Online Degrees-Accomplish Your College Degree Online With The Help Of The GI Bill
Online degree and certificate programs have come a long way since Colby Nolan, an actual cat, earned an executive MBA. They have grown substantially in numbers and enrollment. There are also many grants, scholarships and loans these days to help pay for them.
Much of the reason has to do with accreditation, according to a 2001 report from the American Council on Education Center for Policy Analysis and EDUCAUSE. The federal government, which is considered the largest financial aid provider, apparently came to recognize the importance of online college, university and technical school programs as a result of a U.S. Department of Education pilot program years ago. These days, the government relies on an institution’s accredited status as a sign that its programs are of a quality that merit money for student grants and loans, the Council on Education-EDUCAUSE report notes.
Online colleges, universities, and technical schools can be accredited by national or regional agencies, but that doesn’t mean that the Department of Education recognizes these agencies. When accrediting online colleges, universities and technical schools, agencies with the nationally recognized Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions consider areas such as interactivity, student services and having trained faculty – areas that have studies have shown to be associated with quality and successful online studies. The U.S. Department of Education has also updated its guidelines, in part to ensure also that schools verify a student’s identity and make sure the student who enrolls is the same one who receives academic credit.
Officials have been taking measures toward stopping “diploma” or “degree mills” that allow people to buy phony credentials. Wisconsin State Senator Fred Risser, who’s among them, says the problem with diploma and degree mills is increasing.
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