Monday, September 5, 2011

Online Degrees – Good Choice For Working Adults

Online certified degrees are more renouned than ever for working adults who wish to consequence a college degree, but have a work and family obligations. 
By Online Degrees - onlineofdegrees.com

Accredited online degree programs are a great selection for people with active schedules or those who can’t attend a normal college due to geographic considerations. Distance learning degree programs are swift apropos the elite way of investigate amid people all over the world due to the ease of use and cost savings.Distance learning degree programs are swift apropos the elite way of investigate amid people all over the world due to the ease of use and cost savings.

Online learning has advance of age, quickly. A couple of of the benefits of online certified degree programs are:

1. Lower cost than normal on campus degrees. Many tip programs offer all march materials in the cost of the class.

2. Are existing in only about any theme you could imagine, inclusive nursing, business, psychology, illness caring administration, and law.

3. Available to any particular who has access to a P.C. with an Internet connection.

4. May be finished faster than normal on campus degree programs since many online degree programs are self-paced, so students might complete their coursework as swift as their determination and report allows. Some online universities offer speed up programs, or credit for life and work experience.

5. Offered by well esteemed certified colleges and universities. These schools often use the same curriculum for online courses as they do is to on-campus courses, so the high quality of preparation is the same.


The advantages of online learning have increased exponentially. Online degrees are so convenient for people who cannot attend grave classes for a accumulation of reasons inclusive work, family, go or sick health. Getting your degree online is only as great as earning a in an on campus setting, Online degrees are so convenient for people who cannot attend grave classes for a accumulation of reasons inclusive work, family, go or sick health. Getting your degree online is only as great as earning a in an on campus setting,but only if it comes from an certified school.

Online degrees are unusually utilitarian for any person who wants to possibly jump-start or change their careers, and that’s no surprise.
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I am a strong advocate for our students to work while earning a degree online.  Why?

A student who works has a better idea of the major he/she wishes to pursue.  The working student also has a better ability to pay tuition.  My grandson just graduated from RPI a prestigious computer engineering university.  His school loans are $1,200 per month for 15 years.  If students can pay their tuition and incur less loans they are better off.

The flexibility that online colleges provide are also a significant benefit for working adults.  All course material is provided on the college e-learning platform.  The student is given a security code to access the e-learning platform where all course material is posted as well as test dates.  The platform also host the chat room for students to post questions to the professor and the professor’s response.  The student can read the assignment on the leisure time and post questions anytime on the chat room.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College has a unique student benefits and has a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years to students that enroll by September 30, 2011.  IWWC also encourages students to graduate with a high grade point average and rewards students at graduation by returning 10 to 25% of paid tuition based on a students GPA of 3.0 or higher.  For more information visit the IWWC website – www.iwwcollege.com or call Jim Marquart at 772-785-8599 or toll free 888-499-2338.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College

Friday, September 2, 2011

Finding Your Work-Life Balance

Want to achieve work-life balance? See career options that could fit your lifestyle.
By Lisa Manterfield - Yahoo Education


Is your career causing you chronic stress?

Consider exploring careers known for their flexibility.

According to a study conducted by the National Council for Family Relations, an organization focused on family research, flexible work hours can actually reduce stress and help employees strike a healthier balance between work and family life.

Sound like something you might be interested in? Check out these careers that could help you in your pursuit of work-life balance.

Do you want non-traditional hours?

While having evenings and weekends off could make it easier to spend your free time with family and friends, there can be perks to working non-traditional hours, too. Having time off while everyone else is at work means you could be free to run errands, schedule appointments, and enjoy your favorite activities without having to fight the crowds. Check out these career options known for non-traditional hours.

Chef

    • Work-Life Balance: In breakfast cafes, fine restaurants, and all-night diners, chefs can often find themselves working odd hours. But if this suits your lifestyle - and your love food - this might be a good option for you to explore.
    • Average Salary: Chefs have an average yearly salary of $44,780, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Culinary Arts Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Culinary Arts

Medical Assistant

    • Work-Life Balance: Although many work a regular 40-hour week, according to the Department of Labor, the extended hours at physicians' offices, clinics, and hospitals could potentially create opportunities for part time, evening, or weekend hours.
    • Average Salary: Medical assistants have an average salary of $29,760, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Medical Assisting Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Medical Assisting

Do you want to work from home?

In 2008, Inc., a magazine for small business owners, reported that 82 percent of business managers expected the number of remote workers to increase over the following five years. Consider taking advantage of this potential trend by exploring the following opportunities.

Virtual Assistant

    • Work-Life Balance: According to the Department of Labor, virtual assistants are freelancers who often work at a home office. They use the Internet, e-mail, fax, and the phone to communicate with clients about administrative, creative, or technical support services.
    • Average Salary: According to the online careers database Simply Hired, the average annual salary for a virtual assistant is $45,000.*
    • Education Options: Office Administration Certificate/Diploma, Associate's in Office Administration

Computer Support Specialist

    • Work-Life Balance: According to the Department of Labor, a growing number of companies allow computer support specialists to work remotely, and often with flexible hours.
    • Average Salary: The average annual salary for computer support specialists is $47,360, according to the Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Computer Science

Do you want seasonal and/or contract work?

If "seasonal work" conjures up images of camp leaders and department store Santas, you might be surprised by these careers that could offer flexible schedules year round. Keep reading to learn more...

Accountant

    • Work-Life Balance: According to Simply Hired, there is a growing trend in companies to hire contract accountants to help with additional workload at year-end or tax time, or for special projects, such as audits. Accountants might work long hours during these times, but they could also be able to pick contracts that suit their schedules.
    • Average Salary: According to the Department of Labor, the average annual salary for an accountant is $68,960.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Accounting

Teacher

    • Work-Life Balance: One of the perks of teaching is the potential for long summer breaks. Even in districts with year-round school, teachers might work an eight-week schedule, followed by a one-week vacation and a five-week midwinter break.
    • Average Salary: Average salaries for teachers range from $51,550 for kindergarten teachers to $55,990 for secondary school teachers, according to the Department of Labor.*
    • Education Options: Bachelor's in Education
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It is typical for an individual to think they cannot enroll in a college degree program because they do not have the time.  I can relate to that issue.  I completed my BA and MBA programs at Long Island University (LIU) and LIU Grad School at night while I worked full time in an executive position and was also married with one child.  I will say it was not easy but my wife and I agreed that earning my degrees would enhance my compensation and our quality of life.  I set a goal to complete my degrees within 6 years.  I only wish we had an online option at that time as I would have saved 4 to 6 hours per week in travel time.   If you set a goal and recognize the benefits you and your family can set aside the time you need to complete course work.  The Florida Department of Education estimates that a 3 credit course requires approximately 9 hours a week to complete the course work.  That is 1.28 hours per day.  If you take two 3 credit courses you need to estimate about 3.5 hours per day to complete 2 courses.  What is the benefit?  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study estimates that a person working 40 years the lifetime earnings is more than $3 million for a degree individual compared to a non degreed person.  That is a good incentive to earn a degree.  That study is on the Innova World Wide College website – www.iwwcollege.com.  It is on the bottom of the home page.

The flexibility to earning an online degree is another benefit.  Course material is provided by the professor on IWWC’s e-learning platform as is the course reading assignments.  The instructor usually establishes a chat time that is agreeable to the students.  The students can ask questions by posting them on IWWC e-learning platform which allows all students to view the questions and responses from the professor.  IWWC terms are 8 weeks.  I believe that a students retention of the course material is significantly enhanced in an 8 week program than the traditional 16 week term.

Whether you are employed full time or a stay at home adult raising a family you can allocate time to earn a Bachelor’s degree.  I believe a business degree is more desirable because of the flexibility within business and the employment potential.  The financial benefits are clearly shown in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study which is on the IWWC website.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Online Certificate Programs Offer a Fast Track to a New Career

By Rebecca Kern - USNews

If you're considering changing careers or have lost a job and want to learn new skills, an online certificate program may be what you need. "Certificate programs are a solution for those who want to get a short-term, highly career-oriented, compressed program to get out into the job market," says Carol Aslanian, the senior vice president of market research at EducationDynamics, a higher education marketing company. These programs are offered through strictly online institutions, such as Kaplan Continuing Education, as well as the online arms of traditional campus-based schools, like Drexel University Online or University of California–Berkeley Extension.

