Google has truly become every researcher’s best friend over the years. No matter what you’re looking for online, more often than not, you will be ‘Googling’ to find the answers. Same is the case for students who want to go for online education. With this new mode of education making its way into mainstream education, prospective students are bound to have hundreds of questions in their minds. To help you out, here is a list of your most Googled online education questions answered:

Graduating is an exciting time. After putting in all of those years of effort, it all finally culminates in this moment. Graduation day approaches and students are filled with a mixture of excitement, relief, and sadness. After all, you’ve just spent the past few years of your life at a particular college or university, made friends who went through the same journey with you, met teachers who influenced you, and at the end of it all, you’re earning a degree for all of your hard work.

Computer science is a rapidly growing field and therefore job prospects for computer science majors have never been better. With such promising prospects, is it any surprise that there has been a huge surge in interest when it comes to pursuing computer science degrees?

As a college student, you might have considered (or actually gone for) a student loan. Well, you are part of a big chunk of the college-going population in the US. According to the Institute for College Access and Success, as of 2012, 71% of the students graduating from four-year universities had taken some form of a student loan  – this roughly translates into more than 40 million Americans. Taking a deeper look at the numbers, you will see that the student loan debt has increased by 84% since the recession and hit an all-time high of $1.2 trillion, exceeding the credit card debt in 2010. And according to CNN Money, the average balance has also increased.

Back in 2001, when Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launched Wikipedia, the concept of an online and free encyclopedia was not much developed. Its predecessors Encyclopedia Britannica and Microsoft’s Encarta were the two most reliable names in the market. Initially users and investors were both skeptical of the concept that anyone could contribute to the Encyclopedia. But it was not long before the concept started to catch on, thanks to the speed and vastness of its service. By the end of the first year, Wikipedia contained more than 20,000 articles in 18 languages. Cost, limited size and late updates were some of the challenges faced by the traditional encyclopedias that were addressed in Wikipedia’s model. And thus, Wikipedia gained its standing as a “disruptive innovation” in the world of encyclopedias.

Online education is fast gaining popularity, thanks to its easy accessibility, flexibility and variety. Nearly 5.3 million students in the US took at least one online course in fall of 2013 according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Yet, even with this growing popularity and widespread usage of this mode of education, there are several myths and misconceptions circling around. Below is a list that separates the facts from fiction.

Online Education refers to a specific method of providing students with education. This is done over the internet as opposed to in a traditional classroom setting. Through online learning platforms, students have the choice to enroll in short courses as well as fully structured programs.  

Community colleges, also known as junior, city, or technical colleges, are higher education institutions which offer a number of degrees, awards, and certificates. Some even offer technical training and credentials, as well as comprehensive programs intended to help students transfer into different career-oriented programs.

Lack of education is a huge problem, but many of us seem to underestimate just how big of a problem it really is. For many of us, having access to a good quality education is something that we frequently take for granted; it’s just seen as a regular part of our day to day lives. However, for some, education isn’t something that their entitled to by right; it’s a rare privilege. To illustrate just how important having an education is, researchers have conducted studies which indicate that a lack of education is as deadly as smoking.

For every student looking to apply to college in 2016, the most important factor to consider is the value of a specific degree. This is what determines the popularity of a specific major among students in any particular year. The value of a degree is determined by several factors, the most important of which include employability and salary.

It may seem like it but just because you’re a working professional doesn’t mean that you can’t study anymore. Matter of fact, now is the time to enroll in that one course, which will further enhance your professional skills.  Several universities and institutes offer online courses for professionals in the US. Here is a list of 10 online courses, specifically designed for professionals:

Game designing is a field which is rapidly gaining in popularity. However, the study of game design can differ substantially according to what your career goals and aspirations are. That’s why it’s important to find a school that offers a degree that will cater to your professional development and needs. In addition, it’s important to look for schools that help their graduates secure good positions with industry leaders once they complete their program.

Notable advances in technology have led to rapid expansion in the world of online education.  With internet becoming more widespread and easily accessible everywhere, people are opting for distance learning as a simpler and more convenient way to enhance their academic credentials and career opportunities.

