A college degree is an important document:  it affirms that the person who earned it actually was of above average intelligence and studied in his or her area of expertise, and is qualified to assume his or her role in society.  Online education threatens this, because anyone with a credit card can basically “pay for a college degree.”  They don’t have to be stellar at their studies.  There is no instructor present to evaluate their actual abilities.  And in some industries, these degrees are just as accepted as those earned at traditional college campuses.

I don’t believe that is a good thing, except that, for now, it remains cost prohibitive.  That means that many people who just want to buy into the world of the educated would chose to attend less expensive brick and mortar schools, where they could be adequately evaluated.  They will not just be performing a list of tasks outlined on a syllabus for online learning, but actually having to perform.  Advocates of online or distance education for the college student will argue that there is plenty of rigor in the coursework for online classes, too — but even they cannot deny that the possibility exists that people can slip through the system either fraudulently (by getting someone else to do the work for them) or as a result of neglect.

Most professions still do not give as much preference to degrees earned entirely online as they do to actual college degrees earned in classrooms, and within industries continuing education is permitted online, but not the entire course of study.  What do you think?  Leave us your comments.

• Self starters and motivators will love the ability to work ahead at their own pace and accomplish the school work with the speed that they might not be able to in a traditional high school setting.
• Students who are professional athletes, actors, and more can still get a quality education without having to put their life on hold.
• If a student needs extra one-on-one time or attention in a course the instruction can be formatted that way to ensure the success of the student.
• There are other reasons a student might prefer online school as opposed to traditional high school.  Anxiety disorders and bullying are other factors that might lead one to consider online school.

Take a look at what online high school is and why it could be a good choice for you or for the student in your life.

Maybe that is why there are so many adults going back to school online to receive their higher education.  Now these individuals realize the major importance that education has on life overall.  People are going online to get all sorts of degrees.  Veterinary assistance degrees, human services degree, computer science degrees, and more are attainable through online education programs that are offered by most colleges and universities.

Education has changed a lot just in a short amount of time.  More women than men are receiving degrees in college, but sadly 25% of students in high school are not graduating in time.  How much more do you think education will change in the next decade?  Do you think there will be more online classes for high school and younger students?

Look at the infographic below and see just where education stands right now in the US.

There is good news though that can allow those who do not have the means to finally be able to obtain a college degree and go on to create a better life overall.  This is thanks to United States federal grants and aids.  Your financial need is looked into and determined so that the government can make a solid decision on just how much you will actually need financially in order to go to school.  There are more than just one type of grants too, and most do not have to be repaid (be sure to verify this in the beginning).

I found a very useful and helpful infographic depicting many aspects about federal grants and aids, along with enrollment and other things.  Have a looksee!

It is official, online education is something that has taken off across the nation.  There are numerous reasons as to why so many students are opting to complete degrees in an online format.  For one thing, technology gives everyone the ability to stay connected and on top of things when it comes to classes and learning.  Simply having a computer and internet connection can give you access to a variety of online programs and degrees that are offered by top notch universities and colleges from all over.  When you can get a degree on your time and with your own schedule from an incredible institute of higher learning, how does it get any better than that?  The numbers of people graduating from an online program is increasing steadily, and the people who have done it go on to pursue exciting careers, or even advance in their current careers.  It seems like a win-win situation indeed.  So if you are ready to earn your degree and need some tips for doing it all online, take some advice from these past graduates.  They have been in the front lines and can offer you the very best advice.

Make sure that you keep an open line of communication with all of your online instructors and sometimes even the other students in the course.  It is easy to feel a disconnect from the rest of the students and the instructor due to the nature of online courses, but remember you are not doing this on your own.  The instructors are there to help you, and their goal is the same as yours, to complete the course.  The other students can also offer help.  If you feel like you are struggling with some of the work, find out how others are doing it.  There is a support system that you can surely take advantage of. -Mary Swanson, University of NC at Greensboro

When you begin taking online classes, be sure that you understand how important it is to be organized and well aware of due dates.  In a classroom setting it seems easier to keep up with things like that for some reason.  I made every effort to be as organized as possible, and I did well.  If there was one week or so that I did not plan to be organized, I could definitely see it reflected in my work and grades.  Organization is so important when it comes to managing your workload and courses. -Jimmy Karey, Texas University

Both of the above students just recently graduated from an online program at well-known universities, so they completely understand what it is like to take on the challenge of completing an education online.  They also know how rewarding that challenge is, and hopefully encouraged you.  Remember reach out to instructors and fellow classmates.  You may not see them face-to-face, but they certainly are there.  Also, keep in mind that you are in charge of your courses and due dates.  Simple organization will surely go along way.  Good luck on your journey to making the most of your online education.

