Online colleges are an ideal way for active
duty military members to gain postsecondary education. Through the
Internet resources outlined below you can search for schools with
distance education programs, find an accredited college or university,
turn your military training into college credit or enlist the help of a
school's military education department.
How Do I Find Online Colleges for Active Duty Military Members?
When searching for an online college, students should consider
schools that are recognized by a legitimate accreditation agency. These
agencies help ensure the quality of a school's education by awarding
accreditation to colleges and universities that meet rigorous
educational standards. Selecting an accredited school will also help
students avoid diploma mills that offer degrees and certificates with
little or no coursework.
You can locate accredited institutions through the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (
www.ope.ed.gov).
Their website allows visitors to search for accredited programs by
region, state, school or accrediting agency, such as the Distance
Education and Training Council's Accrediting Commission.
Online Resources
U.S. News & World Report (
www.usnews.com) is
another resource for finding online schools. A directory lists online
undergraduate and graduate majors, such as business, nursing, education,
public health and engineering. The National Center for Education
Statistics (
www.nces.ed.gov) also allows students to search for schools with distance education programs.
Military Education Departments
Some schools have military education departments staffed by
admissions specialists who can help veterans and active duty military
members enroll in online education programs. They can also help
applicants apply for scholarships, GI Bill benefits, in-state tuition
and transfer credits for military experience.
Military training and experience can often be used to earn college
credits. The American Council on Education (ACE) works with the U.S.
Department of Defense and postsecondary schools to award college credits
to members of the Armed Forces. On the ACE website (
www.acenet.edu)
prospective students can submit their service experience. Upon review
by the council, their branch of service will submit an official
transcript of military education free of charge to the college or
university of their choice.
No comments:
Post a Comment