Professors play an integral role in the students’ personal and professional development. They are influential figures that students look up to for the duration of their academic life and sometimes, even beyond. Colleges in the Unites States give a great deal of importance to the quality and credentials of their faculty. However, some colleges end up ignoring certain other factors that affect the actual positive impact the professors have on the students. These include access to professors, the extent to which schools promote teamwork between students and professors and whether the students actually have positive views of the faculty.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics – NCES (2007/2008), approximately 20% of all undergraduate students in the United States took at least one distance learning course. Out of these, nearly a million students (4% undergraduates) completed their entire degree program online. Online enrollments are seeing an upward trend, which is expected to continue for at least the next 10 years.  And while on-campus education remains the preferred mode of higher learning for many, distance education programs are fast catching up with their counterpart.

Social media is one of the defining features of the 21st century. It is a tool which can be used for many different purposes including networking, campaigning, and even interacting with like-minded people. It should therefore come as no surprise that even professors take to social media and some enjoy a reasonable following too. Social media is an excellent platform for these well renowned individuals to share their knowledge and insights with their legions of followers. Here are some of the professors who boast huge fan following on social media.

A master’s degree in special education is required for those who intend to teach students with special needs. Graduates have the chance to improve the quality of education which is provided to such students and thereby help them reach their goals and realize their true potential.

As job markets saturate with individuals who have a high school diploma or undergraduate degrees, the importance of acquiring higher education has started to rise sharply.  More people are now beginning to realize the significance of professional degrees and PhD’s, especially in regard to their earning potential and the future employment opportunities.

Getting an online degree in computer science could give you a competitive edge in the job market. Individuals who are familiar with software engineering, multiple programming languages, networks, and web services are in high demand, and may seek employment in a wide variety of fields.

Entrepreneurship is a field of study that has gained noted popularity in recent years. Many colleges and universities are now offering advance programs along with start-up opportunities to their innovative-minded students. Specialized faculty, well-designed courses and sometimes even entire departments are dedicated to the field of entrepreneurship. But what makes a university, a good entrepreneurial university? And how would you rank good entrepreneurial universities?

Nurses spend their professional lives caring for others. There is no doubting the fact that nursing is a noble, self-less career to pursue. This healthcare profession is also one of the fastest-growing, which offers various career paths to those interested in it.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for registered nurses is expected to increase by 19% from 2012-2022.

Going to college isn’t all about academics. Rather, the college experience helps shape a student’s perspective about the community, strengthens the sense of social responsibility, and enables them to become well-educated social beings. Many students look for colleges that provide an enriching and meaningful experience which is worth the investment.

There are many misconceptions about community colleges. Most of these misconceptions are pure myths that are gradually being debunked. Did you know that enrollments in community colleges have steadily increased in the past decade? Low costs can be one of the main reasons why cash-strapped students prefer community college over the more expensive four-year universities. As the competition and demand for higher education is increasing, community colleges all over are redefining their roles in the education sector. Many colleges are adding more programs and a wider range of majors to their current offerings to serve to a broader population. One of the biggest misconceptions about community colleges is that they offer only those programs that revolve around a limited number of academic disciplines. You may be surprised to know that even community colleges are offering programs most likely to be found at traditional universities.

If you are confused about selecting a major between sociology and psychology, you are not alone.  Many students have a hard time choosing between sociology and psychology. It is true that both majors are related to the study of humans, but there is one thing that makes them different from each other – psychology is about the individual, while sociology is about the society. In the psychology major, you will study the mental processes and behavior of individuals, while in sociology you will study how humans behave in a society and interact with each other.

Does the idea of spending years in college trying to get a degree fill you with anxiety? Have you been operating on the assumption that you absolutely must get at least a bachelor’s degree to secure employment and earn a reasonable income?

The saying ‘time is money’ holds a lot of truth and weight when it comes to the professional world. The sooner you are able to graduate from a bachelor’s degree program, the sooner you will be able to enter the professional world and start earning. Typically, bachelor’s degree programs take about four years to complete. In the grand scheme of things, that may not seem like a lot of time, but four years is four years. If you had the option of finishing your bachelor’s degree earlier, wouldn’t you consider it? An accelerated bachelor’s degree program offers you that chance. Instead of four years, you can complete your degree in as little as two years and save half of your time!

What careers come to your mind when you think of an online degree? You may end up recalling the most common online degrees, but to tell you the truth, online education is not that limited anymore. In fact, there are some degrees that you won’t find on-campus but are offered in online schools. If you haven’t yet found a degree of your choice in an on-campus program, have a look at these online degrees below.

