Good associate degree recommendations?

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SoonerP226

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CPA is always in demand and pays well, but it is difficult and requires a 4 year degree.
I know a CPA who got hers with just a bachelor's, and from what I understand, she could only do that because she was grandfathered in due to her graduation date. It now requires at least a master's degree.

ETA: this is assuming we're all talking about a Certified Public Accountant, not some other kind of CPA.
 

SoonerP226

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Nope, you can do it in a two year program but folks usually take a lot of classes ahead of time just to meet the prerequisites and get enough points to get into the program...depending on where you apply.
My old boss's daughter was in some kind of fast-track program that was going to earn her a BS in Nursing from OU after two years of coursework plus her regular work as a nurse. I couldn't tell you any of the details about it, though.
 

yukonjack

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When did I say the job requires it? There’s a difference between the job requirements and the competitive environment in the job over the length of a career. A large number of new nurses are entering the field with BSNs (every new nurse her hospital has hired and that she has oriented in recent years) and it is increasingly becoming a discriminating factor for moves into new positions and specialty areas.

My bride only has her associate’s RN because she made the career switch at 40 and already had her B.S. in Management. She also didn’t care much about career progression or moving into some of the more specialized areas opening up to nurses. A younger person with a longer career in front of them will be competing against B.S.N.s for jobs and desirable positions within jobs as the years go by.

More and more people entering the nursing field are figuring out they don’t need the BSN. Go through the plethora of nursing vacancies and they are only requiring graduation from an accredited nursing program. My ex-wife has taken her lowly associate in Nursing degree and moved up the career ladder into a leadership position in informatics in her health care system. Makes six figures and works from home. Hasn’t been into the hospital in the past year.
 

Shadowrider

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My daughter worked in the NICU and she stays in touch with a lot of those she worked with. Some of those gals went to NY or NJ when COVID broke out on a temp deal and made completely ridiculous money. Like $30k per month kind of money. Traveling nurses do very well if you find the right niche.
 

RETOKSQUID

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My old boss's daughter was in some kind of fast-track program that was going to earn her a BS in Nursing from OU after two years of coursework plus her regular work as a nurse. I couldn't tell you any of the details about it, though.
RN(ADN) to BSN Program. Most places that offer the BSN have this option for RNs and some EMTs. Word of advice is to go the RN vice LPN route if you want to work somewhere other than a nursing home or county Jail. Most places will no longer hire LPN/LVNs.
 

JD8

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IMHO, associates degrees are increasingly becoming obsolete. There are obvious exceptions for those two year degrees that lead to work in a licensed field, like nursing, but even nursing is seeing a shift into B.S.N.s being the norm.

IF you are going to commit the time, energy, and money into going back to school, I would find an accelerated Bachelor's program or just go after a skilled trade certification program.

YMMV and it all depends on your goals.

Gonna second this.
 

okcBob

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The BSN entry level requirement debate has been going on for about 40 years. The only state that I know of that has done anything about it is NY where the legislature is proposing a “BSN in 10” rule that states you have 10 yrs post ADN licensure to obtain a BSN. Not law yet. (NY teachers can work after undergrad school, but have to obtain a Master’s degree in a few years I think to keep their teaching certification). Anyway, the BSN minimum requirement deal will never happen because of the shortage of RN’s. PT, OT, Pharmacy have all increased entry level education to masters or doctoral level over the years, but they don’t have to work 24/7.

However, a BSN is generally required for advancement into management or education roles. Also, BSN is required for entry into NP, Anesthesia schools as they are masters or more commonly doctoral level programs.
 

SMS

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More and more people entering the nursing field are figuring out they don’t need the BSN. Go through the plethora of nursing vacancies and they are only requiring graduation from an accredited nursing program. My ex-wife has taken her lowly associate in Nursing degree and moved up the career ladder into a leadership position in informatics in her health care system. Makes six figures and works from home. Hasn’t been into the hospital in the past year.

Again, conflating the entry requirements with the trends and competitive environment within the field.

My advice was centered around posturing someone for future options and opportunities, not just getting a foot in the door. If you’re young and going to school anyway, might as well grab that BSN because, just like a concealed handgun, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Unlike other careers, the earnings potential for nurses far outweighs the cost of the eduction.

Changing gears down the road and having to go back to school to get the BSN to go after some new opportunity or interest is a PIA.
 
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