I get bombarded by spam mails from these diploma mills that offer online degrees.  I can't leave my elderly parents alone to go off to college and all we have here is a 2 year (finished there this spring)  I don't want a diploma from Joe Blow's University hanging on my wall but that seems to be the only place offering degrees online.  Obviously I couldn't get my degree in "Brain Surgery" online but there are many degrees that could easily be online.  Why are the Ivy League colleges so against it?
122231
My brother goes to Western Governors University. www.wgu.edu  it is accredited and accepts financial aid. He really likes it. The IVY League colleges are stuck up and they want the world to think that their level of education is better than other colleges. That way they can charge an outrageous amount of money.
213571
the above answerer has a good point, but he misses that you can of course sign up for online courses at a college. that would get you somewhere, and yes, if your school helps students do this sort of thing, then they pay for it--a great way to get a head start. \n\nalso, check into whether or not your state has a virtual charter school or academy, or whether there is online reciprocity with other schools around your state. states are growing in this vein every day--more and more states allowing students to take classes offered online from another school under the same jurisdisction. \n\nyou can check here: http://www.owli.org and search your state to see, perhaps. they have lots of articles on the initiatives in different states in this direction.)\n\nyou could maybe work with an administrator/teacher to monitor your taking a free course offered by MIT or Carnegie Mellon--they're offering lots of classes these days. it's unconventional, but i don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility for a teacher/administrator who's got their head on straight about what education's supposed to be about. \n\nso, in general, it depends on where you're located. obviously you're not homeschooling, so you have less flexibility. but i think that finding out where your state's at in the e-learning boom is the first step. and finding out whether you can take college classes while still in high school. (this is also highly regional, and i've heard that some schools don't always share this possibility with students because it both costs them money and gets you out of their clutches for periods of time.)\n\nsorry i couldn't be more specific.\n\n==\nwell, if you can afford to take a course at a "prestigious" university (because of course i doubt your high school will pay for that), then i think you should just take your pick and find them online. i'm sure all universities now offer online courses, but which ones is something you're going to have to find out by investigating them individually. (on their websites.)\n\nunfortunately, i'm unaware of an evaluative site that really tells about the quality of individual online courses. i know someone who's planning on doing it, but no dice as of yet. someday, but that's not soon enough for you. hopefully someone else here can help you out.
18968
Online college is for people who are to lazy to go to traditional college. \n\nDisadvantage is you dont get the eperience one gets when sitting in a class of peers. \nSome companys question how much you really know about a subject when you did everything online with no hands on training. \n\nThere are many disadvantages..... not so many advantages if your genuinely wanting to learn.
605668
I am going for a graphic design degree at Mt. Sierra and love it. I have a BA already from an on campus school and I have had a better experience with the online classes. About.com has some great information on distance learning and I would highly recommend doing research first and asking a lot of questions. About.com has a great suggestion list of questions to ask an admissions representative. It helped me immensely and I am 100% convinced I made the right decision.\n\nGood luck :-)
594470
I can't speak to your main question, but a diploma (or degree for that matter) is just a way of proving you can handle the academic skills needed on the job & have the ability to learn how to do things the way the company wants them done. An experienced worker has already proven these things. Similarly, if you get over a certain number of college credit hours you become a transfer student & no longer have to prove you even went to high school. A lot of home schools students do that because it's so hard to prove you've met state requirements, so they can take dual credit (HS & college) courses at a local junior college & then transfer to a four year school when they would have normally been graduating HS.
387305
You should be sceptical of it. What do you, yourself, want from this program? Are you hoping to use it to advance your existing career? To move into a new one? \n\nWhy are you looking at an online program? \n\nYou're right to be wary. Most employers don't smile on these programs. Of course, some don't care, but there are enough employers who'll take one look at a resume with "U Phoenix" or "Capella" or whatever one it, and chuck it right into the bin, that I advise you to be very, very careful. If you chose Capella or something like it, go in with your eyes wide open. \n\nIf an online program is your only option - perhaps due to your schedule, or because there are no MS Psych programs nearby, then at least (strongly) consider an online program that's tied to a reputable brick-and-mortar university.\n\nThere are reputable, "brick and mortar" schools that offer degrees online. Their good reputation for their on-campus programs will flow over into their online program. \n\nSome great universities that offer online degrees include:\n\nUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst\nRensselaer Polytechnic Institute\nUniversity of Denver\nUniversity of Maryland\nDuke University\nDrexel\nCarnegie Mellon\nPenn State\nBall State\nU Nebraska - Lincoln\nBabson\nWorcester Polytechnic Institute\nUniversity of Illinois\n\nAnd there are others. And you'll have to check which ones offer online MS Psych. \n\nBut in general, when you're looking for a distance learning degree, try to find a program at a school that has a good reputation for their "brick and mortar" campus. \n\nGood luck.
356711
Go to CHEA. They have the list of regional and national schools that are accreditted. Be careful! Don't trust the school site until you check it out. I go to school online and it's great but there are lots of bogus schools out there that have degrees that mean nothing.
