Online Learning Earns its Stripes Columbia SC

Online Learning Earns its Stripes

Ten years ago, if you told someone you were getting a distance degree, it may be that all you got in response was a smirk or even a snicker. This is because until very recently, any degree that wasn't earned in a traditional academic setting wasn't considered particularly legitimate. Many schools offered occasional online courses, but only as an adjunct to the hundreds of classes taught on their campuses. Common belief held that if a school wasn't operating in classroom buildings, then it was probably a sham feeding off the degree dreams of students who couldn't find any other way to get to school.

Today, though, distance learning is a thriving academic business. In fact, if you still believe that online degrees are a bunch of bunk, it's time to shuck those thoughts right out the window. The Internet Age has brought technology, academia, and legitimate education right into our living rooms. Online and distance learning have become increasingly effective and now, Congress has given the industry a lot more clout via the federal student aid program.

Non-traditional is A-OK
In a nod to non-traditional students everywhere, Congress lifted what was known as the ""50-percent rule"" in February 2006. This rule had required schools to offer at least 50 percent of their classes in a classroom setting to be eligible for federal student aid. That made it very difficult for the for-profit distance learning sector to access federal funding...

Author: Alan Frost

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