The Online Degree Dorm Room

online degree programs psychology | High Gas Prices Could Mean More Online Degrees

Posted by bposton on June 9th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Hey there my little dorm room buddy…

Don’t know about you, but gas prices are driving me CRAZY!!

In today’s ecomony, high gas prices are actually having a good news / bad news affect on the online degree industry.

On the one hand, high gas prices are forcing educators and students alike to take a much harder look at online degree programs.

For example, the Tennessee Board of Regents has called for a statewide effort to cut down on students’ drive time, asking schools under their jurisdiction to condense class schedules and reach out to students with their online education programs. As a result, enrollment in the Regents Online Degree Program is up 29 percent over last year, and 72 percent of those who have enrolled say gasoline prices are the reason they are pursing online courses.

So that’s the good news - an online degree can save a ton of money in gas.

So what’s the bad news??

Well, because gas prices are so high, and the ecomony is in such bad shape, a lot of folks that could use a degree are finding it much harder to shell out the money to oay for one.

Usually, Universities and two-year institutions benefit to some degree from economic downturns because struggling individuals looking for higher-paying jobs turn to education.

But with today’s gas prices pinching businesses and individuals’ purse strings, fewer are willing to budget for the cost of that education. 

When you think about the fact that in today’s poor ecomony, the hardest pressed group is an adult part-time student who is already juggling a family and a job or two. Often times they just can’t justify the cost of more education.

Sort of a double edged sword. so to speak…

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online degree programs psychology | another online degree success story

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

Hey my online degree dorm room buddy:

Here’s a great story about Stefanie Lund, 33, of Gulf Port, Miss.

She had all but given up on her dream to earn a college degree.

If fact, Stef has been through an awful lot, such as surviving Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a colorectal cancer syndrome that ultimately led to a full colectomy.

Not to mention the fact that she move 37 times after high school.

But now this 33 year old mother of 3 has finally found a way to a better future — through Flint-based Baker College Online.

“Baker Online changed everything,” she said. “No matter how bad I felt, I could keep doing it … and when I left New Jersey for Georgia and then to Mississippi, I could take college with me.”

Now, after a packed day of homeschooling her children, she does her own classwork sometimes as late as 4 a.m.

No re-applying for financial aid, no re-doing credits, just re-connecting to the Internet.

Lund started pursuing her online degree at Baker in 2005 after reading about the program on the Internet. Now she’s two years away from a bachelor’s degree in marketing. After studying business through Baker, she has also become a jewelry merchant, runs a wholesale home decor business and works as a Baker Online tutor.

Lund is among the growing number of students at the Flint-based Baker Online program, who has seen their online student population increase from 2,900 students in 2005 to 4,700 students in 2007.

Now that’s what I call a great online degree success story!

Hey Stef - you’re welcome at our dorm room anytime!

Ben

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online degree programs psychology | Want 19 grand more in your pocket?

Posted by bposton on March 31st, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

Did you know…?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, if you only have a high school diploma then you’re missing out on over $19,000 in additional income per year.

That’s right - you could be making about 19 grand more per year.

How?

Easy - just get a Bachelor’s degree.

Or you can just get an associate degree, which could put an extra $6,500 per year into your pocket. 

OK - I know what you’re saying to yourself: ”just how to do I fit a college degree into my busy schedule?”

Well, since you’re reading this blog, you’re close to the answer:

Start by checking out online degree programs (which are near and dear to my heart )

If you’re a homemaker, active-duty military or someone who travels a lot with your job, you can find an online degree programs that will let you complete college while maintaining a work-home-school balance.

Have you seen the gas prices lately? Well, as an online student, you will never have to worry about driving and parking.

Child care? No problem.

Scheduling? Attend class at midnight if you like.

(see - I told you it was easy )

And you know what? You might even be able to complete work for an associate degree in as little as 18 months or a bachelor’s degree in three years - which measn you get to that extra dough sooner.  

If you have access to a computer (which I assume you do if you’re reading this), then you also have access to online courses and distance-learning degree programs. Most lessons are delivered through special, Web-based distance-education systems. A course may include online lectures, assignments, practice drills and quizzes with instant feedback.

So what do you need to look for in an online program? Here’s a short list:

- Find out how often you will be required to log in for class.

 - Look for a program where you can interact with classmates using a discussion board and instant messaging.

 - Ask whether exams will be taken online or at a local testing site, and whether tests must be taken at specific times.

Also, make sure that you search out a college program that leads to career advancement. Otherwise that extra 19 grand might not happen.
And make sure that you check out a college carefully so that you are in a better position to get that extra income when you finish. Make sure you find this out:

 - Do instructors in your career-specific courses have practical experience in the industry or business? (Tip - go to the school’s Web site and look for instructor biographies or contact the school and ask the program’s director to verify that your instructors will be experienced professionals)

 - Ask if business and industry professionals worked with instructors to develop a program that will provide you with the skills employers are looking for. For example, if you are pursuing a degree in Information Technology, will your program include industry certification training? Or, if you plan on a career as a paralegal, will you learn how to use state-of-the-art legal software?

If you are self-motivating, then getting an online degree is a great way to improve your career opportunities.

And hey, who wouldn’t be motivated, by the prospect of as much as $19,000 per year?

:-)
 

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online degree programs psychology | SHRM Approves Capella HR

Posted by bposton on March 24th, 2008 — Posted in online degree programs psychology

OK, so what’s that cryptic headline about?

Well, if you’re into Human Resources (better known as “HR”) then you probably have a clue.

:-)

Let me explain to the rest of us.

SHRM stands for Society for Human Resource Management. This is the world’s largest association devoted to
human resource management. The Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests
of the HR profession.

They’ve been around for a while - since 1948 to be exact. And they have 235,000 members in over 130 countries.

OK, so the SHRM is a pretty strong organization for HR folks, right?

Well, they have something called the HR Curriculum Guidebook and Templates, which they developed to define the minimum HR content areas that should be studied by HR students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

And they recently announced that three Capella HR programs fully align with SHRM’s HR Curriculum
Guidebook and Templates. They are Capella’s Human Resource Management specializations in its
MS in Organization and Management, MBA, and BS in Business online degree programs.

And if you’ve been researching online degrees then you know all about Capella, a fully online university that offers
graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, psychology,
public health, and public safety, and bachelor’s degree programs in business, information technology,
and public safety.

Now is the picture a little clearer?

What’s impressive about this is that is that only 23 programs in 19 educational institutions in the world
have been acknowledged by SHRM as being in alignment with its suggested guides and templates.

And Capella is the first university to have three programs acknowledged, and is one of only three universities with online HR degree programs to gain acknowledgement from SHRM.

So if you’re looking for an online degree to advance your HR career, take a serious look at these programs from Capella.
You can reach them at 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552). 

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