Is online college right for me?

I have a few questions about online college:





1. Is it a good idea? I know that's a really general question, but as someone graduating from high school, is online college a smart choice?





2. Is an online degree as good as a traditional degree? Is it still a regular degree? Do I get a normal diploma?





3. Is it easier to get into an online college? I'm guessing they don't have as strict admissions requirements since they have unlimited space.





4. I found one program that says all I have to do is pay some money (only, like, $600) and they'd send me a degree. Is this legit?





5. Will an online degree still get me into med school or law school or a good job?





Thanks everyone!

Is online college right for me?
Hi Eric,





I agree with CoachT when he says that distance learning is actually a perfectly acceptable alternative to traditional college programs nowadays. Here's some more information you should find helpful:





1. While many online programs are optimized for working adults, many newly graduated high school students benefit from them as well. If you feel that you are someone who can stay focused and motivated, and will not fall victim to procrastination, online college may be a good choice.





2. Most online degrees are every bit as good as traditional ones. They are still 'regular' degrees and you still get a 'normal' diploma. In fact, if you choose an online program connected to a physical university (I recommend you do), most programs grant you a degree that's identical to the one you would earn at the physical campus. No one would ever know the difference.





3. It is neither harder nor easier to get into an online program than into a traditional university. While you are correct that online colleges have no physical space limitations, they still cap enrollment in order to optimize professor-to-student interaction. These colleges want professors to be able to respond via e-mail to any student that has a question, and giving one a class of 6,000 wouldn't work.





Further, online colleges will require your high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores, a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and everything else that a traditional college will.





4. Beware of offers like that! You're actually dealing with what's called a "diploma mill", a place that exists only to churn out fake diplomas. There are certain regional accreditation agencies that certify all colleges (both traditional and online). If a program is certified by one of these agencies, your degree is legitimate and is just as good as a traditional diploma. If the program is not certified, however, you are paying big bucks for a worthless piece of paper. (you can learn more about how to spot a diploma mill and what accreditation requirements to look for at my website here: http://acceptedtocollege.com/choosing/on...





5. Yes, an online degree will still get you into med school, law school, grad school, and any work program you're interested in. Though some graduate programs, especially in medicine and the sciences, will require some classes that you may not be able to get online (like labs). You may be able to take these few classes at a local community college or through a nearby university's extension program.





I have attached two links that you would be interested in. In addition to the above link for how to spot a diploma mill, the first link below will guide you through some questions to figure out if online college is right for you. The second link will tell you some things you should be aware of when ultimately picking an online college.





Good luck!
Reply:1. Unless you have an actual reason that you need to go to an online college, it's better to go to college on a real campus.





2. It's still an acceptable degree to many employers, but I'd go to an online college that also has an actual campus (so not something like University of Pheonix).





4. No, it's not legit. If it doesn't show that it's accredited and doesn't require that you take actual courses, it's not legit. If it sounds too cheap to be true (which it is), then it's not okay to do.
Reply:big companies don't consider it a real degree. sorry... they just don't.
Reply:I'll answer this question as simple as possible: No.





=]





Trust me, GO TO A REAL COLLEGE. To ne honest, I'd be embarrassed if anyone found out I (hypothetically) "attended" an online college.
Reply:i heard online school sux, its probably not as credited as a regular one either, i recommend you get into a regular college
Reply:1) there are both advantages and disadvantages to online programs. You will have to examine these and determine which is best for you. What is best for me may not work for you. For example - online programs require an incredible self-motivation. Nobody reminds you to do your work or tells you when. If you can't self-motivated then you can't do online. Read over the web about this and see what you find.





2) yes-and-no, yes-and-no, yes-and-no. Bottom line is that it's about who awarded the degree and not whether it's online or not. Harvard and Oxford both teach online. In fact, some of the finest colleges in the world teach online. Some of the worst teach online too. It's not about 'online vs traditional' -- it's about 'Harvard vs University of Phoenix' The degrees and their requirements are exactly the same as the traditional counterpart at the same school. Usually (but not always), you will receive the exact same diploma as everyone else at that college/university. Some schools have an extension division that awards the diploma and the diploma will say that it's from that division. Some transcripts record online courses with a prefix - such as is done at UC Berkeley but most make no indication at all.





3) You guessed mostly right. They don't have unlimited space since it still requires faculty and a professor can only teach so many students at a time. Some programs are way harder to get into than their traditional counterpart. The Duke MBA online is an example of this. Generally speaking though - online programs don't have the same seat restrictions that classrooms have. After all, a classroom only holds so many people but the internet can hold many and the college can just add faculty. Even so, if you can't demonstrate that you will succeed (GPA, test scores, etc...) then many schools won't mess with you.





4) That's called a diploma mill. Not only is it not legit, using a degree from one of those is illegal (as in 'go to jail for fraud') in several states. You need to look for accredited programs (regionally accredited is best) from well respected colleges. For example; UMass, UFla, UC Berkeley, Harvard, Stanford, ... and probably Univ of YourState or YourState State U.





5) probably not, yes, yes; The problem for med school will be having enough sciences with upper level labs. The sciences are exceedingly hard to do entirely online because of the lab requirements - it can be done though. Law school is easy - law is about independent research and people with quality degrees online excel there. The key for law school will be top notch LCAT scores and some service to the world. A good job - depends on what you call a good job. I have an "online degree" and I have a good job... I have a friend with a $36,000 traditional degree who is earning less than his degree cost him. He likes the job though, to him it's "good". If your question is whether employers will frown on an online degree; some will, most won't. They will all frown on degrees from schools with a bad reputation (several online schools have this problem) and on schools they've never heard of and can't verify.





Remember though, it's all about the reputation of the college. Johns Hopkins University offers degrees online; they think they're legit. University of Phoenix offers degrees online too - most people have issues with their academic reputation. Pick the best school you can get into.





You're welcome...





To all who say that all online degrees are bad -- 85% of all institutions of higher learning in the USA are teaching online. That means more than 8 out of 10 colleges in the USA don't agree with you. I going to assume the people at Harvard, UC Berkeley, Oxford, UMass, UFla, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and several thousand other colleges in the US might just know more and be correct. ☺

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