Responses about Online Schools (online schools)

Online Schools

While browsing the internet, i tried typing in this question at one of the Q&A websites :- DO ONLINE SCHOOLS REALLY WORK?

And here are a few of the best answers that I get:-

1) I am now attending an online school. I enjoy it so much. I have learned alot and am still learning. I have to say that that taking courses on line is a challenge because you have to figure things out on your own with basically no help. My classmates and I help each other a great deal. If time is a problem I would recommend on line classes.

2)I'd be really careful about online schools. If you want to get a degree online, you should definitely register with a college or university in your area. That way you know they are legitimate. Of course, taking that route, it's very unlikely that all the courses you need for a specific degree will be offered online, and since the courses you'll be taking would be online you'll probably be looking forward to a lot of report writing. In other words, it isn't neccessarily easier, especially when three classes want 5-10 page reports and they're all due at the same time! That said, I would consider where my priorities really lie. If you really want to go to school, if you're really looking for a better job, and a better future, either way you go, you may want to consider dropping that full time job, getting a part-time one, and doing without and sacrificing for those few years it will take to give you something greater in the end.

3)THE BEST ANSWER:-
I can most definitely answer this question. I've completed my Bachelor's Degree in Paralegal Studies via online school through Kaplan University. They are an online school as well as have a campus in Davenport, Iowa. You can also apply for FAFSA and PELL GRANTS through the Department of Education -- this online school takes federal funds so they are 100% legitimate. You don't have to put on your resume that you obtained your college degree via online schools. Online schools are the way to go and work full-time. However, I don't advise taking more than 2 classes a term. For undergrad, the cost of books is included in the tuition -- a cool feature. The terms are 10 weeks and you have almost a two week break in between terms. The class week starts on Wednesday and ends midnight Tuesday night (all assignments are due at midnight -- 5 points are deducted the first week the assignment is late and 10 pts for each additional week). If you know you're going to be late delivering an assignment, notify the instructor ahead of time and you might not lose any points. The online instructors are professionals who not only teach online, they also teach on land and some are practicing the profession. Yes there can be a lot of reading and writing --espeically within my degree, however, if you have good time management skills, you will do well. Some Kaplan courses are going to online text and you will receive numerous websites with so much information you don't have to read the text. You have message board questions that you have to answer and respond to at least 2 postings that have been left by your classmates. This number depends on the instructor, however, the more indepth your posts, the better points you will receive. Don't be afraid of the 5-10 page papers -- they are double spaced and the only papers that will be that long are mid-term and finals. Those exams will either be multiple choice and/or essay. The instructors have limits because they teach more than one class.

You will have a weekly seminar which you meet with the instructor and your classmates from your online school in real-time -- not a recorded video. Right after the seminar, you can download and save a copy of the transcript. The instructors do check their emails and will respond to any inquiries you may have.It is my belief that online school is great for anyone that works 40 hours a week. You can come home, relax, have dinner, do homework, be with your family and obtain a degree from your online school. Kaplan also offers credit for any work or certifications you've received. A computer class was in my curriculum, however, since I'm a CompTIA Certified PC Repair Tech, Kaplan gave me credit.

I hope that these answers from those who have first hand experience with online school could give us some picture about what to expect from online school. I will try to find more information about online schools, the pros and the cons etc. So stay tuned!!

Online schools

FIND THE RIGHT ONLINE SCHOOLS (online schools)

Online Schools

Nowadays people everywhere are talking about online schools but what is online school actually? Online school is an online continuing education and it is a fast-growing market that is becoming more and more acceptable in the work-place providing the online schools are legitimate.

But how do you know which is the right online school for you? Here are the steps that you would want to consider before deciding which online school is the best for you.

Step 1: Verification
Verify that the institution is "recognized" through the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's Web site at http://www.ncahlc.org. ("The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) database lists approximately 7,000 degree-granting and non-degree-granting institutions and over 17,000 programs that are accredited by United States accrediting organizations that have been recognized either by CHEA or by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or both.") Accreditation is compulsory for recognition by your employer as well as recognition by other higher education institutions (i.e., in case you want to pursue an advanced degree).

Step 2: The Cost
Make sure the price is right. Find out before-hand i.e. before you pay an application fee exactly how much tuition is and make sure that you have a full knowledge of all costs including any access fees, texts, other required purchases,etc. You have to be sure that you can afford the tuition costs. Bear in mind that many companies have strong tuition reimbursement options. Although online school is generally more affordable than a comparable campus-based education, it is not cheap, so make sure you get your money's worth and know exactly what you are enrolling for.

Step 3: The Teachers

Check out the teachers. Ask about their experience - either real-world or academic - and make sure they are capable of teaching you on the area you are pursuing. It is important that they have the knowledge necessary to do the job. As a point of reference, most associate or junior college teachers have at least a Master's degree in the subject they teach, and the majority of full college professors have a PhD. in their area of expertise. Your online schools teachers should have about the same levels of education.

Step 4: Student - Teacher Ratio

Make sure you will get any needed attention. Try and research at least a guideline for student-teacher ratios. Unlike classroom learning, it is possible to have an almost unlimited number of students in an online class, but obviously if the class size is enormous, you will not get the same sort of quality time with the teachers as you would in a smaller class. Making sure your teachers are not overburdened can help you get the education you deserve.

Step 5: Online School's History

Evaluate the history of the online school. Online schools build their reputations for creating quality students - who do their works superbly at the companies that hire them - over time, so we can say that, the longer the online school has existed, the better.

Step 6: Fellow Students

Evaluate your online schools's fellow students. What is the total online school enrollment and what percentage of students graduate? They should be able to tell you how many students are currently enrolled. A large number of students shows both stability and future name recognition in the job market. Also, a higher graduation rate is a great indication that students are very satisfied with the programs at that particular online school. Be leery if they do not share these data points with you.

Step 7: Resources Required

Determine what resources they will require you to have. Most online schools require that students have access to a computer and may require certain levels of hardware in order to adequately handle and run updated multimedia and word processing types of programs. They may also need certain levels of Internet access. So make sure your equipment is up and running, or that you are budgeted for buying new equipment. In terms of software, many online programs provide all the materials you need directly from their site, but some may require you to buy supplemental software on your own.

Step 8: Resources Provided

Determine what resources the online school provides to you. Top online degree programs offer great access to "virtual libraries" and other resources to help you through your education.

Step 9: Timeframe

Make sure the length of time needed to earn a degree suits you. The length of time required to earn your degree can vary widely in the online school world, so make sure you know exactly how long each program you are considering takes and determine which best fits in with your time frame. Some online schools will allow you to complete tasks at their own pace, while others require that students participate in virtual class sessions and have specific deadlines for assignments.

Step 10: Forms of Communication

Look into what forms of communication are available for you to get in touch with the online school/teachers. You want to know if all communications are done online or if you can also call if you need help or have questions. Some online schools even offer actual campus locations you can go to for certain classes, sessions or extra help. The more options available to you the better, but at least, the online school should have a valid phone number for you to reach them at.

After considering all the above, what you need to do is go to the links I provide and do your research. You can also join online school students group and have some discussions or just read their postings so that you can get a better idea of what online schooling is like. Good Luck to you and to me too!

Online School