| The popularity of online degrees is a growing trend in | | | | real degree?" With the widespread access to |
| the college ranks. Each day it seems like another | | | | perspective students via the internet by degree mills |
| university is offering some form of online or distance | | | | and for profit universities with questionable academic |
| education course for the student body. In addition to | | | | programs this too is a reasonable thing to ask. My |
| this, each year there is a growing list of options for | | | | response is short and direct - Yes! Can people |
| those seeking to earn a full degree online as well. | | | | interested in earning a legitimate degree online be |
| Interestingly though, for all of this increased activity by | | | | duped into wasting time and money with a school that |
| students and distance degree programs offered, I've | | | | isn't worth the paper or ink on the degree earned? |
| personally known of one other distance education | | | | Absolutely. |
| graduate. | | | | It happens every day unfortunately. Recently, CNN ran |
| This might explain why people who learn I earned my | | | | an article on their website about a person who was |
| degree online want to ask me questions to find out | | | | seeking to improve his job prospects by earning an IT |
| more about my experiences. The first question, I'm | | | | degree. After taking on $40,000 in debt and time |
| typically asked is - it was pretty easy, right? The | | | | invested earning credits at the for profit college he |
| simple answer is no. | | | | decided to switch colleges to a local 4 year institution |
| In a traditional brick and mortar college, the student | | | | in his city only to find not a single credit transferred. He |
| while an active participant in the educational process, | | | | was devastated both financially and personally. How |
| has far less responsibility for making sure he or she | | | | easy it for this to happen? That same CNN article |
| completes a course as prescribed by the university. | | | | revealed there are over 3,000 for-profit loosely |
| Sure, the traditional college student can not show up | | | | regulated degree granting programs in the U.S alone. |
| and fail for a course but there are numerous fail safes | | | | The chances are very good I'd suggest. As I tell |
| in place to discourage that behavior. Academic | | | | anybody interested in earning a degree online |
| probation is one, and threat of losing a scholarship is | | | | remember the old adage - "buyer beware!" It's up to |
| another for a few examples. | | | | you the education consumer to insure you find a solid |
| Further, with regular class meetings students are | | | | program. |
| routinely reminded of where their progress should be | | | | The last question or questions are pretty closely tied in |
| to that point in the course, what material needs to be | | | | how often I'm asked. How long did it take and how |
| covered, and what to use to prepare for upcoming | | | | could I do that? For me, I spent 3 years completing my |
| exams. In contrast, the distance education student has | | | | degree online. When I started I'd amassed 55 credit |
| the responsibility to schedule time each day to | | | | hours already and completed 67 credits online. As for |
| complete school work often after work, prepare for | | | | the last question, that is a bit tough. The journey |
| exams, and insure other course assigned projects get | | | | towards an online degree isn't easy but not something |
| completed as well. This is often done with minimal | | | | most people couldn't do if genuinely committed to |
| student and instructor interaction. | | | | success. That sums up my advice on the later, find a |
| In short, the distance student must be very | | | | program that suits your needs and commit to doing it |
| self-directed as he or she doesn't have the benefit of | | | | and you will. Earning a degree online is a great option |
| a scheduled course structure to channel their efforts | | | | for becoming educated, but you have to be proactive |
| through a course start to finish. | | | | to make sure you are one of distance education's |
| This question is often followed up with "Did you earn a | | | | success stories. |