Archive for the ‘Online Education’ Category
Posted by Dan on July 9th, 2009
With over 100 online universities and colleges featured on the site, AchieveYourCareer.com offers a variety of resources for adults interested in continuing their education online. The Top 5 Online Alternatives to Summer School is a collection of tips written by online education experts to help promote the awareness of online degree programs. For years, Summer School served as the only opportunity for students to study during the summer months, now thanks to online education, eager students can log in and attend classes with ease and greater flexibility. Many working adults juggle 40 hour work weeks with other personal obligations like family, working out, a second job, the last thing they want to do during the summer is drive to a campus and sit in a classroom. It’s inconvenient and not appealing. That is why we have created the Top 5 Online Alternatives to Summer School.
Number 5: Explore Online Certificates
Why should you explore an online certificate program? Two reasons really; the cost and the selection. Online certificates offer adults the widest variety of programs in all of online learning. From culinary arts to computer animation training, you will find what you are looking for, if you choose to pursue an online certificate program. For example, a Marketing Manager, can choose to enroll in an online certificate program for Internet Marketing to help broaden their skills and learn new techniques. Meanwhile, a single mom can study Entrepreneurship and learn the necessary skills to build a successful home based business. The best part is that both the Marketing Manager and the single mom share the same experience of learning online and at their convenience. This is something a summer school session can not offer.
Number 4: Take An Online Class
Everyone loves to “try before you buy” and with an education it is no different. By enrolling in an online class this summer, you can experience online learning first hand without committing to an entire degree program. Online Classes are available at accredited colleges across the country. Courses can be taken on a “For-Credit” basis and a “Non-Credit” basis. Taking an online class will allow you to understand the necessary dedication and requirements you need to continue your education online. You will gain important knowledge about online lectures, homework assignments, and testing procedures. It also allows you to not sacrifice an entire summer to earn college credit. Taking an online class is a great way to find out if online education is right for you.
Number 3. Save Money & Time - Get Information from Online Colleges for Fall
Let’s face it, saving money during a recession is important. A college education can be a very worthwhile investment, but its still an investment of your time and money. By enrolling in Summer School, you sacrifice your summer months, time, and money. Visiting sites like www.AchieveYOurCareer.com, allow you to review 100’s of accredited online colleges that offer online degree programs in almost every career category available. It takes literally,1 minute, to fill out an information form for these colleges. You can receive informaton about cost, current scholarships avaialble, demo an online class, and current student testimonials. As we approach “Back to School” in late summer, you may even find some special promotions avialable for a limited time. Enjoy the summer and research your degree of interest. Then, find 3 online schools that offer that program and compare each of them. It will be time well spent, and its FREE!.
Number 2. Stay Local - Find Online Programs offered by Local Colleges.
Online learning can be a fantastic opportunity for many working adults. However, it is not the conventional method of learning for most Americans. We are taught in a classroom setting for most of our lives. What most people don’t know is that many local colleges, both community and full 4 year insititutions, offer online education. Students can choose to pursue their online degree, yet still take advantages of a physical campus location if they so choose. It really personalizes the entire experience of online education. Summer school sessions will force you to attend classes at a physical campus location. Why not give yourself the flexiblity of choosing to stay at home and log into a live online session or visiting a local campus. Boston University, Harvard, USC, and Stanford are just 4 well known colleges and universities that offer this convenience to their online students. It’s a great opportunity for working adults and single parents who want to succeed but need to balance other responsibilities.
Number 1. Superior flexibility allows you to earn a degree in less time.
Most students who attend Summer School are interested in obtaining their degree in less time. Unfortunately for many summer school students, they must sacrifice time and money to do so. With an online degree, students balance their hectic schedules with their education requirements. Parents can stay home with their children and attend an online lecture. Working adults can take night classes without driving to a campus afer an 8 hour work day. A Bachelor’s Degree typically can take upwards of 4 years or more to complete. An online bachelor’s degree can be completed in as little as 2 years with dedication and hard work. Education is important for your career and for your life. A college education is the key to a better life for many Americans. Utilize the tools available and find an online college that fits your life. It will be worth the time you invest.
