Archive for the ‘Online Education’ Category
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.”
Posted by admin on May 29th, 2009
No. 1: Huntsville, Ala.
Population: 378,057
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 39.7
Cost-of-Living Index: 91 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $51,275
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.7%
Huntsville isn’t called Rocket City for nothing. This northern Alabama city represents critical mass for the nation’s missile-defense and aerospace industries.
No. 2: Albuquerque, N.M.
Population: 819,570
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 30
Cost-of-Living Index: 98 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $45,634
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 7.8%
The city and state crave high tech jobs, especially in the renewable-energy industry. Albuquerque is developing its film industry with the same zeal. Albuquerque also bills itself as a green city and, figuratively speaking, it is. The city requires everything from homes to commercial buildings to be energy-efficient.
No. 3: Washington, D.C.
Population: 5,263,322
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 43.7
Cost-of-Living Index: 138 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $81,163
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 8.7%
For better or worse, the federal government is big and getting bigger. Uncle Sam fuels nearby companies in almost every sector, especially law firms, lobbyists, and aerospace and defense companies.
No. 4: Charlottesville, Va.
Population:190,560
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 38.2
Cost-of-Living Index: 106 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $53,076
Salary Growth (2004-2008):4.8%
The home of Thomas Jefferson’s university is an unexpected blend of Southern charm and liberal edge, with a strong business base. UVA provides Charlottesville with more than employment. The city is a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., and three hours from Norfolk Naval Base. This proximity helped it draw the U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center, which employs 750 people in a variety of fields, including engineering and foreign affairs.
No. 5: Athens, Ga.
Population: 183,351
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32.2
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $40,115
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.3%
Nicknamed the Classic City for both its name and neoclassical architecture, Athens is anything but old-fashioned. The University of Georgia is in large part responsible for the city’s energy. Athens also boasts a hub of regional medical services and has an unexpected manufacturing base. Hospitality is another driver of the economy and the only sector to have shown employment growth in 2009.
No. 6: Olympia, Wash.
Population: 233,113
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.1
Cost-of-Living Index: 105 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $55,129
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 22%
Olympia is a cultural diamond in the rough of the Pacific Northwest. Mischaracterized sometimes as a sleepy government town, Washington’s state capital enjoys a thriving visual and performing-arts scene. But its state government continues to be the keystone of the city’s economy; it employs about half of the city’s workforce. Education is another big driver of the city’s growth and character.
No. 7: Madison, Wis.
Population: 548,154
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 35.1
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $58,090
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 8.2%
You can’t argue with Madison’s numbers. It has a long track record of low unemployment, and its jobless rate is currently three percentage points below the national average. The city also wins for its low crime rate, first-rate public schools and a ready-made economy that feeds off its two largest assets: The University of Wisconsin and the state capital, comprising 20% of Madison’s jobs. The other 80% come from its strong mix of tech and biotech firms.
No. 8: Austin, Tex.
Population: 1,533,263
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.8
Cost-of-Living Index: 94(100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $54,827
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 7%
While most cities around the country posted job layoffs in the past year, Austin added 3,300 jobs, the biggest bump in the country. The increase covered a broad swath, from professional services, education and hospitality to health care and government. Gains in those sectors more than offset losses in manufacturing and IT — though the unemployment rate in the area has crept up.
No. 9: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Population: 126,087
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 28.8
Cost-of-Living Index: 116 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $48,171
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.8%
Unlike the trains that regularly come through town, singing out reminders of Flagstaff’s heritage, this city is far from predictable. You can feel its Old West charm through and through, but Flagstaff is infused with new energy — both from its residents and college students and Northern Arizona University. The university adds jobs to the city’s economy, plus arts and entertainment to its cultural scene.
No. 10: Raleigh, N.C.
Population: 1,001,313
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 35.6
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $57,974
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 5.7%
Raleigh has an enviable economic base, built on three universities — UNC, Duke, and North Carolina State — and Research Triangle Park, where employers in everything from biotech to computers still thrive. Although the local unemployment rate has doubled in the past year, to 8.6%, it’s still lower than the 10.8% rate for the state as a whole.
Find an online degree to meet your career needs
Yahoo Realestate
Posted by admin on May 18th, 2009
Before crunching numbers and working out a fine tuned college payment plan, first consider why you want to go in the first place. Generation X and Y were born in a unique era - most of us went or plan to go to college because “that’s what you do after high school”. We didn’t enroll with an end goal. Ask any professional student what they actually plan on doing with their diploma and nearly 90 percent have no clue (and think that’s just fine). What we see is an entire workforce convinced that degree equals job.
My peers fresh out of college have no applicable skills, little real world experience, and an “I deserve it attitude”. So this is why a decade later those same sixth year seniors are finding new ways to enroll in post-grad work to wander through the wasteland of higher education, delaying even more life. This speed off to more class mentality leads to idleness or, even worse, disillusionment.
1. Get an apprenticeship
If you don’t have feel for your vocation, take time off or work during high school to learn from a professional who specializes in something you like. Offer to sweep floors, answer phone calls, shine shoes, anything to get a feel for the occupation. Owners love to employ free slaves. Devote a good amount of time to experimenting in different fields so you have a better picture of what your skills are and what you actually enjoy. This will save you thousands in tuition from switching majors three and four times, like I did.
2. Take advanced placement classes and tests in high school
I have mixed feelings about this one. Being a former secondary teacher I have seen both the beneficial and nasty sides of AP tests. The College Board sets such outrageously high standards that many colleges don’t even meet. And check with the universities you plan to attend to see if the have a limit on the number hours accepted for credit or if they accept AP scores at all. Inquire about taking CLEP tests instead - they are college specific and have, historically, been easier to pass. That being said, the class work involved to prepare students for the test sets a good pace for college level learning.