Balancing Act – No two children are alike, and some children start on their careers early in life.  These children star in television shows, movies, or are traveling athletes.  While they have certain responsibilities already outside of education, they still need to receive a solid education.  Online education is the option that your child will benefit from the most.  He or she will have  schedule for school that is influenced by his or her work schedule so that there is no interference with work or receiving a proper education.

Take Time to Learn - Sometimes it seems that public school environments can be too fast for many of the students to gain all of the knowledge on a subject that is required of them.  In turn, some children will get left behind and then get to the point where they are unable to catch up with the remainder of the class.  This can leave him or her feeling bad about even going to class each day.  Online learning will allow your student who needs more time and attention to grasp certain curriculum the opportunity to really get up to speed on his or her time so that he or she is more comfortable and confident.

Leading the Pack – While some students feel like they get left behind, others may feel like they are stuck in slow-motion in public school classrooms.  For advanced learning students, online education will allow them to go at their own pace.  This means not being bored and causing disturbances, but learning and excelling. Think of it in terms of ADT authorized dealer: They sell the same product as ADT, but yet they are different.

In a traditional school environment, it is necessary for the student to attend school for approximately seven hours for five days a week.  The classes are designed for students to all learn at the same exact pace, and they all have the same schedule.  There are not a lot of class offerings for students who tend to work at a quicker pace or for those who work at a slower pace and may need more help and attention.  Now, online classes for your child require that the student turns on the computer and the education comes to him or her.  The scheduling is flexible so that every online student may not have to be online for class five days a week for seven hours each day.

In a traditional school setting there are school clubs, sports, and activities for students to participate in.  This may be a primary reason that many parents feel the need to keep their student enrolled in a traditional public school setting; however, even while receiving an education online, the student will be able to get involved with school clubs that are featured all over the world. For example, Direct TV offers an amazing technology workshop available to students online.

If you feel like your child is not getting the attention that he or she requires, or if you find that he or she works well outside of a traditional school setting, then consider online education.  Not everyone learns the same way, and an online education may be the best way to ensure he or she is getting the most out of school.

The trick to being the best distance education student that you can be is to be completely and totally organized for each one of your classes.  For all classes, both seated and distance, organization is an important thing, but it has been found that if you are not overly organized in distance classes, that you can easily fall behind and get left there.  Typically a lot of distance education instructors will post all assignments and dues dates for a time period, and you are solely responsible for meeting these deadlines for assignments, tests, and papers.  Miss just one test or quiz and you might not ever be able to make it up.  Some of the best distance education students recommend having a separate 2 inch, 3 ring notebook for every class you are taking.  In this notebook keep up with all dates for assignments and print out lectures to keep in chronological order for easier studying.  It is also very wise to keep a planner where you record all due dates the very moment you are made aware of them, so you will have a tool to see all assignments for each class.  If you want to take your organization up a step further, then color code each class in the planner with a specific color of pen ink.

If you are a social butterfly who requires face-to-face communication and interaction, then taking all of your classes distance is probably not the best idea for you.  It might even be difficult for you to learn in a distance setting.  If that is the case, then start off with one distance class to see if you can benefit from it.  If not, seated classes may be your best bet because the interaction might be necessary for you to learn.

All types of people have taken distance education classes, but not all succeed.  On Direct TV there was an awesome documentary about the success of people using online education to get degrees. One main reason for failure is thanks to lack of motivation.  In an online classroom setting you are the sole person responsible.  You do not have anyone to tell you that you need to go ahead and get started on a project and things of that nature.  If you are not a self-starter in any way, then you may not do well with distance learning.

One of the reasons I am getting back into TV is, after years of just streaming video from online and watching only movies, or videos from the websites of television channels I used to watch like ESPN, the Food Network, and some of the news networks, I decided I would like to have more control over my choices.

I was just reading an article at D3Q about Direct TV packages that include local channels, free installation in as many as 4 rooms, crystal clear digital picture and sound, and excellent customer service ratings since the year 2000.  Those are some pretty good statistics if you ask me.  I am leaning towards satellite television as of this hour.

I will probably call and place my order sometime in the next week or so.  I’m not in a very big hurry, but I don’t want to miss out on the political debates ahead of the primaries this fall.  The political races will be important this year, since people are watching and wondering who will win the 2012 Presidential Election.  I know that I am interested in that, at least.

There is also the matter of following my favorite sports, since football season will be here before we know it.  I am hoping to get NFL Sunday Ticket this year.  Some of my friends had it last year, and except for times when I couldn’t go over and watch, I would never have missed a game.