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Online College Information

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Learning About Online College Offerings

Top online colleges and universities are accredited by national, regional and local accrediting agencies that are recognized by the United States Department of Education.  Two and four-year undergraduate degree programs in numerous disciplines (e.g. education, military science, healthcare management, business administration) are taught at the postsecondary schools.  Online college courses in subjects requiring licenses (e.g. dentistry, law) or advanced skills are also available at the graduate and professional levels.

Information on online college programs, degrees and courses can be found at individual school websites.  Detailed online college information, including course curriculums for specific degree programs, is generally located in syllabi.  The dates and times that courses are available, add and drop deadlines, dates and times when course college professors are available to meet with students to discuss their academic progress, personal concerns, etc. and prerequisites required to register for certain courses are types of information included in syllabi.  You’re encouraged to familiarize with course syllabi before you start taking your first online classes.

Annually rankings of offline and online schools, including online colleges in Ohio and other states, are created and distributed by publications and organizations like US News and World Report, the Princeton Review, College Board and Newsweek.  The numbers of students enrolled at the postsecondary schools, types of undergraduate and graduate degrees offered, licenses and working experience professors at the schools have, institutional budgets and financial health, percentages of college students who graduate on time with degrees and extracurricular activities and programs offered at the schools are types of data measured and covered in the rankings.

Researching and Reviewing Online Colleges

If you review information on the most expensive and cheapest online colleges using school rankings and by jotting down notes when you visit online schools, you might save yourself hours of gathering research material on each school you’re thinking about taking an online course with.  By visiting online college discussion forums and blogs you can also start to measure how pleased current college students are with the schools.  Depending on your lifestyle or family situation (e.g. single adult, married without children) you might consider doing a keyword search on “adult continuing education” while you’re visiting online college websites to learn about programs, tutorials and financial aid available at schools you’re interested in taking courses at.

It’s also important that you take the time to research the accreditations that online colleges and their degree programs have.  This information is included in some online college rankings reports.  You can also find information regarding online college accreditations, including degree program (e.g. engineering, law) accreditations, at the United States Department of Education.  Online colleges that are accredited as an entire organization and that also are accredited in certain disciplines (e.g. nursing, physical fitness, business, music, education) undergo regular administrative, financial, teaching qualification and student graduation reviews.  Generally, semester and quarter credit hours earned at these schools are accepted by other online as well as offline colleges and universities around the country.

Furthermore, some online colleges and universities post answers to frequency asked questions (FAQs) at their websites.  By reading through this information you may find the answers to pertinent questions you have about the schools, their enrollment process, grading systems and advanced or accelerated degree programs.

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Online University Rankings

September 12, 2011 By 2 Comments

Ranking Online Universities for Prospective College Students

The numbers of students enrolled at colleges and universities in the United States increased by as much as 26 percent from 1997 through 2007 according to the National Center for Education Statistics.  In fact, by 2007 nearly 30 million students between the ages of 18 and 24 years attended a postsecondary school.  Online university rankings measure key features and offerings at schools, making it easier for you to decide which colleges and universities are designed to best meet your academic, social, professional and personal needs.

For several years, U.S. News and World Report has ranked online schools as part of its annual college and university rankings.  Some top online universities ranking reports only review certain undergraduate and/or graduate degree programs.  For example, Inside Higher Education reports that U.S. News and World Report focused on reviewing online degree programs like business Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in education, engineering, nursing and information technology programs, disciplines that were mentioned as possibly having some of the highest online enrollments.

Understanding Online University Rankings

Types of information reviewed during online university rankings include:

  • Numbers of students enrolled at the postsecondary school
  • Undergraduate and/or graduate degrees offered
  • Professor teaching credentials
  • Percentage of students who graduate on time
  • Percentage of students who get jobs after they graduate from the school
  • Extracurricular activities available to students
  • Academic support offered
  • Number of years the school has been in operation
  • Accreditations recognized by the United States Department of Education the online school has

As online universities and colleges continue to get reviewed and measured, reports by publications like U.S. News and World Report, the Princeton Review and Newsweek (publications that review and rank colleges and universities) may start to include peer review categories for online schools.  This way accredited colleges and universities can review one another’s performance, possibly offering a more balanced review of the schools.