333973
This is a really expensive way to go and you are right to be concerned if employers would question your education.  Before signing up, look to local and state colleges.  Many now offer satellite courses and on-line classes.  You can still earn your degree with convenience and probably even save some money over Unv. of Phoenix.
311358
Online PhDs? Unless it's in computer science from Carnegie Mellon, I wouldn't bother. But online Master's? There are some from some reputable universities (U Phoenix NOT being one of them), most usually in business or computers. So, what do you hope to major in?\n\nSome examples of reputable schools that offer some Master's degrees online include:\n\nNYU\nUMass Amherst\nRensselaer Polytechnic Institute\nCarnegie Mellon\nDuke University\nUniversity of Indiana\nUniversity of Maryland\nThe New School for Social Research
519175
It's pretty much classified like the usual online schools such as Strayer, Walden, etc. \n\nhttp://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/directory/brief/drglance_13039_brief.php\n\nUS News didn't rank them, but lists their prices and student body numbers.
34677
Yes! Many community and 4-year colleges and universities around the country offer online or other format of distance learning programs. While you can pick virtually any school, residency requirements still affect tuition. Check with your local community colleges or regional accrediting agency for more info.\n\nThere are schools that operate purely online, allowing them to cater to specific niches and needs, but they tend not to be accredited. \n\nIf you know which university you may want to graduate from later, you can check with their registration department regarding transferring credits, and ask where many students transfer from.\n\nGood luck!
352269
Yeah they offer all these great programs but don't offer degrees.  They only offer diplomas.  I guarantee that a future employer will be searching for a diploma graduate and not a diploma no matter what course it is in.  I researched them and decided to go to a college instead and I am 33.  Never too late, wish I would have went years ago.  If you want to raise your education level might as well go for the gold and go back to college.  Good luck!
668500
You need a degree. the word diploma brings a notion of low education. even though its for a PC repair tech, it stills comes across as uneducated. Forget the online crap and either go to a real school or pray you get hired somewhere.
201325
They are a proprietary school, which means they are for profit.  They don't have a very good reputation with employers to be honest, so please investigate thoroughly before enrolling and getting a degree that will be worthless to you in the work world.
587954
go to Penn Foster website or PCDIs website. Both offer real diplomas that you can earn online. They are both regionally accredited and recognized.
256358
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of reputable colleges that offer distance learning education leading to a teaching certificate.  First, which state's teaching certificate do you hope to earn?  Go to that state's department of education home page and look for certification requirements.  Many states will include a list of colleges with state-approved programs.  You can also try inserting keywords into your browser's search engine like "new jersey secondary certification distance education" or something similar.  You will get tens of thousands of hits.  I would then go to the advanced preferences setting and limit my search to .edu domains.  There are many books at Amazon that you could purchase that feature guides to online degrees.   Be sure to get one that is no more than a year old.  Major universities around the nation, and zillions of smaller ones, are adding new routes to certification via distance ed. And many programs are far cheaper than traditional, in-person schools.  No room and board!  No lab or health clinic fees!  No parking stickers!  But the VERY most important thing?  Make absolutely sure that the institution is fully accredited by a recognized accrediting board!  If the school isn't accredited, all your hard work and money will be wasted!!  Good luck--I personally think distance ed is the wave of the future in education.  I am working on a Master's degree in Science Ed--in my jammies!
380979
Short answer, no...\n\nLong Answer: I am a college graduate, having done the traditional after-high-school approach. I have been in the market place for many years so here is my opinion, for what it is worth. \n\nCOllege is not for everyone. Some people should NOT go, only because their head is not in the right place to learn and utilize the knowledge to "learn how to learn". What that means is something you already know. Hard work, perserverance, and theh ability to learn are the keys to success. The college degree is an evidence of that, but not a guarantee. There are many educated derilicts in the world, many from ivy league where the degrees have essentially been purchased with little demand for performance. The party school is almost considered a right of passage, and I think it is a disgrace to all that did it the right way. \n\nAs a person who interviews people for hire, I know that a college degree will be a proof of study, and I admire some schools over others for their ability to turn out good candidates. BUT, the ones with work experience are highly prized, degree or not. \n\nSO,  FOR YOU..\n- If you need an entry level job- get a degree ...YOU specifically  don;t need it for this\n- If you need the education for a particular skill in business, engineering, healthcare- get a degree....YOU do not need it for your own businesss, but it could help you grow. A good book or partner  could help also\n- .If you need to have a need to compete in the workplace for promotion in the future - the degree will be an asset for promotion in many areas - YOU may need it, but not for your own business\n- If you need the sense of self accomplishment - the degree is a source of pride- clearly, YOU don;t need it. \n\nIf you still want one, night school is always available. NOBODY questions whether you partied with the frat boys all day or  worked your @ss off at night plus day. \n\nThe degree can be an asset to a better paycheck, in general...but some have been successful without it. Bill Gates is a college dropout for instance. I do notice that you are working very hard to be successful...will you need to do that all your life? A degree may allow an income without 18 hour days eventually \n\nSounds like your head is on straight, enjoy your life and don't worry about what others think. Your parents understand the conventional wisdom of college degree = success....The problem is, that is not conventional wisom anymore. DO they want the degree for their pride or for yours?