How to Choose the Best Online Degree Program for You

With the rise in popularity of online education programs, the number of individuals looking into getting their degree online has also increased. However, because of numerous options that are now available online as far as courses and degree programs are concerned, it is important that you are able to make the best choice. Here are some tips on how you can choose the best online degree program.

1. First, make sure that getting an online education is right for you. Keep in mind that although online learning definitely has advantages, it is not for everybody. Be sure that you are comfortable in studying your lessons without having personal interactions with your instructors and other students, although you would still be able to communicate with them through online chat rooms and discussion boards, depending on what your online college or university is offering.

2. You would then need to do your research on online colleges and universities that are offering the online degree program that you are looking for. An important thing that you need to check would be if the school is accredited, particularly if you are planning to transfer your credits to a conventional college or university later on. Check the facilities, tools and resources that each online education program offers and assess if they are sufficient for what you think you may need.

3. After narrowing down your choices for potential online degree programs, you may want to check how effective these programs are. Try contacting some instructors as well as students who have taken or are taking the program.

4. Ask the online school if they have available technical support round the clock. Because you would be working over the internet and on the online system that the school has, it is important that you would be able to get support or assistance whenever you need to. This would make sure that you would be able to access course materials or log on to virtual classrooms when needed.

5. You should also get a list of all the requirements needed for you to enroll in the online degree program. This includes transcripts and other documents that you might have to submit prior to enrollment. Also, if you are planning to get your graduate degree online, you might need to take some tests or evaluations to get qualified for the program.

6. Since you would be working on your computer throughout the duration of the online degree program, it is also essential that you have a computer with software that would be compatible with it. You might need to sign up with an internet service provider that would be able to provide you with uninterrupted and fast online access.

7. Before registering for an actual online degree program, it might be a good idea to try out a simple course to give you idea of how it works and to help you decide whether it is something that you can commit to.

Through making a careful assessment of your needs and educational goals, researching on the online schools and education programs available, as well as checking your current qualifications and credentials, you should be able to choose an online degree program that would help you get the most out of your online learning experience.

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How to Choose an Online Business School

There are many different online business schools to choose from but not all of them provide an equal business education. Some online schools are much better than others. To choose the best online business school, you will have to consider your personal needs as well as the following factors: 

Accreditation 

Finding an accredited program is especially important when choosing an online school. If you earn a degree from an online school or program that isn't accredited, you may have a hard time proving your degree is worth more than the paper it's printed on. You may also find that it is impossible to obtain financial aid. 

Finding an accredited online school isn't difficult. Most schools list accreditation information on their website. You can also find out if an online business school is accredited by checking the U.S. Department of Education Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs. 

Read more about accreditation. 

Course Delivery 

Every online school delivers their classes differently. Most use a course management system, such asBlackboard. Classes may also be delivered via video or through forums. Many online schools encourage interaction between students and some even require you to "participate in class" a certain number of hours each week. There is no right or wrong way for an online business school to deliver courses. However, it is important for you to find a school with a delivery system that matches your learning style and works within your time constraints. 

Sample various online course delivery methods. 

Curriculum 

Every online business school offers different programs and classes. Before choosing any one online school, you should carefully review the various options available to you. The ideal online school will offer a program that fits your needs in addition to classes that provide the type of preparation you will need to succeed in your field. Courses should be taught by accomplished professors who have something valuable to offer students. This may be professional experience in a particular field or specialized knowledge of a particular topic. 

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How to Choose the Best Online School

You’ve done it. You decided to take the plunge into the world of online education. You’ve chosen your major and have a general idea of the career you want to pursue. But what school you plan on attending requires a whole other search that can seem daunting if you don’t know what you are looking for. Simply typing in “online schools” into a browser search will leave you more confused than when you first began.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that all degree programs are alike. Online courses, as with traditional bricks-and-mortar schools, are varied and some might be more rigorous than others. As with all investments in education, it is essential to know the cost of courses, the average length of time it takes a student to complete the program, and how many credits are needed to graduate.

ACTION STEPS:

Find an Accredited Online School

Making sure that the school you plan on attending is accredited is perhaps one of the most overlooked essential tasks to complete when applying to online college. Accreditation ensures that the curriculum follows educational standards set by the National Educational Association (NEA). A useful list of all accredited schools is available on the NEA website.

Beware of “degree mill” scams, which establish their own accreditation organization that is not approved by the NEA in order to advertise that they are accredited on their website.

Read Online Course Descriptions

The course catalogue may be available online, but if not, you may contact the school to request a printed version. The course catalogue will explain the course objectives and goals, mandatory materials, time requirements, and level of difficulty. Understanding how the course operates will help you determine if it is something you are interested in and have the ability to complete in the allotted semester.

Talk to an Online College Admissions Counselor

Speaking to an admissions representative will help you determine the structure of each school’s online courses. Questions to ask the admissions counselor include:

• What is the student to instructor interaction consist of?
• Are students able to contact professors? If so, through what medium?
• What are the technology requirements for online courses?
• Is there technical support? If so, what are the hours, and how may they be contacted?
• What is the peer-to-peer interaction like?
• Does your school offer financial aid packages?

