How to Pick an Online School

Online education is more readily available than ever before - and there seem to be as many schools to choose from as courses of study! That's why choosing an online educator is so very important. It's long been accepted that where a degree was conferred can be almost as important as which degree was earned. And with so many entrepreneurs capitalizing on the demand for online education - and unscrupulous scammers cashing in - finding a school with a good reputation has never been more important. It can seriously mean the difference between landing the job you want versus settling for potentially far less.

Traditional Schools with Online Classes

Eighty-six percent of employers would hire a candidate with a degree earned online. So, it's rather unlikely that they won't be impressed with a degree from the Arizona State because your degree was gained online. In fact, the conversation will likely start or stop with your being a Sun Devil! (Hopefully your prospective boss isn't a U of A grad!) But if you are aiming for a career in a field that looks down on degrees from lesser school or unorthodox sources like online education, a traditional university just may be what's called for. But know this: the cost for a degree from a traditional university will likely be the same, or at best at a small discount, regardless of whether it was earned in the classroom or online. And with Arizona State, a bachelor will still cost almost $20,000 per year on average - $7,450 if you're an Arizona resident!

Bear this in mind as you consider your options: Many "physical" universities see online education as a curious offshoot to their schools daily function. Because of this, the current technology and the expertise to maximize it may not be funneled to its online education programs, particularly if it's a university or college funded by tax dollars.

You May Want to Seek an Online Specialist

But if you already know that online education is for you, there is a real upside to choosing a specialist dedicated to online education. Most are businesses at heart but that actually has benefits: for-profit schools actually have more financial freedom to invest in the latest technology to maximize their student body's educational experience. Because offering the latest computer technology and online access to their students is their bread and butter, they will have a full-time tech staff whose job is to research and recommend cutting-edge technologies. Specialists in online education will almost always be ahead of other traditional colleges and universities. And that will likely make for the best online learning experience.

But beware: there is a downside to independence and a for-profit focus. With the low cost of computers and online web hosting, just about anyone with a little money and creativity - and virtual anonymity - can post a scam website claiming to offer online education, while they are really just out to get your money or your personal information. It definitely pays to investigate not only the cost and the course offerings, but the reputation of the school you are considering.

It's your future that's at stake, so you are always going to be your own best advocate. It pays big dividends to be careful. You might want to consider the help of a guidance service site like azeducationonline.com.

What to Look for in an Online School

• Be sure they are accredited
  If a school isn't properly accredited, keep looking. There are many schools to choose from. And if they do claim accreditation, find out if it's a valid claim, and one earned through a legitimate source of accreditation. Don't take their word for it. Beware of false claims of scammers. Look for credentials from organizations such as The Council for Higher Education Accreditation, and confirm with them that a particular school is accredited. Also, check their reputation with the Better Business Bureau. If you enroll and go to the trouble of getting a degree from an unaccredited school, an employer will consider your credentials invalid. And listing invalid credentials on your resume is even illegal in some states!
• Be sure they offer job placement
  Once you have your degree, you will want help finding a job, or maybe a better one. Because you have many options in online education, you should eliminate schools without graduate placement programs. And because there are many who have placement programs, you should check their success rates in helping their grads land jobs.
• Count the costs
  Figure out what you can afford to spend in this next phase of your education. After, look for an online school that will let you meet your educational goals without going beyond what you can afford. Loans may be necessary, but be sure you will likely be able to repay them. If cost is a deciding criteria for you, over accreditation and placement programs, whatever you do, never go with a school that doesn't earn you a legitimate degree, no matter how affordable.
  
  Also know that some degrees can come with unexpected fees beside tuition. Some even require travel to their headquarters for final exams and other testing, all of which will add to the cost of attendance and possible ugly surprises. If you are unsure about any of this, call a school's customer service line or their student liaison, and get all your questions settled before signing a single thing. Or, read the information we have given about online education being a better value.