Archive for September, 2008
Posted by Benae Lambright on September 30th, 2008
Many people have heard horrifying stories about diploma mills that are tarnishing the ideologies that support online education. Distance learning has many benefits by offering courses to those who are not able to commit to a traditional college program. But just as the prospective student must do their homework to find the program that is best for them, it is also their responsibility to confirm the online school’s accreditation.
This is an easy task. Using the United States Department of Education (USDE) website, a person can research any school’s accreditation. The USDE site will offer the college or university’s accreditation, along with a particular department’s specialized accreditation if applicable. This can be attained in seconds by using the Department of Education’s search function to look for the school of choice. The Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) also list individual school’s accreditation. Using their database you can also easily locate the accrediting organization for an identified school.
The accreditation process was established to ensure that colleges and universities assure and improve the quality of higher education, according to the CHEA Talking Points: Accreditation, Students and Society article published this June 2008. Schools in the United Statesare granted accreditation through a regional organization. Most degree granting schools will be accredited by one or more of the seven regional groups. Some online programs will be accredited by the same agency that granted accreditation to their college or university’s traditional program but they might also receive professional, religious or other specialized accreditations. The Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) has become a recognized accreditation program that many online programs seek.
So while you are gearing up to embark on your new experience of beginning or returning to school, keep in mind the importance of enrolling in a validated online program. Using the USDE or CHEA websites, you can learn whether your potential school has the proper accreditation to grant your degree. The school’s website should also have their accreditation posted, if not this is your first warning sign!
To learn more about accreditation agencies and the regions they cover log onto:
www.CHEA.org or www.DOE.gov
Posted by Sharon Cece on September 29th, 2008
I first attended community college in 1984. Back then, we had to wait in line while registering for school, signing up for classes and making payments. I also had to submit financial aid paperwork in person (after waiting in line, again) and, here’s the kicker, had to physically get in my car and drive to school at predetermined times each week in order to attend classes.
Well, you can only imagine my surprise and delight when I re-emerged onto the collegiate scene via distance learning methods. The first advantage was continuing the degree I started at FSU, where I attended brick and mortar in 1990. I worried that I would lose all my the credits I worked so hard for by not returning to that particular school. Online instruction allowed me to “go back” to FSU even though I lived in North Carolina. Since I was a returning student, FSU was liberal when it came to applying credits toward my matriculation.
Clearly, the other advantage to online learning was time, time, time. Along with location, location, location. No more red-eye 8:15 in the morning classes–classwork is done according to your schedule and flexibility. Not able to take the quiz at 10 AM? No problem, you can take it at 5, or 7 or even 11:30 PM, since most quizzes and tests have a “window” within a 24- and sometimes even a 48-hour period. You can also take the quiz in a bathrobe or pajamas right there in your bedroom or living room, even outside, with a steaming cup of coffee by your side. Ah, life is good. Just don’t spill the coffee on your keyboard.
Registering for classes is a breeze, since it’s all done via your computer. Financial aid forms are also done online now through the individual colleges along with the FAFSA website. Payments can even be made electronically.
Of course, the price you pay for convenience is individual accountability and self-structure. In order to succeed online, you need to be organized and keep up to date on the classes and assignments. Structure is definitively self-imposed. In some ways, you also miss out on the face to face socialization; however, I found that the threaded discussions and virtual classrooms were very intellectually stimulating, and gave me a sense of social interfacing.
Posted by Jen Zeman on September 28th, 2008
If you are interested in pursuing an online degree but are more interested in a liberal studies program versus business, you are in luck! Many colleges and institutions now offer their liberal studies programs online, whether you are pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Simply type in “online liberal studies degree program” in your search engine to find a program that suits your needs. I used Google in this instance. In searching, “liberal arts” and “liberal studies” is often used interchangeably. A plethora of information will then be delivered to you. Two sites I found to be helpful included:
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/liberal-arts-humanities/liberal-arts/
This site lists different institutions across the country that offer online liberal arts/studies programs.
http://education-portal.com/liberal_studies_degree.html
This site also lists different institutions offering online degrees, but also provides useful articles such as what kind of career can one have with a liberal studies degree. This site also has a search engine within it to narrow your search even further.
