Choosing an Online School

I first began looking for an online school in 2002. At that time, most schools were $30,000+. The technology wasn't the best and there wasn't as large of a public acceptance of online degrees. In addition, there wasn't much of a selection for degrees. Since then, I've attended a community college and a 4-year public university. Juggling my work schedule was incredibly difficult and I eventually found myself sitting in a meeting with my Dean discussing how I had my priorities mixed up. We agreed that I was a full-time worker- not a full-time student. Faced with the demanding schedule of a Computer Science major, I finally decided to leave my job and take out more loans to support myself. At 26 years old, however, it's incredibly difficult to balance your financial obligations using loan money. I took some time off from school and recently made the decision to attend school online.

Here are some of the things that I looked for when selecting my school:

(1) Cost Does the school offer financial aid and scholarships?
Are there extra fees tacked on each term such as a technology fee or course registration fee?
Are textbooks available through a used book source such as Ebay or Amazon or are the books custom made for the school?
Are there extra costs for CDs or additional print materials?

(2) Course Format
What technology is used for the course setup? Is the format user-friendly?
How are assignments submitted (mail, fax, email)?
Are there typical 15 week courses or are some shorter?

(3) Time Requirements
Will proctored exams need to be setup?
Are there required chat sessions?
Are assignments due before a course starts?
Do assignments have some flexibility or very strict deadlines?
Are professors or learning center assistants available during evening and weekend hours or will you need to make time during the day to contact them?

(4) Public Perception and Accreditation?
Is the school regionally accredited?
If the school has satellite schools, are these also accredited?
Will the degree show that it was an online school?
What do online forums, news articles, and websites say about the school?
Do you know anyone that has used this school?

(5) Transfer Credit and Credit for Experience
How much does the school make an effort to accept credits?
How much does the school focus on "school specific" courses versus general core courses such as sciences, humanities, math, etc.?

(6) Availability of Course Options and Degrees
Make sure you have courses that are suited to your area of interest. Also look for courses that will make you more "well-rounded" overall.
If you change your degree path, do you have backup options so that you won't have to change schools?

(7) School Advisors and Support
Does the school have free tutoring?
Will you have an academic advisor that will spealize in providing assistance with courses for your degree and general questions?
Does the school offer an academic coach?
Does the school offer message boards to communicate with other students?
Are there courses available for remedial studies or online learning introductions?

geteducated.com website

Geteducated.com is the best website for researching what online school is best for you. The site compares schools by cost, accredidation, public perception, and student satisfaction. You can narrow your search by looking for particular subjects or degrees. The site has been praised by the Wall Street Journal. I used this site to find Franklin University for my IT management degree. I am now able to attend a school that is cheaper than my former public university. I can work full-time and do classes at home in the evenings. My school is accredited and I can still get financial aid.

Watch a video about geteducated.com.