The Online Degree Dorm Room

online degree programs psychology | Financial aid for online training

Posted by bposton on September 5th, 2007 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Did you know that you can now get financial aid for online degree programs is available through the Federal grants system?

It’s TRUE!!

Here’s the deal.

Until last year, students who were enrolled in online degree programs had to spend half of their program in campus-based classed in order to qualify for federal student grants. But that “50-percent rule,” was repealled (YEAH!! )

So now all students enrolled in eligible online degree programs at accredited institutions in the U.S can get federal student aid in the form of federal loans, grants and work-study .

This is the real deal, folks.

Federal Student Aid, which is an office of the U.S. Department of Education, processes 14 million financial aid applications and distributes more than $80 billion to students through schools annually.

So start filling out those financial aid forms, and get the money you need for college, even if the classroom is at home!

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Associate Online Degree Programs | Are we really non-traditional?

Posted by bposton on November 26th, 2006 — Posted in associate online degree programs

I really dislike the “labels” that some people give others.

One “label” I really don’t like is the label called non-traditional…the one that all of us in the online degree dorm room seem to get.

That’s because everyone beleives that we’re not the typical college student.

Well, that may be true, but here’s what the latest Sloan Foundation report found:

There’s a lot of information to suggest that online degrees appeal to a different type of student from those who go with face-to-face classroom instruction. 

Online students tend to be older, and often hold additional employment and family responsibilities, as compared to the more traditional student.

OK - you got me - that description fits me to a T

However, do those differences mean that online students are taking different types or levels of courses or are they studying at different types of institutions?

Accord to the study, the the general population of online students is a close match to the overall higher education student body, but the mix of schools where they study is not.

Students getting their degree online, like the overall student body, are overwhelmingly undergraduates.  And the amount of graduate-level students is a little higher in online education relative to the overall higher education population.

Now, who was it that said online eduction is not for undergrads? A dean from Stanford, I beleive. - HA! - take that, Stanford!

One difference the study did find is that online undergrads are more likely to be studying at Associates institutions than are their face-to-face contemporaries.

More on that later…

Ben

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engineering degree online : The top 10 “red flags” for online diploma mills

Posted by bposton on October 30th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

I saw this list of “red flags” at GetEducated.com’s website. I think it’s a very good
checklist to make sure the univerisity you’re choosing in not an online diploma mill. I’ve add some of
my own personal comments:

1. Your chosen university is not accredited. That’s the first and biggest warning sign.

2. Your chosen university is accredited - but NOT by an agency recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation, You need to know this - the majority of degree mills will tell you they are “accredited.” Problem is, they are accredited by bogus agencies that they themselves have created. Pretty sneaky, huh?

3. Admission requirements equals “do you have a valid Visa or MasterCard?”
WHen your previous academic record, grade point average, and test scores don’t matter, that’s a problem.

4. You are offered a college degree based on a “review” of your faxed resume.
Here’s something to remember - no valid distance learning university in the USA will award a graduate degree (Master’s or Doctorate) based solely on a review of your career experience. However, undergraduate programs sometimes are more flexible. But they typically limit this type of credit to a maximum of one year of a four-year degree.
Now, there actually is one exception to this that I know of, which I discuss below.

5. You are promised a diploma within 30 days. Degree Mills are just that - “mills” they want to get that worthless paper in your hands and go on to the next sucker as quickly as possible.
 
6. You are promised a degree in exchange for a lump sum, normally around $2,000 for an undergraduate degree, or $3,000 for a graduate degree. Real universities typically charge by the credit or per the course.
 
7. Your prospective online university has multiple complaints on file with the Better Business Bureau.
 
8. Your online “admission counselor” assures you that online universities can’t be accredited by CHEA recognized agencies.
This is a lie. I say again, this is a LIE…
 
9. The school’s Web site either lists no faculty or lists faculty who have attended schools accredited by bogus agencies.
 
10.The university offers online degrees almost exclusively to United States citizens even though their location is outside the US. Most of the time this is in a foreign country that lacks any system of academic accreditation.

So please, please, please - don’t be fooled by diploma mills.

They have flashy and impressive web sites. They put ads all over the internet.
YOu need to look past the flashy graphics for the name of the school’s accreditation agency. And take the time to verify accreditation by an agency that is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation.

Now, for the notable exception to flag number 4. That would be Thomas Edison State College of New Jersey.
They are a publicly-funded distance learning university and it is possible there for you, in theory, to earn Associate or Bachelor degrees entirely through career portfolios, military and corporate training, and challenge exams. But if you’re interested please check them out carefully and look at all the details.

Ben

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Engineering degree online - a success story follow-up

Posted by bposton on October 20th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

In my last post I forgot to mention a little more information about the
college involved with the success story.

The name of the college is  Thomas Edison State College. It just so happens the their

latest bunch of 350 graduates received their degrees last Saturday. In fact in all about 1900 degrees were awarded through this college’s innovative degree program.

Thomas Edision certainly breaks the mold of a traditional college. The students at Thomas Edison State College have an average age 36 years. Even more interesting, these students can try a handful of different ways to earn credit because they often work full-time jobs while studying.

It’s a non-traditional college worth checking out.

Ben

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So, what do you know?

Posted by bposton on October 14th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

I’m not the expert - but I hope to be.

I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.

That pretty much sums up my intentions.

No, I’m not an “expert” on getting an education online. I’ve got a little experience on the subject (ok, more that just a little). But my goal is to become a very knowledgeable person in this area.

Nope, I don’t know everything about this - but I’m going to find out And along the way you and I can both learn alot, and hopefully that’s important to you, ’cause it is to me.

Ben

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