You’re sitting at your desk in a big fancy firm, filing some paperwork you had left from the previous day. Your table looks a little messy, so you start clearing things up a bit. You notice at one end of your desk, buried under all the files, is the small metallic designation plate that came off of your door a few days ago. And it reads, “Human Resources Officer” That’s when you start thinking about all the big plans you had for a career when you graduated from college, all held back by a single metal plate. You wanted to get so far ahead in the business world, and end up starting your own business, but that goal seems nowhere near its completion. Well. It doesn’t have to be this way.

If the thought of studying for hours after a long day at work is already tiring you, it’s about time you thought of an easier degree option. Unlike what most people think, not all college degrees are equally demanding. Some college degrees don’t require you to spend extra hours on reading books and working on projects - only a few hours in a week are enough to graduate with a respectable GPA. 

Trying to determine what career path to follow can be a difficult ordeal. With so many career options out there, it can be hard to narrow down your choices and decide on one particular career to commit to. Luckily, there are a few resources you can turn to in order to help you out. The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) questionnaire was created by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers using theories put forth by Carl Jung in his book Psychological Types. In his work, Jung had theorized that humans experience the world around them through four principal psychological functions - sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking. In each individual, one of these four functions is dominant. The Myers-Briggs’ personality type test is designed to identify psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions.

The backdrop of George R.R. Martin’s epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, is the land of Westeros. The seven kingdoms, broiling with treachery, intrigue, fickle alliances, and mystery, also happen to be home to some of the most complex and dynamic fictional characters. Now, we all know that Jon Snow swore a sacred vow to protect the realms of men when he pledged his life to the Night’s Watch, but have you ever wondered what he would do in our world? What career would the cunning and ruthless Cersei Lannister set her sights on if being Queen wasn’t her only concern? And if the Khaleesi could manage to find someone to baby sit her dragons, what day job would she be hunting for? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular characters on Game Thrones and determine what careers and degrees they’d be best suited for depending on their personality traits.

These two seemingly very similar majors are actually quite different. At the college level, the difference may not be apparent but their practical application in the real world is very different. So instead of getting confused and selecting the wrong major as a result, find out which degree is the right fit for you. Have a look at our breakdown of these two fields in terms of job growth, salaries, specializations, job titles and skills required.

You walk into a hospital and see scrubs of all colors, running around, trying to help as many patients as possible. Then you have the patients. No one likes to go the hospital, that’s for sure.

If you are a single mom, you know things could get tough. You feel a weight of responsibility on your shoulders.  You’re caught in a web where you need to work, take care of your kids, and also get an education. You know it’s not just about you; it’s about the future of your children. Whatever the circumstances, single moms are strong willed and have the determination to turn things around. Tough situations have only made you tougher to meet all the challenges head on. While you see a plethora of problems scattered all around you, there is a way out to get a better life for you and your children.

Students select a master’s degree to find a better job, improve their skills and to take advantage of growth opportunities that may come their way. However, not all master’s degrees are worth the effort. Some master’s degrees have a better pay off than others. So the decision, when selecting a graduate program, needs to be taken carefully. You need to do all your homework because you don’t want your investment to fall flat. You would want to spend your time, money, and energy into a program that ensures a suitable return. It is true that numbers and percentages for degree programs could get overwhelming. However, here you can find simple and straight-forward information to select a master’s degree that is popular among students and may add value to your future.

Whether you are enrolling in a college for the first time or planning to go back to college to continue education, you will have to choose between traditional, on-campus programs and online learning. While students and institutions, only recently have started to realize the benefits of online education, the truth of the matter is that the benefits of online education outweigh its drawbacks. In recent years, the popularity of online education has grown tremendously. Here are some interesting facts that highlight the growing demand of distance education:

Value of an Associate Degree vs. Bachelor’s Degree

The importance of a good education cannot be stressed enough. By gaining an education, we are able to broaden our perspectives and views of the world and gain an unquantifiable amount of skills and knowledge in a variety of different subject areas. The United Nations recognizes education to be a basic human right. Why? Because with an education, an individual has greater opportunities and better chances to improve their lives and positions in the world. Celebrities are not immune to the need for education. Sure, some of them may have become very successful as actors, talk show hosts, or sportsmen but many of them went back to college to finish their studies in their chosen fields. These individuals serve as examples of the importance of an education itself; not just for the ability to have money and fame.

