How to Decide on an Online College
In this day and age, picking an online college can be difficult. Not only are there thousands of choices, but many of them are diploma mills that are simply trying to get your money. To avoid paying for an education that is not beneficial in the slightest, take a look at these tips on how to pick the best online college for you:
1. Lookup School Rankings
Maybe school rankings aren't that important to you, but checking them out can't hurt. Most school rankings are based on a variety of criterion (such as retention rate, financial aid, student reviews, and more) that can make your college search much easier. Right now there are merely a few rankings available for online schools, but the ones that are out there are thorough and well-researched. Check out Guide to Online Schools' recent publication "2009 Rankings of Online Colleges and Online Universities."
2. Talk to Current Students
While checking out the brochure for your online school of choice is great, remember that the school is trying to sell you on something. If you want an honest answer, talk to alumni of the school or current students. Most are more than happy to talk to you. You can advertise for students on Craigslist, talk to your peers and see if they know anybody, ask the school to get you in contact with a student (although this is risky because they may put you in touch with somebody they know will give them a good review), or read student reviews of schools.
3. Make Sure the School is Accredited
This is easier said than done, but there are a few tell-tale signs of unaccredited schools that you can look for. If the address of the school is a P.O. Box you are probably dealing with a fly-by-the-night operation. If you've called the school and nobody is answering, you have a problem. If the school is giving you "life credits," be suspicious. You may have a ton of life experience, but sadly, real colleges will not give you credit for it. Finally, if a school you are interested in boasts an absurdly quick time in which you can get your degree, don't trust them. College takes time and so should your online school.
4. Get the Financial Aid You Want
Do not enroll in a school before you get the financial aid you want. This cannot be stressed enough. If the school tells you to start taking classes and then worry about your school funding, pull a D.A.R.E. and just say no. You don’t want to inadvertently get locked into an education you can't pay for. Before signing anything, before agreeing to anything, make sure you have the financial aid packing you want.
5. Check to Make Sure the School has All the Classes You Want
Before deciding a school, make sure that the school has the classes you need. It may be that you are currently undecided on your specific area of study. If this is the case, make sure that the school has the classes you may want to take. You don’t want to have to worry about transferring to a different school later because the program you chose doesn't have the classes you need.
This post was written by Emily Goll, editor of My Dog Ate My Blog and writer for Guide to Online Schools.
