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Academic assessment: Overall, Bellevue provided a decent online solution to furthering my career goals (math/stats, computer science, information assurance (IA)), though interaction could sometimes be a bit sparse - depended on the professor. I had seven different professors in this 12-course (36-hr) program, and one of them worked with John McCumber himself in 1993 when the original IA model for information systems was developed. General level of knowledge is above average, though the level of homework expected from a master's program is below average - this could carry implications of lesser knowledge obtained. Cost breakdown (values are totaled): Bellevue is private and non-profit, so do expect to pay a fair amount. However, it was still less than any other MIS program I saw out there. Tuition - $15,720, Fees - $475, Books - $670 (I NEVER buy from the bookstore unless they price match with other online sources.) Diploma mill assessment: The school does indeed have a physical campus outside Omaha, NE - I have actually visited there. Bellevue is regionally accredited by the North Central Association, though there is no professional body accreditation as of March 2011. The school may be young (established in 1965 as Bellevue College), but its influence in the Midwest is expanding. If Bellevue is attempting in any way to be a diploma mill, then it truly sucks at that endeavor. This school is NOT a diploma mill. Resume power: To me, school names are meaningless, and to most employers, GPA is meaningless. By the time one gets done writing a resume tailored to a position description and beating the automated keyword matching software, no two resumes are close enough in qualifications to worry about GPA as the delineator. What matters is that you got the degree, work experience, how well you adjust to a company's culture, follow the on the job training, and help keep the company from falling flat on its face. GPA is also meaningless in graduate studies - there is no honors breakdown or other special perk anywhere in the acceptable GPA spectrum of 3.0-4.0. If I can get a solid education at a third of the cost of an Ivy League school, you better believe that is my selected alternative. University tuition and insurance premiums rise at an average of 8-9% per year while salaries are stuck at 3-4% - and I am thoroughly sick of the slow erosion of real purchasing power.
