Sources for Information about Online College Degrees and Programs

Many readers often wonder how to get good information on college degrees and programs. One should make one's way very carefully through the labyrinth, since much of the information that you'll find has been sponsored, so the real gems are sometimes obscured by the sheer magnitude of the ads and informational emails of some of the most prominent and/or aggressive schools.

Taking your time to research well will pay off in the long run. Be sure to research not only the structure and cost of the programs, but what others have to say. You'll be pleasantly surprised at the number of success stories from students who have found distance learning (elearning and mobile learning) to be an ideal fit for their needs and their lifestyles.

campusexplorer.com
This is an excellent searchable database, ideal for on-campus programs because it allows one to search by zip code as well as by program. You can search by major, or by 2-year, 4-year, or career program. The results provide information on tuition, fees, admission, financial aid, and more. However, it does not have a separate category for online programs. Looking for online programs or courses could be a needle in a haystack.

Information on College from Social Networks

NING http://www.ning.com/
Start your own social network on online courses or programs, or visit already-established programs.

Squidoo.com
Search for testimonials and ideas about online colleges, or start your own lens.

Non-Matriculated Students

Taking general education courses as a non-matriculated students to then transfer them elsewhere, or to apply them toward a degree in a program you can enroll in at the same college.'

Here are a few colleges that will welcome you as a non-matriculated student:

Drexel: http://www.drexel.com/online-degrees/bachelors-degrees/bs-prst/nonmatriculated.aspx

University of Washington - Bothell: http://www.bothell.washington.edu/students/prospective/nonmatric /

Pace: Can take up to 24 hours as a non-matriculated student
http://support.csis.pace.edu/nactel/admission/admissionfaq.cfm

Take courses from one university and transfer them to universities with whom they have articulation agreements:

Take courses that apply toward a certificate program

Herkimer County Community College
Through the HCCC Internet Academy, there are one-year certificate programs and 18 full degree programs that are offered completely on line.
http://www.herkimer.edu/internetacademy/index.htm

Online Independent Study

University of Utah
http://continue.utah.edu/distance/onlinefaq.php

Bakersfield College
http://www.bc.cc.ca.us/distance_learning/online.asp


Independent Study Courses (correspondence courses and online)

Adams College
http://www2.adams.edu/extended_studies/independent

Brigham Young Independent Study coursehttp://ce.byu.edu/is/site/index.cfm

LSU Independent Study
http://www.is.lsu.edu/sql/sitemap.asp?nid=0

Mississippi State Online Independent Study
http://www.is.msstate.edu/College/index.html

Portland State Independent Study
http://www.istudy.pdx.edu/

Snow College Independent Studyhttp://www.snow.edu/independent.html

University of Oklahoma / Independent Study

Degree Completion CollegesAggregators of Credit (accredited colleges that can accept courses from other colleges for up to 100% of the course requirements):

Charter Oak http://www.charteroak.edu/

Excelsior College http://www.excelsior.edu/

Thomas Edison State College http://www.tesc.edu/