online colleges
Time is a commodity, one that more and more people have begun to realize they don’t have enough of. There is a significant amount of pressure on people to hit the job market as soon as it is legally allowable to do so, sometimes to the detriment of their education. This means that many get into a job or trade right out of high school - a move a few may regret later in their lives. Thankfully, the Internet allows them the opportunity to attend colleges online, allowing them to get a college education without letting it cut too much into their busy schedules. Of course, not just any online college will do.
For one thing, it must be an accredited institution. While a number of online colleges might claim that this is unimportant, accreditation is a good way to see if an online college offering is good. For one thing, it means that the institution’s online programs are legitimate - people that come through it are not just getting a meaningless degree and they’re not just a rip-off designed to take advantage of the unaware. An accredited institution also means that it has produced at least one batch of trained individuals in their offered courses with a level of competence comparable to those that went through the same program in the real world.
One should also be careful of online schools that have fake credentials. Even if they show certificates as proof of their legitimacy, there are still those given by accreditation authorities that don’t actually exist. To make sure, the individual who’s interested in getting an online education should confirm if the accrediting body is indeed registered under the United States Board of Education. This will ensure that the person is not getting duped.
Make sure that the degree being pursued fits long-term educational plans. For example, for those who are looking into an associate program that will be segued into a bachelor’s degree in the future, make sure that the institution’s program can be credited. This means that all the work done in the associate’s degree will be considered later on, when moving into the bachelor’s program. When possible, ask for a list of colleges and universities that will credit the units already taken.
Check how easy it would be to contact the professors and instructions, as well as the administration of the school. This is primarily because scheduling conflicts are a very real possibility, so it would be good to have some way of contacting the professors to catch up on lectures. The easier they are to contact, the less hassle it would be to catch up on the course work. Also, note that different online colleges will have different levels of support. This means that some might offer a great deal of support, while others will have professors that can barely be contacted.
Don’t just settle for what’s readily available. Do your assignment, and make a research. It takes a little legwork (or should I say fingerwork) to find the best college online. It’s up to you to decide which college better suits your goals and needs.