Have you heard good - or bad - things about an online college? Share which online universities you feel are the best in a reputation review.
"Anybody who's thinking of enrolling in an online degree ... take a good look at GetEducated.com . Go ... get a free download of a detailed guide ."
Searching for an Online MBA?: "Several websites can help .. first, GetEducated.com offers free rankings of distance-learning MBA programs."
"Beware diploma mills... Go to GetEducated.com and ask the Diploma Mill Police."
"For a distance MBA you can pay from $6,000 to $120,000. To get the most bang for your buck ... check out GetEducated.com"
GetEducated.com – "a great source for weeding out phonies" (among online colleges).
"Thanks much for your wonderful site! I've recommended it to my students and entered a program I found at GetEducated.com." --Charles Balch, MBA, Ph.D. --Professor, Arizona Western College
Vicky Phillips -- Founder of GetEducated.com ... "for 20 years the leading consumer advocate for online college students" ... Different Paths to a College Degree, Sept. 2009
Vicky Phillips ... founder of GetEducated.com ... "one of the nation’s leading experts on educational fraud" ... . ~Joyce Lain Kennedy~ (Nov, 2009), LA Times
"Kiplinger Personal Finance" partners with Get Educated - Top 15 Picks Prestigious Online Masters Degrees
Get Educated helps LATimes Consumer Reporter David Lazarus in "Getting an Education Learning Over the Internet" -- Nov. 10, 2010
Get Educated's beloved mascot, Chester Ludlow, dog with online MBA, helps Neely Tucker, Washington Post reporter, expose murderous minister with degree mill pedigree - Dec. 2010
Help! Comparing online colleges is an overwhelming task. I have a list of more than twenty possible colleges. I’m favoring one online university that is accredited by the Distance Education & Training Council (DETC). Is the DETC a valid accreditor? Will my online degree be widely recognized? My career counselor told me national accreditation (like the DETC) is not as good as regional accreditation. Which is best when it comes to online colleges: regional accreditation or national accreditation? And does it really make any difference?
—Michael Atlanta, Georgia
Answer:
The truth? One type of online college accreditation is not necessarily “better” than another if you take “better” to mean “better academically.” However, there are real benefits to attending a regionally accredited college versus a nationally accredited college.
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By Vicky Phillips, Online Education Analyst
Question: I've been an RN for 10 years and earned my RN-BSN on campus. To advance to a management position at my hospital I need a masters degree. I want to specialize in geriatrics. Can I earn this type of advanced nursing degree online?
—Kim, Wisconsin Answer:
Yes. There are several online graduate school options for seasoned nurses who want to move from direct care into nursing management.
The most common online masters for you to consider would be the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN). This is the traditional capstone nursing degree. Because there remains such a severe shortage of nurses, many colleges—indeed hospitals themselves—are sponsoring distance learning nursing masters degrees. {{ad71}}
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By Vicky Phillips, Online Education Analyst
Question:
I have a bachelors in psychology and want to change careers to become a nurse. Are there any online bachelor degree programs in nursing (BSN) that will admit me without the RN (registered nurse) certification? —Peter, Madison, WI
Answer: The good news: online nursing education is booming. In 2009, there were 129 online RN-BSN degree programs nationwide, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
The ANA tracks an additional 114 distance learning nursing programs which are considered hybrid (50 to 99 percent online). Hybrid means some nursing courses are taught online while others require campus attendance.
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By Vicky Phillips, Online Education Analyst
Question:
“I graduated college ten years ago with a Bachelor of Arts in History. I want a new career in marketing. Should I earn a second online bachelor degree with a new major in marketing?”
—Jamie C., Napa, CA Answer:
In most cases earning a second bachelor’s degree is a waste of time and money. In your case, this would almost certainly be true.
If you pursued a second bachelor degree online, you’d face several unpleasant and costly obstacles.
To earn a new bachelor’s all colleges will require you to meet new general education course requirements. Since no two colleges have identical degree requirements, be prepared to repeat more than the academic major portion of your degree.
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By Vicky Phillips, Online Education Analyst
Question: I’m worried about employer acceptance of my online degree. I just completed my bachelors online and am ready to send out my resume. Should I use my cover letter to reveal to potential employers that I earned my degree online?
—Holly, Nashville, TN Answer:
These days, taking college or post-secondary courses online is not an oddity. In 2010, more than 85 percent of traditional residential colleges will offer college courses online or through distance learning.
Online education is no longer the future. It’s right now.
As a result, there is no need to reveal in a cover letter or resume that you “earned your degree online.” Details about why you chose any particular type of school—such as a private school versus a public school or a Christian college versus a secular college—are best left to discussion during an actual interview.
