On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 23:26:26 -0500, "Brian M."
<thedigitalphilosopher.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Jay Quinn wrote:
>> Serious Questions and Request for Help and Feedback about Online
>> Universities - Please Read
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> I have endlessly drilled all corners of the web, I have read many
>> officially recognized hard copy materials; I have looked everywhere
>> and can not find unbiased information about the rankings of online
>> college and universities.
>>
>> Seems as though any organization that is willing to pay for the
>> advertising, or spend even more to get their name on the top of the
>> list gets noticed. Everything that I have read that is factual is
>> primarily focused on traditional brick and mortar types of
>> institutions, understandably, as this caters to the popular majority.
>>
>> I can't help to wonder that the reporting industry on the college and
>> university ranking and ratings are behind the curve in gathering and
>> publishing such information, or I've not turned over the right stone
>> yet. Doing research for quality accredited online learning
>> institutions solely based on the web (about the only place to do such
>> a thing) can sure be misleading is your not really careful and ask a
>> lot of detailed questions of say, the top 25 (all regionally
>> accredited). And at that, you have to be left with a shadow of a
>> doubt, as there is no "Consumer Reports" like publication to help back
>> up your research.
>>
>> We have a senior in HS in the house, we have been doing a lot of
>> research for the last 1.5+ years on his behalf, we have learned so
>> much (wish I knew back in the day what I know now) and he now has 3
>> walk-on invitations from Baylor, TCU and SMU, and we are awaiting
>> hopefully for a scholarship/partial scholarship from at least one if
>> not two university. He has taken the SAT and ACT three times now, he
>> has a 3.4 GPA, SAT-1100, ACT 26 and he's a talented football player.
>> So we know a lot in relationship about the young people and the road
>> map for getting a higher level of education, inexpensively, right
>> after high school to traditional colleges and universities.
>>
>> But the info sorely wanes for the adult learner like myself wanting to
>> go back to school and complete a BS and move onto a masters, all
>> online (the kicker). You know the story, we both work full time, have
>> another young child at home not in kindergarten yet, etc. So I'm
>> researching Online's for my wife and myself so we can complete our
>> 4-year degrees, yeah, higher education isn't just for young adults,
>> but we don't have the same kind of time and freedom that the young
>> college people have (not to mention we help foot that bill).
>>
>> It seems as though the mere mention of an online university evokes the
>> idea of "diploma mill" or a form of a lesser education in the minds of
>> many. (Even though many large corporate American organizations have
>> changed their views about accredited online/DETC's ~ 3 -4 years ago (a
>> good sign for many like me)) As a result, it's hard to get hardly
>> anyone to focus their attention to my questions on the topic; does
>> anyone know where I can find official unbiased information on the rank
>> and ratings of online universities? What the weighting of an online
>> institution is compared to another online institution or even a
>> comparison of an online to a traditional and visa-versa? Please,
>> help! Questions, comments, any kind of positive and/or negative
>> feedback (don't hold back) are most welcome.
>>
>> Thanks, Jay
>> mailto: john.quinn.RemoveThis@NOSPAMcomcast.net
>>
>
>If you're you're looking for quality, just look around at all of the
>colleges in your area, and then check their websites to see what kind of
>online programs they have. Most universities and community colleges are
>developing online curriculums, you might not have the wide selection as
>far as majors go, but you won't have to use the word "online" on your
>resume either.
>
>Brian M.
>http://www.theliberalmedia.org
I apologize now for this being so long winded.
Thank you very much for your reply; I really do appreciate the
feedback. I've not only looked at the local jr. colleges, 4-year
colleges and universities in the area, but also attended them over the
years and accumulated a number of credits. Yes, some of them barely
have an online program going on today, no where near as developed and
refined as other for-profit online college/universities, or non-profit
(WGU) for that matter. They have had a lot more time to perfect the
whole interface and delivery mechanism, whether 100% online or a mix
of both, depending on what option you go if that is what floats your
boat, or blows up your skirt if your into that.
