Online university?

im enrolled to obtain my associates degree in emergency services paramedic here in Alaska but Im curious as to whether these online universitys are lagit?If I could take classes at my own pace and still obtain a degree that would be awesome.But Im not sure just how reliable an online degree really is.Could I obtain a good job with good pay by getting an online degree?

Online university?
The Pros





1. You get to stay home. This is a major selling point for distance learning. “Attend class in your pajamas!” “Study from the comfort of your own home!” It goes without saying that not having to drive to campus, fight for a parking spot, wade through a sea of students, rush from class to class, choke down cafeteria food (who wants to eat like a high schooler again?) and take a chance on showing up on time only to discover your professor didn’t, is a big bonus. For parents, online schooling can be a godsend. No scrambling for a sitter or paying outrageous daycare prices. And the pajama thing is nice, too. Your classmates won’t care if you show up naked (though this practice is not recommended, especially if anyone else lives with you).





2. Learn at your own pace. Sure, you have to turn your assignments in on time. But distance learning classrooms are not nearly as strict as traditional colleges, and the professors will often give you more leeway in meeting due dates. They understand most online students need more flexibility, or they wouldn’t be online students. And no more stammering through answers you’re not sure of when the teacher calls on you; with distance learning, you get to ask the questions. Course scheduling is flexible too. You can take as many or as few classes as you want; skip a semester; withdraw and re-enroll if you find yourself unable to devote as much time to a particular class as you’d like. With no set class times, you don’t have to worry about being late or missing out on instruction. It’s always there for you to access when you can.





3. Attend class (just about) anywhere. Anywhere you have internet access, that is. If you own a laptop with online capabilities, you have a portable classroom you can take with you. Most libraries have computers with internet access as well, for when you need to research something or just want a change of scenery. If you’re working, explain to your employer that you’re taking online classes and they may allow you to do some of your classwork on the job.





4. Fits busy lifestyles. One of the biggest excuses people give for not getting a higher education is: “I don’t have time for college.” The good news for parents, members of the workforce, and social butterflies is that you can make time to work toward your online degree. If you carry a part-time course load, generally one hour a day (or night) is enough to satisfy class requirements and study time. Full time programs require a bit more effort, but if you are careful about staying on task and getting the work done, three to four hours a day is sufficient. Anyone else have a complaint?





5. Tuition assistance. The same federal, state and private programs that provide loans and grants for traditional college are also available for most distance learning classes. If you would qualify for financial aid at a brick-and-mortar college, chances are you’ll get the same consideration for online schools.





1. The cons. The internet, wonderful invention that it is, has allowed more scams than ever before to flourish in the vast anonymity of cyberspace. Just like anything else you find on the WWW, you must investigate your chosen school before you enroll, and definitely before you pay anything. There are literally thousands of web sites offering “accredited degrees without study.” You pay them a substantial sum; they print out a diploma with your name and mail it to you. Employers are catching on fast to this hoax. One column writer applied to and received a degree in the name of his cat. The owner of this particular degree mill was caught and jailed—and now operates his “school” from prison under a different name.





I repeat: never send money to an online school unless you’re sure it’s legitimate. If a degree is offered, but no course outlines, degree program descriptions or faculty list is posted, it’s probably a scam. If you can’t tell from the web site, e-mail the owner/president and ask if you can contact a few of their students to find out about their experience. Most of the time, a simple Google search for “school name” + “fraud” will generate plenty of information.





2. Limited subject matter. There are some things you just can’t learn through e-mail. Would you trust a doctor with a degree from a distance learning institute? Careers requiring hands-on experience generally aren’t offered through online classes, or if they are you must enroll in a “mixed” program that requires periodic on-campus attendance. However, the range of degree programs offered online is extensive and still growing: you can receive A.A.S. or B.S. degrees in business, management, graphic design, just about any IT field, criminal justice, education, and more. But if you want to be an airline pilot… you’d better start looking for a flight school.





3. No social interaction. If you’re the type of person that has to talk to someone every ten minutes or so, distance learning is not right for you. Even if you’re not that type of person, distance learning might not be right for you. Social isolation is one of the most difficult factors that must be overcome in an online environment. You will never meet any of your classmates or your professors face-to-face, and you have to be prepared for that. There are a few things you can do to minimize the impact of lack of interaction: enroll with a friend, join a meeting group with similar interests, or just make sure you have plenty of family and friends around (as long as they understand that sometimes, you have to do your school work).