To complement online university rankings, students and parents can visit blogs and discussion forums for online schools they’re interested in enrolling at.  Keyword searches for items like “student enrollment,” “social events,” “tutoring programs,” “professor support” and “numbers of students who get jobs after they graduate with degrees” may provide information to prospective students that rankings and college admissions and enrollment counselors do not.  Overall, the advent of the Internet is making it increasingly convenient and easier for students to find out details and facts about schools from a variety of sources (e.g. college administrators, rankings organizations, current students and faculty members).

Online university rankings give you a broad overview of degrees, student activities, books and tuition costs, etc. associated with individual distance learning schools.  Current reports such as online university rankings 2010 capture recent administrative, financial and academic changes that have taken place at distance learning institutions of higher education.  These and other best online university ranking reports can save you the time and money of scheduling meetings with admissions counselors at each school you’re interested in attending to ask them pertinent questions about their schools.

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Military Online College Courses

September 1, 2011 By 1 Comment

Military Online College Courses Benefit Armed Forces Members

Military online college undergraduate and graduate degree programs are offered at community colleges and four-year postsecondary schools.  The undergraduate degrees are available across a variety of disciplines and career fields and take between two and four years to complete.  It can take an additional one to three years to complete graduate military online college degrees.

Colleges and universities have online programs that are geared to fit the financial aid and academic needs you may have as that are related to the branch of service (e.g. Army, Navy) you’re in.   Associate’s degree level programs typically take 61 to 64 semester hours to complete, while Bachelor’s degree programs take up to 120 or more semester hours to finish.  If you plan on retiring from the military within one to two years, consider enrolling in military online college courses that prepare you to get jobs in fields you plan to work at for five or more years.  You can always return to school and earn additional degrees after you start working as a civilian.

Courses Designed for Military Members at Online Colleges

Because the military offers attractive scholarship and student loan programs make sure that you research colleges and universities you want to enroll at to ensure they offer robust educational programs and that they are accredited by national and/or regional agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education.  As a military member you can take online college courses and earn degrees in as many fields as civilian students can.  For example, you can take undergraduate and/or graduate distance learning courses such as:

  • American History
  • Air Warfare
  • Child and Family Development
  • Military History
  • American Revolution Studies
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Psychology
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Religion
  • Strategic Leadership
  • Civil War Studies
  • Special Education
  • Business Administration
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Business Management
  • Marine Biology
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Corrections Management
  • Counter Terrorism Studies
  • Emergency and Disaster Management
  • Naval Airfare
  • Homeland Security
  • Securities Management
  • Nursing

Some of the best online colleges for military members have agreements with the military to train new enlistees and military officers to serve in the armed forces.  Many of these programs operate through the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC).  If you take courses through these programs as a condition of your military service, you might be able to earn a four-year degree free of charge.  Online colleges for military spouses also have agreements with military branches so these dependents can receive up to four-years of academic training at no charge to the students.  The Post 9/11 GI Bill and the Survivors and Dependents Educational Assistance Program are types of programs that provide financial aid for military dependents.

Additionally, some accredited colleges and universities administer their military degree programs through a separate military division.  Other online colleges for military personnel operate their military programs through their regular schools and divisions (e.g. nursing, engineering, business).  To get the most out of taking courses at military friendly online colleges, before you enroll in the academic programs check with your human resources manager at the base where you’re stationed.  Ask the manager about scholarships, grants, loan repayment programs and other financial aid programs you qualify to receive so you can focus on your studies while you’re in school rather than concern yourself with how you’re going to pay college tuition.

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Earn Your Online Diploma

August 22, 2011 By 2 Comments

Earning High School Diplomas Via Virtual Classrooms

Homeschooling and charter schools introduced early changes into learning techniques and educational organizations.  In recent years, the advent of online education at secondary levels has found an increasing number of high schools and universities offering high school students opportunities to get their diplomas online using a computer and the Internet.  Some online schools start teaching virtual courses at the Kindergarten level.  Additionally and depending on your learning style, attending a distance learning school might help you to retain information presented during virtual classes for longer periods of time.  There are additional benefits to earning your online diploma.  For example, if you earn your diploma online you won’t have to worry about school bullying, rushing outside to catch the bus or packing a lunch.

