Posted by Sharon Cece on December 23rd, 2008
The $64,000 question (or perhaps the $64 million by the time my kids finally go to college) is “What college should I choose to attend“? It is an extremely important question, since your alma mater will be part and parcel of your life forevermore. This blog is case in point: even though I’ve graduated from FSU I’m still representing FSU in this forum and a number of other ways. Which I know has you begging the question, Why FSU?
As it happens, I applied to a number of colleges both when I was starting out at 17 and again when I decided to finish my degree at 38. Now, admittedly I chose a county college 25 years ago primarily because I was broke and, well, it was cheap. Good, cheap education– by and by something no 17-year old can turn down. A few years later I transferred to FSU out of sheer adventurous spirit, the Sacagawea of the Educative Expedition.
And, as I’ve pointed out in previous articles, left with 96 credits under my belt sans degree.
Okay, fast forward, oh, fourteen years or so. I’m ready to take the plunge and finally finish that degree. Back to the $64,000 question.
Number one in the list of my “choosing” criteria was locality. Since I now live in the Academic Mecca (Duke, UNC, NC State, Campbell University, East Carolina… just to name a few) I was fairly sure I would pick a program from the local zone to finish my degree. I sought information from three of those and had sticker shock from two; the third, NC State, was conveniently located and cost effective, but did not offer the program I was seeking.
Concurrently, I inquired about FSU programs, never believing I would end up back there but did so out of sheer sentimentality; as well I considered two other “online” schools, one a well-known online university that is in fact featured on this website. So all told, I requested information from six college programs– three brick and mortar, three online.
Looking back, all of the information I received was very helpful in making a choice (in other words, the costs of some colleges alone were enough to help me make a decision, that being a whopping YEAH RIGHT). It’s easy to eliminate a college simply because you can’t afford it! Which left three finalists. Well, really one finalist. FSU was probably my only choice deep down, and I requested information from the other schools simply because I felt it’s what a practical person should do, which is to consider many options. I felt six was a good round number for inquiry and I’m glad in retrospect that I did entertain other options, if for no other reason than simply to be able to remark with aplomb, “Why, naturally I considered many other schools and after careful consideration decided on…..”
Good luck!
Posted by Sharon Cece on December 15th, 2008
Candidly speaking, when I decided to return to college to complete my degree I did not initially consider online options. I believed that returning to Florida State was out of the question for obvious reasons (the main being a super long commute), and so I looked at local colleges to finish what I started. Since I was used to being a traditional student, I assumed I would return on-campus.
My plans changed, however, when I was clicking through the FSU site out of sheer wishful thinking. Somehow I stumbled on their distance learning FSU Online program, but was dismayed to find a very limited number of degrees offered with none pertaining to my major (unless I wanted to suddenly switch from Business Administration to Nursing, which was unlikely). Yet, the more I thought about it, the more the idea of studying and matriculating online appealed to me. Having small children was my biggest push toward an online curriculum, as well as the appealing thought of taking tests right from home when I wanted or from wherever I happened to be at the moment.
And so began my search for online degrees. Since I had never attended college online I wasn’t quite sure at first what I was looking for in an online program. First and foremost I wanted to apply the credits I already had toward my returning degree. Convenience and flexibility was a criteria, yet pretty much default with most online programs. Cost was another consideration and I did find a wide spectrum of fees with local schools as most affordable. However, I admit that I kept gravitating back to FSU, thinking this was my chance to finish my degree where I wanted, though their online program was more money than most of the local colleges I was considering. As well, I wasn’t sure how I would apply my credits to the online degrees that were offered there. But I suddenly felt determined and, through this new distance learning option I was presented, I saw a chance to get my degree exactly how I wanted (online: the antidote for long commutes) and where I wanted (FSU: my #1 choice).
Fortunately, persistence pays. I snail-mailed, e-mailed and called a number of helpful representatives and assistants and finally reached a wonderful advisor who informed me that most of my Business Admin courses could be applied or converted toward an Interdisciplinary Social Science degree, which was offered through the FSU Online program. Another advantage: even though their online course fees were higher than local online programs, all of my existing credits would be applied to my continuing degree since my prior credits were from FSU to begin with. This would save me both time and money in the long run. That clinched it. Now my course was set, and the rest was easy– just a matter of applying and paying for it. Okay maybe not so easy….but once you decide what you want and how you want it, the rest somehow falls into place.
Posted by sean on August 27th, 2008
AchieveYourCareer.com would like to introduce you to the programs of Ellis University, a division of New York Institute of Technology. With nearly 50 years of proven academic excellence, and having offered regionally accredited online programs to tens of thousands of students around the world, Ellis University is one of the most proven online education providers in the fast-growing industry of distance learning.
For busy professionals looking to bolster their resumes, Ellis University offers an online MBA designed specifically for busy schedules — and yet, the programs are lead by noted professionals with years of experience in their fields.
AchieveYourCareer is proud to announce a partnership with this proven leader in online learning. With accelerated programs lasting anywhere from six weeks to eighteen months, and with courses beginning on a rolling basis, you can enter into an online MBA program at your convenience and finish it at your pace. Having finished an business administration degree, you’ll find that your career choices will have expanded greatly. With offerings in General Business Studies and 14 in-demand MBA specializations, you’re sure to find the program to help you achieve your career.
Posted by Dan on June 16th, 2008
In today’s news its almost impossible to escape the mentioning of the current war in Iraq. As thousands of troops continue to fight oversees, several enlisted military members can visit AchieveYourCareer.com and find a new addition to their lists of schools, Norwich University, which targets military personnel by offering the ability to earn a masters degree online.
Norwich has a history deep in tradition and actually is one of the first colleges established in the United States. Its online degree programs allow for the potential student to enroll in a variety of concentrations to help reach their career goals.Â
Students can study traditional college concentrations such as business administration, criminal justice, and engineering, but what makes Norwich University Online stand out is its dedication to providing a Masters of Arts in Military History for interested military members who may wish to further their careers within the United States Military Forces. While many schools focus on military students as a valued edition to their student body, Norwich University Online is the only online school that has created a cirriculum centered around the armed forces.
By adding Norwich University Online,  Achieveyourcareer.com again proves itself as a leading online degree source for students to research, explore, and learn in their search for accessible higher education.
