Articles
Choosing the Right Online University or College
by Abhinav G. Movie Enthusiast
Just how does one go about choosing the right online college or university? If you have a friend or coworker who is already attending online school, certainly they can tell you about their online learning experience. Ask your family members which school they would recommend, if they’ve been through online learning. If you have colleges or universities in your area that offer online learning, visit them to see just what they have to offer in the way of online degrees: if all majors are included in online learning; what student expectations are; what staff expectations are; what the cost is of online learning; general length of class time, and program length from start to finish, provided there are no interruptions during your learning period. These are just a few suggestions, and you may have questions of your own to ask as well.
If you decide you want to attend a college or university that is not in your area, you may be able to find some information on their website, by calling them, or if possible, by making time to visit them. This isn’t always a viable option, but if you can do it, it may be worth your time. You do want to make sure the college or university you choose is not one that hires fancy writers who create a spectacular fantasy institution which is nothing more than a façade for a “degree mill.” The college or university does not need to have a football team or post card perfect lawns, but does need to have an impeccable reputation.
Be suspicious of colleges or universities that have no telephones or schools which don’t allow you to call them, but require them to call you. You may call a toll-free number, speak with a friendly “receptionist” and no one else – the person to whom you need to speak is never available, and never returns your calls, or returns the call from a different state than the school is supposed to be located. This is a red flag! Avoid this “school” at all cost. This may not be a school at all, but a front for a scam run by who knows whom.
Something to keep in mind is the cost of online learning. Less expensive might come with a higher price: non-qualified staff instructing you. When doing your queries with the school(s) in which you are interested, do ask about the qualifications of the teacher(s) who will be instructing the class; less qualified instructors may mean less money for that class or program, but this isn’t always the case, so you need to do your homework to find out just who you will be trusting with your future. You’ll want to know how many of the faculty are full time and how many are part time.
You do want your school to be accredited. The goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided online colleges or universities meets or exceeds acceptable levels of quality. Accreditation in the United States involves governmental entities as well as non-governmental agencies. The United States Department of Education does not accredit educational institutions and/or programs. The Secretary of Education is required to publish a list of nationally-recognized accrediting agencies the Secretary determines to be reliable authorities as to the quality of education or training provided by the institutions of higher education and the higher education programs they accredit. The United States does not have a Federal Ministry of Education or other (centralized) authority exercising single national control over post-secondary educational institutions. The individual States assume varying degrees of control over education, but, in general, institutions of higher education are permitted to operate with a good deal of independence. As a consequence, educational institutions in the United States can vary widely in the character and quality of their programs. In order to ensure a basic level of quality, the practice of accreditation originated in the United States as a way of conducting non-governmental peer evaluation of higher education institutions and programs. Private education associations of regional or national extent have developed criteria that reflect the qualities of a sound educational program, and also have developed procedures for evaluating institutions or programs to determine whether or not they are operating at the basic levels of quality. Hopefully this helps you understand the importance of accreditation.
Making the decision to attend an online college or university is a very big decision and a very big investment. Do make sure you have investigated your choice as far as you can investigate, and all your questions have been answered to your satisfaction before signing an education agreement. Remember – this is your future. You want it to be the best it can be.
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About Abhinav G. 
Movie Enthusiast
85 connections, 3 recommendations, 215 honor points.Joined APSense since, March 4th, 2013, From Noida, India.
Created on Jun 2nd 2020 04:22. Viewed 314 times.
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