Is a Bachelor’s Degree worth it? Deciding to go to college for a bachelor’s degree is a tough choice. It’s a big investment for most Americans and everyone wants to know whether it is worth it or not. The first thing you need to consider is what is driving your decision? Is it just because everyone else is going? Or is it because of all the good parties? Or just to get away from your family? If you are thinking on these lines, then your reasoning is flawed. You want your bachelor’s degree to be worth it? Then you need to think about the academics of your interest. How well does a school address these interests? What will your job prospects be when you graduate?

Like the sign above, the promise of a quality education for all is battered and faded. The stark reality of the matter is that the standards of education available to the children of the world vary so drastically that such a promise ceases to have any real meaning. What constitutes a quality education? By opening our eyes to the reality of what passes as schooling in developing countries, we can begin to appreciate what many of us take for granted: the power of knowledge.  

Education is reflective of the times. What students are taught in school will not only reflect the amount that is known about a particular subject at that point in time, but also the prevailing cultural and societal norms. Since the 1900’s, education, the schooling system, and student demographics have all gone through sizeable changes. The pictures that follow serve as a glimpse into the past; here we may reflect on how far we have come, and how the education you received differed from the education of the past.

Data compiled in 2014 from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that there are a number of different careers, which have been more lucrative for men and women. The reasoning for these trends is diverse and varied. Suffice it to say that, irrespective of the specific reasons for the differences, the following careers are ones in which men and women respectively earn more.

Women vs. Men – Occupational Trends

In today’s increasingly dynamic and competitive world, that is the quintessential question. Will graduate school or a master’s degree help ensure job prospects? Will it increase your earning potential? Does the time and resources required for master’s level study offer a sizeable and beneficial pay-off? Should you work for a few years first in order to acquire certain skills and experience? Should you waste no time and start a master’s degree right away? These are just some of the many questions that prospective graduate students have to grapple with when trying to determine whether or not to pursue a master’s degree.   The decision is ultimately influenced by a myriad of concerns and there is often no one right answer. Whether to pursue these programs will frequently involve a case-by-case analysis of a candidate’s particular career path and objectives.

With a large number of college major choices available to students, ‘just any’ degree isn’t enough anymore. People want to ensure that their hard-earned money is invested into a degree that will lead to ample job opportunities and high earnings. A bachelor’s degree holder typically makes $2.4 million dollars on average in his or her work-life, according to the US Census Bureau. A major wise earnings break down reveals that some degrees make their holders more money than others. Based on earnings data from the US Census Bureau and cost data from the National Center of Education Statistics, below is a list of online college majors that provide the highest return on investment for bachelor’s degree holders in the graduating batch of 2015.

Choosing the right career can be an overwhelming prospect. With the plethora of career options out there, how do you commit yourself to just one career path? There are a few however who have always known (it seems) what to do in life. These individuals may have known from a young age what they wanted to do and accordingly, planned out all their decisions with that goal in mind.

Reading the title, most people would wonder what the difference is between a professional and a doctoral degree. Since both of these are post-graduate programs, it is understandable to be puzzled. But, believe it or not, there is a difference between the two:

In this technologically advanced day and age, the use of computers has become an integral part of life.  Education is one aspect of our lives that stands to benefit the most from this technological marvel. Keeping this in mind, many colleges, especially online colleges, have initiated laptop providing programs for their students. If you are an applicant, with a limited budget, you are advised to look for a university that offers a laptop as part of its overall tuition package.

Today, nursing is one of the most rapidly growing and dynamic professions. A degree in nursing offers individuals job opportunities at many different levels. Data compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that employment within the nursing profession is going to see substantial growth between 2012 and 2022. The growth rate predicted can be attributable to a number of different factors that include a current shortage of nurses, a large aging population, and a greater demand for health care services. Nursing is a profession which focuses on promoting the wellbeing of others, helping patients to cope with illnesses and diseases, and providing direct patient care under the supervision of physicians. It can be a demanding job and requires a tremendous amount of determination. When most people think of a ‘nurse’, the image that typically comes to mind is that of a registered nurse. Registered nurses are professionals who have traditionally completed a diploma or associates degree in nursing and who have subsequently passed the nursing licensure examination for registered nurses. For more in depth training however, candidates must work towards a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) was not always regarded as the entry level qualification for RNs. Today, however, more and more employers require registered nurses to have at least a BSN to qualify for certain nursing positions. The nonprofit Institute of Medicine in 2010 unveiled its initiative which recommends that 80% of the nursing workforce should have a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree by 2020. A survey carried out in 2013 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) found that more than 40% of healthcare employers now require new nurses to have at least a BSN. The AACN also considers a BSN to be the “minimum educational requirement for professional nursing practice.” When considering a BSN, several factors are often cited in calling for nurses to have higher levels of education. These include:

With expenditures on the rise and the job market becoming tougher by the day, it is fairly genuine for the college graduates to be concerned of their future earning potential.

