online masters worth anything?

MBA_Grad_2009
Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:29:38 +0000

Online degrees are going to become more and more accepted, especially since many schools teach exactly the same material in online classes as their face-to-face classes. Reputation, however, is critical. I know how it sounds, but if your school sounds cheap, you won’t even get an interview, so you have to consider the school’s accreditation and name value before Day One.

You should also be very picky in the school you choose, including online. Do research, find and compare what they offer. Can you get the specialization you want, what are the required courseload and time commitments, and does the school offer placement assistance for online students the way they do regular students? You should be aware as well, that for some people an online degree is much more difficult than face-to-face. Your participation will be required on a daily basis, and you can’t hide in the back in an online class - the professor will know every keystroke of your participation, and whether you were prepared or not. You will also have to be self-disciplined for quizzes, assignments and exams when you never see your classmates to remind you and study together (you can get study groups together, but it’s definitely not spontaneous the way it is in f2f classes).

If you are unsure at all about an online school, ask around. Find someone you respect and discuss the school without using the words ‘online’ or ‘distance’ and see how they react. Like so many things, you tend to get out what you put in.