The Google search also provided links directly to colleges and universities offering an online liberal studies degree program. With a little legwork, I am confident you will find the perfect online liberal studies degree program!
Posted by Dan on September 25th, 2008
The cost of higher education has skyrocketed in the last 10 years. More and more students are finding themselves entering college and leaving with almost unmanageable debt. In a society that dictates that going to college is a guaranteed part of life, many students have started to question the worth of a college degree.
In a new report published by PayScale.com, a leading salary comparison website, they list the top Undergraduate Degree Programs that end up paying the student back throughout their career. The top of the list is heavily populated by Engineering Degree Programs and Mathematics. However, some career education degrees that might help pay the bills include, Healthcare, Philosophy, and International Relations. We have included the graph and complete degree listing below
| Best Undergrad College Degrees By Salary |
Starting Median Salary |
Mid-Career Median Salary |
| |
| Chemical Engineering |
$63,200 |
$107,000 |
| |
| Computer Engineering |
$61,400 |
$105,000 |
| |
| Electrical Engineering |
$60,900 |
$103,000 |
| |
| Aerospace Engineering |
$57,700 |
$101,000 |
| |
| Economics |
$50,100 |
$98,600 |
| |
| Physics |
$50,300 |
$97,300 |
| |
| Computer Science |
$55,900 |
$95,500 |
| |
| Industrial Engineering |
$57,700 |
$94,700 |
| |
| Mechanical Engineering |
$57,900 |
$93,600 |
| |
| Math |
$45,400 |
$92,400 |
| |
| Physician Assistant |
$74,300 |
$91,700 |
| |
| Civil Engineering |
$53,900 |
$90,500 |
| |
| Construction |
$53,700 |
$88,900 |
| |
| Finance |
$47,900 |
$88,300 |
| |
| Management Information Systems (MIS) |
$49,200 |
$82,300 |
| |
| Philosophy |
$39,900 |
$81,200 |
| |
| International Relations |
$40,900 |
$80,900 |
| |
| Chemistry |
$42,600 |
$79,900 |
| |
| Marketing |
$40,800 |
$79,600 |
| |
| Geology |
$43,500 |
$79,500 |
| |
| Political Science |
$40,800 |
$78,200 |
| |
| Accounting |
$46,000 |
$77,100 |
| |
| Architecture |
$41,600 |
$76,800 |
| |
| Information Technology (IT) |
$49,100 |
$74,800 |
| |
| Business Management |
$43,000 |
$72,100 |
| |
| Agriculture |
$42,600 |
$71,900 |
| |
| History |
$39,200 |
$71,000 |
| |
| Communications |
$38,100 |
$70,000 |
| |
| Film |
$37,900 |
$68,500 |
| |
| Nursing |
$54,200 |
$67,000 |
| |
| Journalism |
$35,600 |
$66,700 |
| |
| Geography |
$41,200 |
$65,500 |
| |
| Art History |
$35,800 |
$64,900 |
| |
| Biology |
$38,800 |
$64,800 |
| |
| English |
$38,000 |
$64,700 |
| |
| Forestry |
$39,100 |
$62,600 |
| |
| Anthropology |
$36,800 |
$61,500 |
| |
| Health Care Administration |
$38,800 |
$60,600 |
| |
| Psychology |
$35,900 |
$60,400 |
| |
| Graphic Design |
$35,700 |
$59,800 |
| |
| Sociology |
$36,500 |
$58,200 |
| |
| Hospitality & Tourism |
$37,800 |
$57,500 |
| |
| Drama |
$35,900 |
$56,900 |
| |
| Criminal Justice |
$35,000 |
$56,300 |
| |
| Nutrition |
$39,900 |
$55,300 |
| |
| Music |
$35,900 |
$55,000 |
| |
| Interior Design |
$36,100 |
$53,200 |
| |
| Spanish |
$34,000 |
$53,100 |
| |
| Education |
$34,900 |
$52,000 |
| |
| Religion |
$34,100 |
$52,000 |
Posted by Dan on September 23rd, 2008
Let’s face it, finding the right job that offers enough financial reward with the comfort of benefits and job stability is as difficult as winning the state lottery. The problem that faces many people is the ability to find a career path that provides a bright future and that is why we have identified several top careers and jobs for 2009 to help you in your search for a perfect career.
