Anyone taking college courses on line?

[DDD]

I'm almost hesitant to type this in fear of a jinx but easy child/difficult child is talking about taking college courses
so he can go into law enforcement after his probation is over and the felony charge expunged from his record. It may not be "doable" in our community (the job part) but I do think it is doable elsewhere. He only had one minor drug charge that has saddled him with the label of felon plus five years probation. (by the way, a kid who used to be the hottest pitcher in the County was arrested last year and charged with murder. Nice kid. Got into drugs. He did not shoot the gun but drove his friend who used his gun to shoot and kill two guys. A plea deal is published today so he will do six years in prison and three on probation.) Justice is not evenly distributed.

Anyway back to the subject. I just wondered which online schools "the family" has used and found the financial aid easy to handle from afar, support for classes available and accreditation for transfer of credits.

I'm really trying not to get hyped up hoping that he is ready to make changes but I can't stop myself from hoping and praying for a light at the end of this ten year long tunnel. DDD

 

[hearts and roses]

I am currently taking a course on line (through a local community college) and registering for another this Summer. I enjoyed it so much that I would prefer to take all my classes on line if I could. I happen to have a very organized professor and greatly enjoy the material we're covering, so I'm sure that makes all the difference. My easy child is also taking an on line class and her professor is very disorganized and her assignments are given erratically, never on a set schedule like mine. She's struggling with it but doing okay.

That said, I did once try to take on line courses through University of Phoenix and dropped them because it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO difficult for me to keep up and they had set times that you had to be on line, which was difficult for me due to my job schedule. Anyway, if he's looking into it, he should ask LOTS of questions before committing because apparently, they differ from one school to the next.

 

[everywoman]

3D--online courses, in my humble opinion, are more difficult for the average student than for one a little more mature for several reasons. You are basically doing all the teaching of the material to yourself. Jana is doing her 2nd online course right now---it's a computer class learning office 2007 (Access, Excel, Word, PP). While the content is not difficult, most professors use the online tests from the textbook company and those pull the most obscure info from the text. It takes her from 4-6 hours to complete the work for each chapter. Her taxes class was much the same way.

Your local tech or community college will offer a # of online courses. I would go that route rather than with any of the strictly online colleges, which are, again in my humble opinion, much too expensive. Local colleges also help students apply for financial aid.

 

[muttmeister]

I got my Master's Degree via mostly online classes through our state university. My son finished a high school English requirement the same way. Lots of schools are now offering online classes in many different areas. I'd check first with local colleges; there are some scam schools out there that take your money and they do have online content from which you can learn if you are motivated but they give credit to almost anybody who pays their money so the final credits are sometimes not transferable or accepted in many cases. Don't know about recommending any particular school but I'd definitely stick with schools you know something about.

 

[Hound dog]

easy child is in the bachelor's program for nursing at Wright State via online classes. One has to be extremely motivated, self motivated to get the study hours in and the work submitted on time. But this was far better than when she attempted it in classroom while working full time.

I'm taking pharm online now. I've done several courses online....and a few of our nursing courses were only offered online. Again, one has to be very self motivated to keep check on posted assignments, study hours, and the like. There is no one to remind you that such and such is going to happen on a given due date. Other than that, I happen to like them for the most part. At my age, self motivation isn't much of an issue. I don't want to have to re-take classes. lol I take mine at the local community college.

Nichole has taken some online.....she has a bit more trouble with the self motivation part, but has managed to pass them ok. Except this quarter took the professor I warned her NOT to take for philosophy as he does his class more based in English than actual philosophy. You can get all answers right on homework and flunk the assignment because you didn't use complete sentences or get your punctuation right. A major PITA. As she found out with her first assignment. She is planning to drop him and take it in the classroom next quarter. (he's the only one who teaches it online)

Our community college offers a degree program for law enforcement. Cheaper and somewhat easier "doable" than the big campuses.

Hugs

 

[alongfortheride]

I am currently working on my masters as well. On-line classes, are in my opinion, more difficult for some learners. Sitting in a standard lecture provides the material verbally. You don't have that option. The longest lecture that I have had in 2 years on line was 20 minutes, while I have had to independently read and reread, highlight and take notes. When I was in standard classes, I went to class, took notes and skimmed the reading. I am mastering the material either way but it is definitely more time consuming to take online classes.

FAFSA is the same either way.

 

[DammitJanet]

I would check out what classes the community college offers online first myself. See if he can handle them before committing to anything else.

 

[susiestar]

Wiz took a freshman English class when he was a HS sophomore (dictated by Gma). His only problem was that all he wanted to do online was play games. I have a friend who is getting a Master's through Univ of Phoenix and she loves it. her classes have always revolved around her schedule.

She is very determined when she sets her mind to something, though. Make sure to ask what supports are available for any problems she has. My friend is dyslexic and has some other "learning quirks" as she calls them. Her computer can read some of the lectures to her and they have other supports available.

 

[DDD]

"Hope springs eternal in the hearts of men..." was one of my Dad's favorite expressions. I appreciate the response
but evidently I was, once again, taking too seriously something that he said last week. Yikes. After ten years I should know better. DDD