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I think one big factor for adults attending an online for-profit school is that they offer accelerated programs. Most adults cannot afford to spend 8 years getting a four-year degree. And some for-profit schools offer associate degrees. As an adult, I don't want to take four years to get an associate. I would rather take the accelerated route. Sure, the terms are shorter, usually eight weeks, but they cram more work in those 8-week sessions.
You would think that employers would appreciate people that are self motivated, know how to work on their own unsupervised, motivated to complete assignments with little supervision. Those are the skills you need to have to complete online classes. And those skills employers also look for when selecting employees. Would you rather hire a person that has to be walked through step-by-step to get a job done, or a person that is motivated enough and cares enough to do whatever it takes to do the job?
That's one way to look at it. The other would be it's accelerated because it's easy and is less work. Your theory would be fine if the program you were in had any entrance requirements at all.
I am also a teacher and did my A.A. at a community college, but both my B.A. and M.S. Ed online due to family responsibilities, etc. I can only speak from my own experience, but did not find any of this to be true--students interacted in groups online, etc. The only thing missing was the face to face interactions, but phone numbers, emails, and even pics were always available. I have heard that online learning has been proven to be more difficult than actually attending classes and think this is probably true for a number of reasons.
I agree with this sentiment. Online classes are more difficult due to the course homework and assignments. The structure of online courses affords the students many opportunities to learn the materials and achieve the course outcomes. This is true for both traditional and private sector (for-profit) universities that offer online courses.
That's one way to look at it. The other would be it's accelerated because it's easy and is less work. Your theory would be fine if the program you were in had any entrance requirements at all.
It is possible that those online programs with less stringent entrance requirements can be as a rigorous as the traditional programs that do have entrance requirements. The accreditors require all programs, regardless of the institutions tax status, to be rigorous and robust in the course materials offered online. Your entrance requirement point is a straw man fallacy, which does not help to bolster your hatred for the for-profits.
It is possible that those online programs with less stringent entrance requirements can be as a rigorous as the traditional programs that do have entrance requirements. The accreditors require all programs, regardless of the institutions tax status, to be rigorous and robust in the course materials offered online. Your entrance requirement point is a straw man fallacy, which does not help to bolster your hatred for the for-profits.
The entrance requirement is why for-profits have horrible graduation rates and job employment. Accreditation is bare minimum. It proves very little.
The entrance requirement is why for-profits have horrible graduation rates and job employment. Accreditation is bare minimum. It proves very little.
Let's get back on topic...we are talking about the quality and rigor of online classess, not graduation and employment rates of private sector universities.
What is the connection with entrance requirements and the quality of online classess? Does a student from a disadvantage background or one who could not acquire the SAT scores needed to be competitive in a traditional university setting lead to poor quality in an online program? Is that your argument?
Let's get back on topic...we are talking about the quality and rigor of online classess, not graduation and employment rates of private sector universities.
What is the connection with entrance requirements and the quality of online classess? Does a student from a disadvantage background or one who could not acquire the SAT scores needed to be competitive in a traditional university setting lead to poor quality in an online program? Is that your argument?
My points are very on topic. You go to college to graduate and get a job. You can choose to ignore that because the for-profit stats are horrible of course.
Of course it leads to poor quality. You have students aren't as smart and you have to dumb the classes down to even have poor graduation rates. Not to mention the people teaching these classes have an inferior educational background compared to those teaching at universities.
My points are very on topic. You go to college to graduate and get a job. You can choose to ignore that because the for-profit stats are horrible of course.
Of course it leads to poor quality. You have students aren't as smart and you have to dumb the classes down to even have poor graduation rates. Not to mention the people teaching these classes have an inferior educational background compared to those teaching at universities.
But what I am saying is: Are those rates based on course descriptions and class requirements, or are those statistics merely based on how many actually graduate? It would be interesting to see what those numbers are based on and why people don't end up graduating. What are those graduation rates directly related to? Do you think the reason that people don't graduate is because the classes are horrible?
Also, the community college that I have been looking into does not have any more testing requirements than the for-profit school. The requirements to get in are the same. Devry does makes you take testing to see where you would place in math and English courses. They don't put a person that can't preform well in Math in a high math class. They require them to take a "starter" math class in order to proceed to the next level. I got into a four-year college right after high school, but I dropped out because I was not emotionally mature enough to handle it, personal reasons. I left right before the end of the first semester. (stupid I know) I had a pretty low GPA at that time I was accepted. I didn't have to take tests. I don't even remember if I had to submit an essay at that time. But I can tell you that getting into that college was no harder than getting into a community college or Devry. I guess what that school wanted to know was, Can my parents pay for it?
Last edited by Buttercup215; 07-21-2011 at 09:52 AM..
But what I am saying is: Are those rates based on course descriptions and class requirements, or are those statistics merely based on how many actually graduate? It would be interesting to see what those numbers are based on and why people don't end up graduating. What are those graduation rates directly related to? Do you think the reason that people don't graduate is because the classes are horrible?
1. No entrance requirements so you have a ton of people that are not capable.
2. Classes being taught by people with inferior educational backgrounds to those at universities.
It's nothing new really. It's like comparing a University to a community college. A for-profit and CC are very similar aside from the ridiculous rates that for-profits charge.
It would be interesting to see what those numbers are based on and why people don't end up graduating. What are those graduation rates directly related to? Do you think the reason that people don't graduate is because the classes are horrible?
Probably because they realize that they're getting ripped off. These "schools" aren't cheap. Many people probably start, then realize that the return on their money will not happen. These schools are expensive. In many instances, having a degree from one of these schools may HURT their job prospects instead of help.
It's like comparing a University to a community college. A for-profit and CC are very similar aside from the ridiculous rates that for-profits charge.
How so? If universities accept courses from community colleges, then how is one inferior to the other? You're not saying that quality universities don't accept transfer students from community colleges are you? Some are more competitive and highly selective, but they recognize CCs nonetheless.
University of California - California community college transfers (http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/transfer/requirements/community-college/index.html - broken link)
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How and why?
