What do you think about Online schools??

[britnav25]

Do you think you still get the same respect, if you get a Bachelors degree in something from an online school? What if it took you 5 years to get??? Would you respect that person? Do you think it's a sick joke for thos students, or do you encourage it?

[Tresbn00]

I don't think that online schools get the same weight or consideration that Brick and Mortar schools get.  I also think that going to a campus, rather than online, allows you to build up a network of like minded contacts, referral groups and friends that will help place you in a better position in your field of endeavor.  It helps you forge a relationship as well as share common ground and, in an employment situation, this comes to be a key factor.

[swkstudent]

I mean they are great for returning older students who have extremely busy lifestyles. I think that  18-22 year olds would benefit more from going to a traditional university on campus. You can't get the social interaction from taking online courses and like the person above mentioned being on campus gives you the opportunity to network.

[trucktina]

Your first worry shouldn't be whether you'd get more or less respect. It should be whether your diploma is worth the paper it's written on. Be careful! There are online schools out there that aren't accredited, and are only interested in your money. Use this guide-- http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ -- from the U.S. Government to help find out if they're legit.

[sarah_hollock]

i lo0ve online school on your own time and own pace love it

[southernhorizons]

Online schools are great for people returning to school, because they can still work and do their classes to fit their schedule. It is also generally cheaper, and since you can learn at your own pace, you probably get a better education. Of course it also depends on what you're going to college for, as some fields would be better learned in a hands on classroom environment. It shouldn't matter to an employer how you got your education, as long as it's a good one, and you have the skills and temperament that they're looking for.

[kqa]

They are absolutely great in this day and age of the Internet, especially for those with busy lifestyles and jobs and families.  They must be checked out to make sure they are legit, however.

[U2BMATH]

One could also lump in Home Schooling into this topic, or even "christian" education. As an example, my church has a Christian School, and just last week, nearly half of the school went on a field trip. The other half simply had a "fun" day watching Tom & Jerry cartoons in the main auditorium. Not much educational value in that, IMHO. Yet, these kids do this frequently, and they'll acquire a diploma when the time comes. Is it worth anything in the real world? This particular school offers no Trig or Calc courses, or any college preparatory courses either. Their foreign language courses are limited to Spanish 2. That's it. What's the value of their diploma? One is left to wonder. And this is only one school. How does Home Schooling stack up to a public brick & mortar education? (shrug). I would wonder about this too.

My personal thinking is Online Education these days is in it's infancy stage. It's like comparing Smartphones with Commodore 64 computers. Commodores and Atari's were just the beginning of a computer revolution in our country. Yet, they gave rise to much more powerful technology that today is unparalleled to just decades ago. I think Online Education is comparatively in the same stage of evolution. I would hope someday that it would evolve to the point of totally replacing brick & mortar education altogether. And I would put money on 20 years from now we'll see Online Education as the front-runner in how education is delivered.

And once that happens, well then Home Schooling might carry more weight as well. As far as Christian Education goes, well, that's just a joke to me.

[mgint]

have to be careful because some are ripoffs so do your homework and check credentials.

[edominik]

As a college instructor, I have mixed feelings towards online schools.  Some are OK, but some are really a joke.  However, more people need education because of career changes, the economy, etc.   They are not going away anytime soon.  Like a lot of things, you really get what you put into it.   I know colleagues of mine who were totally brick and mortar in there education, but were pretty worthless in the knowledge they obtained.     

[hfp0393]

For me i would find online school challenging. It is much eaiser for me to learn in a class enviorment, where you have peers and teachers to interact live with. However if you are someone who is moviated and can learn on your own, go for it. It's always good to be challenging yourself

[Azanne07]

I dont think employers look at the degree the same way as an oncampus school. Althou I have been going to school online since june 2007. I will finish feb or 2012. I took a 6 month break between my associates and bachelors to refresh my brain. The classes are hard and they make you think just as hard. I have experienced both online and oncampus.

[footemama]

I've been on both sides of this issue.

When I first got out of high school I went to a "brick and mortar" university (and it took me 5 years to complete my BA) and now 6 years later I'm attending an on-line technical school.

As far as on-line schooling goes, if it is a traditional university type situation I would check and be sure that they are accredited; but if it is a technical school situation (since most are not accredited) I would check with whatever associations are associated with that career. For me it is the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity and I only looked at schools that were recommended by them.

I think for the most part as long as you take care to research the school of your choice the skills that you acquire there are WAY more important than whether or not you sat in a classroom.

Good Luck with your studies!!

[home_teachin]

I dont think employers look at the degree the same way as an oncampus school. Althou I have been going to school online since june 2007. I will finish feb or 2012. I took a 6 month break between my associates and bachelors to refresh my brain. The classes are hard and they make you think just as hard. I have experienced both online and oncampus.

Can I ask what online school you attend? Are you happy with them?

[raven1114]

They are absolutely great in this day and age of the Internet, especially for those with busy lifestyles and jobs and families.  They must be checked out to make sure they are legit, however.

this exactly