A few years ago, if you were watching the news, we witnessed the downturn of the economy. It did not occur in one fell swoop, like Black Friday which ushered in the Great Depression. Instead, the economy fooled us all by attacking the large corporations first, engraining the idea that all of us “little people” would be saved by our relative importance within the economy. We were obviously wrong. The economy impacted many aspects of our lives, the largest of which is the national unemployment rate. Even a new presidency couldn’t fix that. As a result, many of us opted to go back to school, but there was still the problem of the rising tuition rates (another side effect of the economic crash that had occurred). Enter online education.
Bachelor’s degrees online have become the newest trend within the education industry – cost efficient, work efficient, and family-oriented, online colleges appear to be the saving grace for many US citizens who have been laid off, need higher degrees, or simply have nothing better to do than go back to school. While it is true that online education has contributed to some of the poor footing of the economy by producing more graduates with student loans, the news has avoided many of the positive stories that have come out of online colleges. Bachelor’s degrees online have helped educate a majority of our population that otherwise would have gone uneducated and have additionally opened many doors for these individuals. In this type of economy, while many of us are eager to get regular 9-5 jobs instead of go back to school, online education has offered us a new alternative to getting a job that will only pay for the most minimal bills.
The mentality of online education appeals to many of us who do not want to suffer the monetary consequences of a costly move to go back to college or some of us who want to hold onto our current job. Earning a bachelor’s degree online affords many of us the ability to work while going to school – online education affords students the opportunity to create their own schedule. While classes are still demanding and require a high level of interaction through email and online forums, there is no set time for class discussions or class lectures, allowing students the flexibility to adjust their schedules as they need to. This has been extremely appealing to a generation who has had to experience one of the worst economic downturns of the past few decades.
For many of us, earning an extra degree seems to be the best alternative to entering the job industry. As long as we’re going through the internet all day looking for jobs, we might as well be taking classes online at the same time!
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Online education has popped up in every realm, from iTunes University to Academic Earth, offering bachelors degrees online at minimal costs to the students. However, textbooks have remained at their same price regardless of whether your course is in a classroom or through the internet. New improvements in technology like the Kindle and the iPad have changed this notion entirely and have since allowed for the creation of digital textbooks: a creation set to revolutionize the college industry in general.
While this is only in its beginning stages (Kindle only offers limited textbooks through Amazon.com), the site Flat World Knowledge has offered open course textbooks, free of charge, for students of similar classes. This company offers only web-only versions, although students can opt to buy a $29 black and white version of the text or can purchase the book on PDF form by chapter, at $1.99 per chapter. Our world has become increasingly intertwined with social media, and these types of innovations make it easier for both students and individuals to connect on a new level, one which affords them thousands of dollars in savings.
Textbooks are not cheap, but are in fact a necessity of any form of college life, whether it be online or traditional. Kindle has tried to offer competitive rates on its textbooks, but it is not the same as having a book in your lap that you can highlight and take notes on. This web-based form allows students the opportunity to either read online, or print out and highlight onto. If I had this opportunity in college or graduate school, I would have undoubtedly saved several thousand dollars easily. Textbooks are only rising in cost, and these types of opportunities are especially appealing in an economy that has seen the cost of tuition skyrocket despite the downward turn of the economy.
More than just offering a cost-efficient substitute for students, the digital books offered through Flat World Knowledge, and eventually through other similar companies, have afforded professors the opportunity to edit the text at the sentence level. This is only the beginning of this amazing step in combining the worlds of both online and traditional education, as students from all over will be able to rejoice in their savings. Textbooks are a key element of earning a bachelors degree and any way to save on this cost is helpful, whether you are an online student or traditional student.
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Studies from the Department of Education revealed in August 2009 that for many students, ranging from the age group of children to adults, online education was more beneficial than ordinary schooling. The studies came to this conclusion after students of every age were tested on their retention levels as well as their ability to independently function on their studies. In every instance, online education was the leading contender.
The small statistical difference which the studies have indicated is monumental in its conclusions because this revealed that students learning through unconventional methods could achieve a higher ranges of test scores. While there is only a slight difference between online education and traditional education test scores, many professionals have theorized that online education will expand sharply over the next few years but will not completely take over traditional classroom settings. Recent years have additionally expanded the online education industry as newer technology has allowed online classes to teach lessons better than they were previously able to. Earning a bachelor’s degree online has additionally become more prominent as online colleges have become more widely accepted throughout the career world.
