Scott Davis
Some might be intimidated embarking on a college education after many years out in the business world, but not Scott. He rose to the challenge of completing an associate's degree online while juggling full-time work and a family and did not hesitate to move on to a bachelor's degree. He expects to earn his B.S. in Management in October of this year. And he doesn't plan on stopping there. Next it's on to an M.B.A.
In 2003, Scott was working as a manager at a Fortune 500 media company. After thirteen years in the corporate world, he was looking to move ahead in his career. But his lack of higher education was holding him back.
He says, "[I had] not a single hour of college to my name."
He knew he needed a degree, but also knew that with his work schedule, there was no way he could attend classes full time. Earning an associate's degree by attending classes part-time on a traditional campus was not going to cut it either.
"If I were able to make it to campus," he says, "it would have taken me 4 to 5 years to my associate's degree."
Instead, Scott was able to earn his A.A.S. in Computer Information Systems in a mere two years, despite having no credits to transfer in, through Kaplan University's online program.
He's making equally quick work of the bachelor's degree program at Kaplan: "By using the online method, I am able to do work when I have free time and I am under little time constraints as long as I meet the deadlines to turn in my work."
A happily married father of a three-year-old girl, Scott has also had to consider the impact of his studies on his family. The flexibility of online learning has worked in his favor.
"My family doesn't feel neglected in any way because I am home every night and I can usually get some schoolwork done after everyone else goes to bed," he says.
Which is not to say that it's been easy. Scott takes two courses, for a total of 6 credit hours, each quarter.
He says, "This is considered a full load at Kaplan. That's about all I can handle with all of my other obligations at work and home." He is usually able to devote 5 to 10 hours per week on his schoolwork.
"There are some classes where I need to dedicate more time just to stay ahead of the curve," he explained. "Others require a lot less time based on my previous experience or the difficulty of the class."
While earning his associate's degree, some subjects like economics and statistics, were completely unfamiliar to him and required extra time and focus. But when he got into the information systems portion of the program, he found he was able to bring in so much knowledge from his work experience that he was able to help other adult learners.
After being at this juggling act for several years, Scott says he has "perfected the art of balancing all aspects of [his] life." He advises potential distance learners to assess if they have "the true desire to make it happen." If they do, the key to making it work is structure, he declares.
"Getting a good feel for the amount of time you have to spend at work, responsibilities at home, and understanding how much time school will take is a must. When you have all that information, you need to set a schedule. Structure is the best tool a distance learner can have. If you don't embrace structure and routine, school becomes much harder than it really is."
Embracing structure has clearly worked well for Scott. Even though there have been times when his other responsibilities have prevented him from spending as much time as he would like on his schoolwork, Scott has managed to excel, earning a 3.6 GPA.
This disciplined online learner is not sentimental about his education. Scott takes a pragmatic view towards his education.
"I don't look at it as a 'journey,' so to speak," Scott concedes. "I look at it as 'getting my ticket punched' so I can go get my M.B.A."
Even so, he admits to being a bit surprised by all that he's learned at Kaplan University.
"I had over 10 years experience in corporate life before I started at Kaplan. I was skeptical as to how much I would learn. But my eyes have been opened.
"While some of the things I am taught are things I've picked up on over the years, there is certainly a lot that I didn't know about."
Although his ultimate goal is to earn a master's of business administration and the opportunity to compete for positions at the Vice President level within his company, Scott says, "I apply some of the things I learned at Kaplan every day in my job."
Scott manages a large group of employees and he says "learning about economics, culture, conflict resolution, team dynamics and other things only help me perform more efficiently in my job."
To potential distance learners, Scott advises, "Don't cheat yourself! If you are going to pay a ton of money for an education, be prepared to immerse yourself in it. Get what you pay for. Do your homework and select a quality school that is accredited."
As far as a downside to distance learning, Scott doesn't see one. "I don't see any drawbacks yet," he states. "It takes dedication, but it's a goal that can be accomplished."
He says with evident satisfaction, "I will probably be one of the most educated people in my company in a couple of years. That makes me feel good because I know I've accomplished something that most people in this world have not."
