Online students should do their homework first

As the job market continues to flounder, many professionals are turning to online classes as a way to help save a current career or start a new one – but both universities and students are warning that not all online educations are created the same.

“I was very disappointed in my online classes,” says Beverly Cornell, a consultant for global businesses, marketing and social media in Detroit. “People just did the work and never challenged anything that was said. I missed that exchange of ideas you get in a regular classroom. There was no chance to articulate ideas and help form ideas.”

Having just the opposite experience was Jan Melnick, who said she found her online classes from 2004 to 2007 were a perfect fit for her busy lifestyle as a businesswoman and mother of three.

“It was an outstanding experience,” says Melnick, a career coach in Durham, Conn. “I had a very busy career, and I wanted a program that was rigorous and had top-notch professors.”

Those varying experiences are why David Clinefelter, provost at Kaplan University, based in Davenport, Iowa, says those seeking an online education need to do some homework before they even take their first class. Clinefelter says that prospective students need to check out everything from the school’s accreditation to quality controls to considering their own learning styles.

Part of the problem with some online programs may be that the growth has been so explosive nationwide in recent years. For example, Kaplan University started online classes with just 34 students in 2001, and now has 54,000 students participating in its online programs. “It’s a hang-on-to-that-tiger-by-the-tail thing,” Clinefelter says.

Melnick says that she was one of those who had very specific criteria in mind when she went searching for an online university. Costing the same as if she were attending regular classes ($25,000-$30,000 for a bachelor’s degree), Melnick was ready to be challenged by a tough curriculum.