Online universities offer convenience

There are pros and cons to studying online. The most important thing to consider is an online university you trust will give you a legitimate degree.

The biggest draw to online universities is they’re convenient. You don’t have to uproot your family or lifestyle, there’s no commuting to class. You can study at home, or across the world, on your schedule.

But online college has a down side too.

Jessica Cooper attends the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, an online university that specializes in prenatal and somatic psychology. She weighs out the pros and cons of studying online. “The pros are flexibility and my schedule and the fact that I can study something I’m really interested in. But it’s also difficult because I have to be really independent and I don’t get the camaraderie of being in class.”

If you want to apply for an online university, make sure you choose one that’s legitimate. You should check the university’s accreditation to make sure it’s recognized by the US Department of Education.

Since you can’t visit a campus, make sure you read the school’s website thoroughly.

If the university says they’ll grant a degree in just a few months, or you can pay tuition on a per-degree basis, beware.

It could be what’s called a “diploma mill”, which basically sells worthless degrees.

Accredited schools charge by the credit hour, course, or semester.

You should also ask the school for alumni contacts, especially those with the same degree, so that you can find out where they are now and how they liked the program.

Just like traditional universities, size is important when choosing an online university. The University of Phoenix is well-known online choice.

Bernelli University is smaller, and specializes in entrepreneur leadership. It’ll likely have more one-on-one attention. Bernelli President, Doctor Cindy Iannarelli, said online universities are as good if not better than traditional schools. She indicated students are typically more self-motivated and technologically equipped.

Cooper agreed. “I’m just responsible for getting all my work done and have to be a self-starter all the way through. There’s no timeline or lectures that I can be accountable for unless I do it myself.”

Dr. Iannarelli said after all, it could very well be the future of education.

Two good links to check out are Bestonlinecolleges.com and you can read graduate’s reviews on universityreviewsonline.com