Is an AA degree valuable? YES

Receiving an Associate in Arts or Science degree is very important, though some counselors and students doubt it is worth receiving if they are going to transfer.

Having an A.A. degree shows that the student has finished all of his or her general education and has graduated.

Many jobs that pay more than minimum wage require previous training for the job or a minimum requirement of an A.A. degree.

Though some counselors on campus say students do not need an A.A. degree to transfer, it would not hurt to have one.

Students do not need to have an A. A. degree.

However, if a student has enough units and has finished general education requirements, he should apply for the degree to show that he has completed something in college.

A lot of students usually drop out of junior college and go straight to work. It is better to leave junior college with a degree, so that when the student wants to come back to school he can start where they left off.

If a student is planning to transfer with an A.A. degree, the student is still going to need the minimum required number of credits to be able to transfer.

Having the A.A. on one’s transcript would look better than not having one; the counselors from other colleges will look at that.

It is better to transfer with an A.A. degree because when a student transfers and wants to find a job that pays well, many places will value the degree and pay the student well.

There are a few places, however, that do not value the A.A. degree, like many fast food restaurants.

Some positions that are offered when holding an A.A. degree are managers of businesses and other jobs that will pay more than minimum wage.

With an A.A. degree, students can get into great programs so that they can learn business, education, nursing, technology and many other fields that look for students with the degree.

While applying for a job, the student can mention that he or she has a basic degree and would likely have a better chance of getting the job.

Students can still get a good job without the degree because of experience with the job. But if another student has experience and a degree to show, the student with the degree would be valued more than the other student who is applying.

The A.A. degree should best be used as a method of finding a good job while attending school; it should not be used if the student plans on transferring with it alone because the student will not be able to transfer.

The A.A. degree is not a transfer degree and it is only useful in the job market or on a transcript.

Some colleges will look at all the classes that have been completed and if the student happens to have an A.A. degree.

It would make the holder of the A.A. degree look more qualified when compared to many other students who do not have a degree in anything.

Some students want an A.A. degree because they did not receive a diploma in high school, settling instead with a GED.

These students want to experience graduating and want the diploma, so when people ask how much school the student has finished, they can reply with having an A.A. degree.

Students have the option to set an appointment with a school counselor to find out if they need an A.A. degree to transfer.

It is best for students to talk to more than one counselor. This way, the student will have two or more outside opinions and check which counselor knows more about where he or she is transferring to.

One counselor may say it would be better to have an A.A. degree; another might say it would not matter. Or, both may say it would be important to have the degree.

After receiving an A.A. degree, students can choose to continue toward a bachelor’s degree in any specific major.

A.A. degrees do not have to be useless. If students do the research, the degree can actually mean something.