The Online Degree Dorm Room

Arizona High schoolers can get credit for college online

Posted by bposton on April 27th, 2009 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hi there my little dorm room buddy.

I hope that your exams go well, and that your plans for the summer are shaping up nicely.  

If you are still a high school student, or know someone who is, then this information may be of great importance. There are a lot of high-school students out there who have no idea what to expect of college. In fact even if they have some expecations, many are intimidated at the thought of pursuing a college degree, and that keeps them from acheiving higher goals in life.

Yes, a lot of high schools due offer advanced classes that can be used toward college credit, but the big difference between high school and college is the experience of being taught by a college professor instead of a high school teacher. 

So to help students who otherwise might not pursue a college education feel a sense of ease and comfort in pursuing a degree, the Arizona Charter Academy (ACA) and Grand Canyon University (GCU) are collaborating to offer online concurrent- and dual-credit programs for high-school students, taught by GCU faculty on the high-school campus.

It’s a know fact that if a student can get college credit in high school, then they are much more likely to consider going on to college. There are many students who have had no exposure to college so this concurrent-credit program can help them get a feel for the college experience in an unobtrusive way and help them come to understand that for them a college degree is actually achievable.

Online classes are taught by GCU faculty in ACA’s computer lab for $60 per credit hour, which is less than community-college courses. ACA even provides scholarships for students who can’t afford the tuition. In addition, next semester the school will be offering on-site college courses for students who prefer more structured classes.

Getting credit for college in an online environment is certainly the least intimidating and most affordable option for most students, and this credit program at ACA is taking that and offering up a great opportunity for high schoolers.

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online degree programs psychology | Best Online Degree for Your Dollar

Posted by bposton on September 16th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

OK, my online degree dorm roomate - are you still thinking about improving your career propects by earning an online masters degree in management?

Want to save several thousand dollars and earn your masters degree at a top ranked online university?

Sure you do!

Well, now you can do both. There is a website out there called GetEducated.com and they’ve just come out with a new comparative college rankings of online universities, Top Ranked Consumer Best Buys in Online Masters Degrees Management Education.

Here’s a little of what they included in their rankings.

How about a regionally accredited distance learning masters in management that cost only $4,709?

Yep, you read it right. That’s what you’ll pay if your are a North Carolina resident and enroll at Western Carolina University seeking a Masters in Project Management.

And since I live in North Carolina, and I tell you that Western Carolina is a VERY good school. It’s not in a very populated area like Raleigh or Charlotte, (some say it’s in the boonies, but that’s not true either) but it has a very good reputation.

So how does that compare to the most expense online degree? Well how about spending as much as over $51,000 to get a Masters in Management Information Systems at Carnegie Mellon University?

 Yikes!!!

The average cost of an online masters degree in management is just under $21, 000 according to GetEducated.com’s national survey of online education.

Or how about the University of South Dakota’s multiple online masters in administrative studies, which was ranked number 10 in the survey and is just over $10,000. This is a great example of the budget deals available to you if you take the time to compare online education masters.

So make sure you do your homework; Check out the accreditation, and the cost.

And make sure that you follow the experts advice and check out publicly funded online university systems, such as the University of South Dakota, for the best programs at the best price. Over 70% of government-funded universities now offer online degrees.

Ben

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online degree programs psychology | Help a Stranger get a Scholarship

Posted by bposton on August 19th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey my dorm room buddy

Hope your classes are off to a great start this semester

I read about this a few days ago and thought it was so cool I just had to share.

(You know how I like to share… )

You can help a complete stranger win a $7,500 scholarship for an online degree at Western Governors University. They have having what they call The Video Scholarship Contest and you can view the vidoes and vote for your favorite.

View all the videos at http://www.wgu.edu/landing/video_submissions.asp.
There are 37 entries in the scholarship video contest. Looks like there was dancing, rapping and singing on these videos explaining why they or someone they know deserve to earn a scholarship and how earning a degree from WGU would change their life.

By voting, you can help select the five finalists and the eventual winner.

Just so you know, WGU is a non-profit, accredited online university. The scholarship is part of WGU’s mission to expand access to quality higher education for busy adults.
Voting is over on Saturday, August 23rd, so get out there and VOTE!

