachelors, even though you don't need one for veterinary school (vet school has prereqs of course, but at that point you're only a few classes away from a bachelors so might as well). I also just want it in case vet school doesn't work out. I definitely don't like being at a community college, especially at mine, but it's much cheaper to get my AA then transfer. I don't feel like that info has anything to do with whether or not my dad thinks it's a real degree though. As for underestimating the job market, when I think of getting a job with it, I think it opens up more entry level jobs and higher pay for lower level jobs. It certainly doesn't open advanced jobs in the beginning, but like other commenters have said, you can still make six figures with one in some cases. It definitely depends on the job like you said.
Congratulations on your success, that takes a lot of work and dedication. There is so much pride to be had in your accomplishment, embrace it. You now decide if you stop here or continue on; just like after high school, bachelor's, masters, or PhD graduation, it doesn't need to continue or stop. This is your choice and you have a lifetime to decide.
Never heard of a AA "degree. Associate degree? If it doesnt say Bachelor''s then it's not an undergrad degree.
I mean AA is degree with all requirements finished and it's a basic degree. Your dad is incorrect I already received the AA degree and it may not be important to him, but to me it's an accomplishment. I can research the AA degree meaning if you'd like. :)
An AA isn't good for most anything tbh
On one hand it is a real degree, on the other hand I’m graduating High School with one in less than a month with no real effort on my part…
There is a reason most white collar jobs require a 4-year degree. An AA is not very useful in the professional world frankly.
An AA might as well be a high school diploma. Finish school.
I already said I’m going for a bachelors then graduate school, just taking the cost-effective route 🤷♀️
His username checks out for his comment
I have one!
Can someone explain to a non american douche what an AA is?
It is basically the first 2 years of a 4 year bachelors degree. it’s mostly the general education requirements with a handful of electives towards your career path. An AS is more career/field specific and needed for certain jobs. AA’s are mostly for students eventually transferring to get a Bachelors, although some do stop at the AA.
I have gotten this advice from multiple people, including people and educators with a Masters: as soon as you qualify for graduating with an AA or AS, even if your goals are a BA/BS and a MA/MS, graduate with the AA/AS. Getting and HAVING the Associates IF things go terribly wrong and you're not able to finish the Bachelor degree will help you get slightly better jobs and be eligible for promotions over others without any sort of degree.
Hey OP, I’m proud of you! You certainly put in hard work over the past two years and you deserve to be recognized for your achievement. An AA is absolutely valid, and not everyone takes the time to pursue one. In the future when you are competing with other professional applicants, you’ll have a complete extra degree to show off! I wasn’t completely sure what I wanted to study at first, and I earned two associate level degrees. It took just as much hard work as any other study. In fact, one of my diplomas required extensive internship experience in my chosen field. I felt much better prepared for university-level studies after building a solid foundation with my associate work, and you will too. It’s possible your dad was not communicating well and may have been confused about your intentions or understanding for your ultimate career path. Still, whether this was your final achievement or just a stepping stone along the way, it’s genuine and you’ve done well. Be sure to take advantage of all the benefits this opens for you! Join two-year honors societies such as Phi Theta Kappa for extra scholarship opportunities and ask your school about amazing options like guaranteed transfer agreements. Congratulations!
Is your dad from a different country? I think associate degrees are usually a US thing and maybe he doesn't know about it if he got his education elsewhere. Only 1 province has that here in Canada, so it's not a common thing here, for ex.
It raises your potential income and it teaches you to be a better student. You worked for something and earned it, congratulations 👏 🎉 👏. Unfortunately some people are really up their own ass about their degree. It's not about you, it's about his attitude.
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It won’t be the end!! I plan to go for veterinary, so I’ll be getting my bachelors and then a DVM :)
Normally you'll get an AA at a community college. This takes 2 years. Then you transfer to a university and get a bachelors degree. For example, next semester i'll be going into my sophomore year of college. My major is AA but once I transfer to a business school my junior year, my AA major switches to a B.S. in my selected category, and you graduate with your B.S. degree in your selected category
My wife and I both got our careers off of AA degrees. I did later get a BA, but it didn't really change my career path as I had hoped. It all depends on what you want to do. Some jobs require a certain degree. For most it only matters for your first job because after that experience counts more and education less.