I don't know if I should get an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Applied Science? (bachelor's, skills)

[DCT2019]

I completed a couple of years at university. I decided I want to take a break from school, and join the workforce for a while. I want to transfer my credits from my university to my local community college to get an Associate's. I just want to get my Associate's before I join the workforce, because I think it's good to have SOMETHING than nothing at all.

I met with an advisor at the community college. The advisor told me, "If you just want a stand alone degree, you should go for the Associate of Arts." I also thought about getting the Associate of Arts because I read that can get transferred to a university. He then told me, "If you want to get the Associate of Applied Science, you have to go in a specific area like Chemistry, Biology, Nursing, etc. You would have to take general classes and then more specific classes."

I don't want to do that. I don't want to go in a specific area because I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT TO DO! This is why I want to take a break from school and join the workforce.

I've completed 61 credits at my university. I had 59 more to take. The advisor told me, "if I want to get the Associate of Arts, your credits from your university will transfer and you have to just complete 15 credits at the community college." That sounds good. 15 credits, I can do that in a semester.

However, my mother is telling me I should get the Associate of Applied Science. I don't want to do that, because I don't know what direction I want to go. I told her I just want a more general degree. I also read that an Associate of Applied Science can't get transferred to a university while an Associate of Arts can.

My mother asked, "So are you going to get an Associate's and work at McDonalds? Walmart? Sweep floors? You have to pick a specialty!"

She's annoying me because I feel like I'm being forced to make a quick decision and just go in a specific specialty when I don't even know what specialty I want to get into.

I've never even had a job. I want to get some work experience, and I think an Associate's will give me a better shot at landing a job. I don't know what kind of job I want, I just want to work and develop my passion. My mother is telling me I need to pick a specific area of interest and pursue that. However I don't know what area I want to get into.

Sorry for the rant, I just like to be detailed. But, what do you guys think?

[turf3]

Sorry but in most areas an associates degree is not worth the paper it's printed on (there are some exceptions where certain non-degree trade courses will give preference to those with specific associates degrees, as you alliuded to in your OP). But it also sounds like you don't have a specific non-degree course of trades study you want to follow.

I don't think the idea of spending more time and money on community college will gain you anything UNLESS you were to use it as an entry to a specific trades certification.

Sorry, but here the obvious options I see:

- Work in a dead end minimum wage or dead end retail job till you decide that's not for you and get a better idea what to do
- Work construction or something similar if you can handle demanding physical labor, or unless you are in a part of the country where all those jobs are already locked up by illegals, till you decide that's not for you and get a better idea
- Join the military, if you're qualified
- Take a few months at most, to get off the dime and decide what remunerative course of study at an accredited university you want to pursue, then get back after it and finish it.
- Get into an apprenticeship program
- Go to work for someone you already know in a small business (family business)

[joe from dayton]

It is up to the receiving institution to decide what credits they will accept. The statement that Arts credits will be accepted and Science ones won't is simply wrong. Most associates degrees of any kind are not worth much on their own, but they are good stepping stones to a 4 year degree. An associate's degree in Automotive Technology will get you a job. An associate's degree in Chemistry isn't going to do much for you. That said, since you are five classes away from a degree; I say go ahead and get it.

[pandaundercover]

My experience is you get the AA or AS based on whether you've taken more liberal art classes of science classes. I have not seen a diversification about it when transferring. When you transfer, pretty sure you can go anywhere that will accept your degree/GPA, and no matter what college that is, they will base what classes you take off what your transcripts show.



I got an AS because I was frankly, taking mostly science classes while in college, but had an intent to transfer for Accounting. I never did transfer for Accounting, but for Psychology, and then Nutrition (I changed my mind a lot as well). So I guess, the point is, if you get an AA and then decide to go to school for psychology, you might have to take a couple lower level science classes to catch up vs if you decide to transfer into Music Theory.



I'd personally go with whatever field you KNOW you are more overall interested in. Arts or Science. It's rare for someone to train to be a microbiologist and then out of no where switch their major to Theater... but it can happen. You should know yourself at least enough to have an idea though even if it's nothing specific.


In the workforce, whether they see an AA or AS on your resume, doesn't really mean anything to them. It will only mean anything if they want someone that has "some college" experience.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

It is up to the receiving institution to decide what credits they will accept. The statement that Arts credits will be accepted and Science ones won't is simply wrong. Most associates degrees of any kind are not worth much on their own, but they are good stepping stones to a 4 year degree. An associate's degree in Automotive Technology will get you a job. An associate's degree in Chemistry isn't going to do much for you. That said, since you are five classes away from a degree; I say go ahead and get it.

