Still not sure that online learning is right for you? Besides careful consideration and weighing your options, there are a few key ways to know that getting a degree through your computer is the best option for you and your future.

Keep these pointers in mind when surfing the web for schools:

1. Is the school regionally or nationally accredited, or both?
   Accreditation is an important factor in deciding on investing in higher education.  While there are many different types of accrediting agencies, the important thing to know is that the accrediting agency is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org) – which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 
2. What is the cost per credit/per course?
   This will vary with undergraduate and graduate degrees. Take the time to tally up the final amount. Just because it may look like it’s cheaper, doesn’t mean it is. Per credit and per course are two very different numbers, and can make a significant jump when totalling your costs for school.
3. What is the TOTAL cost of the program; figuring no transfer credit?
   Schools have transfer credit fees, make sure to find out what those are when applying; if you have prior credits you can put toward your degree. Just like with cost per credit, figuring out up front what you’ll be paying over the next few years will save you a lot of headaches in the long run. Take out our calculator and type up the costs.
4. How many credits can I transfer into my program?
   Find out the allowable amount for credits transferred. Typically you can transfer a higher amount of credits towards an undergraduate degree than you can for a graduate. This can save you money and time in the long run. 
5. How do faculty and students interact in the classroom. Is there group work?
   Typically students interact through discussion boards and class specific chats inside the classroom. Interaction with faculty varies by professor, class type and school. In most online settings, like at American Public University, there are no teaching assistants or graduate students to lead instruction. Instead, students interact directly with their professors.
6. What is the typical/maximim class size?
   This is also dependent on the school size, faculty body, and so on. Typically there isn’t an overcrowding issue with online universities, and most classes for undergrads don’t exceed 25 students. As for graduate students, on average the class size will not exceed 20 students.
7. Are there required login times?
   One of the many benefits of being online…flexibility. Because you aren’t expected to meet up with your professor and classmates a few times a week like you would at a typical university, you do have the option of logging into the class when you’re available during the week. Log in times may vary by professor, but once a week is the norm. Just because you don’t have to meet face to face doesn’t mean you can skip deadlines. Being an online student will require that you meet the deadlines on assignments from professors, and you’re responsible for getting it in on time.
8. Do I ever have to come to the campus?
   Simply answered, NO. Some online schools will host a graduation ceremony where you can opt to attend to receive your diploma, but there is no class or admissions building you’ll need to visit in order to complete your degree.
9. How often do classes start?
   Make sure to check the availability of the school before enrolling. APU offers monthly courses, so once you end one class, you can start a new one within a couple weeks. This is a nice feature considering traditional institutions are based around a more “seasonal” calendar.
10. What kind of support is available to students? What resources will I have?
    Like any school there will be a library, but this type will be online. Ask your admissions rep what “tools” are at your disposal during your interview process. Ask to see if there are extensive research databases, inter-library loan systems, online tutoring, offices hours with professors, and more.

Lastly, you can never be too picky. This is after all your future, and your money. Take the time to investigate your options so that you’re left with a well earned online learning experience.

- J. Mason

By: Mary Jackson

Along with the growing popularity of obtaining online bachelor degrees, many bogus schools have cropped up to cash in, taking advantage of potential students seeking a genuine education to maintain their current level of employment, or achieve specific career goals. Unfortunately, the sales pitch attracts many students who do not possess the time, or the finances, to gain a college education. The main selling points may include easy graduation, no tests or end of semester exams, credit for life experiences, and lower tuition fees. Some diploma mills even have the audacity to make money through bulk emails offering to sell university degrees.

So, how do prospective students determine whether an online college is accredited or only offering bogus online bachelor degrees? Especially for International students, it can be very difficult to determine a school’s validity. In most cases it is impossible for distance learners to visit the campus, so the website is the only point of contact before making the choice and enrolling, which makes it hard to determine credibility.

One of the best ways to determine credibility is to pay close attention to how the credentials are stated. For example, if an educational institution claims to have nationwide or worldwide accreditation, without revealing which government agency provided the accreditation, it’s possible the college or university probably does not possess the necessary seal of approval to provide legitimate online bachelor degrees.

In the U.S., college accreditation is awarded by one of the following six accreditation agencies which are all appointed by the National Board of Education – New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU). Each agency has been allocated responsibility for providing accreditation for schools in specific states. Therefore, it would be best to run checks on a particular online degree institution with the agency offering college accreditation for the state in which the college is registered in.

If a university sends out mass e-mailings offering on online bachelor degrees, master’s degrees, and even doctorate degrees for a fixed rate, it is a sure sign the result will be a bogus degree. Course credits for such a degree may include such strange elements as: credit for life experiences, work experience, previous educational background, workshops, community services, travel, and books read in the past. To further confuse the issue, fake accrediting URLS are set up to prove accreditation, but unless it is from one of the 6 agencies endorsed by the Department of Education, the award is most likely phony. The unscrupulous institutions depend on the desperation of people who do not have the time, or the money, to earn a valid degree. Nevertheless, without that all-important diploma, good jobs are impossible to find.

In short, with the plethora of bogus degrees already causing employers to question online education, make sure your online bachelor degree is earned from a college or university accredited by one of the six agencies endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education.

Article Courtesy of ezine Article Group

Many students use accreditation status as a way to validate the caliber of a prospective university. However, just as many are unclear about what accreditation actually means for them as a student.

Terry Grant, director of enrollment management at the online American Public University System (APUS), explains that accreditation is a voluntary process in which every aspect of a university is analyzed by an outside review body – academics, administration, support services, operations and more.

“Regional or national accreditation ensures that a school delivers and can continue to deliver what it promises,” she says. “Accreditation is an important differentiator – and an indicator of a commitment to quality and improvement on all fronts.” Read the full story