Help for a newbie

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Aleks, Dec 28, 2001.

Loading...
  1. Aleks

    Aleks New Member

    Hello everybody.

    I'm new to the US school system and I have a few questions:

    First of all, is anybody aware of the conditions that need to be met in order for a foreigner to be admitted in a US college?

    Do I need to take the TOEFL even though I've been in the Country for 3 years (I'm married to an American citizen and legally employed)?

    Would you please explain to me what all the abbreviations mean? I know BA and BS, but what about the others?

    What are the different levels of college education available? I know Associate degree, bachelor degree, master degree, any other?

    Since I have a job and a family, I’m considering distant learning as a reasonable opportunity to obtain my degree. What’s the average time needed to complete a 4 year degree and what are my options afterwards?

    Thank you,

    Aleks
     
  2. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    Welcome, Aleks.

    This is the sort of reply I would send privately if Email addresses were available (they apparently will be in the forthcoming new DegreeInfo).

    As it happens, my daughter and I have written a 400-page answer to your questions: the ones you've just asked, and the many that will occur to you in the weeks to come, as you consider this important decision. It is a book called "Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning," and you can probably find one in most public libraries. The current one is the 14th edition, but there is useful information in earlier editions. You can read a bunch of sample pages on the amazon.com listing for it.

    The answer to so many "newbie" questions is: "It depends." With more than 3,000 schools with recognized accreditation, and no central government policies, you will find a huge range of answers to most questions. For instance, on TOEFL, many schools will require it (or a comparable test) if you come from a country where English is not the primary language, even if you have been speaking English perfectly since you were three. Some require just the written; some just the oral; some both; some nothing, but have a personal (or telephone) interview, or ask you to meet with local alumni. Even the required scores can vary considerably.

    So, especially at the Bachelor's level, the first piece of advice is to "shop around." With hundreds and hundreds of suitable non-resident programs out there, not to mention all the short residency and other local ones, the problem is not in finding a good program for you, but in sorting through all the information to find the best match.

    Best wishes in your quest.

    John Bear
    [email protected] www.degree.net
     

Share This Page