At the beginning of March, we wrote about the Duggars' views on higher education. Several of the older kids have started with CollegePlus! a program that allows students to earn an accredited degree at a fraction of the cost.
Here's an update on the specific degrees that the older kids are pursing:
Josh, who is married and expecting his second child (a boy) in June, wants to study law. In order to achieve his goal, he is first working on his bachelor's in Political Science. Jill (age 19) has a heart for nursing and is taking a combination of online courses and on-site classes at a local university. Jessa (age 18) is on her way to earning a Business degree through CollegePlus, and Jinger (age 17) is pursuing a BA in Music.
Click here to find out what college degrees Jana and John-David are considering.
Do you have any questions about the Duggars or CollegePlus!? Post them as a comment, and we will send them to Caitlin, the PR Manager of CollegePlus! who has been kind enough to offer her help.
Wow, I hadn't hard of this program but I'll certainly check it out. As a stay at home mom, living rurally, it's hard to figure out how to complete my degree. Maybe this is an option.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Jana and John?
ReplyDeleteWell, I know that Jana has also done some work looking into more teaching of music. I think it's great that Josh is still pursuing further studies. I'm curious though...is Jinger getting a BA with some music courses or a Bachelor's of Music...big difference (I'm a bachelor of music student). Also, just curious as to where this information was provided. On the TLC website this posters are often so vicious and say that none of the kids are ever doing anything college-wise...that all they do is 'talk about going onto further studies'.
ReplyDeleteThe information is straight from CollegePlus! The exact words on the website are: "Jinger enrolled in ColegePlus! to earn a BA in music." Does this answer your question?
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the blog!
Lily and Ellie
Its great to hear that all the kids are enrolled in college.Its even better to hear that Jill is enrolled in actual in-person courses not online.
ReplyDeleteI got my college degree with help from CollegePlus! as well, and it's a great program. I'm really excited that the Duggars are also doing CollegePlus!, and I think it will work perfectly for them.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds very interesting. I hope they discuss it on an episode, or show one of the kids heading off to an on-campus class. Maybe a full-hour special on it!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that the older siblings are taking their studies further. Sounds like the Duggars are getting this education for free, considering all the endorsements they have been doing in exchange.
ReplyDeleteJinger is getting her BA in Music. That means she'll have to take music courses, study theory, and practice just as much as any other music major out there.
ReplyDeleteJosh is pursuing Political Science so he can achieve his dream of being a lawyer.
Like most other college students in America, the other Duggar kids are still debating over which degree they are going to pursue. Each of them has a dream of where they want to go in life and each dream has two or three degrees that fit it. They'll be declaring their major soon so stay tuned!
Cheers,
Caitlin
PR Manager|CollegePlus!
Caitlin.Muir@Collegeplus.org
A special about College plus would be cool! :)
ReplyDeleteA couple of anonymous comments seem to imply that attending an on-campus class is somehow better than taking classes online. I would like to ask why. Although the online method is growing by leaps and bounds, it certainly isn't a new idea. It's been used by active-duty military members for awhile now, as well as by others who want to get degrees while working full-time. It seems to me as though perhaps this method is the wave of the future, and brick-and-mortar campuses may be less efficient, both financially and time-wise. Why is it such a relief to hear that Jill is attending classes in person?
ReplyDeleteOnline courses have greatly improved and can be a great way to get a good education but when your becoming a nurse its best to get a more hands-on experience in college. You can't help a sick person online can you? It's impossible to substitute real world experience.Like Micheal always says life is a classroom.
ReplyDeleteHi LisaG! I was one of the anonymous commenters (April 4, 2011 7:59 AM) you mention. I only suggested that it would be fun seeing Jill head off to an on-campus class, because that would be a fun adventure, seeing where she's going, etc., and maybe they could explain how CollegePlus ties it all together for them. I wasn't implying on-campus was better than online...just more interesting to watch on an episode! ;-) (And I posted anonymously because I was too lazy to sign into my google account!)
ReplyDeleteAnother great source of information is a book called "College without Compromise". It informs the reader to use the same system of learning as College Plus and lays out for the reader, thus being able to choose higher education sans College Plus. I would recommend this book.