3. Take basic courses at a community college and then transfer
Only take courses that are commonly required by larger universities. If you plan on transferring to a specific college, thoroughly research the courses required for freshmen and sophomores - you don’t want to take unnecessary classes. A friend of mine was offered a scholarship to a community college where she took her basic courses and then transferred for a fraction of the cost of a four-year program.
4. Search for scholarships and grants
If you value any cent of your dollar, apply for every give-away program you can. Many scholarships aren’t even awarded because they don’t have sufficient applicants. Talk to the counselor at your high school or a prospective college to get more details and do your own searching online. Yes, it is a pain to write twelve essays on a difficult life experience and how you grew because of it, but it will pay out in the end.
5. Seek employment after college that offers tuition reimbursement
Many employers offer additional stipends for student loans or reimbursements in exchange for a time commitment. The military has and education program as do most police departments. Even more will pay for employees to attend graduate school. Do some investigation before accepting a position if you’re looking to continue with school.
6. Find a work-study program
Many schools offer campus work in exchange for tuition reimbursement. Most of these gigs are a cakewalk. I got a job as a language lab “supervisor” which meant I checked out copies of Destinos to two students a night while I caught up on homework. They offered a reduction in tuition in exchange for “work.”
7. Avoid private schools if you can help it
If the fantastic liberal arts school in Farawayville seems too enticing to pass up, take the rose-colored glasses off for a moment. Do some serious research. Is the price tag worth it? What do you plan on doing with your degree? Are you choosing an undergraduate program that requires a master’s degree as well to put it to use? College rankings don’t always indicate the strength of your chosen program. For example, when Wakefield eliminated mandatory SAT scores with admission the pool of students applying shot through the roof. Since they didn’t accept a larger number of applicants their acceptance percentage shrank, thus sending them up the ranking. Neat trick, but it doesn’t make the education any better.
Whatever your chosen path, avoid the poachers giving away free t-shirts to unaware freshmen who sign up for a Capital One card. If you can’t pass up free stuff, call me; I have plenty of tacky apparel to spare. Avoid racking up tens of thousands in the name of a smarter self. It won’t always deliver and the excessive cost will greatly limit you in your 20s.
NewsTribune.com
Posted by admin on May 15th, 2009
A new four-year college scholarship is available to a student with a disability. The scholarship is for Aspen University, a leading, nationally accredited on-line university providing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Aspen University is one of a handful of on-line universities that enjoys a sterling reputation for its academic rigor and commitment to its students.
The scholarship was created by Twin Cities businessman Scott Thompson. A volunteer coach for Courage Center’s successful power soccer teams, Thompson saw a need for more college opportunities for young people with disabilities. Thompson received his MBA from Aspen University and serves on its foundation Board of Directors.
The Aspen Collegiate Foundation scholarship is based on an applicants’ academic merit, financial need and a commitment to complete all four years at Aspen University leading to a Bachelor’s Degree.
Aspen University
Posted by admin on April 28th, 2009
Change may be coming to the student loan system. President Obama proposed cutting federal subsidies to private student lenders, the Federal Family Education Loan program, in his February budget proposal. The money from the cuts would be used to increase the number of Pell Grants, money given to financially eligible students. This program would not affect federal student loans.
Proponents of the plan to cut subsidies to private lenders expect this to increase the efficiency of student loans. They argue that subsidized private lenders make huge profits off loans while the federal government is left paying for loan defaults. President Obama describes the new plan as “putting students ahead of lenders by eliminating wasteful student loan subsidies that cost taxpayers billions each year.”
Opponents have responded that private lenders are needed to give students options. During an NPR interview, Jack Remondi, the Chief Financial Officer for lender Sallie Mae, said “choice is an important component of this program.” By eliminating choices, the opposition fears that competition would also be eliminated between lenders, causing an increase in rates and a less efficient system overall.
In spite of the poor economic environment, loan providers have explained that the cuts would not cause significant job loss throughout the loan industry. Earlier this year Sallie Mae recently brought 2,000 overseas jobs back to America. The official justification was support for the American worker but some have drawn a connection to the return of jobs with threats of federal cuts.
Sallie Mae has begun promoting for a mix between federal and private loans. This plan would have private loan providers originally providing loans to students. The federal government would then buy control of these loans from the private companies. A campaign of lobbying has begun to promote this alternative proposal.
Democratic lawmakers have generally supported President Obama’s proposal to cut subsidies to private loan providers. Republicans, however, have been wary of the programs, citing the increased burden placed on the federal government as loans shift to it from private loan services.
Student loans are also being affected by the current economic environment. On Tuesday, April 21, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner spoke to a Congressional panel saying that despite government intervention, banks are very strict about to whom they give loans. He continued by saying that results of the program have been “mixed” since some types of loans are challenging to come by.
Student loans are one of the areas being affected by the restricted flow of credit. Lending agencies are also wary of lending due to the increasing rate of students defaulting on loans. The current rate of 6.9 percent, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education, is the highest it has been in the last 10 years.
With two out of three college students graduating with debt and tuition continuing to rise, this is an issue that will greatly affect America’s next generation. If change does come, will students be shedding a tear for private loan providers? Justin Eisenstadt, a sophomore at UMBC, will not, since he considers student loans to be the “biggest scam in the nation’s history.” The outcome of private loan providers is undetermined while Congress hashes out a final budget.
