Can you tell me anything about online colleges?

Question

I would like to hear from people who have experience in this. Has anyone attended an online college? How does it work? Do you feel it is a decent alternative to "regular" college?
Any sort of information you have on this subject would be helpful. Thank you!

Answer 1

My background on this is that I have been taking distance learning courses (on line and correspondence) since 1991. I am currently in a master's program, online.

The way it generally works is that you follow a syllabus, do the readings, and watch lectures on your computer (sometimes on line, sometimes by CD-ROM). You do homework and e-mail it or send it in.

If you have exams, you have to arrange for someone near you to proctor your exams. Often this is the testing office of as local college, or a librarian.

In good programs, you are expected to meet the same standards as on campus students meet. Online generally will not be easier, shorter or cheaper than going on campus.

Distance learning has the huge advantage in that it can generally be done on your time schedule. This means that people who have a work schedule that simply will not allow in-class attendance can still study and earn degrees.

There are a few pitfalls to distance learning.

1. You have to have self discipline. With no schedule class to attend and no other students with you, the motivation to work hard has to come from within.

2. Not everyone accepts the idea of distance education as being a good eduation. This is because some people believe that some subjects can only be learned in class, and because there are poor quality programs (and even worse, degree mills) out there. If there is something specific that you want to do with the degree, make sure ahead of time that you will not get shut out of that just because you have a distance degree.

3. Related to 2 above, you have to make sure that you are in not just an accredited program, but a really good program. My view is the the best way to go are colleges and universities that already have well very regarded on campus programs, and which have been offering distance learning for some time. Do the research.

4. Not every program or course is offered online (lab courses are an example of courses that rarely appear online). So your choices of what you can study may be more limited than they would be if you were on campus.

All things considered, I think the online route is a good alternative to on campus if there are reasons that you cannot do a traditional program. And enrolment in online programs is growing rapidly -- this is becoming a popular option. But if you happen to want to do a PhD degree, I would recommending doing that on campus, because there are so many parts of the PhD learning expeience that are hard to pick up online.

As for myself, I am very happy to have been able to learn as much as I have online!

Answer 2

Because many longstanding, regionally accredited, and completely reputable state universities now offer courses and even degrees online, you can now pursue almost any area of study through distance education.

The links below are the absolute best you will find. They contain more links to many well-respected state university distance education programs.

What distinguishes these sorts of programs is that the courses are generally transferable between regionally accredited institutions. Sometimes, the degrees offered are identical to those earned on campus.

I would advise you to start by looking at the state university system in the state in which you live, and check to see if they offer the programs and courses in which you are interested. If not, check some other state universities. (Pennsylvania has a great system, for instance.)

Avoid the "online universities" (for-profit businesses, like U Phoenix, Capella, AIU, etc.) at all costs. These businesses do not deliver on their promises.

Note: In institutions of higher education, regional accreditation is better than national accreditation. This sounds odd, but I assure you that it is the case.

Answer 3

I enrolled in a college online that swore they were accredited... 3 classes from graduation, i found out they were not.. What a waste of time and money.. i could have paid for twice as many classes at a reg. univ. IF they accept FA, u may be o.k. Ur best best is to either go to a local college and take classes online or be sure that ur school u go has an offline campus.. Univ. or Pheonix accepts FA but they are not giving their students the leftover aid.. they currently have several lawsuits agains them.. Penn State Univ. is supposed to be good and they have an offline campus.. If the school has an offline campus like Penn State, most classes will transfer.. If they are schools like U Of P, they will not and most employers will NOT take them. If u have any specific ?s feel free to write and ask

Answer 4

While the selection of available degree granting sources is large on the web, name recognition will carry a large amount of wait with an on-line degree. Many companies are still on the fence about on-line degree colleges since they have not been around long enough to have built a good or bad reputation about them. However, if distance education is what you desire, many large name Universities are offering degrees via the Internet. Penn State is one example, I have included the link to their "World Campus" site. They offer both Undergraduate and Graduate degrees. If you are thinking of a Graduate Degree past a Masters, or in a math or science intense discipline, I would lean more toward actually going to the campus to be face-to-face with the faculty. If you are thinking PhD, I do not know a reputable PhD program on the Internet. There are PhD programs available, but they carry little merit. Happy Hunting!

Answer 5

I have taken online classes with a few colleges, from CUNY to private. They are for the most part legit, if you choose wisely. You have to make sure they have the accredidation you need. For example for NYS teaching cert they require specific credentials, not all online colleges have that. I took courses with University of Phoenix in math. It was KILLER. It was more work than a regular course, though it was shorter than a regular class. I thought it would be easier and I could still spend my summer on the beach. I scored well but worked hard for my score. If you need, or would like more info, or have any more questions feel free to email me. I'll be happy to help. Good luck

Answer 6

Online colleges that you see on TV or ads online are usually not certified colleges, which means when you graduate you get certificates not degrees. If I were you I would look around to the nearest big college and see if they offer online degrees.

I did many classes online at my last college and it went great. They will give you numerous tools and things to help you with your studies, one thing I did notice is you have to have more self power and organizational skills than just attending class daily.

Hope this helps.