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For some one who has been working almost 20 years in his specialty without degree, the degree offered is like finding a water in the desert. The question is this university legally existed in US ? Anyone can help ?

By BBB on Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 09:13 am: Edit

St. Regis is not accredited by any recognized U S agency. The value of its degrees is debatable. Most hiring organizations expect a degree to represent a serious course of study at an accredited college. Some places, though, just look for a degree of any kind, and don't really understand different kinds of colleges, degree mills, etc.

I wouldn't put much faith in this kind of degree unless it's a situation where your current employer requires one for promotion and your boss is OK with this kind of degree. Applying to new companies is a bit more risky - some may realize that it's not a "real" degree, others may not.

By Jacqueline Wayman on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 12:44 pm: Edit

I have a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Health Education from Saint Regis Unversity as well as 34 years of Government Service. The degree is not that easy to get. It is based on your previous college credits, experience, training classes, as well as major awards received in your life. Eventhough it seems as if you can get a degree "quickly", that is NOT TRUE if you consider the 34 years of everything that you have achieved in life. In addition, Saint Regis University only approves 4 to 5 percent of requests for Bachelor and Masters degrees. It is really NOT THAT SIMPLE to get. You basicaly have to demonstrate that you are worthy of the degrees you are offered. Saint Regis University is fully accredited and recognized by numerous employers as it should be. a TYPICAL graduate from a traditional university DOES NOT HAVE the necessary EXPERIENCE to accomplish most jobs and have to be trained. With experience and your degree from Saint Regis University, YOU HAVE BOTH. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

By BBB on Friday, February 07, 2003 - 06:25 pm: Edit

Last I heard they were accedited by the Liberian Ministry of Education or something. I don't mean to put down extensive life experience, but a college degree isn't a certification test. College is a shared experience involving interaction with profs and peers. I can see a college offering the odd credit here or there for equivalent work experience or professional training, but when the whole college experience is lacking the diploma doesn't mean much.

By theodore on Monday, February 10, 2003 - 07:34 pm: Edit

saint regis was a sinner!

By TerryC on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 04:56 pm: Edit

To BBB - What type of position do you have and what are your qualifications? It would be really interesting to know, especially since you are always commenting negatively about Saint Regis University. Are there any other institutions that we should watch out for? Please let us know.

In addition, theodore's comment is totally irrelevant and adds nothing intelligent to the conversation. Thank you.

By Sensophile on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 05:31 pm: Edit

It's not as if BBB is going out on a limb or anything. What he says makes complete sense, you don't need credentials to reach or agree with his conclusions.

By BBB on Sunday, February 16, 2003 - 06:16 pm: Edit

Hi, Terry, no special qualifications - just undergrad and grad degrees from accredited universities, and quite a few years of hiring experience.

One of the things I look for in hiring someone for a professional position is demonstrated ability to handle an intellectual challenge - I'm going to weight a person with an engineering degree from MIT or a history degree from Chicago ahead of a general studies major from a community college, even though all of them may hold bachelor's degrees. The mere fact that an individual had the fortitude to complete a four year degree is a positive indicator that the individual is goal oriented and willing to sacrifice in the short run for a long-term benefit. (I've interviewed people who claim to have left college years earlier with only two or three courses remaining to complete their degree - I run away from these people as fast as I can. If they couldn't wrap up those last two or three courses in five or ten years, are they going to be the ones to work all weekend to complete an important project? Not likely.)

In short, it's not the piece of paper, it's what the degree stands for. Did the person complete an intellectually rigorous course of study? What was the peer group like vs. the level of academic accomplishment? How broad is the person's knowledge, i.e., does this person just know his/her specialty, or is he/she truly literate? Not every job requires (or can afford) a superstar, of course, but my point is that a degree should be more than a checkbox on an employment form.

I'm aware that some organizations do, in fact, treat a degree rather like that checkbox - you have a degree or you don't, the job requires a degree or it doesn't. This is foolish, IMO, but I suppose one valid response to such foolishness is to purchase a mail order degree.

By TerryC on Monday, February 17, 2003 - 07:05 pm: Edit

I agree with BBB to a great degree. However, a person who obtains a Master's Degree from John Hopkins and merely passes, his degree is considered the same, "a Degree from John Hopkins", compared to a person who achieves highly. It is merely name recognition in some cases and not actual performance. Believe it or not, you have numerous college level folk who can not perform minimual requirements, and they require a great deal of additional on the job training. That is not always the case, but it does happen frequently. It is almost as bad as having a 2nd Lieutenant assigned to your work area.

