Follow
The path to finding the right accredited online colleges may seem a daunting one, but here we will break down the methods and procedures associated with this task and we will also explore some available options. Deciding to go to school online means that your classroom will be in your home, as with any educational pursuit, research and a choice of major is necessary. This is quite the popular option for working adults who may find it difficult to travel to a physical campus and parents who find that staying home is a far more cost and time effective strategy. Online colleges have developed to give you the full educational experience without needing to attend lectures in person. With the technological advances in our society, this has become a viable option for pursuing your education. Online degrees range from certificate programs such as criminal justice, to associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees and even master’s and beyond. Many fully accredited physical schools even offer online degrees for both graduate and undergraduate programs.
How To Find The Top Accredited Online Colleges
Accreditation is also important because it means that a school’s curriculum has been formally recognized to provide quality education with credits that should be transferable to another accredited school. Graduation rates, price and student-to- faculty ratio are three areas to which a student should give weighted consideration when doing this leg of research, but one should always start with their major. Do a search for schools with high rankings for the major you have chosen (for example, Top 10 Online Criminal Justice Degree Programs). Be sure to check with the organization by which the university claims to be accredited, and check with your state department of education in the case of any institutions that don’t claim accreditation.
Once you have this list, begin to narrow down the search based on the number of students that graduate the program. This number is very important because it should convey the strength of their learning model and how well the teachers implement this model to help the students achieve their goals. A graduation rate of less than 70% should send up red flags to the prospective student. You want to maximize your chances for success. Next, one should consider the price. Consider how much financial investment you are prepared to make into your education and consider all of your financing options from grants to scholarships and student loans. After you have worked out your budget, consider the student to teacher ratio. You will have to consider how much help you might need and realize that the higher the student to teacher ratio, the less time you will likely be afforded to receive one-on-one assistance from the instructor. As a distance learner, you will not be able to stop by the professor’s office during your free time, and if your major is highly involved, that time may be crucial, so this is something to take into strong consideration. The University of Florida is ranked number 1 in online education because of its price, its retention rate, which stands at a remarkable %84 and its student to teacher ratio which is 20 to 1. Its greatest claim to educational excellence is its status as one of three Research Flagship universities in the state. Penn State University – World Campus, with a number 4 ranking, has a vast wealth of degree programs, a %92 retention rate and a student to teacher ratio of 17 to 1. Penn State is an attractive choice because of the immense number of Penn State Alumni, making it a well-recognized and respected university throughout the world.
How Much Do The Top Accredited Online Colleges Cost?
The costs associated with an online degree are very similar to those associated with physical universities. There are per-credit fees, as with any university, and traditional public schools within the student’s geographical area of residency cost a lot less than its private counterparts. The tuition generally ranges from approximately $10,000 a year, to the upper end of $40,000 a year for an undergraduate degree, with $21,000 being about average. The University of Florida boasts a lower end tuition of just over $11,500 a year, which also helps to vault its ranking to number one, while Penn State University – World Campus has a tuition of just over $21,000 a year. After you factor in the price of books for the semester, you will have a complete picture of how much you can expect to pay. Using accredited online colleges has become an effective and beneficial option for attaining the degree of a lifetime.
