Common sense in online eduation . . .

For those individuals who are unfamiliar with online education and asking themselves if the college education they are researching is legitimate, and/or offers a measure of utility in the real world . . .I offer a measure of caution and common sense moving forward . . .

A vast majority of universities are not well versed in marketing, so if the their webpage strikes you as more of a sells pitch, it usually is and you should proceed with caution . . . let those warning bells in the back of your head be your guide; because if it appears too easy or too good to be true- there is usually a reason for it.

Research accreditation. Regional is considered better than national accreditation, no matter how others try to spin it based on their own best self interest. So don't be fouled by the B.S. (And I'm not talking Bachelor of Science) and national accreditation is better than no accreditation at all.

The cost of tuition is important!

Its easy to put off the troubles of today onto tomorrow, but always remember that you have to pay the piper at some point; so don't be so convinced by a particular institutes prowess to the extent that you loss sight at how much that degree will actually cost you in the long run. Look at how much you will potentially make and how that relates to how much the degree will actually cost you to obtain.

For Profit schools vs. Non Profit Education

There is a lot of back and forth related to the pros and cons related to both options in education. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Lucky for you, they're several long serving members of this forum who can offer you insight without a vested interest . . . . Let they long standing presence on this board as your guide, as they have your best interests at heart.

In the end distance education has really turned the corner. It offers much more than most people give it credit. But with that in mind, just know that you are swimming with sharks looking to take you money and offer nothing in return. DegreeInfo is truly a diamond in the ruff, with the your best interests at heart because they're several individuals here who dedicate themselves to putting you best interests about nothing else.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

Nice post NorCal. I especially agree that DegreeInfo is a site filled with knowledgable and experienced people whose primary motivation is to help others to navigate the sometimes confusing world of distance learning. We do not always agree with each other but typically the disagreements constitute two (or more) sides to an ongoing debate (e.g. for-profit v. non-profit) and seeing this debate played out on the site can help newbies to make critical decisions. With that said I encourage all members (c'mon lurkers, come out of hiding!) to offer their opinions in these discussions because you never know when your comments might resonate with someone and help them toward their goals.

 

Holly hell I forgot to spell check what I wrote. But that is what I get for writing that post and allowing The Dark Night Movie play in the background at the same time . . . opps, lol.

 

[speaking in Bane's voice] you now have my permission to spell check.

 

The fact that online enrollments in higher education continue to rise at a pace significantly faster than enrollment in-general speaks the acceptance of online education. While there are plenty of anecdotes of individuals who have experienced anti-online bias (several here on degreeinfo), the fact is that online degrees continue to enjoy increased acceptance and this will only continue. For many people, the decision is not between a face-to-face and an online degree, it is between an online degree or no degree at all. This is true for many K-12, community college and university faculty, staff and administrators who are remaining fully employed while pursuing their degrees.