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Education: Long Distance vs Traditional
- Thread starter Techdawgs
- Start date
CajunCenturion
Programmer
Today, many companies are taking a look at who conferred the degree, largely due to the fraud, lack of accrediation, and other unscrupulous means of obtaining degrees on-line.
Good Luck
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As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
A four year degree trumps a technical college degree most of the time. However, it is a buyer beware world out there. I would not attend an on-line program unless it was from a reputable university that is accredited. So online from George Washington University - great, from some fake university - no way.
Questions about posting. See faq183-874
Questions about posting. See faq183-874
I agree SQLSister.
IMPORTANT: There are accrediting sources that are bogus as well. Just because you inquire if a university is accredited, doesn't mean they aren't accredited by their own "sister" organization....
Investigate the accrediting organization before paying dime one for application fee or anything else.
~Thadeus
IMPORTANT: There are accrediting sources that are bogus as well. Just because you inquire if a university is accredited, doesn't mean they aren't accredited by their own "sister" organization....
Investigate the accrediting organization before paying dime one for application fee or anything else.
~Thadeus
This shows the regional accreditation agencies that grant accredidation to real universities in the US.
There are also some national accreditation agancies for specialized programs.
Everything you ever wanted to know about US accreditation can be found here:
Questions about posting. See faq183-874
CajunCenturion
Programmer
Accredidation is an animal all unto itself.
First, you need to look at the accediting agency. Has it been recogonized by the appropriate governing body, which in the USA is the Dept of Education? Is it a national accredidation agency or a regional agency?
Next, has the school been accredided? or is it a programmatic accredidation? In some cases, the on-line programs of the university have separate accredidations from the resident programs. In other words, you may find that University X is accredided for its resident programs, but its on-line programs have not yet been accredided. You may find that at University X the nursing program is accredided, but the physics program has not yet been accredided.
As I said in my original post, many companies are taking a look at who conferred the degree. As SQLSister says, "it is a buyer beware world out there."
In short - Do you homework, before your homework is assigned.
Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
First, you need to look at the accediting agency. Has it been recogonized by the appropriate governing body, which in the USA is the Dept of Education? Is it a national accredidation agency or a regional agency?
Next, has the school been accredided? or is it a programmatic accredidation? In some cases, the on-line programs of the university have separate accredidations from the resident programs. In other words, you may find that University X is accredided for its resident programs, but its on-line programs have not yet been accredided. You may find that at University X the nursing program is accredided, but the physics program has not yet been accredided.
As I said in my original post, many companies are taking a look at who conferred the degree. As SQLSister says, "it is a buyer beware world out there."
In short - Do you homework, before your homework is assigned.
Good Luck
--------------
To get the most from your Tek-Tips experience, please read FAQ181-2886
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein
11011110000
MIS
So those ads that state I can earn my Bachelors, Masters, and PhD in one year and for only a few thousand dollars are bogus? ![[smarty]](/data/assets/smilies/smarty.gif "[smarty] [smarty]")
Seriously, I don't believe there is an online program that would/could compare to a traditional college (and I am not talking about a real University offering distance/online education - like GWU mentioned above). Even small private colleges usually require a PhD for professors and are accredited - thus the PhDs.
An online school can disappear quickly (.com bust, anyone?), but not too many brick-and-mortar colleges and universities dissolve.
I would also use as a litmus test, would a traditional university, like the University of Michigan, hire an instructor who earned their degrees online?
Seriously, I don't believe there is an online program that would/could compare to a traditional college (and I am not talking about a real University offering distance/online education - like GWU mentioned above). Even small private colleges usually require a PhD for professors and are accredited - thus the PhDs.
An online school can disappear quickly (.com bust, anyone?), but not too many brick-and-mortar colleges and universities dissolve.
I would also use as a litmus test, would a traditional university, like the University of Michigan, hire an instructor who earned their degrees online?
dlongnecker
MIS
Quite a few good points here and, as SQLSister said, I believe that the background of the college is a matter as well. Several traditional bricks colleges are offering online programs not specifically for a degree, but for classes and such that might not be available in the region if it wasn't for online classes. I'm currently taking a mixed degree (partial on-campus/partial online) due to my work schedule and my desire to attend college as a full-time student. The work load is the same, if not more difficult, due to the difference in class schedules.
Prior to working with this college, I did my homework and ensured their accrediation (with North Central for my area of the US), the date of their last accreditation, and the results of the last survey. I also met with students who had graduated in the same degree program (since it is partially on-campus).
In regards to the initial question about bricks vs. online when job interviewing and such, that appears to be dependent on the person doing the hiring and their past experiences with the colleges. I've posed the question to our HR Department in the past and their response was that the college mattered, not so much the methodology. Big Bob's College of Edumucation would get less of a response than University of Kansas or NYU--the diploma doesn't state how you took your classes, only if the requirements were met. Another staff member stated that online courses, especially scheduled courses, are even seen as more respectable if they did it while holding down a full-time job, family (life), and completed an education.
In the end, there are so many factors, that it becomes difficult to just gauge online vs. campus--especially in today's technology-based environment. My recommendations would be similar to those who have posted in the past:
1. Check the college out--it's accreditation, accrediation body, and last survey.
2. Talk to other students--online or campus, there have got to be students to talk to and, typically, a college has a pool of these.
3. If you're sceptical, visit the campus.
4. Ask employers, the better business organization (of your city and the college's), and others for their insight of the college.
5. Take your time and don't rush into it... even for adults, choosing a college is a long-term decision--make it count!
Hope this helps!
-David
---
David R. Longnecker
Web Developer
CCNA, MCSA, Network+, A+
Management Information Services
Wichita Public Schools, USD 259
Prior to working with this college, I did my homework and ensured their accrediation (with North Central for my area of the US), the date of their last accreditation, and the results of the last survey. I also met with students who had graduated in the same degree program (since it is partially on-campus).
In regards to the initial question about bricks vs. online when job interviewing and such, that appears to be dependent on the person doing the hiring and their past experiences with the colleges. I've posed the question to our HR Department in the past and their response was that the college mattered, not so much the methodology. Big Bob's College of Edumucation would get less of a response than University of Kansas or NYU--the diploma doesn't state how you took your classes, only if the requirements were met. Another staff member stated that online courses, especially scheduled courses, are even seen as more respectable if they did it while holding down a full-time job, family (life), and completed an education.
In the end, there are so many factors, that it becomes difficult to just gauge online vs. campus--especially in today's technology-based environment. My recommendations would be similar to those who have posted in the past:
1. Check the college out--it's accreditation, accrediation body, and last survey.
2. Talk to other students--online or campus, there have got to be students to talk to and, typically, a college has a pool of these.
3. If you're sceptical, visit the campus.
4. Ask employers, the better business organization (of your city and the college's), and others for their insight of the college.
5. Take your time and don't rush into it... even for adults, choosing a college is a long-term decision--make it count!
Hope this helps!
-David
---
David R. Longnecker
Web Developer
CCNA, MCSA, Network+, A+
Management Information Services
Wichita Public Schools, USD 259
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