Posted by Sharon Cece on December 29th, 2008
The great thing about going to college today is the nearly infinite number of choices students have in attaining and experiencing their educations. From local community colleges to world-wide programs, the sky’s the “un”-limit.
I was fortunate in that I was able to attend college both locally and out-of-state. While I highly recommend doing both–or all, for I wish I had also attended college internationally (and who knows, still might)– students must also make pragmatic choices that serve their specific needs and life situations. Single students have more flexibility than married, full-time students have more intense scheduling issues than part-timers, etc.
Here is where online learning offers it’s greatest benefit: unlimited program options. Before online alternatives, as suggested above, one either had to attend school at a local college or completely transfer out-of-state. I did both, which were invaluable experiences. Yet, once I was married with kids I couldn’t just pick up and move back to Tallahassee to finish my degree. Therefore, “college online” satisfied all of my educational needs and brought the out-of-state right to my front door. What a concept.
That’s not to say locality wasn’t an important consideration for me. Initially I did lean toward local schools since those programs are always more cost-effective. Out-of-state students, even online, usually pay twice as much as local students. An added benefit to local colleges are the extra-curricular events, concerts, lectures and programs that are accessible to students; obviously, I couldn’t attend any of those as a distance learning student and so missed out on the experiences they offered. On the other hand, I did take advantage of those events and programs while I was a student living in Tallahassee, and so when I returned as on online student to get my degree years later I had a singular goal in mind–graduating! The other benefits were secondary at that point in my life, and financial aid and academic grants assisted me with the higher out-of-state fees.
Choices today are as varied as the many programs offered to students. It’s a great time to go to college!
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 16th, 2008
When I started my search for an online degree, my number one requirement was my desired program. I wanted to study law and I initially searched colleges and universities within the state where I live (Maryland). I was fortunate because the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) offers a legal studies program that is completely online. Fortunately, having a degree program completely online was my second requirement! There are hybrid programs available at many institutions (where you attend some on-campus classes and take other classes online), but this wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to commute to a single class because it would have been too much of a hassle for me (too far from work and home). UMUC actually offers several programs completely online for those who would be interested: www.umuc.edu. The tuition and fees I paid for in-state were reasonable, which was my third requirement for an online degree. Some institutions will drain your wallet dry with various “technical” fees for online courses on top of the regular tuition, so this is something to research before signing on!
Another requirement for me was the availability of classes. UMUC offers a wide selection of courses to choose from each semester, including the summer session. This was important for me since I had set up a tight deadline to complete my degree and taking summer courses accelerated the schedule. A final requirement was the ability to retain nearly all my credits earned from my associate’s degree. I was fortunate to transfer from an in-state community college to UMUC and was able to retain nearly all my credits. I know not everyone is so lucky, especially when transferring to an out-of-state college or university. I recommend once you are fairly close to deciding where you want to attend, have the university complete a transcript evaluation as soon as possible. This way, you’ll know whether you will have to take more classes than you originally planned, which may make you decide to find another institution who will accept more of your hard-earned credits.
Posted by jstoppi on July 25th, 2008
One of the many fringe benefits of obtaining an online education is the opportunity to enhance one’s computing and internet skills. In today’s information/knowledge based economy, the enhancement of such skills is critical to becoming competitive in the workforce.
Online education will require the student to upload/download files via FTP websites, create electronic submittals of assignments and exams, use email to communicate with students and professors, use web-based message boards to discuss technical subjects, use java chat applets to communicate in real-time with students and professors, etc.
These electronic skills will benefit the student down the road in his/her job. Learning these skills in the online education arena is especially crucial to baby boomers or others who are more likely to not have previously been exposed to this technology.
When I was an online student at the University of Maryland, I enhanced my electronic/internet skills in the following ways:
- I learned how to use the drawing function within MS Word to create complex illustrations to illustrate design approaches.
- I learned how to use MS Equation Editor to illustrate the solution to equations.
- I learned how to embed spreadsheets within MS Word documents to allow a reviewer to manipulate and view solutions.
- I enhanced my online search abilities in the quest to complete specific assignments.
After I graduated, I continually impress my superiors with my enhanced electronic skills.
