What do ya'll think about online college?

Question

University of Phoenix for example..

Answer 1

There are very few classes that can't be done online. Those who point to student and professor interaction haven't sat in a lecture hall while Joe the grad assistant lectures 100 other napping students who also aren't interacting. That's a moot point - interaction face-to-face is no more required in your education than it is in the real business world. You can interact digitally. What you will miss online is all-night keg parties and gratuitous sex; all manner of HS'ish drama, and more than a few idiots taking your time. I call those distractions and not interactions.

You do group work by teleconference or eConference (which is what most people in face-to-face classes do anyway - IMs) -- you do speeches by eConference or webcam on those few occasions when that's what you need to do, which really isn't all that often.

Online classes at a good school are harder than the same class in-the-seat. You WILL read the whole textbook (because Joe the grad assistant isn't there to read it to you) and you will write a lot.

As for the 'for profit' model (disclaimer, I own stock in some of these schools) -- all colleges are operating on a profit based model, that's why tuition for a 4-year degree is twice the cost of a new car and pushing the cost of a house. Some operate as state run or private non-profits but they still have faculty (employees) and they still make money (millions) - when the administration abandons the money, the school will close for lack of operating funds. It's just that the 'for profit' model lets the school come right out and say, we're here to make money.

The reputation of UoP (and a few other heavily advertised colleges) is not all that great. They are also comparatively expensive. Contrary to what many will try to tell you - they are regionally accredited exactly like YourState University. UoP is not the best example of online education but they do indeed have the largest student body.

Your choices are many: Oxford, Harvard, UMass, UFlorida, UNC, Florida State, Stanford, UC-Berkeley, UCLA, CSU, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Berklee Music, and 100s of others are teaching online and many have their degrees online. These think it's good to teach online. I don't presume to know more than their faculty so I can't disagree.

Oxford now has their MSt in International Humanitarian Law substantially online. What do we think of that "online college" -- this is the delivery method that is here. Even attending in residence will now start to require some online classes, it's just normal in 2007.

Bottom line though - it's all about the reputation of the college. Get your degree from the best college you can, online or traditional.

If you want to explore your options for study online, you first need to define what you want to study and at what level. A Bachelor of Business Administration is available from UMass http://www.umassonline.net/degrees/BachelorBusinessAdministration.html
A very well respected certificate in music theory is available online from Berklee http://www.berkleemusic.com/school/certificates/theory
A hard to argue with CAS in Computer Science is available online from Harvard http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2007-08/programs/it/cert/
How about a master's in Biomedical Informatics online at Stanford http://scpd.stanford.edu/scpd/courses/academic/crseList.asp?sdID=11&sdName=Biomedical+Informatics
or a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University http://www.jhsph.edu/academics/degreeprograms/mph/prospective_students/ways_to_earn_mph.html

And, of course, there are any number of really good associates degrees from the community college near you - completely online.

Answer 2

Online education, when it's done correctly, can be great, but it's not for everyone. Before you commit, take a good hard look at yourself and make sure that you're motivated enough to "attend" class without having a set schedule. Some students simply perform better in a face-to-face program because they're not relying entirely on self-discipline to keep up.

My general advice about evaluating online programs is to look for a program that holds at least regional accreditation and, preferably, both regional accreditation and national or international accreditation specific to your field of study. Then ask the school if there's any difference between their traditional and online programs. The best schools will be able to tell you that they're using the same curriculum, textbooks, and faculty in both formats. They should also be able to tell you exactly how they promote interaction among faculty and students, and what efforts they make to create a community of learners in their online programs.

As for University of Phoenix...I'm not a fan. At various times over the last several years I've evaluated their curricula, syllabi, and online courses, and the quality just isn't what it ought to be. Frankly, you can find a much higher quality online program for as little as one-third of what UoP charges. I also occasionally see a job ad which specifies "no UoP graduates," which would be a big red flag for me.

I don't know where you're writing from, or what type of program you're considering, but take a look at state schools in Texas and Georgia. They have some outstanding online programs, and even out-of-state tuition may be cheaper than UoP.

Answer 3

You better make sure they're accredited before you shell out wads of cash for online schools. I would to go to any community college or state universities to take online courses. It's a lot cheaper plus the schools are accredited.

Answer 4

For some classes that's fine but you really need to have professor/student interaction for some things. How would you do oral presentations or group projects? I think a combination of online and traditional campus is best.

Answer 5

Well, I teach on line.

Like brick'n'mortar schools, I imagine online schools cover the whole range from great to fraudulent.

I don't know about UofP in particular, but I haven't quite worked through what I think of a "for-profit" model of teaching, which I understand UofP to be (apologies if I'm wrong about that.)