Discover Your Potential

According to a recent study done by the U.S. Census Bureau, individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree will make $1 million more during their lifetime than those who are only high school graduates. If this isn’t incentive enough to get a college education, a Harvard study completed in 2008 showed that people with a college degree had an average lifespan that was 6.6 years longer than those with only a high school diploma or less. But wait, there’s more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was only 4.4 percent in November 2011, compared to 8.8 percent for high school graduates. The data is irrefutable, individuals with a college education have a higher quality of life than those without a degree

Were these facts a bit of a wakeup call for you? The truth of the matter is that having a college degree can positively change the whole course of your life. Science and statistics have proven this. My Colleges and Careers believes that going to college is a worthwhile endeavor and worthy of some sacrifice. This is why we have dedicated our website to helping students connect with online colleges and accredited online universities. Online education is ideal for anyone who has the desire to earn a college degree, but finds it hard to believe that they can find the time to fit school into an already busy schedule.

Why to Choose an Online College

With the advancement of technology, and many dedicated individuals working to improve the quality and availability of education, online schools have found a solid foothold in the world of higher education. In the past decade, there has been a huge movement towards the acceptance of online schools as equivalent to traditional campus-based schools. Continued development of online curriculum makes it possible to earn complete online degrees that carry the same academic value that any degree from a traditional campus school would have.

In December 2011, President Obama met with 11 college and university presidents to discuss the future of education. One of the major topics discussed during the meeting was the ability of online courses to help make higher education more affordable for the general public. Robert W. Mendenhall, president of of the nonprofit online school Western Governors University, spoke up in the defense of online education during the meeting by saying, “Mostly in higher education, technology is an add-on cost that doesn’t change the model at all. We need to fundamentally change the faculty role, and use technology to do the teaching.” Larry D. Shinn from Berea College also added his voice to second this idea by saying, “We’re structured in a 19th-century model, but I think we all know now that blended learning, combining technology and classroom learning, can let us educate for less cost.”

Online courses are the future of education. By choosing online classes over attending a traditional campus school, you will pay less for an equivalent degree. How do you get away with paying less? Let’s count the ways: 1) No transportation costs or parking permit fees, 2) No additional room and board expenses, 3) Continued ability to work full or part time, and 4) tuition costs tend to be lower, depending on the institutions you are considering.

The Bonus of Flexibility

The scheduling flexibility of online courses is one of the most noteworthy benefits of online schooling. Most full-time students can’t handle more time pressures than their class load and possibly a part-time job. Online students can adjust their schedule and fit their coursework into any portion of their day—even the middle of the night if they so desire. They can also split it up into smaller time chunks if necessary—10 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes at night, and another half hour before bed. Since online students are able to both work and go to school, any debt incurred from tuition costs will potentially be paid off faster. And even more beneficial is the adjustable speed at which courses can be completed. Those who are fast workers can fly through the course and finish their degree faster than students at a traditional university. While those who prefer to work at a more leisurely pace can do so, as long as the course is completed by the final course deadline.

How My Colleges and Careers Can Help

There are literally hundreds of online colleges and online educational programs. The internet is full of schools that will promise you anything to get you to sign up for their online courses. Be aware that not every online college is equal in quality. Only those who have been accredited will be able to award degrees equivalent to those of a traditional college or university. My Colleges and Career has created tools to help you eliminate any unworthy schools and find only accredited online colleges. Accredited online colleges are those that have been reviewed and analyzed by the U.S. Board of Education or other national educational accreditation agencies. These agencies review quality of coursework, teachers and learning environment to determine if the school is giving high-quality instruction. All of the schools found on the My Colleges and Careers website have received accreditation from national and/or regional agencies.

How to Use this Website

All of the tools and information found here on the My Colleges and Careers website are designed to help you connect with online schools that have degree programs in whatever field of interest you are seeking. The featured tool is the Find Your School search box. To use the tool, simply select the subject area that interests you from the following options:

  1. Arts & Humanities
  2. Business & MBA
  3. Computers & IT
  4. Criminal Justice/Social Sciences
  5. Education & Teaching
  6. Health & Medicine/Nursing
  7. Science & Technology

After choosing an area of interest, you will be given a list of different fields within that area to select from. Click “Find a School” and you will then be matched with a school that offers degrees in that field. The levels of degrees offered will depend on the school. Most schools offers degrees of certification (for technical fields), associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and even fully accredited online Ph.D programs. Not all online degrees will be available at each level. To find out more, you’ll need to fill out the request for information form from the individual school to know what specific degrees they offer in your area of interest.

Prospective students will also be able to find out more information regarding specific careers by browsing under the Top Colleges, Top Degrees, and Top Careers categories. Info Graphics and career videos will provide further data, statistics and perspectives to help you in your search for a career. Finally, one of the most entertaining, and informative, features of the My Colleges and Careers website is the Education Blog. The blog is full of articles written by various professionals and experts from industries like art & design, technology, business, health care, education, information technology and even culinary arts. Experts offer advice about college degrees, starting your career, and even how to continue progressing once you snag a job. All of the tools and information you find here will help you connect with online colleges, prepare to start a successful career, and even earn a nice salary.

A Day in the Life of an Online College Student

Still unsure about the value of an online education? To help you see the big picture, let’s take a look at what a typical weekday for some online students might look like:

The Full-time Worker

The Busy Parent

This pattern can continue for as long as it takes you to complete your courses and earn a degree. Most online courses will have a deadline about 8 to 10 weeks from the start date. This period is called a term. Generally, online schools limit students to taking only one or two courses per term in order to help them stay focused. This means there are 5 to 6 terms a year. Depending on whether you want to take a summer break or not, you could have your degree faster than you ever expected. Does the idea of school seem a bit less intimidating now?

My Colleges and Careers is dedicated to helping students find the means to earn an online college degree, whether it’s seeking an accredited online school to attend or getting advice about how to fit school into an already busy schedule. My Colleges and Careers is pleased to report that they have already helped many students connect with online schools where they were able to complete their education and start a successful career.