By Elearn200 (Elearn200) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 05:57 pm: Edit

According to Saint Regis University they only approve about 4-5% of the
people that apply. I definitely agree that people should experience the
college life for a year or two, but they must know that if they took
out
any loans the money must be paid back with interest.

There are many non-written requirements an applicant must meet before
they
can apply to Saint Regis University. An individual must have a
considerable
amount of college level credits and years of work experience.

Everybody has a right to their own opinion, I have my own, but I think
people need to have their facts straight before criticizing anything. A
person's character is built by being able to take all kinds of
constructive
criticism and pays know attention to ignorant criticism.

The old paradigm was go to college and after graduation get a job then
retire thirty years later.

Times are different and we live in the Internet Age and everything is
fast
paced.

The golden parachute does not exist for my generation anymore,
referring to
the age-old paradigm above. Traditional universities are great,
especially
if you can afford the hefty price. In fact, if I had never attended
college
I most likely would not have met my wife nor have any children. By the
way,
can anybody tell me where Baldwin-Wallace College is located, better
yet
have you ever heard of this school? The yearly tuition for BWC is over
$21k.

Schools with walls are dinosaurs without the use of the Internet. Most
schools are slowly coming around to the Internet method way of studying
and
delivering classes along with making tons of money.

Major companies are spending millions to partner with online training
companies to offer classes to their employee's.

In regards to BBB's response, "accredited by Liberia or something."
Liberia
is a country on the continent of Africa. The Education Ministry of
Liberia,
which accredits Saint Regis University, is legitimate. In the 19th century 1800's the United States government shipped Black African
slaves
from America back to Africa and this is how Liberia was colonized into
existence. Does anyone think the government of Liberia is fraudulent? (http://www.countrywatch.com/cw_topic.asp?vCOUNTRY=99&SECTION=COVER&TOPIC=POHIS&TYPE=TEXT)information on Liberia

Ross Medical University opened in 1979 is located and accredited by the
Republic of Dominica. Does their location and accreditation mean they
are
suspicious? Now, if you are an American citizen the United States
Department of Education will allow you to use your federal aid for this
program. Students go to this school and eventually return to the States
and
work in major hospitals as licensed medical practitioners. (http://www.rossmed.edu)

President Lincoln was self-taught and he obtained his law degree by
distance education or as the critics would say he received his "MAIL
ORDER"
degree.

By Dadster (Dadster) on Friday, February 28, 2003 - 10:54 pm: Edit

Elearn, don't you find it a bit odd that St. Regis isn't accredited by a US santioning body? I mean, we aren't talking about Monrovia U here, but rather a company that markets itself in the US to a primarily American market.

By Allysa (Allysa) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 11:58 am: Edit

No, I do not think that it is odd that Saint Regis University (SRU) isn't accredited by a U.S. sanctioning body. It does not have to be. There are numerous organizations who are accredited by accreditation bodies that are located outside of the United States. SRU is affiliated with the National Academy for Higher Education (NAHE). NAHE is affiliated with The George Washington University's School of Public Management, St. Paul's Catholic Church and Meridian Univesity. These schools of course are located in the United States. There are numerous schools located overseas, London, Switzerland, etc. Some of these universities have accreditation bodies overseas as well. The fact that SRU is fully accredited is fantastic. There are elementary and secondary schools/colleges and universities existing that are not accredited at all. Those are the schools that we need to worry about. No matter where they were accredited, they are LEGALLY ACCREDITED. Thanks.

By Elearn200 (Elearn200) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:40 am: Edit

The government of Liberia has a new market niche, shame on them. They have set up similar standards as AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business by creating. For US schools to be regionally accredited they must pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to be associated with a US accrediting agency and the same for SRU paid to have their school accredited by the Education Ministry of Liberia. Allysa, I do not think The George Washington University's School of Public Management is accredited by NAHE, their accredited by National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (www.naspaa.org), but NAHE has the same standards as NASPAA.

Dadster, most companies or national organizations are set up to market to everyone, a person without a degree like me should come up with the same conclusion.

By Allysa (Allysa) on Monday, March 10, 2003 - 10:31 am: Edit

SRU is definitely not accredited by the same accreditation body as GWU, however, they are affiliated with the same organization (National Academy for Higher Education) and has the same standards. So that is good enough for me. I agree with Elearn200's analogy that at a certain age, you need to determine what is right for you. If you have years of formal education (college), work experience, training, numerous awards, and your age, you may consider a degree from SRU. Every one is entitled to their own opinion. Thank you.

