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It’s as Good as the Real Thing

Saturday, January 30, 2010
posted by Frank Stevens 7:55 AM

Online Degree

People are starting to realize more and more every day the importance of a college education. Many working adults who decided to stop school early and have run into a dead-end in their career are looking for ways to further their education in a way that works around their busy schedules. Many companies, understanding the need for educated employees, are offering tuition reimbursement programs for workers that want to go back to school. Working adults are looking for degree programs that will give them the skills to advance. When searching for schools to attend, the question that everybody asks is: Should I go to a traditional school with a campus, or should I attend school online.

As technology has advanced, and the Internet has become a fixture in more American homes, online colleges have become more numerous. Due to the relative newness of this format of learning, many people have a negative perception. Some people will instantly dismiss an online degree, often referring to Internet schools as “diploma mills.” Others simply cannot get past their own personal prejudices, thinking that a “brick and mortar” school is the only way to get a real education. Unfortunately, these are ideas that many people hold. Fortunately, both perceptions are ridiculously wrong. Most online schools offer educational opportunities equal to those of traditional schools, and often work better for non-traditional students.
The “diploma mill” myth is starting to die off as more and more competent professionals successfully advance in the business world right alongside those who went to traditional college campuses. For a long time some people believed that attending online school was equivalent to purchasing a college degree. These people usually had no idea how much work went into completing an online degree program, nor what skills were actually being taught at these schools. Now that online schools have been around for several years, and many people have successfully completed degree programs, the rest of the world is starting to see the value of online schooling. As more people choose this method of study, and more competent professionals use this method to increase their skills, the “diploma mill” stigma will completely fade away.

Many people think that the degree programs at online schools cannot possibly be as rigorous and comprehensive as those at traditional schools. They often think that the standards for these schools are lower than those with physical campuses. This is a very easy myth to dispel. Accreditation is the legitimizing factor for any institution of higher learning. All of the mainstream online schools have the same state and regional accreditations as the traditional schools. The boards that administer these accreditations hold each institution to the same standard, ensuring that the quality of education that the school provides is worthy of recognition. If both schools have to have the same standards to qualify, how can one be better than the other?
Online college degree programs are increasing in popularity. As more people choose this method, the stigma is disappearing. Yes, online college degree programs are as good as the real thing.



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