Posted by admin on July 8th, 2009
A good way to think about consolidating student loans is protection. If you have variable-rate federal student loans, you can convert your variable interest rate to a fixed interest rate. By consolidating and fixing your interest rate, you have protected yourself from future interest rate increases. You’re unlikely to catch the exact bottom so don’t try. Consider the long term ramifications of a variable or fixed rate loan in your financial plan and consider alternatives.
The current fixed rate consolidation loan rate is 2.5%, historically low. In addition, don’t be in a rush to pay off the loan if you have alternative investment options available. For instance, let’s assume you receive a bonus of $20,000 (after tax) and are looking for things to do with that money. After booking that cruise you’ve always wanted to do, look around at your investment and debt repayment options. If you are carrying credit card debt and your interest rate is greater than 9%, that’s probably a good place to put some of that bonus money to work. You’ve effectively earned a 9% return on your money by not having to pay future interest to the credit card company. How about a car loan? Pay it off and use the old car payment as a monthly savings plan into your 401k or IRA. Before paying off some of the 2.5% student loan, consider investing in a good growth mutual fund by opening a Roth IRA and saving $5,000 plus all future earnings are tax free. If you believe an investment in an IRA will earn you more than 2.5%, you’re ahead of the game.
Examiner.com
Posted by admin on July 7th, 2009
When the new Military GI Bill kicks in Aug. 1, the government’s best-known education program for veterans will get the biggest boost since its World War II-era creation. But the benefit is hardly the “Government Issue,” one-size-fits-all standard the name implies.
In fact, depending on where service members and veterans decide to attend college, they could receive a full ride, or very little.
An Associated Press review of state-by-state benefits under the new bill shows huge discrepancies in the amount veterans can receive.
For example:
• Veterans attending New Hampshire colleges like Dartmouth might get $25,000 from the government each year, and in Dartmouth’s case essentially a free ride, thanks to an additional grant from the Ivy League school. But in neighboring Massachusetts, it is a different story. At that state’s numerous private schools — many just as expensive as Dartmouth — the government’s baseline tuition benefit is only about $2,200 a year.
• Veterans who choose a private school in Texas could get close to $20,000 a semester from the government for a typical course load. Those picking schools in California will get nothing for tuition.
The explanation stems from the formula the government created, as well as a much-criticized decision by the Department of Veterans Affairs on how to implement the law.
The new GI Bill covers full in-state undergraduate tuition and fees at any public college. That’s far more generous than the old GI Bill, which provides a monthly stipend that is the same from state to state.
But Congress also wanted to help veterans attend often pricier private schools. So the new bill offers them an amount equal to the tuition at the most expensive public college in the same state.
That penalizes veterans going to private colleges in states that have kept their public university tuition low.
As a result, the new GI Bill is a great deal for such vets in states like New Hampshire, New York and Texas; a pretty good one in states like Ohio; and hardly any deal at all in Massachusetts and especially California, where the state constitution prohibits public universities from charging tuition. Instead, California’s public universities typically charge “fees” of several thousand dollars per year.
Critics argue the Department of Veterans Affairs misinterpreted the law and should have combined tuition and fees in coming up with reimbursement levels. That would have put the total California benefit at around $13,000 per year.
Anthony Brooks, a 26-year-old former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, will get a mere $5,000 toward the $38,570 tuition charged at the private University of Southern California — and half of that comes from USC through the government’s Yellow Ribbon matching-grant program.
“It’s depressing, actually. It’s putting states up against each other,” said Brooks, who plans to become a doctor. He added: “We all fought for our country. It just seems unfair.”
The VA says its hands were tied by Congress.