There are primarily two types of people enrolling in certificate programs: those advancing in a current career or those looking to change careers, Aslanian says. "Certificates can be geared to the highly educated who need a sellable skill or the less educated who are not ready or [do not] want to enter a degree program but who want a credential to get a quick-fix job," she says.

These certificate programs are more affordable and less time consuming than bachelor's or master's programs. They range from $2,000 to $4,000 in tuition and generally take one to two years to complete. The courses can also be taken for academic credit, with the option of applying the credits toward a bachelor's or master's degree program within that institution, says Kenneth Hartman, the academic director for Drexel University Online. "These certificates offer a fast track to a new career or an attractive way to specialize within a career," he says. A person can start a new career once he or she gets the certificate and then continue to take part-time online classes toward a degree to become more marketable, he adds.

Certificates can also be taken as part of a continuing education program that is not for academic credit. These noncredit certificate programs are particularly attractive for working adults who have already earned a bachelor's or a master's degree but want short-term training that meets the needs of an employer, says Barbara Sonderling, the chief academic officer for Kaplan Continuing Education.

The benefit of earning a certificate online is the flexibility to work on your own schedule while keeping a full-time job, says Wayne Smutz, the executive director for Penn State's World Campus, the university's online education program. Also, many employers offer tuition reimbursement for continued education in a related field, he says. "However, most of the time employees don't take advantage of them, and they really should, especially in this type of environment, where developing a set of skills is absolutely critical to stay at the forefront of where the job market is going," he says.

Additionally, online certificate programs offer a fast way to learn the newest technology and skills in continually developing careers. Most professions these days are using technologies, particularly in the communications world and in information technology, says Ayn Fox, a career coach with eLearners.com, an online education resource. "Learning the latest and greatest in a field enhances an employee's contribution to their employer," Hartman says. "In this day and age, where employers are downsizing, the more that you can do to strengthen your ability to contribute to your organization, the better you're going to be in terms of preserving your job."

There has been a noticeable increase in certificate enrollments in fields that are seeing employment growth, which include information technology, healthcare, and education. Within information technology, "certification-driven" programs are popular because they prepare students to take specific certification exams, such as Microsoft and Cisco software programs, Sonderling says.

Certificates in project management are also very popular and can be applied to a wide variety of careers, says Jason Lemon, the associate dean of University of California–Berkeley Extension. The program management certificate is applicable for people who want to change careers as well as those who want to enhance their skills in their current career. In the early days, this certificate was popular in the engineering and information technology fields, but now students from almost every kind of business—including pharmaceutical, finance, public management, and retail—earn this certificate. There are no prerequisites for admission to the certificate program, but a bachelor's degree is recommended. "People have come to understand that project management is a key competency that will improve implementation in any new effort," Lemon says.

Within the healthcare field, the certificate in medical billing and coding has been popular recently, Hartman says. The interest in this certificate is directly related to the changes occurring within national healthcare and the aging of the baby boom generation, he says. "There is a huge demand for medical billing and records administrators, which this certificate prepares you for," he says. The only educational prerequisite is a high school diploma, Hartman says. The academic credit earned from the certificate can also be applied toward the completion of a bachelor's of science in health services administration. Since no prior education in healthcare is required, this certificate is appropriate for a person just entering the workforce or someone switching from a nonmedical career.

Corliss Ford was looking to advance in the nursing field. With the help of a certificate in forensic nursing from Kaplan Continuing Education, she landed a job as the director of nursing with a home healthcare company in Phoenix. After completing this certificate, she went on to earn a bachelor's of science in nursing from Kaplan University and is currently pursuing a master's of science in forensic psychology from Walden University. "The certificate definitely was one of the reasons I got this position, and for me that was a big step in my career and a big pay raise," she says.

In the education field, a post-bachelor's teaching certificate is another certificate program experiencing increased enrollment. It gives a person with a bachelor's degree a fast route to a new career, Hartman says. "This certificate program offers a quick way to complete the requirements necessary to get into the classroom and begin to teach children," he says. Drexel University Online's post-bachelor's teaching certificate is recognized by Pennsylvania and by most other states, he says.
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Innova World Wide College (IWWC) A Premier Online Business College offers Certificate Programs.  A student that takes certificate courses can enhance their education in a specific area and possibly that can enhance their position within the company they work for.  For example, a receptionist who wants to transfer into a business area might enhance their position value by taking certificate programs in accounting or other specific disciplines.  It is a step in the right direction.  At IWWC a certificate student knows that if they decide to matriculate for a Bachelor of Science degree in business at IWWC we will accept all courses taken and passed for 2 years.

In my opinion, a student should make sure that certificate programs will be accepted if they decide to matriculate and earn a Bachelor’s degree.

The cold hard fact is a Bachelor’s degree is a necessity to advance your career and quality of life.

James F. Marquart, CAE, MBA
Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College
website – www.iwwcollege.com

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Online Universities: 5 Tips Before You Pursue a Degree

An online education can be a risky venture. Use these tips to guide your research before you enroll.

By Brian Burnsed - USNews


1. Check for accreditation.
There are six regional accrediting bodies in the United States. If an online school hasn't been accredited by one of these, there may be reason for you to be wary of the school's quality, or at the very least of your ability to transfer credits should you choose to attend another school. The Department of Education has a database of accredited schools, which is a good place to verify a school's credentials. Also, "ask about their credit transfer policies, and if you can know how many of your previous credits will transfer before you enroll," says Lauren Anuskewicz, spokesperson for Colorado State University's Global Campus.

2. Talk to graduates and former students. You may use social networks like Facebook and Twitter frequently for amusement, or simply to kill time, but they can be helpful tools as well. Use these social networks, or the professionally oriented LinkedIn, to connect with people who have attended the school. Ask them about their experience as a student and in their subsequent job search, recommends John Bourne, executive director of the Sloan Consortium, an association of online schools.

3. Check with employers. How do they regard online degrees? Most people pursue an online degree with a specific job or specialty in mind. So why make the sacrifice the time and money before you're certain of the end result? Talk to employers in your field of interest and see if they're receptive of applicants with online degrees. If they're not, striving for an online degree would be futile. "While some employers, such as state and government agencies, are quick to accept these degrees, other employers remain a bit old fashioned and don't feel these degrees are the 'cream of the crop' or carry the same weight as traditional degrees," says Pat Wyman, author and founder of teaching site HowToLearn.com.

4. Review the data. The Department of Education publishes loan default rates and loan repayment rates for every institution in the nation that receives federal funding. For-profit online schools tend to have worse rates than other institutions, so examine the rates on a school-by-school basis. A high default rate or low repayment rate should generally raise red flags, education experts agree. Graduation and retention rates are also published on the Department's college navigator site, but these rates only take into account first-time full-time college students, which typically are a significant minority—usually less than 5 percent—of an online school's total enrollment.

5. Ensure that there are student services. You'll need more than a good work ethic to get through your online education. See what the school offers you beyond the virtual classroom. "Most institutions allow you to register and pay online but not everyone provides for academic advising, financial aid advising, career counseling, etc...without coming to campus to take part in those services," says Cherron Hoppes, dean of undergraduate programs at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. "Even at a distance, online students need and should have access to critical and applicable student services." Be sure to check to see if there are any fees attached to these services, though. Anuskewicz of Colorado State warns that online schools sometimes charge fees—separate from tuition—for services, like using an online library.
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1.  The most important factor is research on the availability of employment and the entry level compensation for the graduates of the degree program you wish to pursue.  Not all degrees provide equal opportunities for success.  Let me give an example, a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology provides limited employment opportunities.  Usually you need a Masters degree to find a position utilizing that major.  A Bachelor’s degree in business will provide far more employment opportunities.

2.  Research tuition costs and available scholarships.

3.  Research the student benefits and compare those benefits of the colleges you are considering.

4.  Research the length of terms.  An accelerated program i.e. 8 week terms compared to 16 week terms can impact retention of course material.  I find that many individuals can retain course material better with shorter terms.

5.  Faculty is also a consideration and so is the graduation rate of various schools.

Visit the Innova World Wide College website – www.iwwcollege.com and compare the IWWC program to other online business colleges.

