Online Colleges are a direct result of the slow economy, and it's negative impact on small businesses, real estate, banking, and even college enrollment. Interestingly, the nation’s economic status has had a positive impact on enrollment in online colleges and degrees. This area of education has seen the highest increase in demand of all learning formats.
In 2009, enrollment at online colleges was up 17% among students enrolled in on-campus colleges and universities. This means in 2009, more than 4.6 million students took online courses last year, which is a total of 25% of college students. Growth in higher education overall was only 1.2%. The University of Phoenix reported enrollment of 165,373 students in 2006. This figure is more than triple the number of students enrolled in the top 20 largest degree-granting institutions. In addition to University of Phoenix, there are literally thousands of online campuses across the U.S.
While there are many online colleges and degrees programs to choose from, not all online colleges have been accredited. So when searching for an online college program, you should check the status of each program before applying.
Online colleges that have been accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education have met a certain (high) academic standards In addition, accredited online programs are eligible to participate in federal financial aid programs.
The following are just a few national and regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education: Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools New England Association of Schools and Colleges North Central Association of Colleges and Schools Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Just as important as accreditation are admission requirements and curriculum. All accredited online college programs will have similar, if not the same, admission requirements as on-campus programs. The following is an example of admission requirements for a traditional degree program: A completed application ACT, SAT, GRE Test Scores Transcripts An Application Essay Interview (in some cases) Minimum B average (in many cases, students with lower averages may be admitted on probationary basis)
Online colleges curriculums at accredited schools are not much different from on-campus college curriculums. For freshman, programs should include several semesters of general education courses, followed by several semesters of major courses, electives, and an internship. At the graduate level, course curriculums will consist of advanced coursework in the student’s focus area and advanced foundation courses.
If online colleges lack a coherent curriculum, traditional admissions requirements, and accreditation, it is most likely not a quality program. Finding online colleges and degrees, students may explore the offerings at traditional brick and mortar universities (check the online division) or you may search through comprehensive online directories such as Top Online Colleges. Popular search engines such as Bing, Ask, or Google may be useful as well.
All online colleges and degrees program will offer information on accreditation. To make sure the program’s accrediting agency is listed with the U.S. Department of Education. (Tip: Critics of online college programs argue that in an online environment, there just isn’t enough interaction with classmates or teachers. The opposite is true. In a traditional classroom setting, you can choose to sit in the back of the classroom and remain silent for most of the semester. In an online classroom environment the professor tracks your interaction or lack of). At online colleges, you must interact with classmates and the instructor on a daily basis, post meaningful and articulate responses, chat, and post critiques on a regular basis -- or your grade will suffer.