“It is a valid question concerning why we would pay X in State A versus how much we would pay in State B, but the statute defines the kinds of programs we would account for,” said Keith Wilson, the department’s director of educational services.
Congress passed the Post 9/11 GI Bill last year, offering veterans the most significant expansion of educational benefits since the original GI Bill in 1944. The VA expects nearly half a million veterans to participate in the coming year.
The benefits — including new, separate stipends for housing and books — kick in after three years of active duty, and some of them are transferable to family members.
Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., has introduced legislation that would correct the discrepancy in California.
“California’s generosity on state tuition was intended to keep college costs down, not inadvertently increase costs for the state’s veterans,” said Lindsey Mask, a spokeswoman for McKeon.
In the meantime, education and veterans groups are fielding calls from veterans confused over how much they can get.
“What should be a simple number has turned into some kind of Frankenstein-like monster that nobody will be able to understand,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education.
About 80 percent of veterans tapping the new bill are expected to attend public institutions. But some of the remaining 20 percent — those planning to attend private colleges, graduate schools, and the for-profit institutions that are hugely popular with veterans — are angry.
“On paper, this is an amazing new GI bill. It’s an amazing plan,” said Matthew Collins, a former Army specialist who started a Facebook group criticizing the system.
He plans to attend California Baptist University, affordable only because it is making a $10,000-per-veteran contribution under Yellow Ribbon — something many California colleges are unable to offer.
“I just don’t think they truly thought it through,” Collins said.
Yahoo AP Story
Posted by admin on July 6th, 2009
The University of Phoenix El Paso campus will present the inaugural Scott Palomino Scholarship to First Sergeant Moses Jackson at 8am on Friday, June 12th, at the Warrior Transition Battalion Building (2444 Cassidy Road, Fort Bliss, TX). The Scott Palomino Scholarship is directed toward new University of Phoenix El Paso students who have served in the United States armed forces and have regrettably suffered a critical injury while serving. Named for Scott Palomino, retired veteran of the US Air Force and Purple Heart Recipient, the scholarship will cover all tuition and fees for an entire Undergraduate or Graduate program and can be applied towards classes taken at the University of Phoenix El Paso campus or online.
Having joined the United States Army at the age of 20 in October 1985, First Sergeant Jackson will be applying the scholarship towards an undergraduate degree from the University of Phoenix. Jackson stated in his scholarship application essay, “Among my many blessings, after receiving so many injuries and related medical issues throughout my military career, is that I am still able to stand. But the real blessing is to have been afforded this opportunity to continue the educational path in which I have been on so many times, through my present military assignment.”
“As an institution dedicated to providing higher education opportunities to deserving individuals, we could not be prouder to welcome First Sergeant Jackson to the University of Phoenix. We look forward to assisting him on his educational path and to witnessing the many more accomplishments he no doubt will achieve as a result of this new chapter in his life,” remarked Barbara Janowski, Campus Director, University of Phoenix El Paso/Santa Teresa Learning Centers.
Posted by admin on June 29th, 2009
Two schools — the University of Phoenix and Bryant & Stratton College — handed out degrees to more than 400 students this month at the Richmond Convention Center.
A third school — South University — will open in Henrico County on Oct. 5 behind the Whole Foods Market on West Broad Street. It is now enrolling students for its local campus and online classes.
The three schools offer classes at a traditional campus as well as online-only.
Online learning is gaining credibility and gaining ground in the higher-education field.
About 12.2 million consumers enrolled in roughly 11,200 college-level distance-education programs during the 2006-07 academic year, the latest figures available, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That’s up from the 3 million consumers enrolled in 2,320 distance-learning programs in 2000-01.
Most traditional colleges and universities now offer online courses as part of their regular degree programs, as well. Some, such as the University of Richmond School of Continuing Studies, offer a few specialized degree programs entirely online.
