It is true that online education has gained some popularity within recent years, but it is still relatively new concept and many people question which online colleges provide the best program. There are many different schools and many different types of online degrees. With so much choice, many prospective students wonder which online school they should apply to.

While a flexible schedule is the reason why most students who choose distance education look for online colleges, it is still important to look into different colleges before making a final decision. In addition, while some students choose online colleges because they simply learn better with a more flexible schedule and they don’t cope well in a more traditional institution, shopping around and seeing what others have said about the various online institutions is an important part of finding an online program that will meet your needs.

In a recent poll conducted by USA News, they ranked online education programs based on a number of criteria.

Based on Student Engagement and Assessment, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Bellevue University (Bellevue, NE)
2. Newberry College (Newberry, SC)
3. Troy University (Troy, AL)
4. University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio, TX)
5. University of Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ)

Based on Faculty Credentials and Training, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Westfield State University (Westfield, MA)
2. United States Sports Academy (Daphne, AL)
3. St. Mary’s College of California (Moraga, CA)
4. Pace University (New York, NY)
5. Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)

Based on Student Services and Technology, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
2. Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)
3. Florida International University (Miami, FL)
4. University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND)
5. Troy University (Troy, AL)

It should be noted that while for-profit institutions such as the University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and American Public University are among the schools with the highest enrollments in online programs, non for-profit institutions provide high quality programming as well. This is illustrated by the rankings listed above. However, there are a number of important indicators that prospective students must inquire about prior to enrolling in an online institution. They are as follows:

1. Regional vs. National accreditation
Accreditation is the best way to find out what the type of institution, the prospective school, is. Put simply, regionally accredited institutions are institutions whose main focus is academia. Alternatively, nationally accredited institutions are vocationally centered and mainly focus on career training. There are seven regional accreditation associations in the U.S. and it has been traditionally understood that regionally accredited institutions are more widely recognized in the U.S. than nationally accredited institutions. What does this mean for students? Those who attempt to transfer their degrees from nationally accredited institutions to regionally accredited institutions, do not find a lot of success in doing so. On the other hand, some online colleges will offer national accreditation which means that if you want to transfer to your local university later on, you may not be able to. To ensure that your online college has the right accreditation, check out the school’s “About” page or contact their main office for more information.

2. Course Format
While many people believe that online courses are always in a “go at you on pace” format, many online colleges offer course work that comes in several formats. Video, conference, correspondence, web-based or even face-to-face format are some of the various types of programming prospective students can expect to see at different online colleges. If a course’s format presents a problem for you, you may need to do your research. For example, it may seem great to have 24 credits of web-based format coursework but finding out that your last 6 credits will have to be face-to-face format when you live over 1,000 miles away from the college location could be a problem. It is important that you research exactly which courses will be required of you, in your given program.

3. Online Tuition
More and more schools are starting to offer out-of-state online students incentives, such as tuition waivers and special rates. This can make it easier for students to afford to take part in an online program that is within their budget even if you are out of state. Check with the institution to see if there are any monetary incentives that they offer for their online students.

As great as online colleges are, they may require more research to ensure a smooth college experience. It is important to investigate online colleges before you enroll. Please browse through www.academies.com for a better understanding of the various online education programs available.

By Blake Ellis

Attending school in California and becoming an engineering major can really pay off for college graduates — by thousands of dollars a year.

According to a report released Thursday from salary-tracker PayScale.com, petroleum engineering majors and graduates of Harvey Mudd College are taking home the biggest paychecks.

While mid-career salaries fell 1.5% overall between 2009 and 2010, engineers, scientists and mathematicians continued to rake in the big bucks, as well as students who graduated from Ivy League schools.
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Many people go to a culinary college so that they can become involved in the restaurant business. They may have a passion for food and want to be able to cook intricate meals and specialty dishes. Perhaps they have always wanted to own their own restaurant or bed-and-breakfast. They may love to cook but don’t know how to manage the business side of the restaurant. Some people just want to improve their skills in the kitchen for personal satisfaction.
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Engineering diplomas account for 12 of the 15 top paying majors in the job market. The average offer to chemical engineering graduates rose 6.4 % to $63,165. Not surprisingly, many offers to these grads came from petroleum and coal products manufacturers, which offered an average salary of $71,976 annually. Despite a less-than-robust economy, the overall average starting salary offer to new college graduates, regardless of major, increased by 7.1 percent over last year, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Civil engineering graduates also posted a 6.4 % increase, bringing their average offer to $51,632. Mechanical engineering grads received a 5.3 % increase, boosting their average starting salary to $57,009. The offer to electrical engineering grads rose a modest 2.9 %, bringing their offers to $56,910 annually.
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You may wish to pursue a degree in Human Services if you enjoy helping people in a socialized way rather than a medical way. You may have a talent for assisting people and analyzing situations or be adept at showing people the right path. Some of us are better than others at communicating with people and offering emotional support. These are people skills and these types of skills are in high demand in the job market.

There are many government jobs in the local or state and federal level that you may wish to choose in your career. Having the right degree is imperative to getting your foot in the door.
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Whether you choose to get an associate’s degree or masters in business administration, you will likely be a more serious candidate for the ever- evolving job market. In this period of recession and scarcity of good paying jobs; your resume will stand out and in some cases will not even be considered without the proper degree. People with business degrees have more job opportunities available to them, giving them greater flexibility in the jobs they choose.
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There are at least 1 billion personal computers in use worldwide today. That’s a lot of computers to program and maintain; and a lot of technical networks to support. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, information technology workers who earn an associate’s degree in computers are paid an average of $3,760 per month. Workers with vocational certificate in technology engineering can earn even higher pay. If the virtual world of information technology is second nature to you, upgrade your skills in computers into a marketable resume.
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You are creative, you love to sketch, design new clothes, paint sculpt or draw. Pursuing a career as a full time artist is possible if you have the passion and the energy and the right degree. For you earning a degree in Art or Design is all about expressing yourself visually as you combine form and function. Channel your energy into a fulfilling career.

A degree in Art Design is an opportunity to turn your talent, your passion and your imagination into a career that suites you inside and out. It’s about putting your ideas to practical use, whether creating new designs or products or taking existing ones to the next level. A degree in Art Design is a great choice for the talented individual.

A Bachelor’s degree in the arts can be earned in a variety of disciplines: art history, art education, graphic design, web development, video game design and many others. You can earn Bachelor’s degrees in Art Design, including a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. (more…)

Education touches on every aspect of human life and teachers make the world a better place for everyone, and those with education and teaching degrees are in high demand. Not only do teaching degrees have high value but there are also extensive faculty openings in high demand areas, and more teachers are needed now than ever.

Because the field of education is so diverse, demand varies for different positions. In large urban areas, there are many high demand teaching jobs thanks to growing populations. Suburban areas continue to see rapid growth and expansion as well. Whether you chose to live and work in the city or the suburbs, the next few years will hold solid prospects for everyone with an education degree as many “baby boomers” are nearing retirement age; leaving many jobs open for those with teaching degrees.
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Every academy and university has a variety of academic programs. Depending on your career path you will want to choose the right program for your studies.

Will you need a master’s degree, a doctorate or just an associate’s degree?

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