West Virginia University Parkersburg BOG AAS

[NC Coach]

WVU Parkersburg is one of the WV schools that offers the BOG AAS program.   I know most everyone on this forum goes for the Pierpont BOG AAS, and truthfully, most probably should.   But I did not.   

While I don't live there now, I was born and raised in WV, and do have a lot of family, friends, and business contacts there, and I wanted a degree from a slightly more recognizable institution, although I realize to most people it won't matter, but to me, it did.   I'd rather my degree read WVU Parkersburg than Pierpont...and I am fully aware that it may only matter to me, but at the end of the day, it is MY degree.   

The main difference from Pierpont was that WVUP requires 3 credits to come from their institution, 12 total credits that are Regionally Accredited, and they do require ENG101 specifically (this item likely isn't an issue for most but the three credits there may be a problem for many due to cost).  

Full disclosure:  I am only seeking a degree for personal fulfillment and not for employment reasons.   I'm already in a mid-six-figure senior executive role, so from a career perspective no degree is really going to benefit me now, unless one day I choose to change employers, which even then, may not matter with my decades of industry experience.   I only intend to work a few more years anyway, certainly no more than 10 and likely less.   

I received notification of my degree along with my Summa Cum Laude status, so this very long journey to a degree is over.   I may continue on to a Bachelors degree, but I'm taking a short break now.   

I would like to give a shout-out and thank you to the fine members of this forum, without which I'd have never gotten to this point.   The community here and willingness to help others is simply incredible.  

And I also want to give very high marks to the staff at WVUP, who were all amazing.    The service I received there was phenomenal and even though I was only taking one class, they treated me as if I was taking every credit there.  They should mail the diploma by next Friday, so I'm anxious to see it in person.

[rachel83az]

It looks like tuition is about $220/credit there? Getting a degree for less than a grand is pretty nice!

Care to list the alt credits you used for your degree, in case anyone wants to follow in your footsteps?

[bjcheung77]

Congrats! That's great news, you did it! It's your degree and you can customize it to your liking, I would have recommended Pierpont for the BOG as well and then would have suggested you ladder to the WVUP RBA, there are other universities that have the RBA such as Marshall University, West Liberty, etc. The residency requirement for RBA is 12 credits at the institution, the rest can be transferred in through CLEP, your previous BOG AAS, etc...

[NC Coach]

It looks like tuition is about $220/credit there? Getting a degree for less than a grand is pretty nice!

Care to list the alt credits you used for your degree, in case anyone wants to follow in your footsteps?

Sure thing!   

RA Credits (12):
WVUP - Intro to Business (3)
ASU - ENG101 (3)
Local Community College - Intro to Psychology (3) and Introduction to Computers (3)

Straighterline (15):
Cultural Anthropology (3)
World Religions (3)
Environmental Science (3)
Principles of Management (3)
Accounting I (3)

Sophia (38):
Intro to Ethics (3)
Ancient Greek Philosophers (3)
Art History 1 & 2 (6)
Human Biology (3)
Visual Communications (3)
Introduction to Sociology (3)
Communication at Work (3)
US History 1 & 2 (6)
Taking Charge of Your Economic Future (3)
Intro to Information Technology (3)
Developing Effective Teams (1)
Essentials of Managing Conflict (1)

ALEKS & CSM Learn (12):
Intermediate Algebra (3)
College Algebra (3)
Trigonometry (3)
CSM Learn (3)

Some of the credits fell below the bottom line as I had more than the 60 required.

[rachel83az]

Awesome! I know you said you don't need a degree at this point in your life, but are you going to keep going for your Bachelor's degree anyway?

[NC Coach]

Congrats!  That's great news, you did it!  It's your degree and you can customize it to your liking, I would have recommended Pierpont for the BOG as well and then would have suggested you ladder to the WVUP RBA, there are other universities that have the RBA such as Marshall University, West Liberty, etc.  The residency requirement for RBA is 12 credits at the institution, the rest can be transferred in through CLEP, your previous BOG AAS, etc...

Thanks very much!  The advisor did mention the RBA program to me.   I see this on their website:

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

• 120 total credit hours
  
  
• 39 credit hours of 300 level and above
  
  
• 36 general education hours to include the following:
  
  • Communications: 6 credit hours
    
  • Mathematical Science or Computer Science: (3 credit hours)
    
  • Natural Sciences:                                       (6 credit hours)
    
  • Humanities:                                               (6 credit hours)
    
  • Social Sciences:                                         (6 credit hours)
    
  • Additional credit hours from:                     (9 credit hours)
    
  • Any General Education classes from the above disciplines.
    

I haven't ruled it out and it's nice to hear you think it could be an option, especially since I like the school so much.

---

Awesome! I know you said you don't need a degree at this point in your life, but are you going to keep going for your Bachelor's degree anyway?

I'm not sure.   I go through spells of motivation, and then lose it because I don't really need the degree.   But I am happy to have accomplished this.   I graduated high school in 1986, took my first 3 college credits in 2004, and got this AAS in 2021.    You're never too old to pursue your goals.    

Each time I come to this forum, I do get the "itch" to knock out another class or two, though.   LOL

[NC Coach]

Congrats!  That's great news, you did it!  It's your degree and you can customize it to your liking, I would have recommended Pierpont for the BOG as well and then would have suggested you ladder to the WVUP RBA, there are other universities that have the RBA such as Marshall University, West Liberty, etc.  The residency requirement for RBA is 12 credits at the institution, the rest can be transferred in through CLEP, your previous BOG AAS, etc...

So I just checked with my advisor at WVUP today and I have already met pretty much all their requirements for the RBA except the 39 upper level credits (I need 43 credits so I'd have to take almost all upper level from here).   But the kicker is that the degree does require 12 credits in residency as you mentioned, but requires 24 total from WV schools, which does include that 12.   So I'd have to take 7 more classes with the out of state tuition.   I paid about $1200 for the one class, so that would make the RBA a more expensive proposition than other options since the upper level classes cost a bit more it appears, and would take longer to get, since they are not self-paced.   

I still think it is a great program and if it was self-paced, or if I was eligible for in-state rates, I might consider it.

[bjcheung77]

Ah, yes, 24 credits from a WV institution... hmm, if you can get in state tuition, otherwise, there are other schools out there that might be more affordable/recognized and better roi/value.

[Djwhiteman]

NC Coach

Congrats!  That's great news, you did it!  It's your degree and you can customize it to your liking, I would have recommended Pierpont for the BOG as well and then would have suggested you ladder to the WVUP RBA, there are other universities that have the RBA such as Marshall University, West Liberty, etc.  The residency requirement for RBA is 12 credits at the institution, the rest can be transferred in through CLEP, your previous BOG AAS, etc...

BOG and RBA are eligible for WVROCKS courses, which are $250 per credit no matter what state you live in and mostly UL offerings.
https://wvrocks.org/

[SteveFoerster]

The main difference from Pierpont was that WVUP requires 3 credits to come from their institution, 12 total credits that are Regionally Accredited, and they do require ENG101 specifically (this item likely isn't an issue for most but the three credits there may be a problem for many due to cost).

Since there is at least one minimal difference, I wonder whether there might be another... whether those who already hold a degree can take advantage of it.

Enquiring minds want to know!