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, Chief Education Analyst
@boetter/Flickr
Question:
I want to earn an online PhD or a counseling master’s and change my career from a sales manager to a mental health counselor or therapist. What are the best online psychology schools for this goal? I want an online counseling psych program that is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Can you give me a list of online psychology degrees accredited by the APA? —Jamie in California
Answer:
I understand your concern. Many psychologists consider approval by the American Psychological Association (APA) the gold standard for accredited professional psychology degrees. This is especially true in the areas of clinical, counseling and educational psychology, all areas that interest you.
Most professionals would agree that the best online psychology degrees—at least for career reasons in clinical and educational psych—should have full APA approval.
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By Vicky Phillips, Online Education Analyst
Question: I’m worried about whether my online degree will be respected. I just completed my bachelor's 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? Do employers respect online degrees? —Holly in Nashville, Tenn. Answer:
These days, earning degrees or taking post-secondary courses online is not an oddity. In 2012, an estimated 86 percent of traditional residential colleges offered college courses through online learning. More than one-third offered entire degrees online.
Online education is no longer the future. It’s right now. Employers are embracing online education in record numbers. Unlike a decade ago, employers no longer automatically perceive online degrees or distance education as inferior or second class.
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.
Questions & Answers About Online Education >
Careers
By David Handlos
Travis Isaacs/Flickr
These days there are almost TOO many choices for online Computer Science and IT degrees. Which tech-savvy degree should you choose? What’s the difference between a Computer Information Systems vs Computer Science major? IS there really any difference? If so, which one is best for which career paths?
If you’re having trouble choosing an IT degree path, start by asking yourself which of the following three career questions interests you most:
1. Why does the technology work?
2. How does the technology work?
3. What technology would work the best?
The question you find yourself most drawn to is a clue to which type of online degree you’d prefer when it comes to Computer Information Systems vs Computer Science.
Many of the online IT degrees offered today are related to Computer Science, Information Technology or Computer Information Systems. Each major shares much in common, but each also tends to focus on answering slightly different questions. These approaches translate, in turn, into different career paths.
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 to BSN on campus. To advance to a management position at my hospital and leave direct care, I need a master's degree. I am familiar with the MSN. What other types of master's in nursing online are available, and how do I choose? One interest I have is in geriatrics or care for the elderly. —Kim in Wisconsin Answer:
There are several types of master's of nursing online that a seasoned RN like you might consider. All of them can help you move from direct patient care into nursing management.
Online Nursing Master's Degrees
The most common online nursing master's program for you to consider would be the master's of science in nursing (MSN). This is the traditional capstone nursing degree. Because there remains such a severe shortage of nurses, many colleges—indeed, even hospitals—are sponsoring online learning nursing master's.
You can earn a general MSN, but many online MSN degree programs offer majors that are keyed to management. Two of the most popular of these would be the MSN in leadership or health systems management.