Jim Marquart, Founder and President/CEO
Innova World Wide College – A Premier Online Business College
Phone 772-785-8599 or toll free 888-499-2338

Monday, August 29, 2011

Online Education Scholarships Help Parents Return to School

For many parents who split their time between 40-hour workweeks and taking care of their kids, the idea of continuing their education seems almost impossible.

By Rebecca Kern - USNews

An online learning site called eLearners.com has helped parents overcome the three main barriers to returning to school: time, money, and lack of confidence, says Helen MacDermott, content director for eLearners.com. The site launched Project Working Mom 2010, a program created to award up to 285 full-tuition scholarships from eight accredited online institutions worth about $5 million in total to working mothers and fathers. Project Working Mom 2010 is the fourth in a series of programs run by eLearners.com to "tackle the crisis of the undereducated adult population in America."

Of parents ages 22 to 50, 19.6 percent of males and 20.4 percent of females had bachelor's degrees, according to 2009 data from the Census Bureau. (To view these or other tables of education data, visit the Current Population Survey Table Creator.) College degrees pay off in the long run: On average, adults with a bachelor's degree make $26,000 more annually than those with just a high school diploma, according to 2008 Census Bureau data. With tough economic times, more people are going back to school online to continue their education. More than 4.6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2008 term, a 17 percent increase from 2007, according to a Sloan Survey of Online Learning report, "Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States in 2009."

Project Working Mom started in reaction to the flood of more than 10,000 responses to an essay contest in the September 2007 issue of Women's World magazine for a $1,500 scholarship in conjunction with eLearners.com. The majority of respondents were single mothers, MacDermott says. "We learned how many single mothers put themselves on the back burners because they had families to raise. But as their children got older, they realized that they were no longer in a position where a high school diploma was enough. Any small amount of money would help them get back to school," she says.

However, MacDermott says eLearners.com didn't want to focus its efforts only on single working mothers because they weren't the only ones who needed help. "After receiving letters from working fathers who wanted to be eligible to participate in the scholarship contest", she says, "eLearners.com opened up the third series of scholarships to working fathers as well, calling it Project Working Mom... and Dad, Too." The scholarship does not require that a parent have a job in order to apply.

Heather Herrera is a recent recipient of a full-tuition, four-year scholarship for online education worth $66,000 from Virginia College, which has extensive online degree programs as well as 14 campuses across the South. She is pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration. Herrera graduated from high school and became pregnant the same year, and she says she didn't have the time or money to go directly to college. When her daughter was 1, she tried community college, but she eventually quit. Fourteen years later, Herrera lives in a town outside of Austin with her husband and two daughters. She says she likes the time flexibility of online classes and the convenience of working from home. "While my kids are in school, I do school," she says. "I like the online format; for me it's not as intimidating. In the classroom setting, I am more reserved and don't speak my mind as much. I feel more comfortable saying what I'm going to say if I'm typing it."

Jhonny Serrano, also a recipient of a full-tuition, four-year scholarship for online education from Virginia College, looks forward to the financial opportunities an online bachelor's degree can offer. He works in the information technology department at a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., during the day, and takes his online courses at night to pursue a bachelor of science in management information systems. Serrano, who immigrated from Colombia with his wife in 2002, had to start his higher education over in a new language after switching from a different degree path in Colombia. Serrano, who has a 2-year-old daughter to support, says his bachelor's degree will improve his financial stability and job security. He also enjoys the collaboration of the online classroom environment. "We have discussions every week about different topics. In this online environment, you're still building a relationship with others. The teachers are always motivating students."

Both Herrera and Serrano say that they not only enjoy being back in school but also love being strong role models for their children. MacDermott of eLearners.com says this has been true for many parents pursuing a degree through online programs. "These scholarship recipients fall in love with learning and have a renewed interest in learning for learning's sake. This impacts their parenting by showing the message that education is important."

Since it launched in January 2008, Project Working Mom has sent more than 150 working parents back to school through more than $6 million in full-tuition scholarships. The Project Working Mom 2010 scholarships have three separate deadlines: March 1, April 27, and September 30. The program will distribute close to 100 scholarships in each round, and applicants who aren't selected in one round can reapply for the next. Those who win a scholarship will be notified within a month after the deadline. To apply, go to ProjectWorkingMom.com, select the degree program and the school of interest, and write a short personal essay. No GPA or SAT scores are required.

To view videos of Herrera and Serrano talking about their experiences with online education, visit http://elearners.com/projectworkingmom/scholarship-recipients/
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The flexibility to complete course work provides a significant reason that allows parents to return to school to earn a degree.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College is currently offering a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years to students that enroll by September 30, 2011.  IWWC also has a Performance Scholarship Program that provides a financial reward to students that graduate with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.  The college returns 10 to 25% of the students paid tuition at graduation based on a 3.0 or higher GPA.

Visit the IWWC website at www.iwwcollege.com and learn what IWWC’s total tuition will be for a Bachelor of Science degree in business and what our unique student benefits can mean to you. I do not believe you will find a more competitive tuition program or student benefits like those offered by IWWC.

Friday, August 26, 2011

How Higher Education Affects Lifetime Salary

While those earning master's, doctoral, or professional degrees still earn more during their careers than those with less education, the gap is closing, according to The College Payoff a report published today by the Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce.


"It's still true that, on average, it's better to get the higher degree; it's better to keep climbing--but it's less and less true," says the center's director, Anthony Carnevale.

Those holding bachelor's degrees earn about $2.27 million over their lifetime, while those with master's, doctoral, and professional degrees earn $2.67 million, $3.25 million, and $3.65 million, respectively. That said, the major and industry a student selects ultimately have an enormous impact on lifetime earnings. Those with bachelor's degrees who work either in management or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (NasdaqGM: STEM - News) earn more, on average, than people with advanced degrees of any level who work in fields like education, sales, and community service.

Those with bachelor's degrees, no matter the field, earn vastly more than counterparts with some college ($1.55 million in lifetime earnings) or a high school diploma ($1.30 million lifetime), indicating that no matter the level of attainment or the field of study, simply earning a four-year degree is often integral to financial success later in life.

"The payoff from getting a college degree is huge and is actually increasing," says Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation, a nonprofit focused on boosting America's number of college graduates. "For people wondering [if] a college degree [is] worth it: Not only is it worth it, but the premium is growing."

The report did reveal some sobering news for women and minorities. Among minorities, all ethnic groups' career earnings were less than that of Caucasians, save for Asians with master's, doctoral, and professional degrees, who outpaced white workers with degrees of the same level. Latinos and African-Americans with master's degrees earn nearly the same in their lifetimes--roughly $2.50 million--as white workers who have bachelor's degrees.

The data suggests that a glass ceiling is still firmly in place in America's workforce. Across all industries, on average, women have to attain a Ph.D to earn more in their lifetimes ($2.86 million) than men who have only attained a bachelor's degree ($2.60 million). Similarly, women with bachelor's degrees earn nearly the same--about $1.90 million--over the course of their careers as men with some college experience but no degree.

Carnevale, of Georgetown, suggests that women who want to earn more than their male counterparts will either have to attain more degrees or simply select a higher-paying industry, given the unbalanced playing field. "You can close the gap by getting more education, and that does seem to be the strategy, at least implicitly, that women are following," he says. "If you want to make more than lots of men, and you're a woman, then go into engineering."
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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study comparing non degreed and degreed is on the Innova World College website – www.iwwcollege.com. The study provided data to calculate a persons lifetime earnings.  The lifetime earnings between a non degreed and an individual with a Bachelor degree is between almost $700,000 and over $3 million.  The age that you earn a degree impacts the number of years worked and the lifetime earnings variance.  Just think what that means to the quality of life for you and your family.

For more information visit the IWWC website – www.iwwcollege.com and check out our current scholarship program and our unique student benefits.

James F. Marquart, Founder and President/CEO

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

5 Great Reasons to Go Back to School

Find out if going back to school could be right for you.

By Chris Kyle - Yahoo Education


Want to switch careers? Angling for a promotion? Maybe you want to make more money?

These can all be good reasons to head back to school. But before you make the commitment, you should do your homework to ensure it's really the right move for you.

To help you figure things out, we've put together a little cheat sheet to help you see if going back to school might be right for you.