Following the voting period, the five finalists will be announced on Monday, August 25 at noon EDT. Voting will then be re-opened for the top 5 videos and WGU’s selected panel of judges will then reevaluate the finalists and determine the prizes. All winners will be announced on September 3.
All finalists will receive a prize. The entire prize list is as follows:
Grand Prize: $7,500 scholarship (payable at $1,500 every six-month term enrolled for up to five terms) and $500
Second Place: $3,000 scholarship (payable at $1,000 every six-month term enrolled for up to three terms) and $500
Third Place: $2,000 scholarship (payable at $1,000 every six-month term enrolled for up to two terms) or $500
Two Runner-up Prizes: $100 Amazon.com gift certificates (Amazon is not a sponsor of this contest)

The WGU scholarships can be used for students pursuing an online degree in any discipline offered by WGU in its Colleges of Business, Education, Information Technology and Health Professions.

Get ready to smile, laugh and cry as you select your favorite videos. :-)

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online degree programs psychology | CSU’s little secret…

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

Hey my dorm room buddy - can you keep a secret?

Well it seems like CSU can - but now the cat’s out of the bag. And that’s a good thing. 

Colorado State University’s graduate engineering distance degrees offered through the Division of Continuing Education have been ranked a “Best Buy” by GetEducated.com.

OK, so what does that mean?

Well, it means that this online degree program has been reviewed and judged to offer a high quality distance degree to a national audience at tuition rates well below the national average.

If you’re looking into distance programs ratings like this are what you should be looking for. Takes some of the quesswork out of it.

The online degree clearinghouse reviewed 46 schools offering 216 distance-learning engineering and allied graduate degree programs offered through regionally accredited universities throughout the nation. Colorado State’s master of science degrees in Civil Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Engineering Management, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, Mechanical Engineering Materials Engineering and Statistics programs ranked 18th  in GetEducated.com’s list of the top high-quality, low-cost programs.

The survey found that the average cost for distance learners seeking a master’s in engineering or an allied technology career is $23,203. Colorado State’s is significantly lower at $15,600.

And with the shortage of engineers in the United States, if you invest now in online higher education you could insure job security - a very good thing in these challenging economic times.

About the Division of Continuing Education at Colorado State University

The Division of Continuing Education at Colorado State University develops and delivers quality programs and educational opportunities in support of the university’s land grant mission with degrees; online, credit and noncredit courses; certificate programs; and, custom training for businesses and industry, throughout Northern Colorado, Denver, at business sites, and via distance education using a variety of delivery methods. DCE has over 40 years of experience in the field of distance education.

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online degree programs psychology | Did you hear about “the list”?

Posted by bposton on August 1st, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey my little dorm room buddy!

The hot summer days of August are here again, and that means back to school sales and
move in plans for those who attend on campus universities.

For those who are in the cyberworld of higher education, or just thinking about getting that
sheepskin via an online degree program, here’s some interesting news about a diploma mill that
was shut down in 2005, and a list of folks who could (I emphasize COUILD) have attended!
Eight people have been convicted so far in the federal case that was brough against the diploma mill,
with at least two people sentenced to time in prison. It appears that this mill produced degrees
under the auspices of several nonexistent universities, including: 
St. Regis University
St. Lourdes University
All Saints American University
Hartland University 
Concordia University

Even more this mill evidently offered fabricated diplomas from real institutions, such as the University of Maryland, Texas A&M University and George Washington University.

WOW! :-0

This mill launched in 1999 and sold some $6 million of high school, college and graduate diplomas to customers around the world. Man, what a scam!

Anyway, it seems the Feds accumulated a list of almost 10,000 names of people “believed” to have purchased degrees
from this illegal diploma mill. And a newspaper got their hands on the list.

The problem was that it became clear that dozens of the names could be traced to e-mail addresses that end in “.edu,” which meant the possibility that there could be instructors in academe who were hired under false pretenses — a degree from an unaccredited, or worse, nonexistent institution.

So far, that hasn’t been any evidence found that any lecturers or faculty members knowingly purchased degrees from the company. But you have to wonder, don’t you?

You also have to wonder about the accuracy of any list that the Federal Goverment creates… I heard that there where people on this list that had legit degrees and only contacted the mill out of curiosity.

So let this be a lesson. If you go down the diploma mill path it will eventually catch up with you.

JUST SAY NO! 

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online degree programs psychology | Economy Drives Up Demand For Online Degrees

Posted by bposton on July 29th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

WOW, talk about pain at the pump!

With the super high price of gas, and the fact that nobody can explain why it is so high, the country is coming to terms with the fact that these gas prices might just be here to stay.

While that is a scarry thought, at least it appears to be increasing demand for online degrees.

Cases in point:

Hodges University’s campuses have seen an online enrollment increase of nearly
150 percent.

