I wont to go to college, but I let my job and martail arts get in the way. I have a really good job with good benefits with 401k. I really wont 2 futher my career. I can't forget about my martial arts. I rather let my job go befor I let my martial arts go. And that is why I wont to know, Is it more expensive to do a online college or a traditional 4 year college? futhermore, is online college hader then an 4 year traditional college and vic versa?
131808
Online is not necessarily cheaper. Also, there are good online  programs out there, but you have to be very careful about choosing one. Like any program, some are better than others. However, if you don't have the time or ability to get to a live classroom a few times a week, then I would persue an online degree. Also, if financial aid is an option, then online will work equally as well as traditional courses.
11588
I am currently a full-time online student at AIB College of Business (Des Moines, IA).  I have found that it is great for a person with a difficult schedule.  You can do your work at any time of the day or night from the comfort of your own home.  I have also learned though, that a lot of the time you have to teach yourself many things, as there aren't a lot of lectures and teacher demonstrations.  But if you are good with learning on your own, I definitely recommend online college.
395807
Start off at a community college or junior college those are alot cheaper, and the best part you get the same classes for about half the price. 12 units is considered a full load so I always try to take 6 units of fun enrichment classes and 6 of classes I actually need which takes a little longer but combats the getting burnt out affect. Plus if you are worried about the financial part most all colleges offer financial aid and it ends up paying you to go to school. Good Luck
116708
Never too late, I'm 36 and just went back to school online. There are some good colleges online and it makes it a lot easier in everyday life to be able to sit down at your computer and take classes.  Check into it.
261674
There are some reputable, brick and mortar (i.e., "real") universities that offer degrees via distance learning. Some of these universities are very, very good: Oxford University (UK), University of Massachusetts at Amherst, University of Maryland, Carnegie Mellon, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and there are others. \n\nIn general, if you plan to pursue an online/distance learning degree, you'll get more bang for your buck if you get the degree from a university, like those above, which also have a strong on-campus degree program, because it's true - lots of employers frown on online degrees if they are from an online-only school, or a school that has a poor academic reputation in general. \n\nIn general, I would not recommend a distance degree to just anyone. If you can go to an on-campus program, your chances of actually completing the degree program are higher. Employers also tend to frown on some of the online programs. \n\nHowever, not all of us have the freedom in our lives to be able to get to a campus location - and if that's your situation, then a distance learning degree may be your only option. But if you decide to do distance learning, take it from me - I used to be a recruiter - and definately make sure it's accredited, and also only consider degrees from universities that have a good overall academic reputation. And definately, unless you have no other options, do not attend an "online-only" school.
311729
I'm biased when it comes to this question as I'm one of those people who believes in the value of a "brand name" university. But not everyone does and most employers don't either. \n\nI can't really say what employers would prefer. It depends on the employer, the industry you're in, the line of work you do, etc. \n\nBottom line is, having a college degree is important to advance in many jobs. Do what you must to get this degree, whether you earn it online or by going to a city college at night.
379643
I'm not a "kid"  I'm 53 years old and yes I remember when I could pay my own college tution.  Howevr such is not the case any longer.  The problem lies in the fact that not as many scholarships are offered any longer and they are no longer in the mega bucks denominations as they were prior to the late 70s because nowadays a $15,000.00 scholarship doesn't pay jack.  I know because I have a daughter in college right now and if it weren't for financial aid SHE would not be able to afford to go because there is no way I could afford to send her on MY salary alone.  As long as the cost of living keeps going up so will the cost of higher education, instructors have to be paid, as does the costs of running a college, electric bills, water bills, etc.  You're just a wee bit off base blaming financial aid.
