Assuming that you’ve already decided to pursue an online degree, I’ll get right to the point and give you a few bits of information to consider when choosing an online college.
The process of finding a credible institution is not as hard as it sounds. The only thing I need you to do is your homework. Research is crucial. You’ll be in a position to sift out the irrelevant colleges that are not in alignment with your academic goals.
Some of us want to get a better paying job, others want to start their own companies, and others want promotions in current jobs. All these are viable reasons to pursue education online and each point may inform your decision-making process a bit differently.
Credibility is not contingent on whether the degree was obtained from an online campus or the traditional college. Whichever the case, you need to understand that if you put in the work and do what’s required, you’ll earn the degree. So that when you are seeking a job, you should not be afraid to tell your prospective employer that you earned the degree online.
It’s at this point that I intend to come on board and help you identify the ideal institution. The questions below will ease the process, so pay attention.
Determine Whether the College or Institution Is Accredited
I strongly feel that this is the most important question that any serious student should determine. When it’s all said and done, the employer wants to know if you earned the degree from a legitimate institution. There are so many institutions that don’t offer quality education. Therefore, you don’t want to be caught up in such a mess.
Identify whether the institution has an accrediting agency on its website. If they don’t, there’s a big question mark that ought to signal incompetence.
In some cases, you’ll have to call the institution and ask if they’re accredited. If you call the institution, you need to ask which accrediting body has accredited them. Go ahead and research the name for verification purposes. This is because unfortunately there are some institutions out there that may try to scam students.
What To Watch Out For When Selecting an Online College
Factors that can signal incompetence or illegitimate institutions:
- Difficulty reaching-out to the admissions office.
- Illegitimate Street addresses.
- Unrealistic pressure to enroll.
- If you are asked to pay the whole tuition fee upfront.
- A similarity between the institution’s name and a famous University.
- The institution is accredited by too many agencies.
- Unrealistic graduation time frame.
- You cannot contact your school’s departments, library, and alumni.
- Inadequate information about the programs being offered.
- Exclusive recruitment in the US and the institution claims to be internationally based.
- The institution does not require attendance.
Understand that online colleges have their place and purpose. You’re not trying to find an easy way out. In most cases, that will take you nowhere. This is just a creative solution that targets people who have lots of commitments.
This program intends to serve people who are occupied with full-time jobs and businesses. The idea is to have people educating themselves in their spare time. Common sense alone will help you make a reasonable decision. Just do your research and you’ll be informed.