Are you thinking of earning an online degree? If so, here are some things you need to know:
* You need the right stuff in order to succeed. “Because there’s no structured class schedule, it takes a lot of self-discipline,” said James Campbell, director of marketing at the University of Richmond’s School of Continuing Studies.
Students who fail at online learning do so for the same reasons as those in a normal class setting, said Walter Green, chairman of the Emergency Services Management degree program in UR’s School of Continuing Studies.
“They just don’t do the work.”
Those diligently engaged in their coursework who regularly interact with other students and the instructor usually succeed, he said.
* Be certain that the school is certified and accredited.
It should be certified by the State Council of Higher Education in Richmond and accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
“Institutions that are approved by the U.S. Secretary of Education will be of high quality,” said Terry Hartle, an official at the American Council on Education, a trade organization.
The North Central Association of Colleges & Schools is the recognized accreditation board in the region that includes Virginia.
* Be sure the school offers financial aid. Title IV funding from the federal government — including student loans and grants — should be available, said Susan S. Whisenhunt, director of academic affairs at the University of Phoenix in Richmond.
* Tuition varies. Expect to pay $365 per credit hour for an online undergraduate degree at the University of Richmond and $361 per credit hour online at South University. The average annual tuition and fees at the University of Phoenix is about $12,000.
* Don’t assume that online learning is a piece of cake. Course loads are normally just as rigorous as classroom learning.
* You’ll find it convenient. Some of the students enrolled in UR’s online Emergency Services Management or Disaster Science programs are shift workers — firefighters, EMS technicians, even emergency-room physicians. They log in when they can grab the time, maybe even at 3 a.m., UR Program Coordinator Bo Harris said.
“You can study anywhere and anytime,” Hartle said.
* You will communicate electronically with your instructors. But you may not meet them face to face until graduation.
* You won’t feel isolated from classmates. “The students typically are very connected to their colleagues” through online forums and a chat room, Whisenhunt said.
“I see great friendships developing.” It’s like social networking, she said.
TimesDispatch.com
Posted by admin on June 26th, 2009
The Obama administration took dead aim yesterday at one of the biggest headaches faced by college students and their families — how to fill out what has become a lengthy and complicated application for financial aid.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan outlined a series of changes that could allow some applicants to skip many of the 153 questions.
“Too many students who qualified found applying for student loans was too difficult to understand,” Duncan said. “Too often, they simply got frustrated and they gave up. The form itself was liter-
ally a barrier to entry in college. That has to change.
“Next year’s applicants should see a 20 percent reduction in the number of questions and a 50 percent reduction in the number of Web pages to navigate,” Duncan said.
He also asked Congress to adopt a sweeping overhaul aimed at making the form easier to fill out, including allowing families to attach their tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service to the application. Currently, families have to include separate investment and banking records.
As tuition soars, financial assistance is crucial to keeping students in college. Of the 60,000 students at Ohio State University and its regional campuses, more than 32,000 receive financial aid.
The reforms are aimed at the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA. The six-page application is so complex that last year former Education Secretary Margaret Spellings jokingly complained, “It asks you how old you are three different ways.”
In the final months of the Bush administration, Spellings asked Congress to reduce the number of questions in the form to just 27. Congress never acted on that.
“It’s a good step,” said Tally Hart, senior adviser for economic access at Ohio State. “That form is really a deterrent in its existing structure because it looks so intimidating. and the problem is the greatest for the people it should serve the most.”
Educators and financial-aid specialists hailed the move, saying it eventually could lead to more students applying for financial aid.
“Could the department have gone further? Yes,” said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education, which represents the nation’s universities. “Some people think you should get them on a postcard. But the fewer the questions, the less accuracy you have. What the department is trying to do is balance the importance of simplification with accuracy.”
Beginning this summer, students who have reached the age of 24 or are married may skip 11 questions dealing with their parents’ financial history. Men older than 26 will not have to answer the question about Selective Service registration. And when the new forms are made available in January, low-income students will not be asked about assets.