4. Self-discipline is a must. It’s easy to log on to your virtual classroom, glance at all the assignments posted, and say to yourself, “I’ll do them tomorrow; I can catch up.” It’s also easy to tell yourself the same thing every day; until you reach the end of the semester and find that you have 50 projects and papers due in half an hour. Remind yourself that even though you aren’t going anywhere, your school work is a priority. There will be days when you have to make yourself sit down and participate—and there will be days when you really can say, “I’m all caught up; I’ll skip school today and catch up tomorrow.” Just make sure that when tomorrow arrives, you follow through.





5. No immediate feedback. In a traditional classroom setting, you raise your hand and ask a question, and the professor answers you. In a virtual classroom, you e-mail your professor with your question and wait until he or she has the time to reply. Most online teachers are great about responding to students, but it can sometimes take up to a day. That’s why procrastination is not an option, because if you’re deep into a project and run into a snag close to the end, by the time you get your question answered it may be too late.
Reply:before you commit to one of those pretend schools, look at this web site http://www.aiutruth.com





%26amp; read this post. It is the most eloqent tirade that I have seen on the subject of pretend online schools


[you can find the original post here: [http://answers.yahoo.com/quest.........





The following was written by "PhD Seeking" (not me)





As someone who's responsible for hiring people at my fortune 100 company, I can honestly say that any resume sporting an on-line degree goes into the "circular file", regardless of their other qualifications.





I have my MBA from a traditional school, and shortly after I graduated and continually until this day, I have been solicited by the UoP to teach on-line business courses for them. While I have several years of work experience (which they didn't know), I was apparently qualified simply because they purchased a mailing list of graduates from my school and saw I had a degree. Not that PhD professors are better teachers, because some of mine really sucked as communicators, but asking people with limited work and educational experience to teach students shows a lack of concern about educational quality, and more about getting an instructor at a cheap price. If you don't believe me, check out the career section on the UoP site or other job boards and you'll see the low standards they set for educators. (see the ad below)





Getting a real degree tells me the applicant can make a long term commitment that requires sacrifice. On-line classes are the ultimate sign of laziness. With all real colleges offering part-time or evening classes, going the on-line route suggests you're looking for the easy way out. Most employers within reputable companies, including myself, won't take a chance.





Lastly, be prepared for the teasing, either publically, or more probably, behind your back, by your co-workers with real degrees.
Reply:My suggestion is to only get an 'online' degree through a reputable state funded university. Steer clear of for-profit companies (yes, they are 'companies' and NOT schools), that allow you to buy a degree. If you hand in a resume to a prospective employer with those kinds of schools listed it will be thrown in the trash, or perhaps they will put you on some kind of employment blacklist, warning other firms not to hire you. In this day and age, you may even be profiled as a potential terrorist, as they are well known to use diploma-mill schools to shield themselves behind their activities. Beware!
Reply:Check with wherever board you receive your certification with.They usually have alist of accredited schools.
Reply:Hmmm...it depends on what kind of degree it is? Are you already a certified paramedic? If not, then there is no way that you can obtain certification from a online only associate's degree. If you are, and this is a degree completion, th en there are several legitimate schools that do offer an associate's degree completion for paramedics. Some schools are really expensive, while others are rather reasonably priced.





An associate's degree in EMS from a accredited university will make you more marketable, especially in Alaska, where paramedic jobs are fairly scarce. I attended paramedic training in Alaska, and had to move out of state to find a job. Most of the people I went to school in can only find jobs as EMT-Basics with the Community Service Patrol, or volunteer jobs out in the Valley.





I believe University of Alaska Anchorage offers a paramedic degree completion program for already certified paramedics. I'm pretty sure that some of the classes can be taken online, and this university is a fairly inexpensive and decent place to go.





University of Alaska Fairbanks offers an associate degree in paramedicine, which includes the actual paramedic certification, but it's not available online.





There's a paramedic school that's part of the college in Soldotna, but I'm not sure it they offer an associate's degree or not.





Camden County College in New Jersey has an online degree completion program for certified paramedics. Not only is it accredited, but it is very affordable.





There's a Methodist university in the Midwest (don't remember the name) that offers an online degree completion program for certified paramedics, but it costs about $400 a credit. Yipes!





Anyways, hope this helps :)
Reply:There are pros and cons to this subject matter . Yes it would be good but the instructors aren't as readily available as they would be in tradtional class setting . You interact with other students through threaded discussions and you get feed back but on their time . If you aren't sharp in the comprhension area I suggest you stick with tradtional colleges versus distance learning .