I consider AA as valuable as you make it, and CAN qualify you for FULL JUNIOR status in a 4yr degree program (If you use a "transfer contract" / agreed and approved courses by receiving institution.)

Thus...
1) I would pursue your completion (15 credits)
2) I would be SURE those 15 credits and as many as previously acquired would be eligible for FULL transfer to a 4yr U in a degree program you desire / or are capable of utilizing)
3) go and complete it
4) get a relevant job (I would do this TODAY and while finishing AA)
5) when AA is done, decide path forward (might be more employment, different field, transfer to U / all of the above)
6) Stay engaged

I completed a couple of years at university.
..my mother is telling me ...

Nuf said:

Bye Mom... (I was gone before age 16, my kids got a bonus till age 18, but both bailed slightly early (great plan) ) they grew up a lot! They were prepared. They survived (very well).

I've never even had a job. I want to get some work experience,

Conquer this issue today (by noon).

Head to Worksource and take a few skills / aptitude / placement exams (FREE)
Find your niche, Excel at it!

After you get that job (by noon) and you perform excellent for a few months (while attending CC FT) see if your new very pleased employer will assist with college (even Walmart does that).

I suggest working nights and weekends, as that frees your weekdays for classes.
(more money, less competition and fewer bosses !)

FWIW: from this post, and your previous posts it seems you are depending / over-weighting your perceived thoughts of others on your life and plans.
1) Other people are not YOU
2) other people do not know the real you (what is important and motivates you) i.e. your inner passion
3) Other people are not good at making decisions for you (They don't really want to anyway, b'cuz it is YOU who will excel in your own way / contribution to community)
4) YOU don't want to be what someone else THINKS you should be (100% a BAD and painful fit)
5) Make your own way in life. Not ez, not hard, but absolutely necessary.
6) Today is a new day, make the best of it (for yourself, for others) It will NEVER be repeated. poof it's GONE!
7) You are important, live up to your calling (not what you might think others will think (you / they are WRONG).
8) Be yourself

Trust me (us)... we have all been there (What to do?)
Did we make the correct decision? (not always)
Did we give up? (Never)
Did it hurt? (Usually)
Are we better for enduring and overcoming it? (yes)

Nothing worthwhile is free and EZ. Life is a journey. I will not bore you with my painful life, because we each have been there, and we MUST press on.

[Nathan777]

If you get an associate's get it in general education. The reason for this is that you're going to need a bachelor's degree or higher for your college education to really make much of any difference on a resume, and you're going to need to take those courses anyway to transfer to get a four year degree in any concentration.

If you just want the associate's degree to be able to put on your resume for jobs while you're getting a bachelor's, do the general studies degree.

[Nathan777]

About the applied science, you're likely going to need classes such as Biology or Chemistry to get a bachelor's later, so I'd go with that one, assuming that they have labs with them. Take a sequence of 2 Biology, Chemistry, or Geology classes with labs.

[ocnjgirl]

A stand alone degree is not going to get you anytjing unless it’s a career track like X-ray tech.
What subjects are you good at? What jobs have you had and what are your strong skills? Are you analytical, people person, detail oriented, etc?

I would just keep taking a variety of classes till you figure out what you want. It won’t make any difference job wise if you get an AA or AS.

[BlueMoon8]

Typically an AA (Associate of Arts) is designed to help you transfer seamlessly into a bachelor's degree program at a university. Now an AAS (Associates in Applied Science) is made for individuals who want to go directly into the workforce after graduation. It is definitely more technical and teaches you actual skills that will be applied on the job. Most AAS degrees are for allied health and medical careers like nursing, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy or nuclear technology. Those programs prepare you to take the test and get licensed afterwards so you can go straight into the field. There are also AAS programs for IT careers as well. Because the program is so specialized, most of the courses won't transfer because they were made for a specific career track. In today's job market, a bachelor's degree is the standard so getting just the AA won't make you more marketable than you already are. I don't recommend going for an AAS since you don't seem sure what field you want to go into and most AAS programs, especially in the allied health field, are very rigorous. Apply for entry level positions in different fields and give everything a try so you get an idea of what you like and don't like before going back to get the degree.

[COJeff]

Originally Posted by DCT2019

I've never even had a job. I want to get some work experience, and I think an Associate's will give me a better shot at landing a job.

You shouldn't be looking for a job, you should be looking to start a career at this point in your life and this far into school.