299958
i you love doing it then that is all that matters, college doesn't garunte you a place in the career world. I myself love my job but my family wants me to go to college. So i signed up for pulaski tech, its a community college. that is the best way to go, its the cheapest, get your basics at a community, and you get this little diploma thing, then if you feel like goin to actual college more power to you. but you don't have to quit, there are night classes, on-line classes, corespondence classes (which i highly recommend)
418188
You sound a little unsure about what you want to do.  I owned my own business for 4 years before going back to school.  I think I know what you are thinking.\n\nWhy do you not want to attend a 4 year college?  \nDo you not think it will really prepare you for business?\nor Do you not want to spend the money?\nor Is it the time?\nor do you think you will have to learn a lot that "you will never need"\n\nMy guess is that it is combo of all of these.\n\nFirst off I’ll address the college question then the general entrepreneurship questions you also probably have.\n\nIf you are admitted to a university you should be able to take all the business courses they have.  However if you go to a competitive business university you may find that they will only allow business majors to take some classes.  Ask several universities you plan on checking out.\n\nA 4 year University has a different perspective on what they can teach you about business.  Most Universities hire only Ph.D.s and most REALLY successful businessmen are not Ph.D.s (Although there are many good business teachers out there).  The perspective that you will get at a university is different then you would get if you were to be mentored by a CEO of a major company.  With that said I still think the technical understanding of business is important.\n\nIf your unsure about your business abilities, start with a community college and begin your business while in school.  Depending on what business you want to start (if you have one picked out already) you should have plenty of time to both if you take only 2 or 3 classes.  I caution you to not pick any business that is too trivial or multi level marketing because this will damage your contacts.  You want to start presenting yourself as a responsible young adult because if you ever decide to sell real estate or investments or any other contract driven business then your contacts will look down on you.\n\nIf your thinking you will waste a lot of time to study things you will never use then double major in something useful like accounty,economics,marketing.business admin  Any two of those would fill yoru scheduel so full you would hardly take anythign that was not business related.  \n\nYou will find the largest benefit of your degree is to hold it up as a trophy to your clients.  You can, however, you can get by fine without a degree if you are motivated.\n\nWith that said I will definitely say that developing your own confidence and belief in yourself is far more important than the technical side of business.  A very effective way to do this is start reading good books.  Self help books may seem corny but they really can help if your not sure if you are prepared for business.  \n\nSome good reads are:\n\n“Think and Grow rich” Napoleon Hill.\n“How to win friends and influence people” Dale Carnegie.\n“Rich dad Poor dad” Robert Kiyosaki (this one is too much fluff for me but many people love it)\n“Absolute Power” Anthony Robins.\n“The Richest Man in Babylon” Og Mandino\n“Low Profile Selling — Act Like a Lamb, Sell Like a Lion book” Tom Hopkins\n\nI’m sure you will find more out there.  \n\nTry and make a schedule for reading your good books and other development strategies.
413589
Statements you are making are conflicting....\n\nYou are financially independent.  You make enough to have a decent living but you still live at home and you have very limited budget for college.\n\nThis does not make any sense.  \n\nIt seems you have to set/reset your priorities.  You can't have EVERYTHING.  If it is your desire to get an education, then cut down on some of your liesure activities.\n\nMy suggestion is to start with community colleges.  Tuitions are a lot less.  You can get an AA degree and it will substitute for the first 2 years of the 4 year college.
641004
Even if you don't go to college now, you can always go to college later. The door to the opportunity to go to college never closes! However, may I suggest that you consider going part-time? 4 years is a long time, so that if you ever decide to go to college in the future, you will cut down on the time that it takes to graduate. If you decide not to get a degree in the future, you haven't wasted much of your time in the week, if you are just going part-time. It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision, after all.
12799
If your goal is to attend a fly-by-night school that's not going to help you get a job doing anything but flip burgers, then by all means abscond with school.  But if you would like to attend a university or college that will lead to a four year degree and a better income, spend the time to get your diploma.  I can't think of anything that pressing in a teenaged life that would require you to drop out.  Most admissions boards would frown on it, and would question your wisdom and maturity.  It's called delayed gratification:  you plan your life in increments of five and ten years.  Quitting now means your income is reduced significantly, and then you have to spend money to get the study tools and the course to complete your GED.  And think of how many other people who did what you are considering, and didn't quite get around to finishing high school because something else came up.\n\nI take it your GPA isn't very high, given your last question.  It means that you haven't been spending much time on the books.  Go to your local community college and discuss the possibilities of taking some early college courses to make up for your high school errors.  Make sure you can transfer your community college credits to a four year school.  And get some tutoring:  your writing skills appear to be adequate, but you may need some help in your study skills.\n\nIt's your life that you are deciding, so take responsibility for it.
643593
A college degree doesn't "buy" you a job at a certain salary..but it does teach you how to learn and gives you a base from which to grow professionally.  So many positions doing wildly creative and fun things begin with having a college degree. And now with "no child left untested"... high school where much learning once occurred is falling behind the pace... and a college degree is even MORE important than before.\n\nAnd I must add a voice to the "4-year college" or other non-traditional route... There are MANY state colleges and universities that ARE affordable. If you have the grades - GO to a 4 year college away from home.  A college degree tells employers more than you can pass tests... and those things are most often not learned at community colleges, on-line colleges or living at home with mom and dad. \n\nSure - if your only option for school is to live at home... then DO IT !!! But, if you can - a state college or university is usually a lot of bang for your buck.   \n\nYou can't begin the university degree endeavor with the only goal to be earning potential. Getting a college degree is about much much more.  Of course you must be practical in degree choice and earning POTENTIAL, but in the end a 4 year degree is seldom regretted.
124851
Some time stop and think about all those fun things you did instead of schoolwork.  Then think about all those years you're facing trying to survive in an increasingly technological society without an education.  4 years of fun, 40 years of poverty and desperation.  interesting choice.  brave choice.  like a craps shooter trying to make his point the hard way.  if you get tired of it, there's always community college, though the cost of that keeps going up, too.
