You have probably seen their ad or perhaps came across it as a recommendation online. Well, you’ll get to know if this college is worth it or not in this review. Martinsburg College is a legit school. However, I will be honest about this school, it is basically an MLM, and a for-profit school. For-profit schools are notorious for targeting spouses for their MyCAA benefits. They typically make it harder to transfer out. Also, the degree might not be well-respected.
Many for-profits have this bad reputation but Martinsburg College may just be better. You’ll be able to make this decision yourself at the end of this review.
Would We Say Martinsburg College is Legit?
Speaking of legit, Martinsburg is very legit but does not have regional accreditation. Some consider this school a scam due to their individual experiences. The main reason is that this college is for profit, which people generally consider a red flag. It is basically a pyramid scheme for recruiting people into overpriced schooling. Also, degrees are not with the papers they are printed on.
You might just be given the courses and grant to take the national certification test. Typically, this is known as a study guide, which you can buy online for less than $100. The elaborate ones can cost more money.
While Martinsburg is legitimate school, it could even be better to consider your local community college. Many people often consider community colleges the best place to begin your education since they are cheap and credits can be transferred to a 4-year program.
Is Martinsburg Accredited? By Which Body?
Martinsburg College has accreditation from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a nationally recognized accrediting agency listed by the U.S. Department of Education. Well, the DEAC is also recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). But this doesn’t mean that Martinsburg is regionally accredited, no, it’s not.
However, compared to national accreditations, regional accreditations are more rigorous. National accreditations are typically used by for-profit schools.
Also, Martinsburg College has permission to operate by the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education.
Martinsburg College is also a member of the National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) – www.nc-sara.org. Due to participation in NC-SARA, Martinsburg College is authorized to offer distance learning in 49 states, except California. However, they can enroll students from California since they are registered with California’s Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education as an Out-of-State institution.
Martinsburg College Programs
Martinsburg College programs are online. There are manu certificate and degree programs in areas such as Business Administration, Health Care Administration, Information Technology, Medical Administration, Homeland Security, and Smart Home Technology. They also have programs that use the latest technology and teaching methods to help students learn.
During your training, you will use different learning methods such as videos, simulations, online chats, discussions, and interactive lessons.
Below are some of the certificate programs they offer:
- Health Care
- Medical Assisting
- Pharmacy Technician
- Medical Administration
- Healthcare Administrative Specialist
- Medical Assisting
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Medical Office Administration
- Business & Professional Development
- Business Administration
- Human Resources Management
- Project Management
- Information Technology/Security
- Computer Support Technology
- Certificate in Cybersecurity
- Homeland Security
Martinsburg College also offers three Associate Degree programs:
- Associate of Science in Business Administration
- Associate of Science in Integrated Technologies
- Associate of Science in Health Care Administration
Do You Choose Between a Certificate Program and a Degree?
You can use the credits from your certificate program towards an associate degree. Then, you can use those credits towards a bachelor’s degree at other universities. Many students start with a certificate and then go for a degree later on.
Certificate programs are great for adults who are working and need to learn new skills for their job.
At Martinsburg College, you can choose between a certificate program and an associate’s degree program. A certificate program focuses on a specific field, while an associate’s degree gives you a broader education and includes courses in a specific area of study, like business administration.
Will You Be Employed?
If you consider Martinsburg College, you really need to do your homework. First, reach out to employers in your field and ask how they see a degree from Martinsburg. Some people say that they once asked, and the response was that “Martinsburg is a joke, and we would not hire someone who graduated from there.”
Sometimes, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Martinsburg might entice you with offers like a free tablet, the ability to complete your degree at your own pace, and personalized support. If you are using the MyCAA grant to get your associate’s degree, make sure to speak to a counselor first.
Some people say that they have used their MyCAA grants at Martinsburg and regretted it because their degrees turned out to be worthless.
If a program requires a salesperson to take you to lunch and dinner and bring you Starbucks, it’s likely a multi-level marketing scheme (MLM). Respectable programs rely on their reputation, successful graduates, and real resources, not sales gimmicks and flashy advertisements.
The Red Flags
National Accreditation
Martinsburg College claims to be accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). While the DEAC is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, national accreditation is not the same as regional accreditation.
In the U.S., there are different types of accreditation. Some allow you to use student loans or government benefits, while regional accreditation is the standard that most reputable universities aim to meet. For a university to be truly legit, it should be either a public or private non-profit institution that is accredited by one of the seven regional accreditation agencies.
Martinsburg College is a For-profit
There’s a growing acceptance of online degrees, but for-profit universities still carry a stigma. This is because other colleges often don’t see the education provided at for-profit institutions as equal to the curriculum at non-profit universities. This can also affect the transferability of credits. If your credits from Martinsburg College can’t be used at other institutions, then what are they really worth?
Specialty Accreditations
While Martinsburg College is accredited, many public and private universities do get their programs and colleges accredited by the various trade and specialty boards.
For example, in the business field, AACSB accreditation is highly regarded. This is separate from the college’s overall accreditation and is voluntarily sought by individual programs. If a business program doesn’t have AACSB accreditation, you may want to reconsider investing your time and money in it.
Conclusion
So, yes, Martinsburg College is legit. You just need to consider whether these factors highlighted in this post are worth it for you. In the end, the best way to decide what online college to attend depends on the experiences of a majority of other students and what you really want.
