Online Degrees

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Online Degrees - What Online College is the Best?

If you've been thinking about getting an online degree you may be wondering what online college is the best. I'm asked this question often. There are many variables to consider however.

You probably know that a traditional, well-known school with a campus, such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and others, is going to have a better reputation. However, the cost of attending these schools is prohibitive for many, besides having to go through the acceptance process.

But there are many other schools that have excellent reputations that are worthy of attending or taking classes from online. There are also vocational and traditional schools that are limited to online degree programs only.

The program and major you plan to pursue and whether you want an associate's, bachelor's, master's degree or doctorate will greatly influence which online school you decide on.

Online colleges and online degree programs are becoming more and more popular and are more and more accepted by employers, much more so than they used to be. Many of the largest companies in the U.S. readily accept applicants with online degrees, especially from accredited online colleges.

Technology is also gaining and improving every year so you have better access to your professors and to other students as well.

You want to avoid schools with unrecognizable names that offer promises of quick diplomas or degrees. These are called diploma mills and they're still operating. Some of these schools report that you can get your bachelor's degree in 72 hours. You don't want to present this kind of degree to a prospective employer. It will work against you.

Recently in our community, I read that it was discovered that three state (highway) patrol officers had online degrees from diploma mills and were fired.

Staying with a recognizable name school and checking to make sure they are accredited is very important. You can check through the Council of Higher Education Accreditation to make sure they are accredited.

If you're unfamiliar with the school here are a few questions you can ask of any online college or school that you're considering. What is the acceptance rate, can they help with financial aid, what is the retention and graduation rate and what is the number of years the school has had accreditation. You also want to make sure that any school you transfer into later will accept your credits. Know this before you sign up.

What online college is best is going to depend on your needs, as there are many variables. Your location, how much money it will cost, whether you're on a budget or have plenty of money to spend on an online degree or do you want to get to go free or cheap? It will also depend on the program you choose and how specialized it is.

There is plenty of federal financial aid and other money available for online degree programs so you may want to check this out. There are also grants and scholarships available for online students and many go unawarded every year. There are many scholarships available in specialized areas too. Some students go free. Just take a little time to do some research and you can save a lot of money.

For more tips and info on avoiding scams, choosing the best online degree program or accredited bachelor's degree online and finding the best online degree scholarships, grants, education loans or financing go to http://www.OnlineDegreesTips.com for all types of online degrees

Monday, October 12, 2009

AACSB Online MBA Degrees

An MBA, short for a Master of Business Administration degree, is often desired by those who work in the business, management, finance, or human resource sectors.

An Online MBA degree program is nearly identical in every way to on-campus MBA programs and generally takes around 2 years to complete.

The majority of Distance Learning MBA Degrees offer classes in the following subjects: business, management, law, finance, accounting, policy, business ethics, global business, technology, and more

AACSB Online MBA Programs: A Cut Above

AACSB International accreditation is the highest level of achievement for schools of business in the world. Busincess schools must meet the expectations of a broad range of quality standards related to the quality of education and curriculum, faculty, admission requirements, degree standards, library and computer facilities, among other factors.

Universities wishing to be accredited by the AACSB must meet or exceed these standards. Established in 1916, AACSB International's founding members include many Ivy League schools such as Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Yale, and Harvard. Thus, when a college receives accreditation from the AACSB, it distinguishes the institution as an internationally benchmarked business university ranking among the world's best institutions.

AACSB Online MBA Degrees versus Traditional Campus Programs

Usually, online MBA Degrees differ only in the means of program delivery. The diploma will be identical in every way; your transcripts and diploma will not mention whether the degree was earned on-campus or online.. You can always confirm this by seeking counsel from the admission's office.

Rather than commuting to campus, Distance Master of Business Administration students can complete the entire degree online. The flexibility of this method of delivery allows students to continue working at their current location, a big plus for busy professionals.

Students opting to earn an AACSB Online MBA Degree can be assured that the business program is held to the highest standards as these programs must maintain a high-level of quality not only in curriculum, but in library and computer facilities, faculty resources, degree requirements, and intellectual climate.

MBA Career and Salary

Individuals earning an AACSB Online MBA should expect to receive a salary that is about 25% to 50% higher than their peers who have earned a bachelor or associate degree. Graduates often use their degree to position themselves for advancement in important roles in corporate business, such as Chief Operating Officer, Director of Human Resources, Chief Financial Officer, and more.

The skills gained by undertaking an AACSB Online MBA program include strategic planning, critical thinking and decision making. These skills are paramount when utilized within a large firm or corporate setting.

AACSB Online MBA Colleges

A distance Master of Business Administration is worth the effort, but there are few colleges offering AACSB MBA degrees online, with one notable exception: Northeastern University.

Established in 1898, Northeastern University is located in Boston. Ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Northeastern University's College of Business now offers eight accredited AACSB Online MBA programs including an MBA in General Management, MBA in Marketing, MBA in Finance, MBA in International Management, MBA in Technology Management, MBA in Healthcare Management, MBA in Entrepreneurship, and an MBA in Supply Chain Management.

Find out more about AACSB MBA Online Programs.

As an author for AACSB MBA Online Degrees, JGreviews a number of universities.

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Help! I Am an Online Degree Student!

OK! So you have registered for a program in an online degree in a University of your choice, sorted out your financial aid, gave them all your information including your grandmas' phone number, arranged flexitime for the next few weeks at work, secured childcare and loaded all the software needed on your laptop. Now what!

You log into class and find out that you have already missed the first day of discussion, and your professor's welcome note reply deadline. A late assignment message is already in your tray! What do you do now?

You cry out, Help!! I am an online adult learner trying to finish my degree! Someone help me!

Relax; you are in good company, there are thousands of other returnees back into the education arena trying o finish their degrees amidst a host of responsibilities and a Global recession. You are not alone!

Here are some immediate strategies that may help you today!

• Create a 10 - 20 minute time slot to familiarize yourself with the online classroom environment and tools, e.g. E-mail, Discussion Forum (asynchronous), and the learning management system you are using e.g. WebCT, Blackboard, D2L and the like.

• Navigate the major areas of the main and individual classroom forums and browse through the postings for any messages that need immediate attention.

• Download and Browse through the Syllabus to get an idea of the course coverage.

• Download the Reading text for the week. Place it in a visible spot on your desktop e.g. My Documents Folder.

• Take note of due dates and create a notepad with the name of the assignment and due date posted onto your desktop.

• Spell and Grammar check everything you post into the class or individual forums including assignments!

• Create a word document for each assignment or checkpoint and name it. This means you have started on it already! Add the date to the document name e.g. IT233_dueMonSept 28th

• Read the question and write an approximation of how long it will take to address it at the top of each assignment document. (This will help create a mental note of how much time you need to carve out of your schedule to complete the work before the deadline date).

• Relax! You have just taken action! Take a break and note a time on your desktop to come back to the online class later, you are one step closer to your degree!

You can Do this!

A.Brewer
http://www.myonlineedu.com