No two industries are created equal and therefore there are always going to be selected careers that will remain in demand despite the economic status of the United States. One of these high demand careers is within the HealthCare Industry as a Registered Nurse. Hospitals around the country continue to seek motivated employees that wish to assist in the caring and rehabilitation of patients as a registered nurse.
Average salary ranges for a Registered Nurse according to Indeed.com’s Salary Report, is around $70,000 dollars a year. Becoming a Registered Nurse can be a daunting task, but with the introduction of several adult learning programs offered by online schools, the opportunity to go back to school and earn a degree focused on nursing could not be easier.
Several notable schools such as the University of Phoenix and National American University Online offer students the ability to earn a Bachelors in Science to become a Registered Nurse. If you are interested in a rewarding career that continues to offer career advancement and strong benefits, then you should look into becoming a Registered Nurse and earn your degree today.
Posted by Sharon Cece on September 22nd, 2008
I first attended college back in 1984, fully expecting to have my degree within the customary four years. My goals at that time were typical: job, college, boyfriend which I expected to segue into career, degree, marriage. But as many of you know, “life” takes detours and that sometimes includes your education. Somehow, without planning it, I left college (with 96 credits under my belt!) and though my work experiences and marriage stayed on track, my education took a pit stop.
Though my life was pretty fulfilled, I continued to have this nagging sense of unfinished business. I often said how I wished I finished my degree at Florida State, but here I was almost 20 years later living in Raleigh, North Carolina. Talk about a long commute!
Fortunately, FSU had a good distance learning program and they were able to restructure the classes I had taken for Business Administration into a Social Science program. For the record, it is no easy ride with distance learning. It was very challenging at times with a little one tugging me while I finished a timed quiz in my bathrobe, or juggling my school cap among all the other hats I wore. But finishing my degree online enabled me to fit in my studies whenever I wanted, for the most part, and within my schedule rather than the other way around. I needed the sheer flexibility of eLearning or it wouldn’t have happened for me.
In April of 2006, I received my Bachelor of Science in Social Science. My degree is hanging directly over my laptop as I type, in a stunning frame that I splurged on in the FSU school colors (of course!) Garnet and Gold. Though I am proud of many things I have accomplished in my life, I cannot describe, even now, how amazed I am that after 21 years I finally have my degree.
Posted by Jen Zeman on September 21st, 2008
Graduate school seems like a logical progression once you achieve your undergraduate degree. However, the reality is graduate school does not have to be the next step in your life and you have to ask yourself honestly, “Is grad school right for me?”
I recently had to ask myself that very question and the truth, at first, seemed hard to bear. I’m currently in a career field where, realistically, a master’s degree is not required to achieve advancement to within a significant salary level. However, I felt that grad school was a logical progression and reasoned that I should have my master’s degree. My reasoning? I believed people looked upon those with a master’s degree more favorably based upon the rigor demanded by graduate school and that a master’s degree would automatically open more doors for me (whatever those doors may be). I decided that I really had no desire to earn a master’s degree in the business field (which my employer would pay for), but instead insisted that if I was going to complete a master’s program, it would be in a program that I would enjoy. So I applied and was accepted into the online liberal studies program at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. I reasoned with myself that if I handled taking three undergraduate courses a semester while working full-time, I could easily handle two grad courses a semester.
The day the fall semester began I reviewed and re-reviewed the syllabi for both classes. Suddenly, my heart was filled with fear versus enthusiasm. The reading alone for one of the courses would easily consume twenty hours a week. I realized I had taken on much more than I could possibly handle. This precipitated me to contemplate why I was even taking grad courses in the first place. Confusion set in and I agonized whether I should attempt the courses or drop them both. I’m not one to quit anything, so this decision left me anxious and depressed. I had several other important activities that I wanted to accomplish on my personal time and these classes would put these activities on hold indefinitely, which was something I really did not want to do.