Before you set out to get your high school diploma online make sure the school offering you the chance to get your high school diploma online free of charge is accredited and/or meets your state’s minimum graduation course requirements.  Also make sure that the accrediting organization is recognized by the United States Department of Education as not all accreditation organizations are.  The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) is a type of accrediting organization recognized by the Department of Education that reviews schools that grant high school diploma online programs.  The programs are reviewed for items such as their course offerings, teacher licensing requirements, budgets, administrative controls, etc.

Some online high schools are administered at physical academic hubs so you can complete virtual courses online in close proximity with other students.  These courses are generally set in large classrooms and are designed to be completed on a quarter or semester basis, making it easier for you to adjust to college and university academic sessions.  Additionally, if you earn your online diploma from an accredited college or university, you might be able to easily transfer advanced credits into postsecondary degree programs.

Academic Standards at Online Diploma High Schools

Depending on the high school you attend, standard class hours at the school might range from six to eight hours a week.  You can also take accelerated and honors courses as you progress toward earning your online diploma.  If you take accelerated or honors programs, you might be expected to complete up to 12 hours a week of academic coursework.  Attendance, classroom participation, completing and submitting school work on time and meeting acceptable grade levels (e.g. 95 – 100 for an A) is generally required to graduate.  Keep in mind that before you graduate with an online diploma you must meet the minimum graduation requirements set by the Department of Education in the state where you live.

Furthermore, as with any distance learning program, make sure that you practice self-discipline and time and project management skills while you attend online schools.  Doing so can help you to focus on your school work during the day, complete all reading assignments your teachers assign you and study sufficiently for upcoming quizzes and exams.  While you earn your diploma online also make sure that you continue to connect with your friends in the neighborhood where you live.  Also take the time to get outdoors and have fun with your siblings, neighbors and friends.  This way you can create a balanced learning and living environment that you can thrive in academically, socially and personally.

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Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs

August 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

Benefits of Enrolling In Online Bachelor Degree Programs

Online bachelor’s degree programs generally take four years of full-time academic study to complete.  The degrees are available in a wide variety of disciplines (e.g. education, nursing, hospitality, accounting) and can often be transferred to other accredited online and offline colleges and universities so you can earn graduate and professional degrees.

The days of having to balance a lengthy commute to and from work and school while you also care for a growing family are becoming more and more a thing of the past.  In fact, the numbers of schools offering online bachelor degree programs have increased over the last several years.  At some colleges and universities you can take combined courses, giving yourself the opportunity to take some of your college courses on campus in the classroom and other courses at home using the Internet, audio tapes, videos, recorded lecture transcripts and shared file documents and folders.

As with any college program check with the Bursar’s or admissions office at the school you want to attend to make sure that the school is accredited by one or more agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education.  Some organizations that accredit online bachelor’s degree programs are the Council on Occupational Education, the Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (an agency that accredits online bachelor degree in education programs), the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation.

Types of Online Bachelor Degree Programs

In addition to getting online bachelor degrees in education, there are numerous other disciplines and fields of study you can get undergraduate degrees in using a computer.  For example, you can get an online bachelor degree in:

  • Business Administration
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Military Studies
  • American History
  • Cultural Studies
  • Language Arts
  • Music
  • Theatre and Arts
  • Creative Writing
  • Journalism
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Early Childhood Education
  • Pharmaceutical Studies
  • Political Science
  • Hospitality Management
  • Nursing
  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Special Education
  • Mathematics
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Civil Engineering
  • Industrial Psychology

Degrees you can get are generally Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts.  Because the degree programs are administered virtually, you can take courses associated with the degrees from anywhere in the world.  Typically, colleges and universities assign you an enrollment, academic and, at times, also a financial advisor to help you stay on track toward earning your degrees, finding relevant scholarships, student loans and grants and getting the highest grades possible.

Furthermore, when you earn an online bachelors degree you gain the opportunity to determine when you’re going to complete course reading, writing and project assignments.  You also get to set the hours when you’ll study, a factor that can make raising a family and/or working while you go to school less challenging.  As you check college and university accreditations, you can ensure that you earn a valuable accredited online bachelors degree that is accepted by other postsecondary schools and respected by prospective employers.

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