Online education has additionally expanded through the use of the internet and social networking programs which have brought students together in ways that earlier courses were not able to do. Bachelors degrees require years of study, but the ability to earn a bachelors degree online, from home, is a monumental change in schooling. Teaching students the importance of individuality within their studies is an important part of education in general, and online education stresses this belief even more since most online students are forced to learn ideas and lessons on their own, rather than relying on other students’ ideas.
Since technology has evolved to the point where we are able to completely accept online education as comparable to classroom teachings, we can only speculate how much online classes will affect our future notions of education. Earning a bachelors degree online is becoming more and more prominent within the older student community and is even becoming a viable option for recent high school grads who must continue working after graduation. The easy accessibility of online classes has made it easy for students to work at the same time as they enroll in classes and has therefore jumped in prominence in recent years. Bachelor’s degrees have increased in recent years solely as a result of the easy accessibility of online classes and will continue to increase as we strive for a better-educated population.
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Kaplan University presented a new take on the traditional classroom setting on its first commercials in 2009, depicting new variations on the value of an online education. Attempting to demonstrate the shift from the traditional classroom setting to the technologically-sound online classroom, the commercials depict students from all demographics earning online degrees for a multitude of different reasons. This ad campaign has helped solidify the fact that online bachelors degrees are here to stay.
From the humble roots of online education in the 90s, to the 4 million students who are now enrolled in classes across the country, online bachelors degrees have revolutionized the manner in which students can receive degrees. No longer do we have to trek across the country to move into a tiny dorm; rather, we can now work from the comfort of our own home and remain in any city we wish to live in. This type of opportunity was unprecedented only a decade ago.
Ads like the kind Kaplan University has put out have helped inform many citizens of the need for online education in our growing economy. Traditional education does not work for everyone, the ads contend, and online classes offer stay-at-home moms, full time workers, and late bloomers to enroll in classes and earn an online bachelors degree where they otherwise would not have been able to. These ads have helped influence a wide array of people to enroll in online classes and have furthermore instilled a new drive in many potential students who were unaware of the opportunities an online bachelors degree can deliver.
Additionally, these ads strive to break free of the gloom the economy has pushed on all of us, and instead presents a more hopeful outlook for the future. Online universities present the student with options for the future, perhaps even options they never knew they had. Additionally, with our educational standards falling drastically behind that of the rest of the world, the fact that we have an alternative method of reaching out to students who could not enroll in traditional classes will only boost our economy and foster a growth of a higher education population. Regardless of which ad you watch or which school you attend, the fact that online bachelors degrees are now readily offered is enough to cause many in the educational community to breathe a sigh of relief that every student will not have a better opportunity to succeed in school.
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Online degree programs and online schools in general have grown exponentially in popularity over the past years, which is no surprise that their online courses have grown more extensive as a result. Only a few years ago, students were not presented with very many choices in the online college community, but this has since changed. Now, there are hundreds of different schools available for college credit and hundreds of degrees within every school. Whether you are looking for a degree in the health field, science, business, art, even law, schools now offer online college courses and degrees in every field.
Online college courses in education are offered at many of the accredited online schools, including University of Phoenix, Liberty University, and Ashford University. More than simply gaining your education degree in a specified age level, these schools additionally allow students the opportunity to decide if they want to become more specialized within the education field. Online college courses are offered to help students with curriculum assistance as well as educational technology. These courses are helpful for many students because they allow them to get hands-on experience without having to develop these skills on their first day of teaching. Additionally, the new field of distance learning has now becomes so widespread, even among a younger student base, that many online courses now deal specifically with this technological feat.
Online college courses in the health field are a bit more complicated to grasp for those not involved with the distance learning concept. Many people around the country are of the mindset that many fields such as health and law, are two industries that cannot be taught through a computer, requiring a more hands-on approach. However, healthcare has now become so intertwined with technology, that online courses are the perfect medium in which to develop these skills. Students of online courses are obviously well-equipped with skills necessary to manipulate the internet and other aspects that are now necessary within the medical field. Many courses focus on medical billing and coding which has recently undergone a technical revolution. Doctors now have updated their client records to be more easily accessible by using both the internet and other software devices. Learning this type of technology through online courses allows students to go into the health field into positions that are in desperate need of fresh minds who understand how to manipulate software to their best advantage.
Furthermore, liberal arts degrees in the humanities are some of the most accessible online college courses for students to enroll in. Degrees in the arts are offered by many accredited online schools which additionally allows students to pick and choose as to which program is better suited for their particular needs. These degrees may require more outside work, but offer a wide range of online courses and degree, ranging from those in fashion design to photography. The possibilities have become endless with online courses. Even attaining a simple degree for a better understanding of interior design techniques has now become much easier than ever before. Online college courses have opened up a wide range of opportunities for students around the world and offer better insight into many different fields.
