The Online Degree Dorm Room

Diploma Mills go to the dogs…

Posted by bposton on November 26th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there my good dorm room buddy.

I thought I’d share with you a little story about diploma mills..

You DO know what diploma mils are, don’t you?

If, not then beware, because they can ruin your resume. If you decide to do business with a diploma mill, then with a couple of keystrokes, you can do something in just seven days that takes others years to do - get a college degree.

There is one interesting example of this. The online school called Bedford University, which makes the claim that all you have to do is pick a field, send in a few bucks, and get a “legitimate” degree.

But its far, far from legitimate. in fact - it totally FAKE.

Case in point. An ABC station in Phoenix AZ put Belford University to the test, applying for a Masters degree in Veterinary Medicine for one of the station’s dogs name Sedona.

After typing a short description of life experiences and paying $479, the degree in Sedona’s name arrived (from Dubai) seven days later, along with a transcript with grades for classes that were never taken.

Belford University is not accredited with the U.S. Department of Education. That’s typically your first clue that something is fishy.

However, you may not know this - in several states it is actually illegal use an unaccredited degree on your resume.

So be very carefully who you are dealing with.

Later dudes…

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Free Money for College…

Posted by bposton on November 20th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Free Money for college…

(I thought that might get your attention… )

I recently learned that the Western Governors University is offering the WGU Excellence in Special Education Scholarships. These scholarships are designed to help aspiring special education teachers attend college online to earn their licensure or endorsement in special education and fill a vital role in their communities.

Each scholarship is valued up to $2,500.

Multiple scholarships will be awarded and each scholarship will be awarded based upon a candidate’s academic record, readiness for online study, and current competency, plus other considerations.

Becoming a special education teacher is now easier because of Western Governors University’s flexible, online degree programs in special education. The Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and the Master of Science in Special Education will prepare individuals to teach students with mild to moderate disabilities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Special Education is suited for individuals such as school paraprofessionals, unlicensed substitutes, parents, and career changers who seek a special education teaching certification that also meets the more stringent “highly-qualified” requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act.

The Master of Science in Special Education program is specifically designed for already-licensed teachers who seek endorsement in special education and a master’s degree. The course of study integrates best practices in special education, instructional design, and development of graduate-level research abilities.

OK, that’s great you say. But who is WGU anyway?

…thought you’d never ask…

WGU is a regionally-accredited online, competency-based university, and the only online university accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the leader in teacher education accreditation.

WGU’s competency-based education approach makes it possible for students to accelerate their program and complete the requirements in as little as two to four years for a bachelor’s degree or two years for a master’s degree. The actual time to completion will depend on the incoming student’s prior experience, academic background, and time commitment to study.

WGU is the only accredited online university in the U.S. offering competency-based degree programs. The private non-profit university has been a leader in online education for more than 10 years. WGU is the recipient of the USDLA 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance Learning for 2008, awarded in recognition of WGU’s success in expanding access to higher education. WGU has been honored as one of the 2008 Top 20 Military Friendly Colleges and Universities by Military Advanced Education magazine.

Now serving more than 11,000 students, WGU was founded by 19 U.S. governors, and is supported by more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948

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More about Online Associate Degree Programs

Posted by bposton on November 10th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

So what kind of Online Associate Degree Programs are available?

Virtual students have two choices in terms of choosing their online associate degree program. The choices are to earn an online degree based on general studies or a degree program which is solely focused on a particular area of study.

Degrees based on general studies are perfect for individuals who desire to simply acquire their degree or attain general classes for their present line of work. On the other hand, a degree program focused on a particular area of study is perfect for individuals who aspire to continue their education and move on to a bachelor’s degree or those who need to acquire certain skills to move forward in their careers. For example, people who hold managerial positions or manage businesses or wish to acquire a bachelor’s in business management would require to attain an associates degree in business first. As most individuals are working adults, acquiring their degrees through online education programs is the perfect option for them.

Countless accredited online colleges and universities offer online associate degree programs. The programs are usually somewhat similar to each other in terms of curriculum and instruction. The major difference might be of their cost and the time required to complete the program.

To sum it all up, the acquisition of online associate degrees is the perfect choice for those who have prior personal and/or professional commitments. Numerous online institutions offer this degree, thereby presenting a chance for all to go back to school and jump start their careers.

If you’re interested in getting an accredited Associates Degree online, I have more good news for you. There’s a new website dedicated to Accredited Associate Degrees that you can get online. 

AssociateDegreeOnline.com enables prospective students to get information about online associate degrees and accredited colleges, all in one place.

It’s run by Online Exposure and it’s a website dedicated to helping students locate information about associate degrees online.

AssociateDegreeOnline.com offers information about more than 50 online associate degrees. To help users quickly locate the information they need, associate degrees are listed alphabetically by subject. The website provides an informational article on each associate degree, accompanied by a list of accredited online colleges that offer degrees in that subject.

In addition, AssociateDegreeOnline.com offers informational articles on a variety of general topics about online education. For instance, users can read a comparison of distance learning to traditional college, find out what an associate degree is, and get an idea of what their schedule will be like if they pursue their associate degree online.

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Do You Need an Online Associate Degree?

Posted by bposton on November 10th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there my dorm room buddy. Hope that you’re having a great fall.

Somebody stuck their head into the online dorm room a few days ago and asked:

“What can you tell me about online associate degrees?”

They came to the right place, of course  

OK, so here is a primer:

Online associate degree programs are two-year general programs that are accessible completely over the Internet.

This degree is best for people who want to give their college careers a head start or wish to complete their two year degree prior to moving on to a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
There have been studies that show that folks who start out by getting a two year degree and then move on to a 4 year college tend to have a much better transition into the college world. Most even finish on time!

You don’t need any previous college credits to start your quest for an online associate degree. But if you have them, great - you can try to transfer them to your online college or university in order to acquire your degree quickly. The basic requirement for enrollment in an online associate degree program is that you must possess a high school diploma or G.E.D.

At a traditional campus-based college or university, it takes about two years to earn an associate’s degree, while the same can be earned in merely six months through an online or distance education process (assuming you can handle the workload). This major difference in “study time” is beneficial for those who aspire to enter the job market as early as they can, or those who do not have money to spend on a traditional college. All that is needed for an individual to study via online education is a computer with an Internet connection that can download software and study material.

Much more to come…

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