My experience with my 2-year AAS at Angelina College was all but
completely discounted as in it was treated a worthless paper by the
likes of Dallas Baptist University, University of Texas at Dallas,
Amberton University and even by two Jr. Colleges, Collin County
Community College and Richland Jr. College. In affect, if I was to
take classes at these Jr. Colleges, with the idea of transferring the
credits to UTD, DBA or Amberton, I was in basically going to have to
start all over again from scratch. And it's the same story for the 4+
year institutions as well, they would accept next to nothing and I was
back at square one. It would take what, a working adult one class a
semester…, approximately… an eternity to complete. Just what
percentage of those people actually complete? Not many, but those
educational intuitions will have profited by taking their money and
could care less if you made it or not.
It's all quite disgusting if you ask me, not to mention very
discouraging, and I know I'm not alone in what I've experienced and
how I feel. Yet I still chipped away at these various institutions,
mostly technical courses that personally interested me and could help
bring a level of benefit to my daily livelihood, as in my career. It
was clear that both the Jr. Colleges and the higher learning
institutions (that I went to in my area) were out to fleece me for as
much money as they could get, praying on my desires to better my level
of education. What was a little more cutting was the way they made me
feel like, a second-class citizen, when discussing my options; I'm a
very successful adult, not a youngster right out of high school with
no real brains, I had a tech degree and very valuable real world
technical working experience (you know, what they outsource for as
supposedly no one here has it (yeah, riiiiiight, another topic of
discussion)), and apparently resumes mean nothing to these people,
which makes me question their reading and comprehension abilities. I
simply wanted to complete missing part of my education, that's all. I
was prepared to take a few pre-req's and pick up where I left ff more
or less. That of course does not fit into the plan of robbing people
like me blind, so I speculated, perhaps digressed (sorry) and as you
can tell by now if your still reading, I have an axe to grind with
them all.
About my Sr. HS, it's important to him and to us as his parents, that
he experiences the full college "package" by attending a traditional
brick and mortar, 500 people crammed in a lecture hall, a frat house,
drugs, drinking, women, the whole nine yards. Well, I hope he makes
wise decisions about the drugs and drinking, he has so far, and I am
kidding around a little but here (not about the dope). Scholarships,
walk-ons, FAFSA/FA, whatever it takes, he shall do well and needs to
take that path, at this time in his life, it's most recommended in
this parents opinion.
For me, it's a whole other ball game. I recently attended the
University of Phoenix (yes, add another one to my list, the fact is
I'm a believer in continuing education), minus my gripes; I really
liked the place, better than any other place I've attended thus far.
But they're mighty pricey (when company tuition reimbursement doesn't
pay)! I did the Flexnet, the 100% online version is even more
expensive. I originally was going to take two classes per year as
that is what my company's tuition reimbursement would cover per year.
After getting there and realizing that I needed to stop playing around
and go non-stop till completion I was going to have to get this
financed. That's where the real sticker shock came in, so I started
to research alternatives. Traditional institutions were off the list
due to my prior negative experiences. I wanted 100% online, as the
once a week class plus once a week Learning Team meeting was an
inconvenience do to personal family arrangements. The new place had
to be regionally accredited. And of course, it had to be affordable.
I boiled it down to 5 places; Kaplan, Walden, IAU, Capella & Strayer.
WGU, the only real online non-profit (really inexpensive), they
proctored all their exams, and I found that to be a great
inconvenience, not to mention, kind of blows the concept of 100%
online too. So after going through all the pros and cons and who
would accept what from my 80 credits and 20+ years of technical work
experience, Kaplan University won, I'm enrolled, have FA going on, and
will start my 1st classes next mid-January.
I've discovered a number of validating points that Kaplan has over
many of their competitors, but I want something like a number. In
short, when I see my buddies that I grew up with, some with 4-year
degrees, others with masters, a few in the educational world. I don't
want to hear diploma mill, or even the suggestion of nor a slighting
comment on the quality of my education from Kaplan University Online
over some traditional institution. I know it will come up. This is
why I'm looking for facts, weights, rating and rankings to prove that
the format of my education is as of the same, hell, even better than
their own quality of education. I need some bullets.
Sorry for being so long winded. --Jay Quinn
mailto:john.quinn@NOSPAMcomcast.net
>> Stay informed about: Serious Questions and Request for Help and Feedback about .. 
FAQ
Profile
Private Messages
Log in