Check Out the Credit Transfer Requirements

Many students, especially those seeking a masters degree, begin their online education career with credits from a previous institution that they may wish to use towards earning their online degree. However, every school has different credit transfer criteria, so requesting an official transfer estimate from your prospective schools aid in your school selection process. As a rule, most schools accept between 30 to 50 percent of all transfer credits.

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Online degree

An online degree is an academic degree (usually a college degree, but sometimes the term includes high school diplomas and non-degree certificate programs) that can be earned primarily or entirely through the use of an Internet-connected computer, rather than attending college in a traditional campus setting. Improvements in technology, the increasing use of the Internet worldwide, and the need for people to have flexible school schedules while they are working have led to a proliferation of online colleges that award associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.

Quality of learning online

Online education enables individuals living with physical disabilities, busy full-time employees, soldiers, those living abroad, and stay-at-home parents, among others to have access to accredited higher education.

The perception of the quality of online degrees compared to on-campus degrees varies. While most major online colleges are regionally accredited, the public estimation of their quality is in dispute. A national survey of hiring representatives showed that a preference toward on-campus degrees exists. In some instances, hiring executives were unwilling to consider applicants with an online degree.  Some experts argue that degrees in certain fields are more accepted online than in others, while some programs are less suited for online-only schools.

A survey by the Distance Education and Training Council found that 100% of employers who responded felt that distance education program graduates performed better on the job as a result of their degree (as compared to their previous performance). Additionally, employers felt that an employee receiving a distance education degree compared favorably, in terms of knowledge learned, to someone with a resident degree. On the other hand, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported in January 2007 on a Vault Inc. survey that found 55 percent of employers preferred traditional degrees over online ones. Forty-one percent, however, said they would give "equal consideration to both types of degrees".

The Sloan Consortium, an organization funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to maintain and improve the quality of distance education, publishes regular reports on the state of United States distance education. In its 2006 report "Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006," it stated that "in 2003, 57 percent of academic leaders rated the learning outcomes in online education as the same or superior to those in face-to-face. That number is now 62 percent, a small but noteworthy increase".

In some instances, an online degree may be effectively indistinguishable from a degree earned in a campus-based program. The instruction is often exactly the same, with the online degree containing no special designation. An example of this is the degree offered to Columbia University students who earn a degree through the Columbia Video Network (CVN) versus the campus-based program. The professors, courses, homework, tests, and eventual transcripts and diploma are identical to that of on-campus students.

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E-learning

E-learning refers to the use of electronic media and information and communication technologies (ICT) in education. E-learning is broadly inclusive of all forms of educational technology inlearning and teaching. E-learning is inclusive of, and is broadly synonymous with multimedia learning, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), computer-based instruction (CBI), computer-based training (CBT), computer-assisted instruction or computer-aided instruction (CAI), internet-based training (IBT), web-based training (WBT), online education, virtual education, virtual learning environments (VLE) (which are also called learning platforms), m-learning, and digital educational collaboration. These alternative names emphasize a particular aspect, component or delivery method.

E-learning includes numerous types of media that deliver text, audio, images, animation, and streaming video, and includes technology applications and processes such as audio or video tape, satellite TV, CD-ROM, and computer-based learning, as well as local intranet/extranet and web-based learning. Information and communication systems, whether free-standing or based on either local networks or the Internet in networked learning, underly many e-learning processes.

E-learning can occur in or out of the classroom. It can be self-paced, asynchronous learning or may be instructor-led, synchronous learning. E-learning is suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but it can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching, in which case the term blended learning is commonly used.

It is commonly thought that new technologies make a big difference in education. Many proponents of e-learning believe that everyone must be equipped with basic knowledge of technology, as well as use it as a vehicle for reaching educational goals.

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Virtual school

A virtual school or cyber-school describes an institution that teaches courses entirely or primarily through online methods. It has been suggested that a virtual school is an online learning platform offered by an educational organization whereby individuals can earn credits in the particular area of interest which can be counted toward graduation or advancement to the next grade.

Pricing and location

Funding for virtual schools usually tends to come from grants and different foundations who make donations toward the school. The costs associated with the attendance of virtual schools vary; full-time virtual schools tend to be more costly. Virtual schools may be free if the state pays for the courses; otherwise, there will be a course fee to be paid for by the student or parent(s). If a virtual school is chartered through a public supporting school district, there would be no cost associated for a student to attend the school or receive the materials needed to complete the schooling. Many school districts are now creating their own virtual academies to avoid paying another cyber school to educate one of their own students. In doing so, the school's per-pupil dollars stay in the home district. These students can graduate from their home district without ever leaving home. In most of these cases, students are given computers, books, and even internet service to complete coursework from home.

If the school requires a financial fee from the student or parent, students may also be responsible for procuring their own materials. Most courses will provide electronic materials free of cost, but others require some shopping on the students part. Textbooks may or may not be required and can be used as an aid for coursework.

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