Reason #1: You want to finish your degree.

Wanting to complete a degree program that you started but haven't finished yet is a noble goal that is gathering steam across the country.

Vermont recently launched a campaign to encourage adult "stop outs" to return to school. Texas has a similar program called Grad TX that is designed to help adults go back and get their degree.

"If you already have some college credits under your belt, returning to college to earn your bachelor’s degree is probably easier than you think," Grad TX writes on its website.

But a bachelor's degree isn't the only degree worth pursuing.

"In the coming years, jobs requiring at least an associate degree are projected to grow twice as fast as jobs requiring no college experience," said President Obama when introducing his plan to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.

In fact, every governor in the U.S. has been asked to convene a college-completion summit as part of Obama's goal to add eight million more graduates with associate's or bachelor's degrees by 2020.

Reason #2: You want to make more money.

Generally speaking, it's true that more education could eventually lead to more money.

In 2010, the average weekly wage for workers without a college degree was $712, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $1,038, says the same report. That's a difference of nearly $17,000 per year.

Or perhaps you're thinking about going to business school to pursue your MBA? The average starting salary for an MBA grad is $78,820, according to a 2010 study by the Graduate Management Admission Council.

The key to increasing your earning potential is to make sure that you are pursuing the degree that is best for the profession that you are targeting, says Annette Parisi, assistant director for employer relations at Sienna College in upstate New York.

To research which degree matches what you want to do, search the U.S. Department of Labor's website, which breaks down different careers and includes education and training information for each position.

Here's a sampling of careers along with the degrees and average salaries that typically accompany them, according to the Department of Labor:

    • Medical assistant: associate's or certificate in medical assisting - $29,760
    • Bookkeeping clerk: associate's in accounting/business - $35,340
    • Computer support specialist: associate's or bachelor's in IT - $49,930
    • Financial analyst: bachelor's in finance/business, maybe an MBA - $86,040

Reason #3: You want more job satisfaction.

Looking to achieve more career satisfaction is a common theme these days.

When the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveyed 20,000 graduating seniors in 2011, they listed "opportunity for personal development" as the single most important attribute in a job or potential employer.

"We've seen personal development moving up the list since the recession, suggesting that students recognize they may need to look for job satisfaction in other ways,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director, in a news release.

In this case, you want to make sure that the degree you are getting matches up with your career goals.

Do you want to start your own business? Studying business administration or accounting could help.

Do you want a job that involves caring for others? If so, studying nursing may be for you.

The list goes on and on. The idea here is to identify what makes you happy - and then pursue it.

Reason #4: You want a promotion.

Wanting a promotion at work is a good sign. It shows you're driven and determined to succeed.

But it's not enough to want to get promoted. You have to deserve it.

Depending upon your situation, it's possible that going back to school could help.

Assess your strengths and weaknesses and don't be afraid to ask co-workers and even your boss for their opinions on what you need to make it to the next level. You may learn that more education can help you achieve your goal of getting promoted. By letting your intentions be known, you'll also be indicating that you're ambitious and goal-oriented.

Reason #5: It may be more possible than you think.

Online courses may help you pursue your education without giving up your current job.

And it's even possible that your employer will help pay for you to go back to school, says Sam Govea, executive dean of distance learning at Brookhaven College in Texas.

"Despite the tough economy, employers are still paying tuition for courses related to the employee's work area," Govea says. "Employees are taking advantage of this benefit and trying to make themselves more valuable to the company by obtaining an advanced degree or certificate."
___

There are many reasons for a person to go back to school if they do not have a college degree or a degree that doesn’t provide meaningful employment opportunities.

1.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study comparing non degreed and degreed is on the Innova World College website – www.iwwcollege.com. The study provided data to calculate a persons lifetime earnings.  The lifetime earnings between a non degreed and an individual with a Bachelor degree is between almost $700,000 and over $3 million.  The age that you earn a degree impacts the number of years worked and the lifetime earnings variance.  Just think what that means to the quality of life for you and your family.

2.  The study also provides data on the percentage of lost jobs in a recession.  Individuals without a degree lost there jobs by an average of 12.5% while the college degreed individuals average layoff was 3.5 to 4%.  A degree does provide better job security.

3.  The study also indicates that the average earnings differential between a degreed and non degreed individual is approximately $20,000 to $25,000 per year and the differential spread increases based on how long you work.

4.  Personal satisfaction (ego).  Almost all degreed individuals are proud of there educational accomplishments and the enhanced quality of life that education has provided the quality of life for the individual and their family.

5.  Maybe the most important reason is the flexibility an online college provides an individual.  You can work full time or raise children while earning a degree.  The course work can be done at home or wherever there is a computer with internet capability.  You can complete course work on your free time.  There is no driving to a campus for a class.  Your course work, interaction with other students, and interaction with your professor is done online.

For more information visit the IWWC website – www.iwwcollege.com and check out our current scholarship program and our unique student benefits.

James F. Marquart, Founder and President/CEO

Monday, August 22, 2011

How to Prepare for a New Career Without Quitting Your Day Job

Online education could provide the flexibility you need to prepare for a new career.

By Chris Kyle - Yahoo Education


Want to go back to school but need some flexibility to make it happen? Online education may be the answer.

Thomas Boyd, dean of Kaplan University's School of Business and Management, says online education can be a good solution to a common problem for students in today's fast-paced society.

"Our students choose online programs for a wide variety of reasons, but the majority of them cite convenience as a major factor," Boyd says. "For people who are working full time, have kids at home, or a sick relative to care for, this flexibility gives them the freedom to do their school work at times that work best for them."

Boyd says that preparing for a new career without abandoning your current one has its advantages.

"Online education helps working adults avoid the two- to four-year hiatus from work that would be required to attend a fulltime program," he says.

The flexibility to decide when and where you will do your school work and "attend" class is a big reason why people are choosing online education in huge numbers. In the fall 2009 term, over 5.6 million college students took at least one online course, according to the non-profit Sloan Consortium.

"However, people should not confuse convenience with easy," Boyd says. "It takes maturity and self-discipline to do well."

Think online education may be right for you? Keep reading to learn about four popular online degrees and the careers they could prepare you for...

#1 - Online Business Degree

Want to get ahead in the business world without giving up your current paycheck to do it? Pursuing a degree in business online, whether it's at the associate's or bachelor's degree level or as high as a master's of business administration (MBA), can help you advance your education without taking a step backwards in your work life.

"While the degree is desirable to employers, experience is just as, if not more, desirable," says Boyd. "Getting a degree while working provides students with opportunities to apply what they are learning as they learn it, instead of having to wait until they graduate to put their new skills to work."

Possible career paths: Typical careers for those with an undergraduate degree include payroll clerk and marketing specialist, while those with an MBA might be ready for more advanced roles like financial analyst and marketing manager.

Earning potential: The average starting salary for a grad with a bachelor's degree in business is $41,100, according to PayScale's 2010-2011 College Salary Report.

The U.S. Department of Labor, meanwhile, breaks down average salaries for various careers:

    • Advertising Sales Agent: $53,190
    • Accountant: $67,430
    • Market Research Analyst: $67,500

#2 - Online Health Care Degree

Looking to transition into a health care career but don't know where or how to begin? Immersing yourself in one of many health care fields online is a flexible way to get pointed in the direction you want to go.

Orange Coast College (OCC) in California, for example, has a variety of health care classes and programs for its community college students and is working to increase its online offerings due to increasing demand, according to Jill Golden, OCC's online faculty coordinator.

OCC's School of Allied Health Professions offers medical assisting and dental assisting programs. But regardless of the school you choose, some courses, like patient records and health information technology, work well in an online format. Health care administration is another popular choice.

Possible career paths: Typical careers for health care degree grads, depending on the program of study, include medical assistant, dental assistant, and medical and health services manager.

Earning potential: The average starting salary for a grad with a bachelor's in health care administration is $37,700, according to PayScale's 2010-2011 College Salary Report. The U.S. Department of Labor breaks down salaries for various health care careers. Here are a few, along with their 2009 average incomes:

    • Medical Assistant: $29,450
    • Dental Assistant: $34,000
    • Medical and Health Services Manager: $90,970

#3 - Online Graphic Design Degree

Are you a creative type who likes to think and work visually even though your current career doesn't require it? We have good news: By earning your associate's degree in graphic design online, you could prepare for a creative career in graphic design without leaving your day job.