ReplyDeleteblessings
carmen
@Carmen...that's a great book. It got me started out doing CLEPs and moving forward with college. In the end though, I ended up signing up with CollegePlus! anyways, and that was definitely the right decision.
ReplyDeleteVideo does not play.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up, Kelly! It looks like the video has been removed, so we took the link down.
ReplyDeleteI think online degrees are a terrific option for some people (esp. those who have jobs or who, like Alexis,are stay-at-home parents living in a rural area). But, as a university professor (yes, I´m biased), I would encourage anyone who can to be skeptical and carefully investigate all options. For me, there was nothing more magnificent than sitting in a room, or sometimes at a round table, with a truly inspiring professor that I could talk to and visit personally during office hours. I am a professor because my professors changed my life and I wouldn´t be who I am now if I didn´t have access to such brilliant teachers. Right now, the academic job market is the most competitive it´s ever been ----- which means that whether you leave in Massachusetts or in Mississippi, you can attend a public university and be taught by Ivy League faculty. I don´t want to disparage online education in general or college plus in particular ---- but just keep in mind that some corners aren´t worth cutting.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone is comfortable having a nurse who hasn't had hands-on experience. I know I wouldn't be!
ReplyDeleteThere's a huge misconception about the nursing degree. Many of the classes will be online but just like other nursing students, the girls will have to complete clinicals to get hands-on experience. Nursing is not a degree that you can just take online.
Hope that clears some things up!
Cheers,
Caitlin
PR Manager|CollegePlus!
Caitlin.Muir@collegeplus.org
Are these degrees recognized internationally?
ReplyDeleteHi Sara. Here's the answer to your question:
ReplyDeleteCollegePlus! doesn't grant the degrees - they just help the students earn credits. They only work with regionally-accredited colleges. That's the most recognized form of accreditation, so yes, the degrees should be recognized internationally.
~Lily and Ellie
Thanks Lily and Ellie!
ReplyDeleteJust clarifying, so that means, an international student can earn degree from CollegePlus! and it will be recognized in his/her country?
Hi Sara!
ReplyDeleteThe schools that CollegePlus! works with are regionally accredited, which means their degrees should be recognized internationally. Here is the link to the page where you can find extensive information about CollegePlus! for international students: http://www.collegeplus.org/internationalstudents
Hope this helps!
~Lily and Ellie
I do have a question for the College Plus! rep. Many parents do not want their children to attend brick and mortar colleges. How many online colleges offer fully accredited degrees that Josh can use to attend the law school of his choice and not the Gothard school that only California allows graduates to sit for the bar. Jill would also need specialized education if she wishes to become a pediatric nurse, but she's going to have to work on some real patients first, and they're not all going to be women. How does College Plus! work with these sorts of situations?
ReplyDeleteObviously, Jill and Jinger will have to attend brick and mortar universities for field work and skills tests. Josh might be able to make it through an accredited online college, but getting into law school right now is INCREDIBLY competitive; IMHO, he is going to have to transfer and finish his upper-division credits at a brick and mortar university to acquire the critical thinking and writing skills he will need if he is really intent on becoming an attorney.
CollegePlus! designs an individual plan for each student. If your degree requires classes at a brick-and-mortar school, you can attend any accredited university that will accept your credits. Of course, you have to apply and be accepted first.
ReplyDelete~Lily and Ellie
Dear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteCollegePlus! is all about helping students achieve their dreams. There are some degrees that can be done with the flexibility of "online only" but others that offer the opportunity to go on campus and get hands-on experience. Every student has their own degree tailored to their goals.
For Josh, that means helping him get his undergraduate and launch him towards his Law degree. Like any other college student seeking entrance into law school, Josh is going to have to sit in for the LSAT. Josh's goal is to graduate from a brick and mortar school while maximizing the flexibility of distance education.
For Jill, it will mean on-campus classes as well. Being a nurse means helping sick and injured people, regardless of sex. That's something Jill understands. Having practicals where she has to help a variety of patients will help her achieve her goal of becoming a nurse.
Hope this clears up some of your questions!
Caitlin
PR Manager|CollegePlus!
I think it's wonderful the children are getting college degrees. I'm especially interested in what Jessa is planning to do with her Business degree.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if the children who were pursuing high education degrees finished school and got their degrees? We never really hear them speak about college so after reading this i was wondering if they finished those degrees.
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