Time to Feed My Head Again

Really, I never thought I’d need to do it. I had such a wonderful undergraduate experience at Stockton College of NJ, such a fine liberal arts education: a poetry professor, Stephen Dunn, who won a Pulitzer for his work, a physics professor, Yitzak Sharon, a Princeton Ph.D. who studied under Albert Einstein (Yitzak’s at Rutgers now), a sublime Indian U. professor of Shakespeare and medieval literature (Ken Tompkins), a Stanford professor of Eastern philosophy (Anne Birdwhistell), a Yale professor of Classical literature (Fred Mench), a Rutgers Cook College professor of dendrology (George Zimmermann) you name it, I thought I had it pretty darn good. A well-rounded liberal arts education it was, I was even editor-in-chief of the independent student newspaper (the Argo) and I didn’t think I needed any more learning, except what life itself would provide. (If a missed any of my better professors, then please forgive me. It’s been nearly 20 years.)

But in these days of super-competitiveness, and my own lack of it, I need more. I do, I do. At 40, I’ve decided I need to go back to school to “specialize.” Why? It’s kinda personal, but need the moolah for family reasons. You know, in sickness and in health, for better or worse. And my wife has MS and I’ve hardly been the provider, try as I might. (She makes more than me!) So I’m going for it. And you know what? I found out it’s not that hard. In fact, for me, it’s going to be fairly easy once I break through the bureaucracy and get to back to school work towards a master’s degree. Yes, getting a master’s degree these days doesn’t have to be so hard, but it requires patience … and it may require a temporary respite from the Mac platform (each!)

I’ve found out that more and more of America’s (and other country’s) finest colleges and universities are offering degrees totally online. That’s right. You don’t need to attend class at all (well, some schools want you there part time), but for the many you just sit back and read the course work, do the home work, and communicate with professors and classmates via Internet or tele/cellphone. Sure, all the same work that’s covered in the classroom is certainly covered, all the same textbooks are used, all the same tests given — It’s no super easy slide, but at least I don’t have to commute through two hours of diesel particulate matter to get to class. I can stay right here in my home in this old coastal town, where the air is fresh and the people (and the police) have class. 😉 I can do it totally online.

Well, I’m a Blue-stater, a northern Union man and a tenuous Republican who votes Democratic mostly, with a staunchly Republican family going back to the Civil War (actually back to the mid-17th century) who has switched sides (for the most part) and I intend to “go” to school in the Northeast because even though though I’m kinda a rebel and sort of a Dem. (confusing enough?) I might just get strung up if I try and attend graduation ceremonies in the Red-state South. 😉 No, I love the South, and Auburn is on my list of schools, as they have a fine online MBA program and I’d be remiss not to seriously consider it (although going there involves a bit too much on campus residency and travel). I’ve also considered the University of Florida, but it requires substantial residency which I am not will to do. So it’s off to the great Northeast. (Sorry to the Midwest, West, South, et al, but those places are merely lovely vacation spots for me. I’m a Jersey Yankee. I must live near New York and/or New England.)

OK. First, I’d like to try Columbia University. It has an eMBA program and it’s ranked numbers two in the world by the Financial Times of London. Not too shabby. Am I an executive? Am I executive material? Well, I’ve held executive positions before even if I feel a few pegs lower now. But I think I could make it at Columbia if given the chance. I’d have to make a two hour or so commute to the upper, upper West Side of Manhattan every other Friday and Saturday, but that’s very possible from where I live. I am descended from some Ivy Leaguers, Cornell to be exact, but the question is: Am I as smart as them? The thing is, I’ve contacted Columbia, but received no response.

Who’s contacted me? Well. I’ve gotten the hard sell from two universities: Boston University and Eastern University, also in Boston. While these weren’t my first two choices, the callers were very convincing. First, a fellow from Eastern called and told me he could certainly “get me in” the MBA program. He also told me that the program was completely online and I would never have to go to Boston except for graduation if I so wanted. Sounded good to me. Sounded too good to me. (BTW Canadian area code on the caller ID. Hmm.) The woman representing BU had me convinced the that a Master’s Degree of Science in Computer Information Systems was the way to go, but I just don’t think it’s right for me. I’m a writer, aren’t I?

Well, I’ll spill my guts. The three schools that most fascinate me are Syracuse University, Stevens Institute of Technology and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Syracuse has sent me a huge brochure covering there Master’s Degree of Science in Information Management Management. I’ve spoken with the director of enrollment yesterday and she sounded just wonderful. Apparently, this is the number one program in the country of its kind (how many there are I don’t know) and they very much welcome liberal arts-types such as myself, with a broad base of experience (I’ve worked a jackhammer, OK?) Anyhow, she was very kind and inviting. There is one on-campus week at the beginning of the two-year program. The rest of the two years will be at my glorious home in Jersey and then back up to Syracuse for graduation.

OK, Stevens, Institute of Technology. It’s a small, elite school in Hoboken, New Jersey and not very well known in the West or the South but considered almost Ivy League here on the East Coast. It has an amazing rural feel for a campus right on the Hudson overlooking Manhattan and a very fine reputation as a technical school. Prime real estate, to be sure. The tennis courts are located right on the river, and I have to admit about 17 years ago my friend and I used to sneak on and use the courts because the students were apparently too busy studying to play. The courts were ALWAYS empty and the good folks at Stevens were kind enough to let us slide. (An aside: Happy Birthday Mike!) Besides, we looked like we could be students. Anyway, Stevens offers an MBA in Technology that is completely online. I believe this will be very hard, as the school will be out to prove its mettle against bricks-and-mortar programs. But I’ll attend in-person seminars if/when I can in Hoboken. I’ll try my best and certainly attend graduation.

Lastly, (besides Penn State which scares the frickin crap out of me – What happened to the Quakers? Sorry, I’m not an automaton.)… alright, Lastly is Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It’s in the heart of good old Massachusetts, where my ancestors first arrived in America (sometimes I wish I had an Ellis Island story but, alas, it’s the Mayflower, 1620, a land grant about 1638, and lord knows what else…. Well, Worcester Polytechnic Institute has an excellent reputation, it’s the third oldest technical school in the country and it’s about on a par with Stevens. I would be honored to be accepted to either of these colleges, and Syracuse, too. And if Columbia wants me, then they know where to find me.

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