Free Advice

If you want to be a more sellable commodity in a flooded job market or to earn more money in the future, you might consider higher education. And Internet-based classes and online degree programs these days offer the flexibility to accomplish this goal on your own time, in your own space and when you don’t have to tend to your career or your family.

There are a variety of Internet-only schools as well as “bricks and mortar” colleges with virtual classes and online degree programs from which to choose. But although students enrolled in online classes achieve grades similar to or higher than those who physically attend college, studies show that virtual learners have a greater tendency to drop out.

Students enrolled in online classes and online degree programs have to be “very self-motivated and very self-disciplined,” Ladies’ Home Journal Editor-in-Chief Sally Lee last year told Today Show co-host Ann Curry. Nurses, particularly, have turned to distance learning to pursue Bachelor of Science degrees in their field. And many businessmen and women are said to opt for online colleges for obtaining masters degrees in business administration, Lee said. She advised against passive learning and noted that many “virtual” schools now offer online communities that allow for meeting diverse groups of people. Some virtual classes and online degree programs also offer two-way interactive video and audio—and the Institute for Higher Education Policy has recommended that the development of interactive programs like these continue.

The Institute in 1999 released a “What’s the Difference?” study revealing that students who succeeded in computer-mediated education were often married, women and those with high literacy skills. Students who considered themselves persistent in taking on new projects and organized with regard to management skills had characteristics associated with online college success. So did individuals who work well independently, according to the study.

Students shopping for a college should always consider how well-suited the institution is for their needs and objectives and how much higher education costs after any financial aid is taken into account. Those considering online classes and online degree programs particularly should also consider:

•?? ?Is the institution accredited? There are six regional boards and a Distance Education and Training Council that determine whether colleges and universities meets academic standards leading to accreditation—something that could affect the ability to get hired, transfer higher education credits and pursue goals such as the bar exam. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation Web site includes a list of accredited institutions and warns against “degree mills,” such as those that bestow degrees in a matter of days or for life experience only.

•?? ?The level of interaction and support that’s offered. Some students need more than others.

•?? ?Set aside the time needed to take online classes, and take studies seriously. Successful online students surveyed for “What’s the Difference?” said they had the time to do what they intended to do and considered the consequences of failure to be serious.

•?? ?How confident are you? Successful schools online students ranked their chances for success at their online degrees higher than did students who dropped out, according to “What’s the Difference?” If you are interested in improving your career and would like more information about distance learning degrees, check the internet.