Not getting into the substance of this argument, but KSigKid is probably one of the smartest people I've encountered on an internet message board. You lost a bunch of credibility with that statement.

Your mother is a maggot.

And military training still isn't impressive to me.

That's interesting - what you've done is narrow it down to an "either/or" thing, which isn't realistic.

I'll give you a personal example: I graduated from a brick and mortar institution in 2003 (I worked full-time, approximately 50 hours per week to pay my way through college), then worked for 3 years after college before heading off to law school. Now, I take law school evenings, four classes (at a lower tier one law school) and work 50-60 hours per week at a high stress job, while trying to spend as much time with my wife as possible.

While that may be somewhat of an exception, I know a great many people who have done the same thing, either in undergrad or grad school. I have classmates who work jobs as engineers, physicians, and in other professions, who have families, and who, like you, have done this country a great honor by joining the military.

I'll admit, I've formed my opinion without taking an online class myself. However, I've spoken to people who have taken online classes, many at solid colleges, and they had a variety of issues with the classes. They also said that they didn't take away nearly as much information or benefit as they did in a more traditional setting.

I respect your service to the country, and I understand what you're saying - but you also need to understand that not every "brick and mortar" student is a traditional student, so to speak, so the criticisms of the online classes go a bit deeper.

Wow, thank you - I really appreciate that.

Well done, KSigkid. You and your friends are definately the exception...

Most guys I know really didn't work their way through college let a lone have a family and on top of it all you move around or deploying every year or so.

It's great that you could stay in one place and get your education but some don't have that option, which is why I think online classes are great. Think about it for your undergrad.. If you did have the option to take online classes and free up some of your time, would you have?

I understand as far as Law School goes and if I was into Law i'd go to a brick and mortar school just like you.. The fact you picked that specialty means you need to simulate trials constantly and learn the nuances of the court system before heading into the court room. Plus laws are always changing and the more robust your resume becomes the better lawyer you become.

There's a number of programs that I would never attend online courses for: Any Med School, Law, any sort of scientist, carpentry, engineering and probably some i'm forgetting. But when it comes to fields such as: Anything informatics related, management, education, arts and literature, english, MBA, BA, Healthcare Management, I don't mind it one bit.

They are all very challenging and very easy to expand on in an online environment because every problem can be solved in a number of ways. It's all about learning different methodologies and getting the basics down so you aren't lost when you perform your OJT. With specialties such as yours you can't really do that. They have to be ready to go out the gate with very little variance in their success rate.

This debate is all relative on ones experience and surroundings but with technology advances online schools have become just as good as brick and mortar schools as far as the learning aspect go for certain specialties. The part I wish I had more of was the comradery part. You can't really eat lunch with someone or hang out after school in an online environment so it's difficult to make lasting relationships. The good part about online school is that it gets you ready for nation wide business conferencing and interacting with a diverse group of individuals.

For instance, I have a group in my masters class that I would have never met if it weren't for online classes. I have a guy from France, a girl from India and a guy from Canada all in one group. It really gives you the opportunity to learn first hand from people in other cultures and broaden your horizons about issues abroad.

Either way you slice it, each type of University has it's place. If you're a hard working student you are going to get the same education out of either type and the same goes If you slack off.

Check this out, my buddy went to Penn State main campus and got all A's and B's in his B&M classes and then got two C's in his online courses (the only 2 he ever took). He thought they were much tougher because of the discipline it took to actually do the work without actually being in class.

I think we can agree on one thing, the opinions formed are generally subjective as far as online schools go. I've yet to see an objective response from a poster on the subject so hopefully we get one... Cheers!

Because of the stupid spammer who posted above me, I found this thread!

Before I went to university, I took college classes during highschool via an online program! I enjoyed they and they were challenging! Some schools, especially junior and community college (4 year colleges in FL) are offering the same courses you would find in the classroom online. I liked taking a mix of in class and online and it helped my work schedule a lot!

I don't know about the Harvard program, but many universities in FL such as FSU and UCF has complete Masters and even PHds that you can earn either online or at a nearby distance learning campus!

I am taking advantage of online learning this summer. I teach at a Christian school, and I have to earn some college credit in Bible. All of the local Christian colleges are very expesive, but I am taking a class online from a very well-respected Christian college for half the price. I am excited!

There are definitely some legitimate programs out there that make use of being online. As I've said, my law school offers online classes for one of its LLM programs, and I know there are some other schools that do the same thing. The programs are organized and conducted by knowledgable faculty members. Most of the ones I know of are supplemental programs - they're not "primary" degrees, as I would think of those degrees (like a BA/BS, J.D., PhD, M.D., or Masters), but supplemental programs (like the LLM, certifications, or the Bible classes you're taking). I still have questions about how effectively one could run a "primary" program online.

I also know, from talking to some of those faculty members, that teaching a course online is a big challenge. The schools that correctly utilize it are frequently tweaking with the setup.