At Florida Gulf Coast University, students taking at least one course online numbered 3,872 out of a total of 9,388 students last fall. In the spring, 4,312 students were enrolled online, or about 46 percent of the student body.

Edison College is looking at a 140 percent increase in students who take online classes.

Now, to be honest, no one has officially attributed this increase to the econony or high gas prices. In fact, some colleges point out that their marketing campaigns are the result. (yeah, right )

But I think anyone with half a brain can tell that if you factor in the cost of gas for communting, and the other costs like parking, etc, the cost of online degree programs is become more and more reasonable. And the overall weakness in the economy is causing a lot more folks to consider upgrading their education.

But hey - that’s what I get for thinking

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online degree programs psychology | Paralegal - The Next Best Thing to Becoming A Lawyer?

Posted by bposton on February 4th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Interested in the field of Law, my dorm room buddy?

Well, you’re in good company.

As the law becomes more complex (maybe thanks to the lawyers on Capital Hill ) and since people in the US will sue you at the drop of a hat, there is more demand for legal representation.

Of course, this means that there is not just a need for more lawyers, but more legal support professionals as well.  

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, paralegals will be among the top 30 fastest-growing careers in the 10-year period ending in 2014.

Interested in becoming a Paralegal?

More than just a legal secretary, the paralegal career has advanced to the point that paralegals are taking on more responsibilities that require advanced training, and employers are demanding it.

That’s why All Criminal Justice Schools (ACJS) has launched a comprehensive, 16-page career guide for people wishing to become paralegals. The online guide can be found here. 

ACIS’ guide contains up-to-date information on certification, accreditation and degree information. It is designed to give people considering paralegal careers the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about choosing schools, types of degrees and legal specialty areas.

Most important (at least to me) is that it also includes is a section on online degree programs, which is becoming more and more popular for paralegal training.

So have at it, my future paralegal…

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online degree programs psychology | financial aid to get your degree online

Posted by bposton on January 14th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

So, you want to start the New Year by going back to school and getting or finishing your degree online, right?

Alot of folks have this same goal, but they often put it on hole when holiday bills start rolling in.

Did you know that the average American household has about $10,000 in credit card debt? And a lot of that is left over from holiday spending. So this is can be a major hurdle stopping you from fullfilling your New Year’s resolution to get your degree. 

But there is hope…

eLearners.com, a resource of EducationDynamics that connects students to online education, has introduced one of the most robust financial aid resources on the web, the eLearners Student Loans and Financial Aid Center.

This center provides prospective students like you with an up-to-date database of more than 2.4 million scholarships
totaling $15 billion in financial aid.

One of the most unique features of eLearners.com is The Debt-Free College Guide which can give students over 500 debt-free financing options, including:

Grants
Tax incentives
Scholarships
And the most comprehensive list of loan forgiveness programs on the Internet

eLearners.com’s Student Loans and Financial Aid Center helps prospective and current students identify
and understand financing options for higher education. In addition to detailed information about financial aid,
loan consolidation and employer tuition assistance programs, visitors can also find a loan-buying guide that eLearners.com built in collaboration with The Greentree Gazette. The site allows prospective students to compare more than 300 student loans by loan vendor, type, up-front fees and interest rate.

So check out eLearners.com’s Student Loans and Financial Aid Center. It could very well be the what you’re looking for to get going with your online degree this year.

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Associate Online Degree Programs | What colleges offer the most online degrees?

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

The annual report on the state of online education has found that the number of colleges and universities offering 4 year and associate online degree programs has increased.

Which is good news for everyone.

However, the last 3 annual reports showed a very uneven distribution of online course and program offerings by type of institution.  Public colleges and universities and the very large institutions in the US have always been first with online degree offerings.

Private, small 4 year colleges have been least likely to offer online courses, and typically have they’ve received the most negative opinions about online education in general.

And this year’s report is pretty much online the same line. This year’s results show no major changes from this type of pattern. The same large and public universities are still offering the most degrees online.

More than 96 percent of colleges and universities with more than 15,000 total enrollments have some online degree programs, which is more than double that of the smaller, private institutions.
The proportion of colleges and universities with completely online programs rises as the size of the instituion increases. 

About two-thirds of the very largest institutions have degree programs that are completely online programs, while only about one-sixth of the smallest institutions have such programs.

Interestingly Doctoral and Research institutions have been shown to have the greatest depth of online programs and courses. Over 80% of these colleges and universities have some form of online program, either courses or full programs.

So you probably need to look toward the public university or a very large college to find an online degree program with a lot of depth and selection. The private colleges have them also, but you might not find exactly what you need.

Ben 

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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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