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| Online College |
Whether you're working a part-time job, a full-time job, unemployed, a job seeker, a high school graduate or a stay-at-home parent, online college can fit your lifestyle. Distance education has changed the face of learning over the last few years as people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds find themselves taking courses online. In distance education, you can expect to spend a lot of time on the computer working on projects, taking quizzes, emailing your instructor and listening to lectures. This is the format in which all work is done. If you enjoy working on the computer or using the Internet, this may be the best educational track for you.
None of the work in online education is completed in a traditional school venue. Instead, it's done at home, in a library, at a coffee shop or wherever you can take your computer. In distance learning, you may have group projects or collaborate with classmates on the Web, but you will be doing the majority of work on your own and studying the course material by yourself.
College Accreditation
College accreditation is important because it signifies that a particular school has meet the standards of quality education set by a board or government agency. Accreditation can affect your education immensely. From the quality of instructors to eligibility for financial assistance, accreditation plays an important role in an institution's functions.
College Accreditation
College accreditation is important because it signifies that a particular school has meet the standards of quality education set by a board or government agency. Accreditation can affect your education immensely. From the quality of instructors to eligibility for financial assistance, accreditation plays an important role in an institution's functions.
To verify, you can search the U.S. Department of Education's database of accredited postsecondary institutions and programs. There, you can also find in-depth information on regional and national accrediting agencies that are recognized by the U.S. secretary of education as reliable authorities on the quality of education. Not all online colleges are accredited, and many legitimate schools are either too new to be granted accreditation or they choose not to pursue it.
Accreditation is not only important for the quality and reputation of online colleges, but receiving a degree from an unaccredited college could affect the transfer of your credits to other schools and whether employers recognize your degree or certificate.
In the United States, online colleges that are fully accredited have been recognized by one of six regional accreditation boards that also evaluate traditional campuses.
These include:
1. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
2. Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
3. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
4. New England Association of Schools and Colleges
5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
6. Western Association of Schools and Colleges
Once an online program becomes accredited, it’s more likely that a traditional school will accept its transfer credits and that employers will recognize its value.
