Education: April 2008 Archives
As any high school senior will tell you, everybody from your grandmother to the guy behind the counter at McDonald's seems to have an opinion about what college will be perfect for you. Skip all of the unhelpful (and unwanted) advice and go straight to the source: the people who attend the college(s) you are considering. Beside the comprehensive data on over 6,500 colleges and universities, Completeschools.com has added a new section with college questions and answers regarding many of these schools from the students who go to them.
While where to apply is the first question, there are many more questions that need answering. With all of the news lately about college loan scams, finding the right loan can be as scary as any decision parents and students need to make. Completeschools.com includes a large section on student loans with over 300 related answers from other students and parents. There are also comprehensive sections with answers and advice on admission exams, scholarships, and admission essays.
With new online degree programs seeming to pop up every day and many people interested in continuing their education via distance learning, high school seniors are not the only people with serious questions about college. This new preponderance of distance learning programs makes it very difficult for people to know which one is right for them. How does Western Governors University compare to the University of Phoenix? Does the local college offer a night program in the field I am looking for?
Once again, the completeschools.com College Questions and Answers section provides an invaluable service for these prospective students. While researching the costs of attending the University of Phoenix compared to Western Governors University, you are one click away from answers from attending students about how these schools - and their different degree programs - compare.Distance learning seems like the Holy Grail to workers who are held back at their jobs because they lack a degree. But some online degrees aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
Many institutions are getting labeled as "degree factories" that don't provide their students with any of the skills that employers are looking for, and some employers are starting to look skeptically at online degrees. So how does a prospective online student find the right school for them? A great place to start is www.completeschools.com, one of the most comprehensive guides to distance learning programs at colleges and universities in the country.
As recently as twenty years ago, earning a college degree while working full-time was a near impossibility. Slowly, a handful of colleges and universities started offering degree programs at night and on weekends, but choices were very limited and you still had to attend classes - usually at their campus. Now, thanks to the Internet, distance learning has become the saving grace for people who need to get a college degree after joining the workplace.
Do your research before applying to any institution offering online degrees. First, find out if there are any schools in your area that offer degree programs at night or on the weekend. These should be evaluated at the same time you research distance learning programs. The most important thing you need to know about any online program is whether the school is accredited. A non-accredited school shouldn't be considered - employers won't consider such a degree meaningful.
Next, find out what degrees they offer and how comprehensive the coursework is. (While prospective students may like the idea of easy coursework, a program that is too easy won't provide the skills required for career success.) Finally, find out what prior students think of the school and the degrees they received. If they were able to go places with the degree, you can feel confident that you will too.