Degrees Online

Susan Slobac asked:


It is possible to earn a bachelor degree online, and is increasingly common for students of all ages living all over the world to pursue an online college degree. Bachelor, associate and even doctoral programs are all available at 162 universities across the country.

You may be wondering where you can find a college offering online bachelor degree programs and you also want to know whether or not there are affordable college degrees online. In truth, College degrees online often cost substantially less than they do at traditional “brick and mortar” institutions. In fact, by employing one of online learning’s best-kept secrets, it is possible to complete the first two years for only 10% of the cost of a traditional college!

The secret is the College Level Examination Program, or CLEP. The program has long been used by the military and other professionals to pick up fast continuing education credits. Full tuition at traditional colleges can run $200 per credit hour or more; credit by examination is less than $25 per credit hour. By “testing out” of lower division coursework, those seeking to earn a bachelor degree online can save nearly half on tuition costs.

Is attendance at a college offering online bachelor degrees right for you? If you have clearly defined goals and a thorough understanding of how a degree will help achieve that goal, are self-motivated and have good time management skills (i.e., are able to work effectively without supervision), and have what psychologists call an “internal locus of control,” chances are that you will be very successful in your pursuit of an online college degree; bachelor programs that are Internet-based will work well for you. It also helps to have the support of your family and significant others; after all, coursework at any college offering online degrees will mean significant adjustments and sacrifices. Typically, every credit hour taken requires anywhere from two to three hours of study per week. Because of this, it doesn’t hurt to have the support of an employer, either.

On the subject of employers, if you work at a company with 100 or more employees, it may be worth your while to find out if tuition reimbursement is something your employer offers as an employee benefit. According to IRS regulations, an employer may provide a worker with up to $5250 tax-free dollars per year as tuition reimbursement, and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that over 50% of such employers do offer some type of tuition assistance. Keep in mind however that such assistance comes with strings attached; usually, this coursework must be job-related, and employers generally require you to commit to the position for a given length of time or repay any tuition and fees covered by the company.



Holly

Riley Hendersen asked:


Today’s highly competitive work environment requires experience, dedication, and education in order to compete and succeed on a level playing field. A college bachelors degree, which was once an option, has now become a necessity for those who wish to find success and continue to move ahead in their career of choice.

But for some, earning that degree can be extremely difficult because of work or family obligations; driving to and from a school environment and sitting in class can be next to impossible to achieve. In these cases, the opportunity to earn a distance learning bachelor’s degree can put a college degree back into the realm of possibility for nearly anyone.

A distance learning bachelor’s degree is earned just as a traditional bachelors degree aside from the place it is completed. Just as traditional college students choose classes, pay tuition, purchase books, and complete course work outlined by the class syllabus, distance learning students are required to do much the same.

The only difference is the manner in which the course work is completed. Those earning a distance learning bachelors degree choose the classes they need to receive a predetermined number of credits. They also pay their tuition by the semester and are often required to purchase books based on the syllabus set forth by the professor.

However, the work completed in the process of earning a distance learning bachelors degree is done on the student’s own time and in a place that is convenient and comfortable for them. Often, the class professor will outline the course work that must be completed throughout the course of the semester; the time and manner in which the students complete it is reliant upon them.

Because of the popularity of the distance learning bachelors degree, many online universities offer the opportunity to earn a degree in an ever - widening list of subjects - everything from management and business to communications and finance. No matter what your course of study, chances are you can have the opportunity to earn a distance learning bachelor’s degree.

However, it is imperative that you do your research regarding distance learning courses to be sure that the degrees that they offer are accredited. The U.S. Department of Education offers an online college search option allowing prospective students to determine the level of accreditation held by the school. Some traditional colleges and universities also offer an online component through which non-traditional students can earn a distance learning bachelor’s degree at their own pace.

The traditional college or university setting is not for everyone; in this day and age of busy work and family schedules, more and more non-traditional students are looking for ways to receive an education in a manner conducive to their lifestyle; and educators are taking notice. Today’s students luckily have access to a variety of educational resources - including the earning of a distance learning bachelor’s degree - from the comfort of their own home; making education within reach to all manner of students.



Yolanda