"Many students don't have the time to travel to school on a specific day or time," says Golden, online faculty coordinator at OCC, which offers a program in digital media arts and design. "Others like to be awake in the middle of the night and do their work from home."

Possible career paths: Typical entry-level careers in graphic design include junior desktop publisher and graphic designer.

Earning potential: The average starting salary for a grad with a bachelor's in graphic design is $35,400, according to PayScale's 2010-2011 College Salary Report.

The U.S. Department of Labor breaks down average salaries for various careers:

    • Desktop Publisher: $38,960
    • Graphic Designer: $47,820
    • Art Director: $91,520

#4 Online Degree - Criminal Justice

Working to keep communities safe is a common thread that runs through just about every criminal justice career. If you want to transition into this line of work but can't find the time to enroll in a traditional school, you may want to consider earning your criminal justice degree online.

Boyd says that online learning formats like Kaplan's are helpful in the sense that students can repeat a lesson as often as they'd like until they feel comfortable enough to push forward in the course. "...[W]e provide interactive learning tools that can be useful for a busy adult who also wants to master a concept, rather than just passing an exam," says Boyd.

Possible career paths: Typical entry-level careers in criminal justice include community service coordinators and police officer.

Earning potential: The average starting salary for a grad with a bachelor's in criminal justice is $35,600, according to PayScale's 2010-2011 College Salary Report. The U.S. Department of Labor breaks down average salaries for various criminal justice careers:

    • Security Guard: $26,430
    • Private Detective: $47,130
    • Police Officer: $55,180
___

An online college program provides the opportunity to earn a degree and advance your career with quitting your job.  All class work is completed on your free time.  Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College advocates that their students work while earning their Bachelor of Science degree in business.  IWWC offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Management with concentrations in General, Entrepreneurial, Health Care, and Human Resources.

IWWC is currently offering a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years to students that enroll by September 30, 2011.  Visit www.iwwcollege.com and review the unique student benefits that ensure student success.  If you have any questions call Jim Marquart, Founder and President/CEO at 772 785-8599 or toll free at 888-499-2338.

WTVX-TV joins business partnership

— South Florida: Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College is pleased to announce The CW West Palm, WTVX-TV, has joined their Business Partner Program. The program provides an incredible educational opportunity to employees and their families.

As a Business Partner, all WTVX employees and their family members are entitled to a scholarship that covers 50% of all tuition cost during their 4-year enrollment. The college offers degrees in: Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management Information Systems (MIS), Marketing and Management with concentrations in General, Entrepreneurial, Healthcare, and Human Resources.

Innova World Wide College’s credo is Innovation, Rewards, and Success. They provide a high quality business college degree program and a financial reward to students to encourage them to not only graduate but to graduate with a high grade point average.

Getting a college degree has never been easier. At IWWC you can take classes at home, in your free time. And with the tuition guarantee, you know the price for your education will not increase.

Businesses that wish to participate in the program should go to the IWWC website, www.iwwcollege.com, to sign up as a business partner. There is no cost to the company nor a contract to sign. Click on the Business Partner button and the Employee Flyer and Participation Form can be down loaded.

Innova World Wide College offers a great alternative. Enroll today and enhance your career and quality of life for you and your family. To find out more visit www.iwwcollege.com or call 772-785-8599.

PRESS RELEASE

 FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:

James F. Marquart 
772-785-8599

Friday, August 19, 2011

Online Degrees - 5 Things to Consider

When weighing your online education options, consider these 5 factors.

By Chris Kyle - Yahoo Education

Going back to school and considering your online education options? You're not alone.

Over 5.6 million college students took at least one online course during the fall 2009 term, an increase of nearly one million over the previous year, according to the non-profit Sloan Consortium.

To put those numbers into context, nearly one out of three college students is currently enrolled in an online course or program, and those numbers are only expected to grow in coming years.

To help you make a decision about going to school online, we talked to college experts and compiled a list of 5 things to think about before you commit.

#1 - Accreditation

One of the most important factors to consider is whether a school that offers online programs is properly accredited, according to Brianna Bates, an information and accounts specialist at the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), a non-profit education association and accrediting agency in Washington, DC.

"We tell students to be very wary of accreditation claims," Bates says. "Just because a school says it is accredited doesn't mean it's true." Bates says it's not uncommon for so-called diploma mills to set up fake accrediting agencies with a phone number and voice mail message. She urges students to check with the Department of Education to see if the agency is approved by the U.S. government.

For a list of approved national and regional accrediting agencies, visit www.ed.gov.

Accreditation is a voluntary process requested by most colleges and universities. The hope is to receive confirmation from an independent agency that your students are getting a high quality education.

National University, which offers 60 online degree programs, for example, received a 10-year reaffirmation of its accreditation in April 2011 from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the same commission that accredits institutions like University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California.

"It is a very rigorous process that compels the university to show how well it is providing education to our students across many platforms and in different arenas," says Bettina Moss, National University's lead faculty for its online MFA in screenwriting program.

#2 - Quality of Online Faculty

Every student knows that a good professor can mean the difference between a good and bad experience with a class.

Online programs are no different, so don't be shy about asking for a list of the working faculty and the classes they teach. Look up a faculty member's credentials and read testimonials from students on sites like RateMyProfessors.com.

"I am from the school of thought that any course or program with the right teacher can be conducted well online," says Sam Govea, executive dean of distance learning at Brookhaven College in Texas. "While some programs and courses that require hands-on clinicals or labs are more challenging to run 100 percent online, there are always solutions when a creative, engaging teacher gets involved."

Thomas Boyd, dean of Kaplan University's online School of Business and Management, told the Wall Street Journal in March 2011 that he's only hiring professors with Ph.D.'s.

"What I'd like is the kind of faculty on par with what you'd find at a good state school although I should point out that if a great CEO wanted to teach without a PhD, I wouldn't turn it down," Boyd says.

#3 - Online Student Body

You can't get a real feel for an online school until you gain an understanding of its student body. Knowing who they are will help give you a sense for whether you and the school are a proper match.

Are you an older working adult who is thinking of returning to school? Knowing the average age of the student body may not make or break your decision but it could influence your thinking. After all, these students will become your peers and you will be interacting and networking with them.

Along those lines, be sure to ask schools for their average student's course load as well as graduation and job placement rates, says DETC's Bates. "By knowing those kinds of statistics you can get an idea for how many people write that first check and finish the program," she says.

#4 - Relevance of Curriculum

Some people go back to school online with the goal of furthering their careers. If that's the case for you, make sure any schools you're researching offer an online degree program in an area that matches your goals.

It's also important to make sure that it's a subject that's amenable to online learning, according to Govea, who oversees online learning at Brookhaven, a Dallas County Community College that offers 20 online programs and serves over 7,000 online students per year.

Govea says that Brookhaven's beginning computer classes, for example, are best taken in a face-to-face classroom setting, while more advanced computer classes can work well in an online environment.

Visual communications ranks among Brookhaven's most successful online programs, according to Govea. Work is peer and instructor assessed and popular courses include Photoshop, Flash and Dreamweaver.

"The program is very structured and instructor and text are easy to follow," he says. "In many cases, videos are available for each step that demonstrates the processes."

Business courses also work well online, according to Govea. "Case studies and examples abound on the internet and much of the case studies can be presented online without problem," he says.

#5 - Money Matters

It's never fun to discuss money but it's an important part of the college decision-making process.

Among online education's many selling points is that it sometimes comes with a cheaper tuition tag because the schools can operate more efficiently, with fewer buildings to maintain and utilities to pay. Plus, there are smaller charges, like an activities fee, that won't get added to your bill.

"If price is an issue for you, distance learning is a great alternative to a residential format," Bates says.

But don't just assume that going to school online is cheaper. Compare various tuitions, and pay particular attention to extra charges like course fees that could come after you're enrolled.

Don't be afraid to ask these questions when it comes to your online education. Schools understand that every dollar counts when you're investing in your future.
___

First, research what are the employment and compensation opportunities for the degree you are considering from the institution.  A degree in a more remote major might not provide the compensation to repay student loans.

Second, how will your education be financed.  My grandson just graduated from a prestigious engineering school.  His senior year cost $50,000.  His student loan payments are $1,200 per month for 15 years.

Third, research the online program i.e. graduation rate, how the course material is provided, tests, interaction with fellow classmates, and interaction with the professor.

Fourth, acceptance of the program by potential employers.  Organize a conference call with the school, employer and yourself.

Fifth, research and evaluate cost of your degree and student benefits.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College can provide answers to the above issues.  IWWC is currently offering a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years to all students that enroll by September 30, 2011.  Visit www.iwwcollege.com and see the unique benefits to ensure student success.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Are Online Classes Right for You?

Here are five things to keep in mind when considering online education.

By Chris Kyle - Yahoo Education

Are you thinking about going back to school - and doing it online? You're not alone.

According to the Sloan Consortium, 5.6 million students studied online in 2009.

To add some perspective to that statistic, nearly 30 percent of the 19 million full-time and part-time students enrolled in all colleges and universities in the country took at least one online course in 2009.

To help you decide if studying online is right for you, we put together five things to keep in mind when considering going to school online.

#1 - Busy Adults May Need Online Flexibility

"It's nearly impossible for many people to take a lunch break, let alone leave the office for two hours to take a class," says Pam Dixon, author of "Virtual College." "Online education allows people to go to school on their own time."

Western Governors University, for example, has over 24,000 online students, with ages ranging from the 20s all the way to the 60s. The school's website says the average student is 36 and has a full-time or part-time job.

At Ozarks Technical Community College (OTCC) in Missouri, the average online student is 29-years-old. "Older students have jobs, families, and lots of other commitments that make online learning not only more attractive but really the only viable way to pursue a higher education," says C. DeWitt Salley, Jr., director of OTCC's online teaching and learning, in a school news release.

#2 - There Are Many Online Options

If you think online education doesn't provide you with options, think again.

Check out this small sampling of online degree programs from around the country:

    • The University of Illinois offers 107 online degree and certificate programs.
    • The University of Maryland University College offers more than 25 undergraduate degree programs and 30 certificates available online.
    • Arizona State University has more than two-dozen online undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

#3 - You Can Earn Certificates Online

Degrees aren't the only credential you can earn online. Certificates are yet another online option, particularly for those who are looking to gain specialized skills in a relatively shorter amount of time.

Earning a certificate online could help demonstrate to employers that you are qualified, Dixon says.

"We're in a certificate world right now," she says. "If you can stack up certificates next to your name, it's very helpful."

About 750,000 certificates were awarded by colleges and universities in 2007-2008, according to "Certificates Count," a survey by Complete College America, a Washington-based non-profit.

"The most popular programs, making up some 43 percent of all certificates, are in healthcare," writes Complete College America. "Fields like business and technology also attract large numbers of students, who are generally eligible for federal and state financial aid."

In broad terms, here are the most popular certificate programs, according to Complete College America:

    • Health care
    • Business
    • Mechanical/Repair Technology
    • Security & Protective
    • Transport & Materials Moving
    • Construction
    • Personal Services
    • Engineering Technology

#4 - Online Education Can Help Career Changers

Going to school online is one way to begin preparing for your next career. An added advantage for those who are working is that they don't necessarily have to quit their job to prepare for their next one.

And don't let your circumstances or age convince you that it's too late to change your career, says Dixon.

"There are lots of people who are looking to change careers right now," Dixon says. "Going to school online can be a terrific option for people, including Baby Boomers, who are looking for a career tweak."

In fact, 63 percent of Baby Boomers (people born in the post-World War II baby boom) expect to change careers at some point in the future, according to a 2010 survey by Kelly Services, a Michigan-based workforce solutions company.

#5 - Driven Students Can Overachieve Online

A 2009 government analysis by the Department of Education concluded that online education may in fact top classroom-learning in one important regard. "On average, students in online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction," the Department of Education study found.

When analyzing which students can succeed in an online environment, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which has has been offering online courses for more than 10 years, found that:

    • Online students must be motivated to succeed.
    • Time management skills are essential in online education.
    • Students must be able to work independently and ask for help when needed.

"If you don't like to learn visually, you're going to have to work a little bit more," she adds. "But the truth is, you're going to have work a little bit more in a traditional classroom as well."
___

In almost all cases Online programs have significant advantages with the right college/university.  High school graduates usually prefer going to a college campus. As a parent we  are more likely to send them off so they can develop some independence.  But what do the statistics demonstrate – according to an IRS education study 51% drop out after their first year.  The student learned how to party and we as parents spent $20,000 to $40,000 or more for that experience. I strongly advocate that there are significant benefits to working while earning a meaningful degree. Work experience offers the individual the opportunity to visualize first hand different jobs and positions.  Selecting a degree program now has more meaning.

Online education is a growing industry segment.  How do you pick an online college what are the benefits?  Students need to research employment opportunities and income potential in the occupational area of interest.  Federal and state governments are investigating colleges that provide degree programs with no meaningful employment opportunities.  The federal government has an $8 billion outstanding debt from students who cannot repay their student loans.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Management with concentrations in General, Entrepreneurial, Health Care, and Human Resources.  These are all mainstream programs with excellent employment and compensation opportunities.

IWWC has 8-week terms, so a student can graduate in less than three years.  The college’s adjunct faculty are approximately 80% PhD’s from prestigious institutions such as Auburn, Boston College, Brown, Florida State, Notre Dame, University of Florida, etc.

IWWC is a new college and is offering students that enroll by September 30, 2011 a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years.  The college has unique benefits lead by its Performance Scholarship Program which provides a return of paid tuition based on the students GPA at graduation.  A student graduating with a GPA of 3.0 or higher will receive 10 to 25% of their tuition paid returned at graduation.  Why, because we want to encourage student success.  Employment, employment advancement is enhanced by the students GPA.  Our Business Partners will seek graduates based on experience and the class standing.

Visit www.iwwcollege.com or call Jim Marquart, Founder and President/CEO at 772-78508599 or toll free 888-499-2338.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Online Education May Transform Higher Education

The industry has experienced growing pains but may be on the path to maturity.

By Brian Burnsed - USNews.com

Can online education be the rock that disturbs the placid waters of American higher education? Several industry experts believe it will have a significant ripple effect on colleges and universities of all sizes in coming years—but only if it's subject to regulation, governed by a common set of accreditation standards, and widely accepted by institutions who have long clung to the traditional face-to-face model of instruction.

Citing the vast online enrollment gains made by for-profit institutions like the University of Phoenix and Kaplan University, Louis Soares, director of postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, recently dubbed online education a potential "disruptive innovator" in the higher ed landscape. Much in the way cell phones disrupted the traditional landline-based model or discount retailers like Wal-Mart revolutionized the nation's retail market, the for-profit sector—though a subject of intense scrutiny in recent years—has driven changes that could greatly affect the world of higher education, Soares argues.

"A disruptive innovation always starts out at a lower quality,"
he says. "[But], if you take that for-profit energy out of higher education, online [education] wouldn't have grown the way it has in the last 10 years."

In the coming decade, experts say, college students should expect an increased presence of online classes at traditional nonprofit schools. Already, about 30 percent of American college students take at least one course online, says Elaine Allen, statistical director of the Sloan Survey on Online Education, which monitors student involvement in online higher education.

Though wholly online programs generally target nontraditional students, established institutions that are populated by traditional, high-achieving students are starting to embrace the technology. The University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill and the University of Southern California are among the highly regarded schools that have recently adopted online-centric programs.

Efforts made by such schools are not the culmination of a movement online, but rather a hint of inroads into a new market, experts say. "We're at the beginning of elite schools starting to take online seriously," says Richard Garrett, managing director at research firm Eduventures. "They're trying to marry the online experience with the brand of the institution."

As technological capabilities expand and more traditional schools embrace online education in the coming years, schools may opt to replace many of their massive, entry-level courses that are traditionally taught in vast lecture halls and are characterized by little to no individual interaction between students and professors, experts say. "Is there a secret sauce to a professor sitting in front of 400 students and lecturing that couldn't be [replicated] online?" asks Soares, of the Center for American Progress.

Standardized methods for training professors to teach online is another potential change on the horizon, and one that is essential to online education's future viability, experts claim. Currently, there is no standard for training professors to teach online courses. That need could be met by an association of online schools introducing a pedagogy or could be regulated by an accrediting body, says the Sloan Survey's Allen.

It's a void that will need to be filled for the quality of online education to increase and for online instruction to be widely accepted at mainstream universities, she says. "Training is all over the map," Allen adds. "We need to do something about that to address quality."

Ultimately, much of the change will hinge on for-profit institutions' transparency regarding their students' outcomes after graduation. The Department of Education's long delayed and hotly debated "gainful employment" regulations, meant to force for-profit schools to share how their students have fared post-graduation, is a "tipping point" in the evolution of online education, Garrett says.

Should the regulations demand for-profits to drastically increase educational quality by better preparing students to enter the job market or risk losing access to federal loans, the sector could drive innovation in online eduction that would permeate through the entire higher educational landscape.

"This is healthy intervention for the for-profits. It might be painful now, but will help the sector down the road," Garrett says. "If the [regulations are strict] it could turn for-profits into a more formidable sector, but that's a big 'if.'"
___

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College advocates that students work while earning their Bachelor of Science degree in business.  It is essential that students research job opportunities when selecting a degree program.  Your ability to compete with 100’s of applicants for a position is by offering more than your competitor and that is a high grade point average and job experience.

IWWC offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Management with concentrations in General, Entrepreneurial, Health Care and Human Resources.

IWWC has just announced a new scholarship program that provides a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years and guarantees the tuition will note change during that period. Students must enroll by September 30, 2011 to take advantage of this program.

Visit www.iwwcollege.com and investigate all of our student benefits and how competitive we are to other colleges.

James F. Marquart, Founder and President/CEO

Monday, August 15, 2011

How to Maximize an Online Education Program

by Rebecca Kern - USNews.com

With a slowly recovering economy and high unemployment, more people are using online educational programs to learn new skills in order to transfer into new careers or advance in their current fields. Approximately one fourth of the 19 million students enrolled in higher education were enrolled in at least one online course during the fall of 2008. This was a 17 percent increase from the previous year, according to a 2009 report by Sloan Consortium and Babson Survey Research Group. Today, online education programs have become commonplace, with more than 3,300 of the roughly 4,500 U.S. colleges and universities offering at least one online course. More than 1,700 of these schools offer completely online degree programs, according to a 2009 survey by Babson Survey Research Group.

Interested in learning about how to select an online program, how to successfully complete an online degree or certificate program, and how to effectively sell the online degree to a future employer?

How to Choose an Online Program

First and foremost, make sure the program is either regionally or nationally accredited by an established accrediting agency. The online degree and certificate programs should meet the same standards as traditional brick-and-mortar higher education institutions. The standards are determined by six regional accrediting agencies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Most online universities list their accreditations visibly on their websites. If it's not listed on the site, find the school's physical headquarters and contact the accreditation association for that region. Another consideration is the reputation and experience a school has within your specific career field of study. In addition to overall academic accreditation for the school, you should make sure that the department and degree programs have specialized accreditation by reputable professional associations, such as the American Bar Association and the American Dental Association. You can also search for the regional, national, and programmatic accrediting agencies in the Department of Education's database or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's list.

Accreditation affects a student's ability to transfer credits to another institution. If a student attends a nationally accredited school and wants to transfer to a regionally accredited school, it may be difficult to transfer credits, says Scott Traylor, the director of admissions for online education at Bryant and Stratton College, which offers online courses and has 17 campuses across four states.

Access to a physical campus is another factor to consider when choosing an online program. Some universities, such as Walden University and Capella University, offer online instruction only, with no physical campuses, while other schools offer "blended" instruction that includes both online courses and classes at campus locations across the country, such as the University of Phoenix and DeVry University. "Some people are more comfortable taking online courses when there is an on-site location, knowing there is a physical location they can go to," says Steve Riehs, the president of online services at DeVry University, which also has more than 100 campuses nationwide. In fact, the Department of Education released a study in June 2009 that found that blended instruction was more effective at improving student achievement across a variety of subject matters than purely online or face-to-face instruction.

The quality of the faculty is also a key consideration in selecting a program, says Kenneth Hartman, the academic director for Drexel University Online. He recommends that prospective students research the background of the school's faculty, the number of full-time and adjunct professors, their accessibility, and their experience teaching in specific subject areas. He says you also want to have an instructor who has received training in how to teach online. "The quality of the faculty is ultimately what you're paying for," Hartman says. "You're paying for a knowledgeable person who's able to take the available technology and help you learn."

Online students are likely to face the same tuition and fees as students on campus, according to Babson Survey Research Group, which found the expenses the same at 55 percent of 1,700 institutions surveyed in 2008. However, students can save money by going to school online because they do not have to pay for the expenses of commuting to and from campus. Furthermore, many companies offer tuition reimbursement for employees who enroll in an education program that is relevant to their field of work, provided that they maintain a certain grade-point average, which could save money for those who take programs online.

"The eLearners Advisor" is an assessment tool that is a good resource if you're unsure if you're a good match for an online education program,, says Andrew Gansler, the website's president. This assessment determines your preparedness to enroll in an online degree program and helps you find online degrees that match your educational and career interests.

How to Be Successful in an Online Program

One of the strongest indicators of success in an online program is a student's level of self-motivation. "If you're looking at adults going back to school online, the most successful are those that are highly motivated. They also are engaged in the process and where it's leading to and understand that it is a career steppingstone," says Lisa Gualtieri, the editor-in-chief of eLearn Magazine, a publication by the Association for Computing Machinery.

Students have to be technologically capable in order to perform well in an online course. Students must have access to an up-to-date computer with internet capability and basic technology proficiency to navigate and interact with the learning management system that the school uses to run the online course. In addition to being email and typing proficient, they must also be competent at creating PDFs and combining video, text, and chat features within an online presentation, says Gansler.

Online courses are typically delivered synchronistically, where students may watch prerecorded course lectures on their own time schedules. The other course format is synchronistic, where students attend virtual live course lectures at specifically scheduled times. For both formats, students can view recorded lectures, talking PowerPoint slides, readings, and videos online for the designated course. Also, chat rooms and discussion boards are often used for students to discuss homework or coordinate group projects. "For synchronistic courses, because you don't have to be there for the live lectures, it makes it more important that you are self-disciplined," Gansler says. "Students also need a support structure from their friends and family to ensure success."

Other keys to success: Students have to set a time commitment each week in order to do well in an online course. Maria Andersen, the higher education editor for eLearn Magazine, suggests allotting at least eight to 10 hours a week for a three- to four-credit class. And check college E-mail, as essentially all communications are via E-mail, Andersen advises.

A major factor in an online course is being involved and engaged in online class discussions. "The beauty of taking courses online is that you can't hide online. A good instructor is going to monitor and evaluate you on the degree that you participate," says Hartman with Drexel University Online. "The tools to access learning and participation online are light-years ahead of what you can do while teaching face to face."

How to Pitch Your Online Degree to Employers

The acceptance of online education by employers is still a mixed bag. According to a January 2008 poll by Excelsior College and Zogby International, 83 percent of business executives surveyed said an online degree was as credible as one earned through a traditional campus-based program. However, there are differing opinions among hiring managers. While 49 percent had encountered an applicant with an online degree, only 19 percent had hired such an applicant, according to a 2008 survey by Vault, a career services provider.

Abigail Tremble, the director of learning and development for Randstad, a global staffing company, is an experienced recruiter who has worked with both job applicants and employers. She says employers are split down the middle: Half of them fully accept online degrees, and the other half don't. However, she says employers regard degrees earned from an online program through a traditional campus-based university more favorably than those from completely online universities. In fact, the traditional universities do not list on the diploma whether or not the degree was earned online because it is technically the same degree as the one offered on campus. Tremble says this gradual acceptance of online degrees is a significant improvement from 10 years ago, when she says nearly all employers questioned the credibility of online degrees.

"With employers, online schooling wasn't a problem," says Nicole Stephens, a graduate from Bryant and Stratton College who earned her bachelor's in business administration online. She got a job in the medical billing office of Kaleida Health in Buffalo the same month she graduated. "A lot of people are starting to go to school online now because it is more convenient. I don't think it's looked at any differently."

The technological skills students learn online are important for the job market. "Online education is very similar with how people do their jobs in today's global society," says Riehs of DeVry University. He says that he has seen a broad acceptance of online education among employers and that the university has the same job placement rates for their online and on-campus graduates.

When you reach a job interview, Tremble says, "be very prepared to talk specifically about what you learned during the courses, any projects you worked on. Show based on what you're talking about that you really earned a degree. Also, be sure to mention any certifications you earned while pursuing your degree."

In the job interview, be open to talking about getting your degree online, says Bill Driscoll, a district president for Robert Half International, a professional staffing and consulting firm. "You're selling yourself, so it is important to be upfront about your online education. There's a lot of ways to pitch it as a real positive. It shows the employer your dedication to developing skills and self-discipline."

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James F. Marquart, Founder and President/CEO

Thursday, August 11, 2011

For-profit colleges respond to increased scrutiny

By Alan Scher Zagier - Associated Press | AP

ST. LOUIS (AP) — They gather in a generic suburban office park, working-class students chasing a fast track to success: a college degree.

But the message at the University of Phoenix orientation is not quite what these secretaries, mental health aides, working moms and single dads expect.

"We want you to decide if this is right for you," says Sam Fitzgerald, director of academic affairs at the school's four St. Louis campuses. "We're here to help you figure it out."

That candor would have been anathema not too long ago in the lucrative world of for-profit colleges, where recruiters received hefty bonuses and often oversold career prospects.

Yet these are new times for the industry that now accommodates one in every eight American college students, either in class or online. Lawmakers in Congress are probing its excesses, from high loan default rates to reports of exploitative sales pitches to wounded veterans.

The Obama administration in June unveiled new rules that could cut off government aid for programs where too few students repay their loans or acquire decent-paying jobs. Disenchantment — and lawsuits — continue among both former students and skittish investors.

"They have a huge bulls-eye on them," said Kevin Kinser, an associate professor at the State University of New York at Albany who studies the industry. "They can't risk business as usual anymore."

The for-profit industry, which prefers the term "career colleges" or "proprietary" schools, grew rapidly over the last decade amid renewed calls to increase the nation's college graduation rate and a need to help laid-off workers find new careers. The private sector's slice of federal aid money grew from $4.6 billion to more than $26 billion between 2000 and 2010.

Now, the industry will see if it can still make healthy profits from its challenging demographic __ low income workers, older students and those with spotty academic backgrounds— while being much more accountable for its results.

The changes are most apparent at the University of Phoenix and its corporate parent, Apollo Group Inc., which, with nearly 400,000 students, ranks atop the industry.

The school has created its own social network, PhoenixConnect, to better link its far-flung students as well as 600,000 alumni who could help those students and graduates find jobs. It boasts of new alumni association chapters, hundreds of student clubs and mentorship programs.

The three-week orientation program is now required of all prospective students with fewer than 24 college credits. The program is free, but those who don't pass can't continue. The company scrapped its financial incentive program for enrollment counselors and there's less reliance on outside sales companies to generate leads, and more emphasis on finding corporate partners willing to help pay for their employees' education.

The results have been dramatic. New student enrollment has declined by nearly half, and the company reported $159 million less in net revenue after the first three quarters of fiscal year 2011 compared to the previous year.

Officials expect further enrollment declines and more short-term financial pain but insist the approach will pay off with fewer dropouts, higher graduation rates and lower federal loan default rates.
"We have made a conscious decision to make sure the students coming through the door are more likely to be successful," said Mark Brenner, senior vice president for external affairs.

Change is also afoot at Kaplan University, which is owned by The Washington Post Co. and serves about 62,000 students. Another 50,000 students study at Kaplan Higher Education career colleges, which focus more on specific trades.

Stung by a series of whistleblower lawsuits by former employees and a Florida attorney general's investigation, Kaplan created a program that allows new students to attend classes for four or five weeks at no cost before deciding whether to continue. Kaplan also stopped paying incentives to recruiters.

The company reported a 48 percent decline in new enrollments as of April and an attrition rate of 25 percent. Of the latter group, 60 percent are dismissed by Kaplan for lack of academic progress.
The for-profit industry's staunchest defenders include Donald Graham, chief executive officer of The Washington Post Co.

"If we are to be guided only by those factors — student graduation rates and how much debt they incur — we would probably close down all, or almost all, of the institutions of higher education — whomever they may be run by — that serve poor students," Graham said at the company's annual meeting in May.

A committee led by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, has held multiple hearings on for-profit colleges over the past year — most recently in early July, after the Obama administration issued its new "gainful employment" rules. Those rules require schools to meet at least one of three conditions to continue receiving Pell Grants and other federal paid-tuition: a loan repayment rate by former students of least 35 percent; annual loan payments of no more than 30 percent of an average student's discretionary income; or annual loan payments that don't exceed 12 percent of a typical graduate's salary.
Regulators say those conditions are needed to ensure that for-profit graduates won't face crippling debts, which combined with low-paying jobs could lead to more loan defaults.

The Senate committee found an average dropout rate of 57 percent within two years of enrollment at 16 unnamed for-profit schools. More than 95 percent of students at two-year proprietary schools, and 93 percent at four-year schools, took out student loans in 2007, the committee found. That compares to fewer than 17 percent of community college students and 44.3 percent of students at four-year public schools. Students at for-profit schools also account for nearly half of all student loan defaults, the committee found.

"Some for-profit schools are efficient government subsidy collectors first and educational institutions second," the committee concluded in its report.

In contrast to most nonprofit colleges, proprietary colleges have emphasized expanding their student rolls, regardless of the academic prospects of those enrolled.

"State institutions might like to grow, but they can't afford to. Elite schools define themselves by the fact they don't grow," said industry analyst Trace Urdan, the managing director of Signal Hill Capital Group. "This is a place where growth is the essence of the institution."
Harkin, the industry's most vocal critic, recently compared the high default rates to the subprime mortgage loan meltdown. He remains skeptical that the sector has mended its ways.

"For-profit education must work for students, not shareholders," he said.

Eric Schmitt, 36, earned an associate's degree from Kaplan University's campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and then a bachelor's degree from its online school three years ago The aspiring paralegal said he has been unable to find a job in the field. He owes nearly $45,000 in student loans and is working a temporary warehouse job to help support his wife and two children.

Schmitt, who testified before Harkin's committee in June, called the Kaplan Commitment and other industry initiatives "a step in the right direction" but said the gap between education costs and real job prospects could mean "you're going to keep seeing students thrown under the bus."

In a statement issued by Kaplan after Schmitt's testimony, the company said he turned down a paralegal job it helped him line up.

The conversations in Washington and Wall Street mean little to Carl Tabb, a 36-year-old father of 10 who hopes to earn a bachelor's degree in information technology from the University of Phoenix while continuing to work full-time for the Missouri Department of Mental Health and moonlighting repairing home computers.

"I really was not the best student when I was in school," he said. "I always thought I wouldn't make it to college."

Fitzgerald, a former Price Waterhouse consultant, said nontraditional students such as Tabb deserve just a chance to earn a degree and a shot at better future.

"Yeah, we're a for-profit. But that doesn't mean we're in it for the wrong reasons," she said. "We want to set up our students for success."
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It is my understanding that federal and state governments are investigating for profit colleges for providing degrees that have little marketability for employment.  Students from these institutions receive federal loans and default on the loans due to lack meaningful employment.

Innova World Wide College (IWWC) – A Premier Online Business College only offers Bachelor of Science degrees in key business areas, Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management Information Systems, Marketing, and Management with concentrations in General, Entrepreneurial, Health Care and Human Resources. The college encourages its students to work while earning their degree. The benefit of online education is its lower cost and the ability to complete course material when there is convenient time.

IWWC is offering students that enroll by September 30, 2011 a 50% tuition scholarship for 4 years and guarantees that the tuition rate will not increase in that 4 year period. We have accelerated 8 week terms, so you can complete your degree in less than 4 years depending on the number of courses you take each term. The college can provide limited financing if needed.

Visit our website- www.iwwcollege.com and you will see all of our unique student benefits and how competitive we are with other colleges.

James F. Marquart, Founder and President/CEO