By Ruafraud (Ruafraud) on Thursday, March 13, 2003 - 02:08 am: Edit

The basic question people like Jacqueline Wayman need to ask themselves is that if they needed brain surgery…would they choose a surgeon with a degree from St. Regis or from a “REAL” university that offers rigorous in-class studies in brain surgery. Just suppose for a moment that my real MBA were obtained through life experience as a web designer or a nurse. I would never had learned through hundreds of hours of in class lecture, discussion, homework assignments and textbook reading about such subjects as marketing, finance, business law and ethics, yes ethics but I’ll get to that later. Personal experience is great, but mechanics, housewives, nurses and even medical doctors do not have the knowledge that is gained from rigorous studies from a real university that offers an MBA. I hear people saying St. Regis is an online University so it’s different. Let’s not debate the importance of online learning, I have been teaching online college courses for 6 years, it’s a wonderful medium for today’s college students. However, St. Regis is not an online university…it’s a fraudulent scam that is pumping out paper degrees and fake transcripts for anyone who was too lazy to attend and COMPLETE a degree from an a college that is accredited by a United States accreditation body such as North Central Accreditation.
The bottom line: St. Regis is nothing but a way for a person without ethics to lie their way into a job that they do not deserve. The travesty is that someone with an MBA from St Regis might steal a job opportunity away from someone with a real degree. Remember, a real degree is defined as a degree earned through in-class or online coursework from a real college or university, where all the courses are completed, not just a few, regardless of what country that college may be in.
I think I am going to begin to offer a certificate in ethics. Anyone interested should post a message to this board for additional information. I promise that any rational HR person will place more value on your ethics certificate than any St. Regis degree…I said rational HR person!!! Anyone who buys into the St. Regis scam is an unethical idiot. Cheers!

By Allysa (Allysa) on Friday, March 14, 2003 - 04:23 pm: Edit

The basic question for Ruafraud is why are you worried that a person with an MBA from St. Regis might steal a job opportunity away from someone with a real degree. The way you are talking about SRU graduates is as if they do not have enough experience, they are not intelligent, and don't forget UNETHICAL, and would not meet the qualifications, etc., and the degree was awarded to them without a thorough evaluation or some type of criteria. It really should not be an issue if you really think about it. To you, an SRU graduate would definitely not be a "threat" and would not be able to steal a job away from someone with a REAL degree, because you would consider them as not having had a "traditional" form of education (classroom). THEREFORE, THIS IS A MOOT ISSUE AND YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY. It has nothing to do with ethics, some people obtain their degree(s) one way and some people obtain their degree another way (nontraditiona). IT IS JUST A MATTER OF PERSONAL PREFERENCE!!!!!!!

By Jim (Jim) on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 06:56 am: Edit

I have a PhD Bus Admin from Saint Regis University
There entry standards are high.
My Education.
MA English Uk University A-
MBA USA University A
Bsc Engineering IT Technology A
PhD Ed.USA University A
Twin Engine &IFR Pilots Certificate USA
Registration Engineer USA
Operated own business 25years
Saint Regis Professors high standard check website

By Patz (Patz) on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 10:47 am: Edit

Thomas Edison State College (New Jersey) has the same accreditation status as Rutgers or any of the other NJ state schools. They do offer credit toward certain degrees and professional certifications based on life and professional experience, as well as an extensive selection of correspondence/online classes mentored by professors from the other NJ state schools. TESC graduates have an excellent track record as far as getting into conventional Master's Degree programs and law schools. I would think that accreditation would be a big issue if you decided to go for a graduate degree at an institution other than St. Regis.

By Dadster (Dadster) on Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 11:22 am: Edit

>>accreditation would be a big issue if you decided to go for a graduate degree at an institution other than St. Regis<<

But why would anyone pursue a graduate degree anyplace other than St. Regis? That might entail actually attending classes, listening to profs, interacting with other students, writing a dissertation, etc. All of this seems like a huge waste of time when you already know it all from your experience and can just write St. Regis a check.

By Allysa (Allysa) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 05:02 pm: Edit

Ruafraud and Dadster: Have you applied for a degree through SRU to see if you qualify for a Ph.D.? I really think that there is criteria set and standards to be met prior to awarding someone a Ph.D. To Ruafraud, SRU lists the categories/fields that you can obtain a degree, and brain surgery is not one. Have either of you gone through the process? I really believe that before you can criticize, you need to go through the process (self-evaluation) and then comment.

