Accredited higher learning without the commute
Issue date: 3/23/08 Section: Student Life
(ARA) - You're ready for a new career, or to take your current one to the next level. You've heard that online learning can be a convenient way for busy working adults to earn a degree. But an overload of TV commercials, Internet ads and junk mail has your head spinning, and you're not sure how to choose the online program that's right for you.
Online learning - completing coursework and degree requirements through Web-based lessons and seminars - has gone mainstream. Nearly 3.5 million students were enrolled in an online program during the fall 2006 term according to the 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning. Diploma mills, unfortunately, are also prevalent, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars each year by scamming consumers looking to advance their careers.
So how do you tap the convenience and flexibility of online learning while avoiding the pitfalls of diploma mills or a legitimate degree that still doesn't impress employers? Most important, how do you choose the online program that's right for you?
Choose an accredited institution. "The most widely recognized form of university accreditation in the United States comes from regional accreditation boards. Regionally accredited institutions recognize credits and degrees earned from other regionally accredited programs," said Adrian Marrullier of University Alliance Online, an organization that partners with leading brick-and-mortar schools such as Villanova University, Tulane University, and Florida Tech. Advantages to accredited schools include:
1. Credits earned at unaccredited institutions usually are not transferable to accredited ones
Attending an accredited online school can also qualify you for financial aid from a number of sources, including employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement programs.
2. Consider an online program offered by a brick-and-mortar establishment. "Recognized, respected, traditional institutions are quickly expanding their online offerings," Marrullier said. "It is now possible to obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees in virtually any field from a long list of top-name universities."
Online learning - completing coursework and degree requirements through Web-based lessons and seminars - has gone mainstream. Nearly 3.5 million students were enrolled in an online program during the fall 2006 term according to the 2007 Sloan Survey of Online Learning. Diploma mills, unfortunately, are also prevalent, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars each year by scamming consumers looking to advance their careers.
So how do you tap the convenience and flexibility of online learning while avoiding the pitfalls of diploma mills or a legitimate degree that still doesn't impress employers? Most important, how do you choose the online program that's right for you?
Choose an accredited institution. "The most widely recognized form of university accreditation in the United States comes from regional accreditation boards. Regionally accredited institutions recognize credits and degrees earned from other regionally accredited programs," said Adrian Marrullier of University Alliance Online, an organization that partners with leading brick-and-mortar schools such as Villanova University, Tulane University, and Florida Tech. Advantages to accredited schools include:
1. Credits earned at unaccredited institutions usually are not transferable to accredited ones
Attending an accredited online school can also qualify you for financial aid from a number of sources, including employer-sponsored tuition reimbursement programs.
2. Consider an online program offered by a brick-and-mortar establishment. "Recognized, respected, traditional institutions are quickly expanding their online offerings," Marrullier said. "It is now possible to obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees in virtually any field from a long list of top-name universities."
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