Adults thinking about getting or finishing a degree face a big problem - time. Most adults already have demands on their time - a job or business, a family, friends, personal interests. A degree can be huge for someone who wants to move up in the workplace - but who has the time?

Going back to school means compressing other activities to make room for education. Commuting to classes and attending lectures demands a time commitment that many people simply can't meet.

The solution? Consider online education.

Just five years ago, online learning was an infant industry with a shaky reputation. That's changed. Scams still exist, but you can easily avoid them with a few useful tools.

Large, well-known, accredited universities are now offering online degrees, and these degrees are accepted by employers. According to GetEducated.com, over 750 accredited colleges and universities now offer degrees through distance learning.

Some of them include the Rochester Institute of Technology, California State University - Northridge, University of Maryland, George Mason University, Stanford, Villanova, Florida Institute of Technology, Columbia, and Boston University.

If you haven't looked at online learning lately, it's time to look again. More schools are going online, and the established players are offering more courses.

We're not talking about Mickey Mouse degrees, either. We're talking law school, business management, education, nursing, finance, computer science, electrical engineering and much more. This is serious education!

How can you begin? First, make sure the school you're considering is properly accredited. Your first stop is a visit to the Office of Degree Authorization website. It will tell you what "schools" to avoid, and why. The Diploma Mill Police page at GetEducated.com is another excellent resource.

Next question: what kind of degree do you want, and where can you find it online? To answer this question, you'll want to look at ClassesUSA, a site with well- organized listings of degrees available online. You choose the degree that interests you, and ClassesUSA tells you where you can get it online.

Finally, a question everyone asks - can you save money by earning a degree online? The answer: it depends. You'll definitely save money and time by eliminating the costs of traveling to classes. You'll need a computer and Internet access, of course.

Tuition costs can vary widely from one school to another, so you can save by shopping around. Expect to pay more for a degree from the better-known schools.

The big benefit to online learning is flexibility. You can fit learning into your life, rather than rearranging your life to learn. And once you discover the advantages of learning online, it could become a habit. How many other habits can deliver rewards for the rest of your life?

© Copyrighted material, used by permission. This article can not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without the express written consent of the author. Author's views not necessarily those of i711.com.

View Comments  |  Add Comment  |   Email this Article