After a good five-mile run (highly recommended for clearing the mind), I came home and wrote two lists: pros and cons of taking grad courses. The pros list had two items while the cons had approximately ten. I realized that a liberal arts master’s degree while interesting, would not guarantee me that my writing would improve or garner me any more opportunities than my bachelor’s degree and work experience combined. I also realized based on these two facts that it wasn’t worth accumulating an additional $25,000.00 in debt for school loans. My husband is also taking classes, so with me in school as well we really would have no time for one another, which was not acceptable to me. I decided right then to drop both classes and put grad school on the backburner. It wasn’t easy, but I knew in my heart it was the best choice for me and for those close to me. I was relieved instantly.
If you are asking yourself whether grad school is right for you, consider these questions first:
- Does my career field require an advanced degree? Be honest with yourself here.
- Do I have the time to commit to the rigorous requirements of graduate courses? Just looking at the syllabi for my grad courses made me realize it is vastly different than undergraduate work and would take a considerable amount of time to complete.
- Do I want to spend the money on a graduate degree? If so, will it truly be a good investment for me? If a graduate degree won’t help you advance financially, it may not be worth it.
Take the time to review your options. Two sites I found helpful are http://gradschool.about.com/cs/shouldyougo/a/should.htm and http://www.spsu.edu/cccenter/counseling/career/Gradschool.htm. They provide targeted questions and realistic answers to help you with your decision.
Posted by admin on September 19th, 2008
Legislation that seeks to protect college students from lending abuses while boosting student aid was approved by Congress on Thursday.
The bill, which would require lenders and colleges to adopt strict codes of conduct, passed the Senate 83-8 after the House voted 380-49 for the measure.
Once signed into law by President George W. Bush, the bill would ban lenders and colleges from offering or accepting payments or gifts in exchange for making loans, a response to scandals uncovered last year involving kickback schemes and conflicts of interest between lenders and school officials.
“We got rid of cronyism, kick backs and sweetheart deals,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat who took over leadership on the bill after education committee chairman Sen. Edward Kennedy was diagnosed with a brain tumor.
Other features of the bill include increased funding for graduate study at institutions that primarily serve minorities and new scholarship programs and support centers for military veterans.
Pell grants that go to low-income students, would increase to $6,000 from $4,800 for 2009, and to $8,000 for 2014.
The bill follows other legislation passed during the last 10 months aimed at overhauling the student loan industry.
Posted by admin on September 18th, 2008
While you can’t earn free online degrees quite yet, Stanford University is offering a number of free online classes this fall. Lectures, video, audio, and handouts round out what is sure to be a much-watched experiment in higher learning. The program does have a number of restrictions: online learners have no interaction with actual students enrolled in the class, the coursework cannot be taken for credit, and none of the university’s facilities are available for use by the online learners.
With that in mind, if you’re interested in taking one or all of the online courses, you may do so via the Stanford Engineering Everywhere program:
Artificial Intelligence:
Computer Science:
Linear Systems and Optimization
Posted by admin on September 17th, 2008
From September 15th to the 19th, DeVry University will be doing more than helping students earn their online accredited degrees — the school will be striving to register 8,000 new voters for this fall’s upcoming election.
In a way, DeVry’s efforts will be making visible a correlation that has always existed between education and voter participation. As U.S. Census Bureau data illustrates, eligible voters with a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree are more likely to register than those without a college degree. In 2004, 78% of those with a bachelor’s degree had registered to vote, while only 62% of eligible voters with a high school diploma had registered to vote.
The disparity between voting engagement and education becomes even more pronounced when one looks at actual voting numbers. 74% of the voting age population with at least a bachelor’s degree voted in 2004, while only 52% of the voting age population with a high school diploma voted that year.
The 2008 presidential election is being touted as one of the most engaging races in recent memory. Even if you are not earning an online degree from DeVry University, you can still visit one of the 72 participating registration locations this week and register to vote.
You can find info on the candidates and their policies via their respective party websites:
