College Blog

College accreditation certifies a distance learning program provides the same quality education as a traditional campus degree, making the fear of getting a college degree online a moot point in the recent decade. The other challenges of attending college online, however, are still very real. Before pursuing your higher education through a distance learning program, ask yourself the following five questions.

1. What goals do you have that require you to enroll in an online school?
The intentions behind why you are going to school online will help determine if you have the dedication to succeed. Are you going simply to expand your personal knowledge, or do you have a concrete goal to reach a management level position and/or obtain a raise that is only possible through obtaining a degree? If you are trying to enrich yourself, step back and ask if a college degree is the best decision, or if self-education through your local library or book store would have the same result. If you are going back to school to further your career, a distance learning program is an excellent choice.

2. Are you financially ready for your online education?
College is expensive. In order to afford your tuition, you will have to look at your finances not just for the semester, but for the long-term. Will you be able to afford every semester up until your degree? Fortunately, over fifty percent of large corporations offer financial reimbursement for a degree relating to a person’s career. Consult your employer to see what financial aid they offer for your education. Affording college might be much easier than you think.

3. Do you have the support of your employer and family?
Beyond the financial support an employer provides, you also must make yourself aware if your employer will support your life change as you take on being a college student. Will your employer be alright with you working on your online discussions during your lunch? Your family’s support is also a tremendous help. Parents with children should talk with them about the changes that will happen due to the change in your schedule as you earn your degree.

4. Do you have the time available?
A three unit course, on average, takes 10-12 hours a week. In a campus environment, three units translates into three hours of classroom time, and nine hours of reading and homework time. In a distance learning program that provides the quality education you need to meet your goals, this should amount to about the same portion of time per week—except you have the luxury to determine the when and where of every hour.

5. Do you know how to take hold of your future?
Online education takes fierce dedication. You will have to plan out your online degree’s schedule and set time aside for forum discussions, homework assignments, and readings. Be prepared for your television time or your other recreations to be changed into time to study for school.

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As of today, the VA application process for the Post 9/11 GI Bill has started. Read more about the application process and whether you should take a look into the Post 9/11 GI Bill or the traditional Montgomery GI Bill.

There is a wealth of information available for military students pursuing an online degree. While the Online Education Blog provides a continuous funnel of knowledge for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, veterans, and dependents of military families to pursue their learning, we are only one reputable source of learning. In lieu of the recent Post 9/11 GI Bill news, we thought we would share five other resources we believe military students will find useful:

1. Veterans Benefits GI Bill Blog: This blog focuses specifically on veterans benefits and financial aid and goes in-depth with the Post 9/11 GI Bill. Posts here are always military-related and provide a plethora of useful articles to guide the veteran’s pursuit for education in the right direction.
2. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: The VA obviously has the most up-to-date information regarding the GI Bills. What sets other websites apart from the official VA’s website is the personalization and unique voice directed to others. If you are looking for the nitty-gritty, going directly to the VA’s website will yield the research you are looking for.
3. VA, GI Bill Home: This is a branch of the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs’ website specifically discussing the GI Bill.
4. Military.com: With the motto “All the Benefits of Service” backing their resource-driven website, Military.com brings a wide range of articles for the interested military-based student reader.
5. Tuition Assistance Program for Online Students in the Military: Jamie Littlefield has compiled together an extensive list of information for military personnel seeking financial aid information. Her list pinpoints locations for prospective student that have a background in the Air Force, Navy, Marines, or Coast Guard.

Distance learning programs have been providing quality learning to complicated schedules for over a decade. People that demand flexibility in their education, such as members of the Armed Forces, performers, and frequent travelers, have been able to enjoy the same accredited education provided on a campus. People that live in remote regions and otherwise would not have access to such a large classroom setting get to experience interaction with their fellow students on online forums. One of the other qualities of distance education that is often overlooked, however, is its integral role in providing schooling to people that are ill, or to people that are avoiding illness in a time of crisis.

When the swine flu was reported as an outbreak, 300 schools were shutdown to prevent students from potentially catching sickness. Supporters of online education pointed out to schools that did not offer learning alternatives that there was an obvious need for educational reform; if schools were prepared to provide a distance learning option to their students, even if only during a critical time like the outbreak of illness, learning would not have to come to an abrupt halt for days, weeks at a time.

One distance learning professor discusses how accessible online teaching credentials are  for traditional campus professors, allowing them to expand their teaching options beyond the classroom when the need demands it. Preparing for outbreaks like swine flu does not take much effort, but can provide an essential fallback plan when a fallback is necessary. Corporations are offering remote working options for their employees; are schools prepared to do the same?

There’s a whole list that goes over why online education is not only convenient for the student, it is safe; but even for students that attend traditional campuses, to have an online option available at all schools could allow education to continue uninterrupted, regardless of if one person is sick, or if sickness is spreading across the country.

The tuition benefits offered to military veterans through the Post 9/11 GI Bill is determined based on the tuition costs charged to in-state residents at state-operated colleges and universities. The following table displays what these benefits are by state:

*California tuition benefits are zero because California does not charge tuition fees to their in-state undergraduates. More can be read about this here. Military students benefiting from the Post 9/11 GI Bill are strongly encouraged to look at something besides California, as their zero tuition rate makes it difficult to attend most colleges without student loans, even with the Yellow Ribbon Program fully implemented.

Further Reading:

• Top 5 Financial Aid Resources for Online Military Students
• Veterans Benefits News

Florida Virtual School has been offering online education to middle and high school Florida students for over a decade. This school year, more than 120,000 students have participated in the program, with courses that not only lead to a high school diploma, but offer advanced preparation for college. Unfortunately, while Florida Virtual School continues it’s annual expansion, the economy has caused the Florida Legislature to give the program a 15% budget cut. This has not brought despair to the online program, however, for they also received a great merit this year: the 21st Century Distance Learning Award.

Naples News, a Florida paper, has the whole story. Read about the school’s success, despite the decrease in funds, and how K-12 distance learning thrives in the Florida community.

Criminal justice degrees have gained increasing popularity since the expansion of security in 2001. Within the ever-changing industry of criminal justice, a prospective online college student can find a fulfilling career that leads not only to a rewarding sense of community service, but to an opportunity for stable, financial growth.

The following five online criminal justice programs provide accredited, merited education:

1. Saint Leo University Center for Online Learning: Criminal Justice. Saint Leo University offers a Criminal Justice in their Center for Online Learning, dedicated to the undergraduate studies of distance learners. They have an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, 2-year and 4-year programs respectively. These degrees are designed to facilitate a career on their own or to act as a stepping stone for further education in the field.
2. Saint Leo University Master of Science in Criminal Justice. Focused on the prospective online college student moving from a Bachelor’s Degree to a Master’s Degree, the Saint Leo University Master of Science in Criminal Justice is tailored for someone pursuing an advanced career in law enforcement.
3. American Sentinel University Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. The online Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice at American Sentinel University has four different focuses that allow the student to narrow down their studies to their most interested field, including: General Criminal Justice; Law Enforcement; Criminal Justice Administration; and Cyber-Criminology. Enrollment is open for this online program monthly.
4. Everest Online Education Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. Everest Online Education offers a criminal justice based on the theory and practice of the following principles: criminology; criminal evidence; criminal procedure; introduction to corrections; policing; criminal justice report writing; constitutional law; concepts of criminal law; computer applications; and juvenile delinquency.
5. South University Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. The South University online criminal justice program teaches important aspects of the field, including: corrections; crime scene investigation; cyber crime; law enforcement; and juvenile justice.

1. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and “Break Pay”

The original Montgomery GI Bill offered “break pay,” the ability to receive pay during “no class” increments under 56 days. This was designed to give students continual financial support during larger lapses such as winter intersessions (the time between fall and spring semester).

Students that are using the Post 9/11 GI Bill are required to be in continuous school to get continuous benefits; fortunately, most schools offer summer and winter intersession courses, and typically only one or two classes need to be taken during those small timeframes to qualify for full-time enrollment.

Read more on “break pay” and the Montgomery GI Bill.

2. College Fund or Reserve Kicker Qualification and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that were promised the College Fund when they joined (also known as a “kicker” or “Reserve Kicker”) will still qualify for this under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. If eligible, the student will be paid the kicker each month as an addition to their housing stipend. Students that are not receiving a housing stipend due to:

• Being an active duty service member;
• Being a veteran training at half time or less; and.or
• Being a distance learner,

will still receive their monthly kicker.

Read more about the College Fund and how it is incorporated into the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

3. The “Buy Up” Program and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that elected to participate in the “Buy Up” program during the Post 9/11 GI Bill will not receive an increased amount ($600 buy-up) paid under chapters 30 or 1607. Furthermore, they will not be refunded this amount under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

Read more about the “Buy Up” Program.

4. Refund of the Montgomery GI Bill Enrollment Fee with the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Students that were previously enrolled in the Montgomery GI Bill and have elected to switch to the Post 9/11 GI Bill will be refunded the $1200 Montgomery GI Bill enrollment fee. The specific way this works:

All Montgomery GI Bill (chapter 30) contributions, excluding $600 “Buy Up,” will be refunded at a proportional amount [based on the number of months remaining under MGIB at time of Post 9/11 GI Bill (chapter 33) election] of the basic $1200 contribution. This refund will be included in the last monthly patment when chapter 33 entitlement exhausts.

Individuals who do not exhaust entitlement under chapter 33 will not receive a refund.

5. Post 9/11 GI Bill and Tutorial Assistance

Like the Montgomery GI Bill, the Post 9/11 GI Bill offers up to $1200 ($100/month) for tutorial services.

Read more about the tutorial service coverage here.

6. Eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill in Lieu of Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserver

A specific question presented on the VA website: I have qualifying active duty service in a regular component after September 10, 2001. When I was discharged, I signed a 6-year contract as a member of the Selected Reserve. On August 1, 2009, I will be eligible for the Montgomery GI Bill and the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserver. Can I elect the Post 9/11 GI Bill by giving up MGIB-SR instead of MGIB, even if I was never called-up for active duty from the Selected Reserve after September 10, 2001?

The answer to the question is as follows:

If you are eligible for MGIB and/or MGIB-SR on 8/1/2009, and you meet the eligibility requirements for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you must trade in either MGIB or MGIB-SR to receive the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits. You may trade in the MGIB-SR even if you were not called for active duty fro mthe Selected Reserver after 9/10/2001, and have no qualifying active duty associated with your Selected Reserve Service. If you trade in MGIB-SR to become eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill, you will retain eligibility to MGIB under the rules established in that program.

You cannot, however, receive benefits for more than one program at any given time, and you cannot receive more than a maximum of 48 months of benefits under any combination of VA benefit programs.

7. ROTC Grads and the Post 9/11 GI Bill

Graduates from a ROTC academy qualify for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. However, the time spent in the ROTC program does not count towards the time served requirements, so prospective students will have to sign obligation of service for benefits.

Read more about ROTC students and the new GI Bill.

8. The Post 9/11 GI Bill and Taxes

Similar to undergraduate student loans, the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits are not taxable. Any veterans’ benefits paid under any law administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) should not be reported as income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

9. The National Call to Service Program as a Supplement to the Post 9/11 GI Bill

For prospective college students looking for additional benefits beyond the Post 9/11 GI Bill, the National Call to Service program allows students to qualify for one of the following incentives:

1. Cash bonus of $5,000
2. Repayment of a qualifying student loan not to exceed $18, 000
3. Entitlement to allowance equal to the 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 12 months ($1,034 effective Oct 1, 2005)
4. Entitlement to allowance equal to fifty percent of the less than 3-year monthly chapter 30 rate for 36 months (Fifty percent of $840 effective Oct. 1, 2005)

In order to be eligible for this supplemental financial aid, the prospective college student must fulfill the following criteria:

1. First, after completion of initial entry training, individuals must serve on active duty in a military occupational specialty designated by the Secretary of Defense for a period of 15 months.
2. After this, and without a break in service, these individuals must serve either an additional period of active duty as determined by the Secretary of Defense, or a period of 24 months in an active status in the Selected Reserve.
3. After completion of this period of service, and also, without a break in service, the remaining period of obligated service specified in the agreement will be served as follows:
   • on active duty in the armed forces
   • in the Selected Reserve
   • in the Individual Ready Reserve
   • in Americorps, or another domestic national service program jointly designated by the Secretary of Defense and the head of such a program

Read more about the National Call to Service here.

10. Following Further Changes to Post 9/11 GI Bill

In addition to the news provided by the Online Education Blog, the Veterans Benefits GI Bill Blog provides updates on the current military education happenings and Post 9/11 GI Bill quirks and news.

For prospective distance learners that were looking into an online education degree, and for current online students that are working towards graduation with their Bachelor’s Degree in Education, the job market for public educators is bleak.

Three days ago, The New York Times reported in, “For Many Teachers, a Famously Fertile Market Dries Up Overnight” that school districts have closed external hires. Teaching jobs on the public school level will only be available to those hired internally, meaning teachers that previously lost their jobs due to lay-offs.

Fortunately, $44 billion has been invested into increasing education jobs, so this bleak market is expected to bounce back up. Most students that are getting ready to college for their education degree will be delighted to graduate in a few years to an increasing market. Due to this shift, prospective online college students are encouraged to pursue their educational degree if this is their career goal, especially when the flux is on their side.

For those that are graduating soon, private schools are still hiring strong.

Resources for Finding Education Jobs

• Teaching Jobs
• Teacher Jobs
• EdJoin.org
• Resources for Teaching Jobs

Saint Leo University announced their participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Saint Leo University is a military-friendly university that has been serving active military, military reserve, and veterans in their pursuit for education since 1889.

What is the Yellow Ribbon Program?

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post 9/11 GI Bill that allows universities to voluntarily enter an agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Veteran Affairs to fund additional tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate rate (the amount covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill.)

