dilemma for colleges

VitaMan's Avatar
Colleges and universities have always put "online" degrees as a runner up to on campus degrees...mostly by designating the diploma as an "online degree."


Now they have all had to switch to online only. Many not providing housing.

But they still want to charge the on campus tuition.....not refunding any money.
Have online degrees suddenly become more valuable ?



Colleges and universities: another crock ?


Another oversold product not really needed.....like extended car warranties ?
Major universities that offer online programs don't normally make a distinction between the online and on campus programs. Generally, it is the exact same cirriculum. The diploma and transcript are completely the same. The reason employers may know is that you don't live in the same city, but otherwise, generally, they can't tell.

Now if you are talking about the difference between University of Texas and University of Phoenix (biggest for profit online school) then you are spot on about employers making a distinction.
Major universities that offer online programs don't normally make a distinction between the online and on campus programs. Generally, it is the exact same cirriculum. The diploma and transcript are completely the same. The reason employers may know is that you don't live in the same city, but otherwise, generally, they can't tell.

Now if you are talking about the difference between University of Texas and University of Phoenix (biggest for profit online school) then you are spot on about employers making a distinction. Originally Posted by Michelle ma Belle
Most large companies recruit on campus. They also have a relationship with the Professors. So if you are not physically there they can probably figure it out.
boardman's Avatar
Beware of the student loan bubble. I've been saying for years it's the next one to burst.
TryWeakly's Avatar
Dilemna
Beware of colleges and Universities that offer degrees with no job prospects. They will lie through their teeth and say things like "jobs are plentiful" they need to protect THEIR position. Or if there are positions available one has to sleep with a slime ball like character like Weinstein.

Check out at least with the two nation job posting sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com to see list of available positions
Several certificate Universities were in trouble for exactly like Fixer described above.

Always ask questions and trust no one. Verify Verify there are jobs available. There was a flaky trucking school in my area. They had the reputation of instructor sleeping in the sleeper while the students drove around a track. There was no instructions on backing up the truck or tieing down loads.

After the students received his hours students were hired by a sister company and then immediately laid off.

Call the companies you would want to work for and ask their opinion of the school.
VitaMan's Avatar
Deciding to pay for higher education, and choosing what school to attend, has to be one of the most bewildering and financial choices a person has to make.


Colleges and universities are also in a bewildering state due to online education. All of them are having to offer online education in one form or the other (like facebook, everyone hates it but has to be on it).


Every scrap of news I have seen always says the schools note the degree you receive as an "online" degree, if you did your schooling that way. They still want to try and differentiate or market segment their education, so they can charge more for attending school on the campus.


Some people attend NYU arts schools and pay $ 58,000 a year. Others just go to Hollywood with no schooling and make it big.
I'm not saying there aren't schools that make the distinction, but when I got my last degree, that was a question I asked at the schools I looked at and all of them said there was no difference or notation on the diploma.

This is from University of Massachusetts' website:

Is my diploma going to say that I took my degree online?

The short answer is no, there will be no mention that you took your degree online. Your diploma will look the same as a traditional student attending the brick and mortar institution. Online is only the format you would be taking your education.

A degree taken online with UMass is the same degree earned from the University of Massachusetts and the transcript will look the same as well. The only difference with an online degree, you don't have to physically attend classes.


I also know that University of Michigan makes no distinction for Masters Degrees online. Major universities must guarantee that online degrees are the equivalent quality to maintain their accreditation.

I think in the past (and not that long ago), schools DID make a differentiation, but know I think most do not.

I can tell you, my Masters' degree cost the exact same online as if I was on campus because they charge a "distance learning fee" to make up for the Student Activity Fees they charge on campus students.

I'm not disagreeing with you that employers may still prefer in person classes, I'm just saying that universities are now NOT wanting to make an obvious distinction because that cuts down on their prospects.
VitaMan's Avatar
"Drexel administrators informed students last month they wouldn't be on the hook for housing bills or meal plans while the campus was closed. But there would be no discounts to normal tuition rates, the university said, despite the shift to e-learning, which is ordinarily offered to undergraduates at up to 40 percent less per credit, according to rates posted on the school website."


From the above discussion, then what is the use to pay the higher tuition ?
boardman's Avatar
Arizona State, one of the largest enrollments in the country, went all online but refused to shut down dorms saying the facilities were still open and meals were still being provided.

A student I know went back after spring break and tried to live in the dorm. Meals were distributed in paper sacks and the pod stores were basically unusable with very little stock. He went home 2 days later since he could complete his now online classes from anywhere and wanted to be in livable conditions. After a few weeks of raising hell by his parents they got a partial refund of the meal plan. That's it. The other Major state university was much more generous by all accounts. The amount of student housing going up around ASU is staggering and they are leased out before they are even built.



Another friend dropped from U Dub after his freshman year last year and was going to re enroll in a smaller school this coming semester. In the mean time he got hooked up with an Electrical contractor that is paying him to work while he attends his apprenticeship classes in the evening. He is already making enough money to support himself. He loves working and building way better than being a student. He never should have been in college in the first place but counselors all push them that direction. This kid will be a Journeyman electrician in two years or less with a highly sought after and well paid profession while his classmates will just be graduating, many with useless degrees.
VitaMan's Avatar
"They wanted the campus experience, but their colleges sent them home to learn online during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, students at more than 25 U.S. universities are filing lawsuits against their schools demanding partial refunds on tuition and campus fees, saying they’re not getting the caliber of education they were promised."

The dilemma continues.....


If you agreed to buy a cheeseburger....and got only a hamburger...shouldn't you get a partial refund ? It looks like universities don't think so. They want their faithful student body to keep paying....just like they used to attend and pay for sporting events and adopt their chummy nicknames.
Slitlikr's Avatar
Time for colleges to start spending their billions in endowments.
They bug us to death to donate.
Fuckem.
....
Another friend dropped from U Dub after his freshman year last year and was going to re enroll in a smaller school this coming semester. In the mean time he got hooked up with an Electrical contractor that is paying him to work while he attends his apprenticeship classes in the evening. He is already making enough money to support himself. He loves working and building way better than being a student. He never should have been in college in the first place but counselors all push them that direction. This kid will be a Journeyman electrician in two years or less with a highly sought after and well paid profession while his classmates will just be graduating, many with useless degrees. Originally Posted by boardman
A co-worker's son in high school got an internship at a Toyota dealership. He loved it. His father made him quit after he graduated HS and sent him to college were the son quit after a semester. My belief was the father didn't want the son to make as much money as him.
Some kids are better off not going to college....especially now-a-days.