In another effort to simplify federal assistance, the Education Department has been giving students instant estimates of Pell Grant and student-loan eligibility since May.
Columbus Dispatch
Posted by admin on June 18th, 2009
The U.S. Department of Education said it awarded contracts to SLM Corp (SLM.N) and three other companies to service its $550 billion student loan portfolio, as the government prepares to shift much of the nation’s student lending into a direct loan program.
The government said it also awarded servicing business to Nelnet Inc (NNI.N), American Education Services/PHEAA and Great Lakes Education Loan Services Inc. It said the contracts run for five years, and can be extended for five more.
Eligibility for the servicing program became more important to student loan companies after President Barack Obama in February submitted a fiscal 2010 budget calling for the end of the Federal Family Education Loan Program by July 2010.
The president proposed to shift most of the nation’s $90 billion of student lending into a direct loan program, possibly saving taxpayers more than $4 billion a year.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan on Wednesday said the servicing contracts will help ensure that “all eligible students” will have access to federal student loans.
The department did not say how it plans initially to allocate the servicing business.
SLM, which better known as Sallie Mae, said it has the scale to add more than $100 billion of new volume under its servicing platform. Smaller rival Nelnet said it expects its participation to add to earnings, excluding start-up costs.
Posted by admin on June 8th, 2009
Business professionals who wish to increase their competitive edge and earn a graduate business degree through online education can now log in to Rochester Institute of Technology’s newest virtual classroom opportunity.
RIT’s E. Philip Saunders College of Business has announced a partnership with Toronto-based online services provider Embanet to launch an e-learning Executive MBA program this fall. The 72-week program is identical to the curriculum taught on site–and includes an international trip for students to explore the global influence of business. Classes begin in September.
According to Saunders Dean Ashok Rao, RIT and faculty of the Saunders College will receive a full range of services and support from Embanet in developing and designing online curriculum, as well as marketing and admissions for the new program.
“Our business school faculty have been impressed with the commitment of Embanet’s instructional team to help translate our demanding EMBA curriculum to an online platform that is innovative, highly interactive and easy to use,” Rao explains. “Embanet’s expertise and resources will allow us to reach highly qualified students across the globe–expanding our reach while maintaining our stringent admission standards.”
Stanley Widrick, director of RIT’s new online EMBA program and professor of marketing and international business in the Saunders College, says the AACSB-accredited Executive MBA will give working executives the flexibility they need to access course content, post discussions and brainstorm with peers at their convenience.
“Our EMBA is designed specifically for busy professionals whose time is valuable,” Widrick says. “It can be accessed at anytime of the day or night from anywhere with an Internet connection.”
As a leading full-service provider of online learning solutions for more than a decade, Embanet offers support for students, faculty and administrators through a dedicated 24/7/365-toll free number, live online chat, e-mail and self-help “frequently asked questions” support portal.
“Our full-service model is focused on providing integrated services to our esteemed university partners that reflect their quality, standards and culture,” says Stephen Fireng, CEO and president of Embanet. “Rochester Institute of Technology is committed to excellence in serving its students, and as their program partner it is our mission to help them meet that commitment online as well as on-ground.”
Rochester Institute of Technology (www.rit.edu) is internationally recognized for academic leadership in computing, engineering, imaging technology, and fine and applied arts, in addition to unparalleled support services for students with hearing loss. Nearly 16,500 full- and part-time students are enrolled in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs at RIT, and its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.
For two decades, U.S. News & World Report has ranked RIT among the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT is featured in The Princeton Review’s 2009 edition of The Best 368 Colleges and in Barron’s Best Buys in Education. The Chronicle of Higher Education recognizes RIT as a ‘Great College to Work For.’
One of eight colleges at RIT, the E. Philip Saunders College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International (AACSB International) and enrolls more than 1200 undergraduate and graduate students.
Posted by admin on June 5th, 2009
Students who wait until July 1 this year to consolidate their variable-rate federal student loans will benefit from the lowest fixed interest rates in the history of the federal loan system.
