The Online Degree Dorm Room

online degree programs psychology | Something new…

Posted by bposton on May 6th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hello my dorm room buddy

Hope all is well and your exams didn’t blow your mind…

I came across this story this other day and thought it was quite interesting.

Most universites know how to reach out new students, Tiffin University is doing something no other school has tried:

They create an online college just to get students to its school.

Ivy Bridge College is an online-only school developed and run by Tiffin University
offering associate degrees which can open up doors to a four-year degree at Tiffin
and other schools.

Just what is Tiffin?

Well, they are an independent, coeducational institution that has been educating
students since 1888, and they’ve achieved national recognition for its accredited
on-campus and online courses.

Tiffin’s Ivy Bridge program is designed particularly to help students who need extra
academic assistance to succeed and will team students with coaches who will monitor
their progress.

Specifically, Ivy Bridge College offers:

Log On Anytime. Students can log on to take classes at any time, setting their own
schedule, and completing the program in as little as 20 months.

Connection with teachers and students. The school is encouraging email contact with
teachers, news group discussions, online chats, and office hours. Students will be
able to connect with each other as well.

A planned path. Ivy Bridge has agreements in place with Tiffin University and dozens
of other colleges and universities throughout the United States. These agreements
make it easier for students to be accepted into and to transfer credits to four-year
institutions once they have completed their Ivy Bridge degree.

Earn a highly prized degree. Ivy Bridge students will earn a Tiffin University degree,
which is authorized by the Ohio Board of Regents and accredited by the North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools Commission (NCA) and by the Association of
Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Applications for new students is currently under way, so if you’re still just thinking about starting with an online course - stop thinking and start doing!

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Engineering Degree Online | What, no High School Diploma??

Posted by bposton on November 12th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

I got a question one of my online degree dorm room buddies who asked:

“I’ve got a friend who never finished high school, what are his chances at a good career?”

My answer - not very good

Folks who don’t have a high school diploma will earn $200,000 less during their lifetimes than those who
graduate from high school, and at least $800,000 less than those who have a college degree.

That’s according to stats published by the Educational Resource Information Center.

But here’s the good news…

Nowadays, if you never finished high school you have a huge variety of options to help you earn that diploma.

Here’s one example; The Liberty High School Diploma Program gives you a way to get a high school diploma by way of
distance learning. 

This program is offered by a company called Careertel, and it’s approved by the Vermont State Board of Education.

It’s pretty convenient for folks who are busy and can’t take time away from work.

Exams are submitted by mail, faculty advisers offer help by phone and course
material is provided with each class.

So what about the GED?

Well, studies have shown that a student with a standard high school diploma, as opposed to an equivalency
certificate, has a better shot at getting a job, all other things being equal. They also stand a better chance
of getting through college.

For more information about the Liberty program, call Careertel at (800) 820-4202.

Ben

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Engineering Degree Online|Fake Degrees - a Crime in Texas

Posted by bposton on November 3rd, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

Just thought I’d make a quick point about the trouble you can get into trying to pass off a fake degree.

In fact, in the great state of Texas, it’s a crime. According to law down in the heart of Texas, it is a crime (a misdemeanor) to use a fraudulent or sub-standard degree to promote a business to seek employment or ask extra compensation.

There was a story a while back about a guy who got a PhD from a place called
Lasalle University. You’ve probably seen their ads in some of the major papers.

Well, LaSalle University closed in 1997 but then it was purchased by a different
party and continued to operate under the same name.

Evidently this guy who got his PhD had no idea of the school’s troubled history.

Which means he didn’t do his homework.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board LaSalle University
of Louisiana was an institution that did offer degrees for less than college level work required. They basically were a fraudulent or substandard institution.

Now this guy had a complete set of papers from the university which included a letter of acceptance, and a list of required reading and coursework. He also wrote a 150-page dissertation. But the truth is that anything he turned in would have been OK with Lasalle, according the folks in Texas.

Just remember this. For online degree programs there are no hard rules of regulation,
except accreditation.

And in Texas, using an unaccredited degree is against the law.

Got it, partner?

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 : Another good program

Posted by bposton on October 26th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

In my never-ending quest for the best online programs, I’ve located more information about a great one that’s associated with Columbia University.

Here are the details:

The Columbia Video Network (part of the Columbia University FU FOundation)
offers graduate degree programs online if the following diciplines:
Applied Mathematics
Biomedical Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Earth & Environmental Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Industrial Engineering/Operations Research
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

All of these online graduate degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.

CVN also offers the following online graduate certificate programs:
Nanotechnology
Business and Technology
Manufacturing Engineering
Material Science
Financial Engineering
Information Systems
Networking and Systems
Civil Engineering
Telecommunications
Wireless and Mobile Communications

The minimum admissions are as follows:
You must possess an undergraduate degree in engineering, science, mathematics, computer science or related field from an accredited institution.
You ‘ll need to have 2 recommendation letters, transcripts, a resume, and a personal statement.

Good news is - all students who meet minimum admissions requirements automatically accepted!

They’ve been around awhile. They began offering an online graduate degree program back in 1986

Some other numbers: 

Tuition for (2006-2007) is $1,122 per credit

More good news - Most of this school’s online degree programs do have a matching program in a physical classroom setting. And credits earned for courses in thier online degree programs can be transferred toward the equivalent degree program offered in the traditional classroom.

By the way, all full-time faculty who teach in the online programs also teach in the traditional programs.

Some extra stuff - in case you’re wondering. excluding chat rooms, all of the courses in CVN’s online programs are offered asynchronously, and they typically do not have a maximum class size.
 
You’d be required to log into your online course 3 time(s) per week.

Ben

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Engineering degree online : Are these the best schools with online programs?

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

“America’s Best Colleges,” a publication of U.S. News & World Report, recently ranked the following among the best in the nation.

These schools are also associated with University Alliance Online. They’re one of the largest providers of online degree and certificate programs from the nation’s leading universities:

Villanova University

University of Notre Dame

Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business

Thunderbird - The Garvin School of International Management

University of South Florida

Regis University

Florida Institute of Technology

The University of Scranton

Saint Leo University

Jacksonville University.

U.S. News & World Report puts out “America’s Best Colleges” every year. There’s alot of detail that goes into the rankings such as school catagory and mission (are they a research university or liberal arts college) and location (North, South, Midwest and West). THen they gather for each school in about 15 areas related to academic excellence such as peer assessment, retention and graduation of students, etc. etc, etc.

So are these the best online programs? I can’t say that for sure, because each one has their own strengths and weaknesses. The best thing to do is look at each one and find out if it has the right program for you.

Ben

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