Selecting the “right” major could be tiresome and confusing. Students are faced with all sorts of tricky questions. Will I get a job with this major? What sort of salary should I expect? What sort of jobs can I get?  

As competition in the global job market intensifies, the world of education is simultaneously becoming more competitive.  Colleges are trying to enroll as many students as they can in every enrollment cycle. With some graduates being “more equal than others”, students are becoming more concerned with choosing the “right” major. The biggest question for most remains, how much will they earn with a specific degree?

Are you looking for a world-class education that is rooted in strong Christian beliefs and values? Whether you’re a traditional student or an adult professional, there are many Christian colleges in the U.S. that are worth applying to.

Environmental awareness is gaining momentum not only in Climate Change Conferences but also in colleges and universities. The main purpose behind this is to prepare a knowledgeable generation. There is serious commitment towards making the campus, its life, and its residents healthier and more sustainable. Below is a list of 20 colleges that take their responsibility to the environment seriously and are contributing positively towards the sustainability cause by taking innovative initiatives and actively investing in a future for everyone.

This Lee Iacocca’s quote is true on many levels. ‘In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else.’ Have you ever wondered why do we go to school? Is it to get a good job when we grow up? That is true but school alone doesn’t guarantee a successful life; rather it is our “schooling” which makes us stand out from the rest. It is our teachers, who will ultimately help us stand among the “haves”, away from “have nots”. Getting to know your teachers, therefore, is a big part of your education. And here are some of the ways to NOT become your teachers’ “pet”, but check all the right boxes in their books.

Slipping grades are looked upon as a sign of a student in trouble. Students with C’s and D’s are not necessarily ‘dumb’ but admission committees and employers rely heavily, if not solely, on High School grades.

When we talk about socializing, meeting friends over drinks sharing a good laugh is what comes to mind. That of course requires physical presence and may not be possible for some in today’s high tech world. Students interested in online courses often wonder whether the virtual presence would turn them into a “loner”. That concern, if not completely unreasonable, is however unfounded; online students do socialize, if not more than their traditional peers, then at least as much as them and this is how they do it.

Applying to colleges can be a stressful and daunting process, more so, if you’re applying to a particular one that you’ve always dreamt of going to. There is no easy way of preparing yourself for the task; however, it is up to you to make the process as smooth as possible for yourself. Here are some tips that you can follow to increase your chances of getting into the college of your dreams.

‘In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something else.’ This Lee Iacocca’s quote is true on many levels.

It's fun to think about all the new types of careers that have become more prevalent since the millennium: software engineers, app developers, social media marketers, and video game designers are all thriving occupations that immerse workers into the fast-paced world of technology.

Tech jobs are often referred to as STEM jobs – ones that require having a skill-set in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math. The good news is that you can get a well-paying tech job without having to spend four years getting your bachelor’s degree.

How many of you have lived through your lives wondering how to be a good student? How many of you have spent the days before your exams with blank faces and empty minds, wishing for a last-minute miracle? How many of you have had to use your friends, families and even your pets to blame for academic failings? Not being a good student in today’s increasingly competitive world is like being an Olympic hurdles runner coming in last. You start at the same point and face the same obstacles as your competitors, but you still end up losing. The thing to remember is that, like the Olympic runner, if you do want to succeed then there are quite a few things that you need to be mindful of.

College students and graduates just can’t seem to get a break. There is no respite for “America’s future” as college loan debt rises with college fee hikes and shrinking incomes. According to USA. Today, the average debt for the graduating class of 2012 was $29,400.

American presidents may have had different views on education, but they all agreed that it served as an engine for change. John F. Kennedy said “The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” His predecessor, Theodore Roosevelt had a more cynical view: “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.

Believe it or not, the comparison between pharmacists and doctors is not the same as David v Goliath. Think about it, both form the backbone of the healthcare sector in the US and are handicapped without each other’s cooperation and assistance. Yet surprisingly and contrary to popular belief, pharmacists will be enjoying a better professional outlook than doctors in the coming years.

Believe it or not, you don’t have to “break into” the CIA to know what goes on inside. There is a better and a legal way to get a flavor of the inner workings of the Agency. And that can be through an internship.