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If you’re a college student, you surely know already that school is expensive. You may even be privy to some of the perks that are given to college students. But you probably don’t know all of the great freebies that come along with being a student in college. Check out our guide to find free stuff and discounts to get you through the college years.
Tuition discounts exist. You may be surprised to find out that some colleges will offer students a discount on sticker-price tuition. You may be eligible due to a family or employment association, or the school wants to give you a special incentive to attend their college. Talk to your school to find out if you are eligible to receive a discount on your tuition bill.
Retail establishments often have an unmentioned student discount. Stores like J. Crew, Pier 1, and Top Shop offer up to 15% off every day, just for showing your student ID. You may also find that your school has deals with companies such as Apple or cell phone providers that can give you a special rate.
Entertainment also comes a little bit cheaper for students. Several national movie chains have a special student price, and even fine art institutions like the ballet, museums and Broadway extend a discount to those with a student ID. You may also be able to find student rush tickets to certain shows. Finally, some sports teams have special student days and discounts for those with ID.
Almost every school has partnerships with software providers. Talk to your school to find out what exists, and you can get student software at a fraction of the price. Adobe, for example, has student editions of their Creative Suite for up to 80% off of regular rates.
If you’d like to spend a summer abroad, you may find that it’s a bit cheaper to do while you’re still in school. You can find discount airfare, hotel stays, and activities for students all around the world. You may also be able to take advantage of student tours, so you’ll experience travel with people your age and get to take advantage of group discounts as well.
College can be expensive, so that means you should take advantage of discounts whenever you can. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get the best price, and you’ll find life as a college student just a bit easier.
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Everyone knows that one of the things many college students like to do is drink crappy beer. It’s fun, especially when you’re on a budget, but the fact is that there’s just much better beer out there. Here’s how you can improve the quality of beer you enjoy on your own and with your friends.
Think bigger. Why is better beer so important? It delivers a better taste, experience, and even health benefits. You’ll also be supporting smaller brewers instead of huge corporations. High quality beers also tend to have a higher alcohol content, so you’ll get more bang for your buck, but watch out, as they can sneak up on you if you’re used to a lighter brew.
Local beers are a great resource. Look around you - your college town just might have a brewery or two of its own. Check out these local brews for fresher ingredients, better taste, and perhaps best of all - brewery tours. Every time you drink a local beer, you can feel good knowing you’re not just enjoying a great drink - you’re supporting your community, too.
Get crafty. Look for beer from craft breweries instead of the traditional Natty Light, PBR, Miller, Coors, and Budweiser. Craft beer is made with quality, not mass consumption, in mind, and you’ll see the difference. These brewers are passionate about what they do, and your taste buds will appreciate their hard work.
Brew your own. Homebrewing is lots of fun. You get to create your own beer, make something tasty with your friends, and finally enjoy the fruits of your labor. You’ll be able to make beer just the way you like it, and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you created it yourself. Just check to make sure you’re not violating dorm rules - it would be heartbreaking to have to dump out your precious brew.
Share good beer. Maybe your friends aren’t quite on the better beer bandwagon just yet, but that’s OK. If you’re generous with your beer, you just might get them to convert. Bring a couple of six packs or bombers over the next time you visit and be generous with them. Host a better beer party, or even a tasting where you share beers that are appealing, while still only slightly complex, so they are friendly to drinkers who are used to bland beer.
With these tips, you will be well on your way to enjoying better beer on a regular basis. Cheap, mass produced beer has its place, but that doesn’t always have to be in your belly. Enjoy!
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Kaplan University presented a new take on the traditional classroom setting on its first commercials in 2009, depicting new variations on the value of an online education. Attempting to demonstrate the shift from the traditional classroom setting to the technologically-sound online classroom, the commercials depict students from all demographics earning online degrees for a multitude of different reasons. This ad campaign has helped solidify the fact that online bachelors degrees are here to stay.
From the humble roots of online education in the 90s, to the 4 million students who are now enrolled in classes across the country, online bachelors degrees have revolutionized the manner in which students can receive degrees. No longer do we have to trek across the country to move into a tiny dorm; rather, we can now work from the comfort of our own home and remain in any city we wish to live in. This type of opportunity was unprecedented only a decade ago.