376531
If I were you, I'd go back to school. First of all, to be honest, $12.00 is no where near what you could make with even an Associates Degree under your belt. Second, a degree is like an insurance policy. You can use it to advance with your current employer, or get a better, stable job in an in-demand field. \n\nYou can go part time, or full time. And you'll be surprised at the number of "older" students you see in your classes! In fact, some schools offer special programs specifically for older students. It may be worth it to ask about them when you call the admissions office. \n\nMost students pay for their education through a combination of loans and school given, need-based aid. You'll fill out a form called a FAFSA (you can google this), which is sent to the schools you're applying to. They use it to calculate your aid. \n\nI highly recommend that you go to a reputable, brick and mortar campus. Most employers frown on the online programs. Yes, there are some reputable online programs (those tied to real, brick and mortar campuses), but online schools are remarkably expensive. You mentioned cost as a factor, so I don't recommend an online program for you unless you absolutely, positively can not attend classes in person. \n\nYou can save money, and get a great education, by attending your local state school. As an in-state student, you're already paying lower tuition. \n\nMany students of your age chose to attend a school that will grant them an Associates Degree after two years of study. They then go on for their Bachelors Degree, if they feel it is necessary. The best place to get an Associates is at your local community college. They are amazingly cheap, you don't have to take any sort of test to get in, and the education offered is a fantastic value. \n\nIf you chose to go back to school, and your goal is to make more money than you are now, try to major in something career-focused. In fact, there are a lot of careers which require only the Associates Degree as the ticket to entry. \n\n- Lots of careers in the medical field only require a 2-year degree. Nursing, radiology, medical assistant, physician's assistant, laboratory technician, several others. \n- Many office-related careers require an associates. Try office administration: administrative assistant, legal secretary, marketing assistant, sales operations. \n- Information technology. There are some IT jobs that require only a 2-year degree, like computer support technician. \n- Accounting: Also some in accounting, like accounts payable processor, claims administrator. \n\nAnd here are a bunch of others, all of which hire directly out of associates programs (although for many, you'll do an internship/apprenticeship while you get your associates)\n\n-Automotive technology\n-Electrician\n-Childcare\n-Engineering technician\n-Funeral director\n-Paralegal\n-And a lot in the agricultural sciences, such as turf management (graduates of strong turfgrass management associates programs can work on a golfcourse and earn HUGE money), aboriculture, forestry, fruit tree management. \n-Drafting\n-Law enforcement\n-Fire safety\n\nI've attached a really good link on this topic. It deals with occupational outlooks for careers where an associates degree is the ticket in.\n\nGood luck. Again, 36 isn't too old at all. It simply means that you may want to major in something very career-focused, since your goal is to get in, get the degree, and get a good job.
405476
I went to college and graduated in 4 years, but not all college students do.\n\nMy advice would be for you to start out at a JC or community college.  You will get your basic classes out of the way like English, Biology, Psychology, and the like.  You will get used to the level of learning to which you must commit.  All of these credits will transfer when you are ready to go on to a 4 year college.\n\nIn your case, I think this would be the better bet.  One thing that does concern me is that if you were not emotionally mature to handle high school, then how can you be sure you are now emotionally mature to handle the pressures of college? College isn't all parties and social events; you really have to learn to discipline yourself if yo are going to succeed.\n\nGood luck with everything.
550919
Let me begin by offering this warning--BE VERY CAREFUL!!  Yes, there are some online colleges that are legitimate; and there are others that are nothing more than degree mills. It is very important to recognize that all of these colleges are private institutions and are usually for-profit. That makes a huge difference when it comes time to validate your degree to either your employer or to another college.\n\nThere are several factors that you must consider.  First, what exactly do you want to accomplish with your degree. If the answer is personal satisfaction or perhaps a raise or promotion at work, then online may be the way to go. However, if you are looking to advance yourself with a master's or doctorate degree, like I am doing, then online may not be a viable route. For example, there are at least three online law schools--none of which are accredited by the American Bar Association. Without ABA accreditation, you cannot practice in Florida, which is where I live. So, online is not a viable option for me. \n\nSecond are the cost considerations. Online schools are typically outrageously expensive.  And there is no benefit to paying that additional fee. \n\nIf you are interested in obtaining your degree online, start with your local community college. Most community colleges are facing a funding crisis that prohibits them from building additional classrooms. As a result, many have turned to online versions of thei9r classes. They carry full college credit (make sure that they are regionally accredited) and the cost involved are quite reasonable--in some cases as low as $30 per credit hour.  \n\nI would try this route first and see if it will allow you to achieve your goals. Good luck!!