Colleges are not required to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program, although participation is a sure-fire way to show support for the military.

What does Saint Leo University’s participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program equate to?

Military students that benefit from the Post 9/11 GI Bill do not need to worry about tuition costs while attending Saint Leo University. Those tuition costs are completely covered thanks to Saint Leo University’s voluntary participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Saint Leo University will contribute 50% of the expenses above-and-beyond the in-state undergraduate rate, and the VA will cover the other 50%–the maximum benefits of the Yellow Ribbon Program has to offer.

What other colleges and universities participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program?

For those interested in other schools participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program, the VA will be releasing a list of all participants in June. Until then, news is coming out on a college-by-college basis!

Online education empowers working adults, mothers caring for families, military personnel in the line of active duty, performers always on-the-run, and everyone in between to pursue a higher education without sacrificing their current life. This flexibility is the key that makes distance learning stand out from a traditional campus environment.

When the flexibility of an online education lets veterans, parents, businessmen, and recent high school graduates all pursue an accredited, reputable degree at home, or anywhere else you can take a laptop–what’s not to like? Unfortunately, there’s pitfalls that distance learners fall into, just like their campus-studying counterparts. Here’s some mistakes you will want to avoid making when pursuing your online education:

1. Avoid choosing the wrong school. Educating yourself on national and regional accreditation can help you avoid going to a degree mill that will not provide the rewarding education you deserve. Before enrolling in a distance learning program, make sure the school is accredited by one of the national or regional accreditation agencies; this not only ensures a strong, reliable degree, but eligibilty to transfer your credits elsewhere if necessary. College information centers like DegreeGo help filter through the mess of degree mills and bring a list of quality colleges right to you in a one-stop, convenient website.
2. Do not procrastinate on deadlines. If you know you have a tendency for procrastination, make sure to crack down on your online classes. Procrastination is the mortal enemy of the flexible online classroom, where a student completes the class at their own pace. Online students that are prone to procrastinating their work often never finish their degree because of a lack of discipline and motivation. Setting weekly or even daily goals–and sticking to them–greatly helps in facilitating the flexible schedule process.
3. Make sure to connect with peers. A student in an online classroom might not have the face-to-face interaction with other students, but you can still correspond via message boards, chatrooms, and email. Making connections and learning collaboratively is part of the college experience. Make sure to take advantage of the fact you are enrolled in a classroom with several students that are studying the same things are you and potentially share similar interests and goals.
4. Manage your financial expenses for school. Going to college is never cheap. This does not mean, however, that you have to accrue hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt; through scholarships, student discounts (with things as large as a computer and as small as a visit to the theater), and sound financial planning, your college experience can be a cost-effective experience that will pay for itself in the future with your degree. Military students should also take advantage of all the military education financial benefits available.
5. Do not scare future employers. While online education has made major advancements in the past couple of decades, there are employers that still are wary of an online degree. Many employers do not know how to differentiate between a degree mill and a reputable online school. It is in your best interest to not flaunt that you earned your education online when pursuing employment (unless asked, of course!) in order to avoid unnecessary hassle.
6. Make sure to get the credits you have already accumulated. When you attend an online school, you do not necessarily have to start from scratch. Get your transcripts from any previous colleges you have attended and have them sent to the online university so that they can be checked for course equivalency. Some schools also let you receive credit for life experienced by testing you or giving portfolio reviews. It’s important to check with your school counselors when you get started to see what you have already completed.
7. Be aware of online resources. There is wealth of knowledge available to help students out on the Internet. Make sure you are aware of the online resources that are available to you. Many universities provide JSTOR as a means of online research. Virtual dictionaries and books, research aid materials, and resources that relate to your specific degree are all valuable tools for learning. These resources could save you money when purchasing equivalent resources that were already available to you at no-charge.
8. Do not stress out. Stress is a serious concern among college students, whether they are distance learners or campus-attending students. Read more about how online- and campus-based universities like Saint Leo University are supporting stress relief programs for their study body to combat this issue. Always remember that you need to leave a little time to unwind between your education and any other life responsibilities you are juggling.
9. Take advantage of the college experience. Just because you are an online student does not mean that you are not entitled to the college student experience. Participate in volunteer work whenever you can to support your degree–you can even do volunteer work online through calls for online writing/aid. Be part of the academic events and opportunities your online university provides, like a virtual facebook community or college graduation ceremonies.
10. Do not discredit your education. While it might frighten employers for you to start your educational pitch by telling them you attended an online school, you should not sell yourself short because you acquired your degree via distance learning. When communicating with peers and fellow coworkers about your college experience, be sure to tell them how rewarding and well-rounded of an education you received–indeed, without any difference in quality from a traditional campus-based degree.