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Michael Lamendola, Director of Digital
Education for
Emantras, Inc. and an informal advocate
for students, didn’t always enjoy school.
However, after receiving an inspirational
message from a college professor and a lot
of hard work, Mike finished school and has
dedicated his professional life to helping
students realize their potential through
flexible class options and specifically,
interactive online education. Read about
catching up with Michael Lamendola. The
views of Mike Lamendola do not necessarily
represent those of on-linedegree.org.
Q: Online Degrees - When can I start my online
degree? Does it have to be a specific month
of the year?
A: Mike - Many online schools offer a new
program start date every month, offering you
a lot of flexibility to decide when you'd
like to start school. The frequency of start
dates vary with each school, though, so it's
best to check with your admissions
representative. Once you contact a school,
you should receive either a digital or
hard-copy of the school's annual catalog,
which should also provide class start dates.
Q:
Online Degrees- Is all of the course
material online, or will I be required to
buy regular textbooks, as well?
A: Mike - Most online programs require
you to read traditional textbooks in
addition to logging into an online class.
This works out well for the busy online
learner, though. Textbooks are truly 24/7
materials, when you think about it! You
don't need access to the Internet, or worry
about connection speeds or plug-ins. Just
open it and read the assignments whenever
you have spare time. You'll want to check
with the school to ask how heavy the class
will rely on textbooks, if textbooks are
included in tuition, and whether you can
purchase them on your own. There are some
great new services out there that now allow
students to 'rent' textbooks (www.chegg.com),
or buy used (www.amazon.com,
www.ecampus.com, etc).
Q:
What is the most popular online degree
(people go for)?
A: Mike - Interesting question! The
popularity or success of a program is
usually based on employment outlooks and
trends, so it can change by region. When
considering applying to an education
programs, whether online or face-to-face
(traditional brick and mortar programs),
consider your local or desired employment
and commercial landscapes. For example, if
you'd like to work in medical billing and
coding, chances are good there are doctor's
offices and hospitals in your neighborhood
that always need staffing. If you'd like to
become a video game designer, you should do
some quick research on what types of
companies in your area have a need for those
skills.
A great resource to help decide the
"marketability" of your education (or
desired career) is the Occupational Outlook
Handbook, produced by the US Bureau of Labor
Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm).
This handbook provides great insight into
the working conditions, education
requirements, earnings summary and
employment forecasts (for 10 the next yrs!)
of many occupational paths. Think about the
career you'd like to pursue, then drill down
to the employment forecasts and
educational/training requirements. Combine
this with what you've learned about your
local job market and you should have a good
idea of what you need to succeed!
Q:
Do you think that employers view online
degrees as less desirable than traditional,
classroom degrees?
A: Mike - I think employers have accepted
online education as a sound, viable delivery
method. I also think employers have become
more critical of the type of education
you've received. A good bet is to attend a
school that is recognized in your community
as a provider of strong, reliable education.
Unless "online" is in the actual name of
your college, your degree will have no
"delivery" designation. University of
Phoenix, for example, is best known for
their online programs. An employer will most
likely assume an education from UoP was
completed online. However, a degree attained
from a smaller college within your community
may be better known for providing strong
education programs, period.
Also, always be sure the school you apply to
is accredited by a US DOE (Department of
Education) approved
accreditation body and be wary of "fly by
night" online schools that don't have
strong, stringent, or well-documented
policies and procedures. Schools that
provide degrees by awarding a majority of
credit based on "life experiences" are not
well respected. As with most things, if
something sounds too good to be true, it
probably is!
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A Good Idea... Check the Facts. |
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The
advice and guidance provided here
applies to most schools, but your
school may vary. Be sure to find out
all of the details so that you're
sure your online degree program is
right for you. You don't want to
assume your school has rolling
admissions only to find out you
missed a crucial deadline. |
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