Posted by I have a full-time job & a full-time life, so I don’t have the time to attend classes & endure a 4 year + long journey to recieve a degree. I understand that most Online programs take about half the time as actually attending class, but I want to know if the degrees obtained are just as credible.
I am on the fence about online colleges … if it is a professional and competitive employment field, then I would take the time to attend college in an actual classroom. I have searched online for “good” online schools and can’t seem to find one that I fully trust and would attend. It does seem easier to attend school online than in the classroom, but I think that the coursework would probably be around the same amount.
Considering your status, online degrees are just as good as regular colleges, though that depends on the institutions you’ve applied.
Some of the best institutions can be found, for example, The London School of Economics.
It depends on what online college you attend. You have to do the research to make sure the college (and the program you choose) is fully accredited and the diploma is just as respected as a standard 4-year state university.
“Online programs take about half the time as actually attending class…”
This is not always the case. The academic coursework is just as demanding as being in class physically and will take up just as much time. The only way for it to *not* be as time-consuming is if you take 1-2 classes per semester – meaning you have a light course-load. I took online classes during the summers when I attended my undergraduate university – 3 classes – and they were just as academically demanding as if I had been there in person.
You have to do the research to find credible universities – often those “quickly” obtained degrees (2 years or less) are Associate’s degrees, not Bachelor’s.
Try consulting the credible state universities near you and seeing if they offer online degree routes that lead to a diploma – many do! Even if they do not, they may be able to help you find accredited online programs – consult with their admissions/academics department.
Take a look at Columbia College (www.ccis.edu). I attend there and it is fully accredited and has a lot of Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. It has been a great experience thus far, and it isn’t as expensive as a lot of the other online schools out there. I definitely recommend it. I really depends on what you are wanting your major to be as well. I have recently decided to go into Biology, so now I have to switch to an actual campus to complete my degree. If you are looking at doing something with business, psychology, accounting or something along those lines, then online could work great for you.
Good luck!
The best school is the one that best meets your needs. I agree that online can be completed more quickly. However some online schools require logins at specific times and put crazy demands on students. With your job situation you may wnt to consider that piece up front.
I encourage you to evaluate the full course listing from the schools you are considering. Some schools load up the degree with extras so they can make more money off students (presumably)
I know of an online program called McKinley College. The syllabus is straightforward and the program is actually career focused. . . unlike so many that say they are but are not. Plus their flexbile with logins times and scheduling. Probbally worth checking out
http://www.mckinleycollege.edu/
As long as any college you earn your degree from is regionally accredited your degree would be recognized by potential employers and other academic institutions. That having been said not all online colleges are viewed the same (just as not all campus based colleges are viewed the same) by potential employers. Even within the same college the business school might have a better reputation than say the nursing school or vice versa.
It is difficult to say what school is the best (either online or campus) as there are a number of factors that need to be considered. What is more important is finding the best college for you. My biggest recommendation would be to contact a number schools to find the best fit for you and your needs (tuition, schedule, career services, employment opportunities, etc.).
This site has some good information on accredited online degree programs and a wide variety of colleges that offer them:
http://www.ecollegefinder.org
Good Luck!
Congratulations on thinking about furthering your education, you won’t regret it.
The state universities and community colleges will be the best and least expensive way to further your education online. Usually degrees obtained online from state universities and colleges will be no different than a degree granted to a student sitting in class, which means that there won’t be a credibility problem. You probably won’t get a scholarship, but financial aid is possible.
Stay away from the for-profits because of high cost. Some will be reasonable, but most, like University of Phoenix, overcharge. While probably most employers do not have an issue with a degree from a school that is primarily online, some employers do discount the quality of those degrees. It all depends upon the employer and the school.
If you are just starting your college education or have less than 60 semester credit hours, try your local community college first. They may have an online AA degree program. If they don’t, try other community colleges in your state.
Once you have an AA degree, you can enroll in an online bachelor’s degree completion program at one of the state universities. Many state universities now have online degrees. The following are some web sites to get you started.
http://www.fhsu.edu/virtualcollege/
http://www.peru.edu/
http://outreach.uwyo.edu/ocp/
http://www.distance.msstate.edu/
http://www.online.uillinois.edu/
http://worldcampus.psu.edu
When comparing tuition costs, you have to check if the school is on semester or quarter credit hours. To convert from quarter hours to semester hours, divide the tuition by 0.67. For example, if tuition is $180 per quarter credit hour, that is equal to $268.66 per semester credit hour.
When you choose a school, make sure it is at least regionally accredited. You can check accreditation ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.aspx You can learn more about accreditation at http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html
Finally, there are a couple of forums online with members who have obtained their degrees online. Some have gone pretty far with their online degrees. The forums are free to join but you can read the forum without joining. You just won’t be able to post. http://forums.degreeinfo.com and http://www.degreeforum.net
With you working the only way to go is online actually. They all hand you a degree when you are done, so online and in class are the same anymore. I attended Ashford University in Clinton, IA to earn my Associates, and their system layout is much easier than, let’s say….University of Phoenix, etc. etc.
5 week classes, one 8 page paper, weekly tests from the book- easy, and discussion boards. If you are a half-way decent student you will see that you are doing well after looking at other people’s work- Trust me ok?!… I have attended 5 colleges in my life, so I have a pretty good clue…