05.24.07
Posted in General, NCHE at 2:43 pm by Matthew Bass
I’ll be speaking at the North Carolinians for Home Education (NCHE) state conference in Winston-Salem again this year. I’m giving my distance education talk on Saturday, May 26th, from 12:30 to 1:30 PM in South Main 3. A few of the points I’ll cover include:
- Why distance education is a good alternative to traditional college for homeschool graduates
- How I earned my own four-year degree through distance education
- Which colleges currently offer distance education and how to choose wisely from among them
- An overview of the different methods that can be used to earn credit through distance education (portfolio review, CLEP, etc.)
There will be a few surprises too! I hope to see you there.
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10.29.06
Posted in General at 8:01 pm by Matthew Bass
For the student who is really looking to cut costs, here is an informative article contributed by one of our readers. It seems that more and more colleges and universities are offering enough tuition assistance to basically eliminate most or all of the cost of earning a degree. Of course, you typically must meet certain criteria to be eligible for such programs.
The interesting thing here is that, despite common perception, many distance education schools are now offering similar programs. When it comes to scholarships and other financial assistance, distance education programs are no different than traditional college programs.
In fact, one barrier to earning a college degree that was brought up in the article (namely, the inability for lower income students to sacrifice their work income for spending time in school) becomes a moot point when pursing a degree through distance education. Students can study in the evening and on weekends and work during the day. As tuition for distance education programs continues to fall, this option will become more and more viable for a broader range of American students.
Read the full article at U.S. News.
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09.05.06
Posted in General, Bias at 11:00 pm by Matthew Bass
Well, no, not necessarily. But what Walter Williams is arguing in this column is that many professors are against those who are anti-Communist. As Walter writes:
Leftist elites love the ideas of communism so much that they are either blind to, or tolerant of, its many shortcomings.
I certainly witnessed a small portion of this intolerance during my time in community college. I’m not saying that all professors are this way, but for those who are, academia suits them perfectly. Once tenured, they don’t have to compete with anyone or even produce anything. They have a captive audience of students whom they are free to influence without accountability.
I found it much easier to avoid the influence of such professors by taking distance education courses. I was able to be more selective in the courses I enrolled in, and the professor-student interaction was much more natural and free. I think this was due in part to the geographic separation between professor and student. It was also due to my separation from the campus environment. I didn’t feel pressure to conform to what other students were thinking, saying, or doing. I wasn’t made to feel “un-cool” if I voiced opposition to a professor’s philosophical viewpoint. And I had my friends and family around to straighten me out if they saw me drifting too far in a certain direction.
Read Walter’s article and consider that, however slim the chance might be, do you really want to risk subjecting yourself (or your son or daughter if you’re a parent) to such an influence just to earn a college degree? Distance education is one of many attractive alternatives to traditional college.
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08.16.06
Posted in Debt at 1:51 pm by Matthew Bass
Another article about paying for college comes our way courtesy of Fox News. It gives some interesting statistics about the average cost of college tuition and also provides figures on other expenses parents should be prepared to pay if their child will be living on campus.
In 2002-2003, the average annual cost (tuition, room and board) at a typical four-year public university was $9,828, while a year at a mid-range private institution averaged more than twice as much, $23,940, according to Department of Education statistics.
That should put the average cost of a bachelor’s degree at between $40,000 and $100,000.
That’s a lot of money for an average middle-class family to plunk down to send Johnnie or Sally off to school. Even figuring in the possible offset of financial aid, we’re still talking about tens of thousands of dollars. The above figures don’t include room and board, transportation, books, clothing, etc.
This brings up a fundamental question: is college an investment? If it is, it should be treated like any other investment. The costs, risks, and benefits should be weighed before making a commitment. Parents who take the time to weigh all of the options are making an informed decision. They are far more likely to escape dramatic financial suprises, even if their child ends up attending a traditional college.
Risk versus reward is a basic mantra preached by almost every investment adviser, and the same logic applies when deciding whether to choose a backpack and books over a workplace ID.
If the same logic applies then it would follow that college does have a benefit. This is only common sense. Parents have different opinions about what that benefit actually is, but most would list a good job with a healthy salary as the most important.
…it doesn’t take rocket science to see that a college degree can at least double your money-making potential.
This is true, but assuming you’re treating college as an investment, what kind of return are you getting on your money? If sending your child to a traditional college costs $100,000 per year and he ends up making $50,000 per year, is that worth it? What if your child could stay home and earn his degree via distance education for $10,000 per year, earn $12,000 per year as an intern during school, and make the same $50,000 per year after graduation? Would that be worth it?
Speaking for my brother and I, it has definitely been worth it. By pursuing degrees via distance education, we’ve received the same education at much less expense. We’ve avoided the costs of room and board, transportation, parking permits, etc. We’ve earned money while going to college. I graduated 100% debt free and David is on track to do the same.
Convention says that paying for college is supposed to be hard. It doesn’t have to be. Convention says that you should send your child out of state to a “name school.” This is rarely necessary. Weigh the options, make an educated decision, and be sure that your investment dollars are being used wisely.
Read the full article at Fox News.
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08.10.06
Posted in General, Bias at 9:48 pm by Matthew Bass
University of Wisconsin officials are being warned their refusal to recognize Christian student groups is illegal.
Not a surprising development considering the stance most colleges take towards Christianity. What’s interesting is that, in this case at least, the university is being publicly challenged on the issue.
There is no denying that students can still participate in similar groups off-campus, but this is typically not feasable given hectic class schedules and difficulty finding transportation to leave the campus. If the Christian students at that university were instead enrolled in distance education, they would likely have the time and flexibility needed to participate in such groups.
For more details about the school’s denial to recognize the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship as a legitimate on-campus group, read the full article on WorldNetDaily.
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