Mark Kantrowitz, the financial aid expert who founded FinAid.org, and FastWeb.com, writes that beginning July 1, the interest rate for a consolidated Stafford loan while a student is still in school will be 2 percent, and during the repayment period it will be 2.5 percent. The interest rate for consolidating PLUS loans will be 3.38 percent.
“Borrowers who wait until July 1, 2009 to consolidate will save big over the life of the loan,” he notes.
A $20,000 Stafford loan with a standard 10-year repayment plan at 6.8 percent would typically cost $230 monthly and nearly $8,000 in interest over the life of the loan. The new 2 percent rate would allow students to pay $184 a month for the same loan, with just over $2,000 in interest over the life of the loan–a whopping 73 percent savings in interest.
Kantrowitz said that consolidating loans can cut back on paperwork by combining all loans into one, he told Rochester, New York’s Democrat and Chronicle. Additionally, consolidation can make it easier to borrowers to take advantage of different repayment options, including the new Income-Based Repayment program, which allows smaller monthly payments based on the amount of one’s loans, income and family size.
Kantrowitz added that consolidation also lets some borrowers to take advantage of public service loan forgiveness, which allows workers to have their loans forgiven after 10 years of employment in public service. He noted that the government’s definition of “public service” includes anything from teaching to working for a nonprofit.
There are some caveats: Borrowers who already consolidated their loans cannot take advantage of the new interest rate, and loans originated after July 1, 2006 are also not eligible. The federal consolidated loan cannot include private loans, and students still in school cannot consolidate loans until after they graduate.
Posted by admin on June 1st, 2009
Ashford University has awarded 10 full-ride online degree program scholarships to working parents from across the nation through a partnership with eLearners.com and its Project Working Mom and Dads advocacy campaign. Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI) is a provider of postsecondary education services.
“Project Working Mom…and Dads, Too!” was developed by eLearners.com, a Web resource of EducationDynamics, to help send parents back to college - tuition free - in these difficult economic times.
This latest campaign, the third in a series and the first to include fathers, received more than double the number of applications submitted in the first two rounds held in 2008 combined. More than 315,000 applications were generated, including some of the most painful, touching and inspiring essays as part of the process. With five online universities and colleges participating, Ashford University was chosen by more than 41 percent of the applicants, accounting for nearly 130,000 applications.
“The overwhelming response to this scholarship opportunity and the stories of sacrifice and determination from the applicants have been a stark reminder of the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school and how online education helps people achieve their goals,” Jane McAuliffe, president and chief executive officer of Ashford University said.
Ashford University faculty members spent hundreds of hours reviewing applications, resulting in 10 deserving recipients receiving the life-changing call.
Four of the scholarship winners reside in California. They include Erin Buck from Vacaville, Clara Galvan from Alta Loma, Donna Perry from Los Angeles and Cecilia Portugal from Daly City. Richard Shields of Longmont, Colorado, and Gail Kenny from Prescott Valley, Arizona, are also Western states winners.
Two of the scholarship recipients are from Maryland. They include Agaba Bisengo from Silver Spring and Terry Satchell from Easton. Michael Kurilovitch from Niagra Falls, New York, and Jacklyn Schmetzer from Ashburn, Virginia, round out the list of Eastern states winners.
Ashford University’s full-ride, tuition-free scholarships are for online degree programs ranging from associate’s to the doctorate level. Collectively, the scholarships total nearly $500,000.
“The escalating interest in this campaign illustrates the importance of higher education to working parents across America,” said McAuliffe. “Online higher education provides working parents with flexibility in earning their degrees.”
“As a working mom myself, I am proud to impact these scholarship recipients in a positive way,” said McAuliffe. “What gives me the most satisfaction is knowing that each of these winners has a child who will experience a parent bettering themselves by earning his or her college education. These winners are role models.”
