Get a Widget for this title
RSS FeedAre online college degree programs helpful to your career?
Results so far:
| No | 27% | 156 votes | Total: 572 votes | |
| Yes | 73% | 416 votes |
No
Write now
Print
Invite a writer™
Add to FavoritesOnline colleges may seem tempting to those who feel uncomfortable attending classes on an actual college campus.
However, achieving a degree online is not impressive to employers and thus not helpful to any chosen career.
The purpose of college is to gain active learning experience in a motivating environment. The interaction that takes place in classrooms is the basis for the understanding of the material being presented.
College is an opportunity to study and understand. It is a place to meet people, interesting people who share your desire to learn and professors who will become mentors and friends.
It is a time to see what you're made of and compete with your peers in a healthy way. College can change your life; the people you meet, the people who inspire you and the people who are inspired by you.
There isn't a reason to attend an online university when you could go to a real school. If it's the money- it's worth it, get a loan. If you think you're too old- take it from a recent grad, we're cool with it.
Learn more about this author, Kristina Rae.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Yes
You have to start this discussion with an evaluation of college degrees in general. In other words, do you believe that any college degree will be helpful for your career? Studies show that people with college degrees earn on average more money than those who don't have a degree. Having a college degree does not guarantee anything, but there is certainly evidence to suggest that a degree will open certain vocational doors.
The online college degree is definitely a different experience, but this doesn't necessarily make it better or worse. It is just different. Some people do not like the online experience because it lacks the "face-to-face" interaction of the on-ground classroom experience. However, it can also be much richer than a traditional degree because it requires the student to read more, write more, and truly digest the things that people are posting online rather than being distracted by appearances, tone, and emotion. Not all online degree programs are the same, but not all on-ground programs are the same either. One must remember that education at the college level is mostly about what you want to get out of it. Having a world-renowned scholar as a teacher will not guarantee learning if the student does not want to read and study.
There is also the issue of reputation, which can be valuable in some cases and distracting in others. We assume that because it is a large "well-known" school that it will provide us with a better education. This is not necessarily the case, nor is it true that a smaller "lesser-known" online school will provide a substandard education. When looking for a program, one should look at all components, including coursework, accrediting body, faculty, length, and cost.
When you put a degree on your resume, you won't necessarily state that you got an "online" degree. That doesn't mean that you should hide it, but keep in mind that all reputable schools must get accreditation, regardless of delivery method. Your degree is still a degree and that counts for something, even if you accomplished it while sitting on your sofa in your pajamas.
Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
Difference of opinion? Debate now.
- Distance Learning
- Are online educational programs common today due to the growth of technology or globalization?
- In terms of cost, convenience and academic potential, is an online education more beneficial than a traditional education?
- Can you learn as much from the Internet as you would get from a college education?