By Patz (Patz) on Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - 07:42 pm: Edit

SRU may well be all you make it out to be. The original poster's question boils down to this: why doesn't it submit to one of the regional accrediting authorities to establish its legitimacy, if it's so great? Colleges and universities all over this country, from Harvard to your local county community college present themselves for re-accreditation every 5 years. Why not SRU?

By Spiro (Spiro) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 12:50 pm: Edit

In response to BBB, it is the ignorance and arrogance of opinions such as yours that drive people to obtain these 'dubious'degrees. As a non degree holder with a lot of experience in managing degree holders and being managed by 'masters', I have come to the conclusion that the award of a degree indicates very little. To me it only shows that someone had the time and the money to sit in school a little longer than someone else. Three of my children have or are studying for degrees in standard universities and all of them acknowledge the lack of information they really have to face real world challenges.
I have many times had to correct the work of 'masters' and especially help them in their interfacing with real people, who do not always repond to instrucions or processes in the way the 'Master' has been taught.

With regard to running from someone who only had a few credits to go, because they are unlikely to be the type to work harder over a weekend to finish a project. Do you ever ask them why they didn't complete. I had a member of staff in that situation, undoubtably the finest developer and hardest worker I ever had, who explained that he had to leave to support his family and hadn't had the time or the money to continue. I have seen similar situations many times, and I am sure that Bill Gates works real hard despite his lack of 'formal qualifications'.
I judge people by what they produce, not what some self interested group of people say they can do. Regarding Patz comment about why don't St. Regis become accredited in America, it is probably due to the restrictive practices operated within the accreditation groups to maintain their ability to 'SELL' their education services. If people could get degree qualifications for experience from the standard colleges, a great deal of tuition fees would be missed. This is not good for them so they will never have an organization join their ranks which would reduce their income opportunities.


My advice to Ponky_p is to go for it and see what happens. If you have the experience, you will be able to prove to prospective employers that you can do the job, having got past the often automated process of rejecting applications which do not show a degree qualification.

By Ruafraud (Ruafraud) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 10:43 pm: Edit

Dadster...I fully agree with you. Again, if you don't have the ethical fortitude to avoid scamming the unwilling employer with a fake degree...go ahead and write a check to St. Regis. Just maybe, you wont get caught.

Alyssa...I need not apply for a "degree" from SRU to realize it's not a degree. It's a fraud, a sham, and an unethical diploma mill. I know someone that got a "degree" through Regis and disagreed with him aggressively. In general, he is a complete idiot but an expert in his field as you probably are as well. I assume you are an expert in whatever it is you do...that does not qualify you for a college degree. Again, a college degree is defined as " a degree earned from a course of rigorous in-class or online coursework wherein you complete all of the defined requirements...living your life and "working in business" does not qualify you for a masters degree in business administration. Anyone who says it does is a liar!
By the way, I would bet a thousand dollars that my 18year old son could apply for a PhD from St. Regis, write a check and get it. I know this because according to you, his life experience at McDonalds qualifies him! He could simply extrapolate that experience and lie his way through the process as most would do. My point is that running cash register at MickyDees is not the equivalent of college algebra or calculus. Sorry, I am not buying. Hope your next employer does not catch on.
I think I'll check with my HR person (fortune 100 company) and see what they say about the validity of St. Regis degrees but we already know the answer to that stupid question.

By Ruafraud (Ruafraud) on Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 10:51 pm: Edit

Spiro...you are <offering> bad advice. You can never prove you have the required qulifications for a prospective employer that requires a degree to be hired. St. Regis hands out fake degrees, you'll prove nothing ... !

Ponky_P...sound advice says that you go to a real college and earn your degree...unless of course you have no ethics...!

<edited by Admin - let's remain courteous, people!>

By Movingonup (Movingonup) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 12:51 am: Edit

St. Regis evaluated me a few months ago. Thank God I realized who they were.

I worked for five years as a journalist. They said I could have a B.A. in communications, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in journalism. That sounded well and good except for several problems:

1) I graduated H.S. in 1997. They knew that. How could these degrees be legit?

2) They offered to make my B.A. in 1998, my MBA in 2000, and my Ph.D. in 2003. Backdating sounds unethical to me. I could've gotten just the B.A. and said 2001, but I'd know when I actually bought it.

I know I COULD get away with 1-3 of those degrees, but do I want to? No. It feels like a lie. So I'm going to college for real.

By Admin (Admin) on Sunday, March 23, 2003 - 11:30 am: Edit

closed by Admin