Over the last few weeks I have seen a certain topic about online degrees coming up more and more. No matter what level of common sense is involved, some people will just not realize that the entire realm of online education has promptly altered itself before their eyes. Blog after blog, forum after forum, website after website is publishing the same question - is an online degree as good as, or as respectable as, a campus-based degree?
Folks - while you weren't looking, every respectable college and university in the United States has offered up an online course, many of them offering entire degrees, from your local community college to Harvard, and from associates to PhDs. Whether you believe online degrees are "legit" or not, the fact is that the new way of our education system is being paved...and it's being done online.
Let's define a couple of things first. An online university is different than a university that offers online courses. For instance, online universities such as Phoenix, Capella and Kaplan do not have main campuses, they hold just about all of their classes online. Universities that offer online courses, however, do have campuses and they hold both on-campus and online classes.
Now that we understand the difference, let's talk a little history. A few years ago, online universities had a really bad reputation - and rightfully so. Unfortunately for them, the reputation is lingering. They were frequently branded as crooks for ripping off their students, denying refunds, overcharging and other borderline unethical practices. But over the last couple of years, they have cleaned up their act tremendously and they are running tight and legitimate ships.
But why? They are for-profit entities after all, why change what was already working for them?
The reason is because the big-time, highly respected universities have begun offering classes online and, as stated above, many are even offering full online degree programs. Since the online universities like Phoenix now have justifiable and serious competition, they have realized that they have to place more attention to the "customer service" aspects of running their businesses.
What we are left with is a quickly growing industry that shows no signs of backing down. In fact, the experts continue to predict upward trends in online student enrollment. And while the enrollment goes up, the student costs have started to come down.
Back to the topic of whether or not the online degree is as good as the on-campus degree. Well, I have personally taken many higher education courses online as well as on-campus and personally see no difference in the intensity or quality of the education. So in my opinion, the education one receives is equal. Of course, there are other factors that come into play such as how self-motivated and self-disciplined the online learner is, but that could easily be assessed on the campus learner as well.
Then we get to the million dollar question. Do employers see online degrees as less valuable than a campus degree? I was recently in the market for a job which requires a bachelor's degree. I had several interviews with many different companies and at every single interview we spoke (in short) about my degree. However not once did any of the interviewers ask if my degree was earned online or on campus - it never came up.
Of course, my degree was earned from one of the respected campus-based universities, but most of it was done online, at home. If I were to present a degree from Phoenix or Capella, then perhaps the topic would have come up. But remember, online universities are not the "books in the library" anymore.
Whatever you decide to do, I wish you luck. I just wanted to offer some peace of mind to those who are taking online classes and wondering if they are limiting themselves in some way. Speaking from first-hand experience, I say you're not. I'd love to hear what others have to say in the comments section below!
Author Resource:
If you are in the market for an online education, check out the U.S. News & World Report University Directory. Known for their college ranking editions, U.S. News and World Report brings you news, information, tips and career information on the hottest schools and occupations today.
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