1) I love it. I have attended three online schools (third time is a charm) for my masters degree and PhD and a brick/morter for my bachelors degree in business. The bachelors degree was at a traditional campus at night and I and my fellow adult students were treated like we were teenagers. We we lectured to for three hours each nights and then sent home to read 5 chapters and study for a mid-term and final exam.

I did my masters online and am two quarters into my PhD in Business and I love it. I get to interact with adult learners, put my knowledge and experience into my studies, and I don’t have to let some old stuffy professor lecture me on how the world should be and no tthe way it actually is.

2) I received my Masters in Leadership from Capella University and I am currently working on my PhD in Management Education in their school of Business and Technology. My brother is enrolled in the School of Undergraduate Studies in the Human Resource degree program and is two classes away from graduating.

3) This is a good question. 3 reasons: flexibilty, respect, and ability of the school to offer a program that is up to date on the needs of the work place. Too many traditional universities are behind the times and are always catching up. SO much red tape to cut through to get things changed. Online schools like Capella jump through hoops to make sure their programs are meeting the latest trends by keeping up to date on the resources and needs that companies and employers need NOW.

4) Once you adjust to the fact that you are responsible for setting your schedule and managing your school work everything falls into place.

5) School work is almost like its individualized. I can write and research on things that interest me and where I want to advance my career. Also, you get so much feedback from your fellow students and teachers. You see, unlike a traditional campus where your professor is someone who’s only profession has been to teach, you actually are instructed by individuals who have experience in their field as well as a high level of education. They work in the industry and know what they are teaching from real world, on the job experience. No professor can say that.

Why do I like Capella University? I tried the University of Phoenix but their “work group” model left a bad taste in my mouth. Did you know that they put you in a group of 5 people and expect you to do all your work as a group and you are graded as a group. I was in several classes where I and another group member did almost 90% of the work but all 5 of us received the same grade. Phoenix also has log in requirements that ruined the flexibility I was looking for.

I also tried Kaplan but they made me log in two nights a week for a minimum of an hour to watch live feed of an instructor teaching a class romm some where. If I didn’t log in and watch my grade would be affected.

Capella is so flexible. I log in when I want to and as long as I get my work done and turned in and participate in the discussion posts (and I put worthy effort into my work) I can get a good grade.

6) Absolutely. Online is growing faster than any sector of education. Companies and employers see online as a salvation to get their employees educated without over burdening them.

3)

Basically, all of these schools are out to make money period!!! Phoenix University started it and when many of these traditional “brick and mortar” schools saw how much money they were making, not to mention the drop in enrollment, they knew they had to do something. The bottom line is, people have lost focus of what the online schools were all about. They were design to meet the needs of the working adult. Once you have a family, job, life ect., no one has time to go sit in the class room for another 3 hours. Many well known traditional schools don’t know how to provide an online program, but they don’t want to be left out of the loop. I have attended 2 online programs from traditional schools with great reputations and my experience was all but too hellish! The programs are not designed for the working adult with a family. Well, I’m currently at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and everyday is hell. I hate I ever went there. I going to transfer to Walden, because they are more focus toward meeting the needs of the working adult. I can’t worry about what everyone will think of my degree because, it won’t come from the University of Alabama. The fact is many of my co-workers have degrees from Walden and it has not stopped them from getting promotions or other job opportunities. I listened to everyone at first because I wanted people to respect my degree. Needless to say, after a year of hell and a trip to the doctor’s office due to extreme anxiety, I have a ton of RESPECT for Walden. UAB can have their degree, plus your just a number there anyway. They take in over 540 student into one program at a time. Now tell me how much attention do you think your going to get. That is a state school. Those instructor will get paid whether you pass or fail. They really don’t care.