Is An Online Degree Worth The Cost?

Let's be honest, online education has lost a lot of legitimacy in recent years.

Because of its convenience and relatively lower cost, the popularity of distance learning as exploded.
In its wake, many websites have started offering cheap and quick online "degree".

Many have probably seen advertisements like this: "Get your Business Degree online in 6 MONTHS for only 500$! Apply NOW!" Of course many of these schools have proven to be scams or simply provide useless diplomas.
Because of this, these so-called "colleges" have severely damaged the reputations of all online schools.

Many people are skeptical about pursuing online education and a growing prejudice has risen amongst more old-fashioned employers. Many are afraid to spend their money for something they think will be a big risk. Some even think that ALL employers will undervalue their degree and even discredit it altogether. This is a problem for sincere students who actually need to attend college, but can't make the time to go to a campus. The good news is that these are all misconceptions and prejudices fabricated by a couple of bad experiences.

Yes, there exist some "diploma mills" issuing worthless pieces of paper to people, but that is most definitely not the majority of online education programs. There are many misconceptions about the online education which could ease the mind of many.

Online education can actually be a valuable asset in the real career world; all you need to find is a proper, legitimate online college.

Accreditation is everything.
To make sure that students do not fall into the trap of entering into one of these diploma mills, they need to investigate what specific program they want to enter, and thoroughly research the schools that offer it. When you come across a website called: "you know it's time to close your internet browser, and just to be on the safe side, run a virus scan.

While online schools are considered convenient, they aren't supposed to be easy. The reality of the matter is that legitimate online schools can have serious prerequisites and you might even need some work experience in some cases.

Also, the best way to prove the legitimacy of a distance learning school is to look for accreditation. This is extremely important and should not be taken for granted.

If your school doesn't hold some type of education accreditation, you might want to look for another.

Accreditation awarded by regional or national organizations depending upon the type of school in question.

It only given to respected, trusted educational institutions which are evaluated under heavy scrutiny.
One of these accreditations is: The Distance Education and Training Council, simply viewing this on a schools website should give reassurance to aspiring students.

With a degree from an accredited online university you are given the same chance in the job market than other campus graduates.
Many employers even see online graduates as hardworking and disciplined individuals; people in charge of their own success.