| When you're ready to earn your certificate, associate | | | | The availability of federal student financial aid for |
| degree, bachelor's degree, or doctoral degree, | | | | online students led to a huge increase in online degree |
| chances are you've considered an online degree. No | | | | programs. |
| longer are online degrees considered second-rate or | | | | How Do You Choose an Online Degree Program? |
| sketchy. Nor are online degrees offered only by | | | | Before you start your search, it's a good idea to |
| "degree mills" in Barbados that take your cash and | | | | have in mind what degree to you want and in what |
| print you a worthless diploma that any employer | | | | field. Normally, choosing your degree level is a |
| would laugh at. Times have changed and today's | | | | straightforward process: you earn the next one |
| higher education system has been transformed. | | | | higher than what you have now. So if you are a high |
| The Internet and Federal Financial Aid | | | | school grad, you will be considering a certificate, a |
| Two things have made the education revolution | | | | two-year associate degree, or a four-year bachelor's |
| possible. First, the Internet has become ubiquitous, | | | | degree. If you already have a bachelor's degree, then |
| fast, and powerful. Nearly everyone is online and | | | | your next step is a master's degree. |
| most people are Internet-savvy. In fact, recent | | | | The program area can be obvious or tricky. If you |
| statistics from suggests that today in North America, | | | | are already in business, an MBA is a common choice. |
| which has a population of 340 million people, over 259 | | | | But if (for example) you have a bachelor's degree in |
| million are Internet users. That's 76 percent! Internet | | | | English literature, you may want to earn your |
| users are in every age bracket, from kids to | | | | master's degree in any one of a number of subjects: |
| grandmas in their eighties. | | | | education, theology, business, or psychology. Or even |
| In response to this technological revolution, reputable | | | | English literature! |
| and accredited colleges and universities have greatly | | | | Fortunately, using a reputable online college directory, |
| expanded their distance learning programs. In fact, a | | | | you can search and browse online programs to your |
| few universities, such as University of Phoenix, exist | | | | heart's content without any obligation or fee. Simply |
| primarily online. UP has no traditional college campus or | | | | log onto a directory like the one below. All you have |
| dormitories or a football team. Phoenix does have | | | | to do is fill in the fields that ask you what program |
| over 200 classroom locations around the United | | | | and degree you want, select the "Online" button, and |
| States, but in order to earn your degree you need | | | | you'll see a variety of programs and colleges that fit |
| not necessarily ever set foot in one. The university | | | | your criteria. Check them out and compare programs, |
| enrolls over 500,000 students worldwide, making it | | | | financial aid, career services, and flexible schedules. |
| the biggest institution of higher learning in America. | | | | When you've narrowed it down to a few schools, |
| The second key to online program growth came in | | | | then you can use the contact forms to request |
| 2006, when the "fifty-percent rule," requiring colleges | | | | more free information. The whole process will take |
| and universities to conduct at least half of their | | | | no more than a few minutes. If you want to spend |
| instruction in person in order to receive federal aid or | | | | more time, you can browse through a greater |
| collect federal student loans, was changed. Students | | | | variety of online or on-campus programs. No matter |
| receiving instruction over the Internet were no longer | | | | how you do it, in less time than you think you can be |
| classified as "correspondence students," and as such, | | | | on your way towards earning your online degree. |
| these students now qualified for federal student aid. | | | | |