Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Online College Degrees - A Choice For Advance Degrees

Getting an online college degree has become a reality in present technologically driven world. Gone those days when you took break from school and couldn't comeback to finish the school. Now is the chance to get online degrees without leaving your job or other commitments.

The best part of online college degrees is that you can study by your pace and timings are also best suited to your time schedule. Ever since internet has become the part of life, imparting education through internet has become easy, cost effective and has added new dimension to teaching. With course material, video presentation and projects all uploaded and readily available by 7/24 schedule to students. The ease, flexibility and hands on experience have taken online education to new heights.

The benefits of online colleges are plenty. First registering for courses through online has become easy. Anytime by going online one can register for classes, check status, get course details, apply for exam or cancel the courses. The online interaction makes work so easy that you don't have to make personal visit to campus for any course related work.

The online degrees are also for people who want to better their education credentials. There are masters program available in business, healthcare, criminal justice or information technology. These online courses are accredited and are recognized by both private companies and government departments.

The only thing you need to ensure from your side is the discipline to complete assignments and submitting them on time. Since courses are done from home, you need to separate home environment with your study environment. The strong discipline is needed to ensure you remain in academic mood while reading courseware online.

Although the social factor may be missing in online courses as compared to traditional education system, were you will bump to many students at campus. In online course you have a degree of social interaction through e-mail, chat sessions and discussion forums. Many employers have started imparting online education policy to allow employees to obtain advance degrees or simply upgrade their skill sets to suit organization's needs.

However be careful when choosing the online college on internet. It is important to note that select only those colleges, which are accredited and their degrees should be honored by private and public companies. You must ensure that your money and time is invested in good online college degree.

Popular Online College Degrees

  • Health care

  • Nursing
  • Psychology
  • Criminal justice
  • Counseling
  • Paralegal studies
  • Accounts
  • Information Technology
  • Business

It is possible to complete all above degrees in a timely fashion without disturbing other commitments related to any other activity in life. The Online college degrees is the way for modern education.

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Saturday, February 07, 2009

Choosing an Online Degree - 5 Tips to Find a Degree Program

If you type "Online Degree Search" into Google, you will get approximately 51,200,000 results. There are dozens of degree programs and online degree search sites that claim to have the right degree for you, but unfortunately many of these recommendations are based on the college's advertising budgets, not their credentials. So how do you know which online degree program is right for you? And where can you find objective information to help you make a decision? The following tips will help you navigate the sea of online degree options:

1. Protect Your Contact Information: Do you know online colleges will spend as much as 100 dollars per name to purchase the contact information of prospective students? When you search for an online degree, remember you have a giant bull's eye on your forehead. Don't be afraid to offer your contact information to colleges you are interested in, but take precautions to prevent unwanted direct mail, spam and telemarketing.

2. Don't Drown in Google Ads: As I mentioned, Googling "Online Degree Search" will yield over 50,000 results. Instead of sifting through these ads one by one, consider narrowing your search by including your preferred degree type and at least two other additional criteria. Also, understand the difference between "sponsored" and "organic" links. The "sponsored" links have paid to be there and may or may not have the most relevant information.

3. Start with a College Matching Service: The best way to get a quick list of potential degree programs is to visit a college matching site. There are dozens of college search sites that claim to help you find the right degree program, but unfortunately, many of these sites base their recommendations solely on the college's willingness to pay for a listing, not students' needs. To get a list of potential degree programs, start with an online degree search that will offer honest and objective recommendations. Avoid college search sites that request your contact information upfront, understand that "sponsored" or "featured" recommendations have paid to be listed there and make sure to read the terms of service.

4. Don't Get Sticker Shock: Students often immediately rule out certain degree programs because of cost, but don't be so quick to give programs the ax. The price of a degree program is affected by many different factors, so don't cross off any degree programs until you fully understand your financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and additional costs that may not be included.

5. Understand Accreditation: One of the biggest mistakes students make when choosing an online degree is ignoring accreditation. Many employers will not hire applicants with non-accredited degrees, nor will most colleges and universities accept non-accredited transfer credits. Additionally, you need to pay attention to the type of accreditation. Most colleges have either regional or national accreditation. There are advantages to both, but make sure you understand which one is right for you.

While choosing an online degree may be overwhelming, choosing the right degree will be well worth it. Happy Hunting!

Author Elizabeth Kudner is the co-founder of myUsearch.com, the Honest College Matchmaker, a free online service that helps students find their college match.