Renee Said:

Are those online college degrees a scam or can you actually get a diploma from an online website?

We Answered:

I take my courses online and it is great. I'm getting my Bach of Science in animation. i'm actually learning important stuff.

Nina Said:

Online College?

We Answered:

In my experience online degrees are treated basically the same as a degree from a campus program. Although, just like campus programs some schools, programs and degrees are viewed more fondly than others. I would make sure that any schools you are looking at are accredited and I would look into a number of schools so that you can decide which one is the best fit for you, your tuition requirements, schedule and reputation. I did a search for accredited masters degrees in teaching and this site appears to have good information and some schools for you to check out.

Terrance Said:

Questions about online college degrees?

We Answered:

1. There are several types of accreditation - regional, national, fake, and none at all. Regional accreditation is the best - that's what the ranked schools have, and your credits will transfer to any other school. National accreditation isn't as good, and the credits won't always transfer. Fake accreditation is when they claim to be accredited but they made up a fake accrediting agency to accredit themselves - make sure the agency that accredited the school is recognized by the US Dept of Education (Wikipedia has a list of real agencies). None at all is worthless.

2. You can take exams online through software like BlackBoard. They're usually timed to keep you from having the time to cheat.

3. Usually not, no.

Adam Said:

Do employers look down on people that get college degrees online?

We Answered:

I don't think so but it might if looking for a white collar job. I personally don't see anything wrong with online degrees because that is just another advancement our society has made.

Jackie Said:

Are any of the online college degrees for real or are they just a scam?

We Answered:

There are plenty of real ones, and plenty of fake ones. You need to do your research to make sure it's a real one. Ones through actual universities are becoming popular, and the universities are accredited, which is necessary. Before starting an online degree program, make sure it's accredited, and that the agency that accredited it is recognized by the US Dept of Education.

Any sites offering national accreditation are probably scams (the good accreditation is regional), as are sites charging one fee for the whole degree (real colleges charge by credit hour or semester), and ones offering to let you finish a 4-year degree in significantly less than 4 years. Also, ones that say you can do a degree in the sciences or nursing completely online are scams - those classes have required lab components you must do in person.

Bob Said:

Why are college degrees earned online disrespected?

We Answered:

Classroom and out-of-class interaction in an academic environment is a big part of getting an education. This is missing in online courses. True education is supposed to be a wrenching, total upheaval of a student's thinking. This takes four years of campus immersion (OK, three in some countries).

It is easy to spot a person whose bachelor's degree was obtained totally on-line.

The other reason such degrees are held in low regard is that historically, online ("correspondence") courses were often sold by substandard schools, often not much more than diploma mills appealing to people who get their information from comic books.