Engineering Degree Online | Housing Bust creates online learning Opportunity

Posted by bposton on November 11th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

OK, I guess I shouldn’t call it a Bust…:-)

But the fact is that housing sales are down. Ah, but there’s a silver lining…

Why am I taling about housing sales and what does that have to do with an online degree?

Well, just hear me out my door room buddy, especially if you’re a Realtor…

The fact is that sales are down pretty much everywhere. According to the October 2006 Freddie Mac Economic & Housing Outlook, home sales for this year are expected to fall 9 percent from 2005 figure.

And projected sales for next year are even worse. To prove the point, sales of existing and new homes in August were down 12 and 15 percent, respectively, from 2005.

So what’s a Real Estate agent to do?

Try going back to school for that degree!

If you’re an agent who wants to remain competitive, then you should think about these points made by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics:
 
1. As real estate transactions have become more legally complex, many firms have turned to college graduates to fill positions.

2. A large number of agents and brokers have some college training.

3. College courses in real estate, finance, business administration, statistics, economics, law, and English are helpful.

4. For those who intend to start their own company, business courses such as marketing and accounting are as significant as courses in real estate or finance.

Here’s some more facts and figures:

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) Member Profile, back in 2001 about 26 percent of Realtors had bachelor’s degrees and they earned 30 percent more than Realtors without degrees.

The 2005 NAR Member Profile now shows that 20 percent more Realtors (46%) now have at least a bachelor’s degree.

So if the market is slowing and your workload is decreasing, maybe now’s a good time to consider getting that online degree.

Ben

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engineering degree online : A Professor comments on distance learning

Posted by bposton on October 24th, 2006 — Posted in engineering degree online

Here’s an interesting quote from George Gollin, a physics professor at the University of Illinois.

Gollin has studied distance learning, and he says that many online programs are reputable and are a good way for some people to get a degree.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I think it can be a very good way for someone who’s been out of school for a while, has a family, has a job and can’t put down their obligations to increase their education.

For many classes, there’s no reason they couldn’t be taught online, though there are some areas of study that would be difficult to teach from a distance. It’s hard to imagine where you can teach someone to be a modern dancer via distance learning. Physics also may be difficult to arrange, especially with complicated lab work.”

But Gollin said he wouldn’t rule out those types of classes completely.

“I think there are ways to get around some of the things you might think are too hard,” he said.

So here’s a college professor who beleives as I do that getting an online degree is becoming easier and easier. Maybe even to the point of calling it “mainstream”?

OK, not yet, but maybe soon…

Ben

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