Ads like the kind Kaplan University has put out have helped inform many citizens of the need for online education in our growing economy. Traditional education does not work for everyone, the ads contend, and online classes offer stay-at-home moms, full time workers, and late bloomers to enroll in classes and earn an online bachelors degree where they otherwise would not have been able to. These ads have helped influence a wide array of people to enroll in online classes and have furthermore instilled a new drive in many potential students who were unaware of the opportunities an online bachelors degree can deliver.
Additionally, these ads strive to break free of the gloom the economy has pushed on all of us, and instead presents a more hopeful outlook for the future. Online universities present the student with options for the future, perhaps even options they never knew they had. Additionally, with our educational standards falling drastically behind that of the rest of the world, the fact that we have an alternative method of reaching out to students who could not enroll in traditional classes will only boost our economy and foster a growth of a higher education population. Regardless of which ad you watch or which school you attend, the fact that online bachelors degrees are now readily offered is enough to cause many in the educational community to breathe a sigh of relief that every student will not have a better opportunity to succeed in school.
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Online degree programs have become more specialized over the past few years, thereby allowing more students to enroll in programs that are better suited for their career goals. Online schools have become aware that many of their students are seeking extra degrees in order to get ahead at work and have manipulated their programs to cater to this type of student.
The many MBA programs that are offered cater both to new students and those students that are current executives and are seeking a further degree in their position. Executive MBA online degree programs feature a way for students to gain the degree while still remaining at their current position. MBAs have become increasingly popular within the business industry, which has led many current online degree programs to develop their courses to deal specifically with students who have already had years of experience with real-world business ideals. Other online degree programs related to MBA degrees have additionally taken on new courses in order to deal specifically with this type of student who is returning to school after an extended leave of absence.
Other online degree programs feature an extensive array of courses that cater specifically to classes which deal with the more technical aspects of the field. Many health industry programs teach courses that deal more with medical billing and coding, allowing students to gain access to one of the newer sections of the medical industry. Additionally, health degree programs cater to students who may have already had some medical training and exist to give them extra degrees, in the same manner as MBA programs. Many of these online degree programs also allow students to gain a degree at their own pace, thus allowing them to continue working while still taking their classes at night without the long commute to school.
IT degree programs have additionally grown in prominence because they teach a program which has only grown over the years. IT and computer degree programs offer a slew of courses which deal exclusively with programs that have become more applicable as technology has increased. Degree programs relating to computer repair, software engineering, and different aspects of Microsoft can help students gain relevant technical experience in order to secure a well-paying IT job. These online degree programs allow students to gain multiple degrees within the same industry, thereby gaining valuable knowledge about the computer industry.
Many other online degree programs allow students to pick and choose which courses are most applicable, thereby creating their own specially-oriented degree program. Depending on what job a student intends to receive with their degree allows students the flexibility to organize their degree programs within various online schools to better suit their specific needs. Online degree programs have thus become a valuable tool for employers and employees alike, allowing them to receive additional degrees while still maintaining their work status.
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The life of a college student is filled with so many temptations that can derail even the most serious student. Picture a campus on the first warm day after a long cold winter: everyone is sitting outside with friends, Frisbees are whizzing around, music is blasting, and, seemingly, nobody is doing any work. Even during the most mundane days of a semester there are countless diversions that take students away from studying. Try living in a dorm with a couple hundred other students. It is extremely difficult to stay on task. Unfortunately, many students do wait until the absolute last minute to get their work completed. This makes for less than stellar quality and students’ grades suffer.
Procrastinating often seems like the easy way to tackle your workload, but the earlier you realize how detrimental this can be to your grades and your ability to learn the better off you will be in the long run. If you feel like you are getting sucked into the vicious cycle of procrastination, then there are some ways you can break this habit. Your first move is to stay away from your dorm. After your last class of the day go to the library and do some work, even for just an hour. This will give you a sense of control over the work that hangs over your head. Look over your syllabi and decide what is most pressing and attend to those assignments first.
Working in the library is a surefire way to eliminate the distractions of the dorm: friends, music, and television. Abide by the rule that you will not surf the internet on your laptop or phone while in the library. So many hours are wasted sitting on the computer checking out social networking sites and whatever else you stumble upon while surfing the web. Find a quiet area of the library, away from other people, and open up your book bag and put in some quality time every day in the peace and quiet of this sanctuary.
Learn to say no to your friends. If you have an important paper on the horizon, you must recognize that it is more important than missing out on a night out with your friends. There will be countless other nights. You need to be strong as your friends are sure to tell that you can always do the paper another night. However, if you feel like it is important then it definitely is. Your most important role at college is being a student despite the pressure to go out and have fun every possible moment.
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