I am pursuing a Master's in Humanities, with an emphasis in literature via the Humanities External Program (HUX) at Cal State Dominguez Hills. It has been a wonderful experience. My instructors are every bit as challenging as those I worked with at my undergrad campus, UCSB.I have also received more personalized attention than I ever received as an undergraduate. My classmates are located all over the world. I am a teacher, and the credits I have earned have enhanced my earning potential, at a very reasonable price. I also earned my Professional Clear teaching credential through online learning. The online format may not be for everyone, but for some of us, it is invaluable.

First, let me start by saying "Thank you for your service" to our country. I also want to say that I don't necessarily know if that's what Seurset was saying. Believe it or not-military training does not impress a whole lot of people. Think about it-MANY people join the military, daily. There are members of the military I have encountered that I wonder how they get themselves dressed in the morning without the assistance of others-they are that....ehhhhh....well....

Second, before you say that I am bashing the military-please know that I spent 9 years in the military. I was in both the Reserves and the National Guard. I am/ was a 96B/35F Military Intelligence Analyst. I served overseas during "Operation Iraqi Freedom" at the beginning of the war and I was pulled out of college (Penn State) to serve in Baghdad, Iraq. I have to admit that while it is great to have military experience, no one really gives a damn if I served 4 years, 6 years or 9 years-they just care that I served. Sure, being Military Intelligence has had its advantages but, not as much as being a Penn State Alum!

I really wish people would stop using the whole "I'm serving our country" and "Wouldn't you want someone who is in the military over someone with a traditional college education?" arguments because they don't hold up for me. I'm sorry but, I would rather have someone who had BOTH but, if I had a military man who graduated from a so-so school or a non-military man who graduated from a great nationally recognized school...You bet I'd choose the non-military man.

Please stop assuming that just because you join the military you have to attend a horrible school or do all of your classes online. It simply isn't true. In fact, my Professors and my uncle (who was a Professor at my University) all said not to really "play up" my military involvement for my law school applications. I even had Professors who are on the board of Admissions tell me that it was best not to focus on my military experience because while many people in Academia may not be anti-military...many of them are def. not pro-military. My boyfriend spent 6 years active Navy with 2 deployments to Iraq as a Hospital Corps. Man and now he is a full-time student at an incredible University...He did online courses at a great school and received his Associate's after getting out of the Navy and finishing the rest of the classes at that school's brick and mortar buildings.

Also, to say that having an online degree for certain programs like Education but, not Engineering is a bit messed up. I would rather my child's teacher take traditional classes (like all the teachers in my Masters of Education program did) then take online courses. Its important to interact with students. Do online courses serve a purpose? Yes. I'm happy for anyone that can get a great education (online or traditionally) through hard work.

So the good 'ol boys network is still consumed by ego and narcissistic efforts to keep the doors closed to under represented segments of your community. Shame on you, I came here by accident while searching 'online ivy league' and your comments were some of the first things I saw in my search. Sadly, I thought membership in to a group was supposed to also include the mission of serving others. The online business school was a crap shoot and it grew legs: this model will now serve as the benchmark in the business of education. Yes, if you do not realize your ivy league degree is little more than an old way of doing business to make you feel elite: then you failed 'B' school. Maybe I can tutor you once I start taking Harvard Extension Classes: where industry leaders go to bone up you bone heads. For Shame.

Who the hell are you talking to? No one has responded to this thread in 2 months.

For shame.

ETA: LOL @ folks saying "I was GOING to join a GLO, but NOW..." like we care.

Great display of the kind of business leadership needed in today's world. Register for an online message board solely to defensively berate those who don't believe the same thing that you do.

You enjoy those classes for which all you had to do was pay money- not pass any admissions standards.

Saying you went to Harvard when in fact it's Harvard Extension School is like saying "oh, I work for NASA" when in fact you just empty the trash cans.

Online business school is STILL a crap shoot. Or maybe just crap.

Considering the state of the economy, those Harvard Extension classes sure must've served them well to get us in this mess.

Wonder what high profile "Captains of Industry" will be your classmates?

Gag. This is one of those cliched crocks of crap that people try to use as an argument to cast vast generalizations upon those who are competing with them for jobs. "Oh, of course, it's just the good 'ol boys network."


On another note, I received an email just yesterday about "eCornell" as well as "distance learning." I am not sure what the distinction is because I haven't really researched it, but they do make a distinction between eCornell for online courses and certificates, and distance learning. I have the impression that eCornell does not offer actual degrees, but rather, courses to hone expertise in a specific area for career development.

Distance Learning for M.Eng in Systems Engineering

The eCornell page


In this debate, I think this is the bottom line (from the eCornell site):

Learning happens through interaction and collaboration–a dynamic, creative process that involves the exchange of ideas, not simply the accumulation of facts. In eCornell courses you interact with an expert instructor and a cohort of your peers to collectively develop knowledge, and to effectively apply that knowledge in your organization. [emphasis added]

Rubbish, at least as applied to Harvard Extension graduates.