DISTANCE
LEARNING TOPICS
What kind of personality do you need to succeed as an online student?
Understanding Accredited Online Degree Courses
Advantages/Disadvantages Of Online Courses
Why It's So Effective For Adult Learners
Online Course Glossary / Definitions
Why It's Hard To Cheat On A Distance Learning Test Or Exam
|
Exactly How Much Financial Aid Will You Need?
Your first move should be
to talk directly with the financial aid office at the school
you’re interested in. They should definitely be able to tell
you exactly what their accreditation status is, and which of the top
loan programs out there you will be eligible. If you don’t
get a clear answer from the school on this, you may want to pull back
and reconsider other options. Filling out forms and contacting lenders
can involve an amazing amount of hard work, and you don’t
want to get involved in it if you’re doomed from the start by
the fact that you’re trying to borrow money to go to a
non-accredited school.
The Wide Range of College Costs
One of the toughest questions to answer is “how much does a
college degree cost.” While distance learning degrees are
generally (though not always) a bit lower in cost than traditional
ones, the fact is that a four-year undergraduate degree today can cost
anywhere from $10,000 to $110,000. While numerous financial writers
have predicted that the cost of college will probably level off in the
coming years, there’s no evidence of this happening yet.
State schools have traditionally been the best bet for students who
have financial challenges. Today, however, the cost of a state school
degree is no longer universally low. That’s because many
states are in financial trouble, and are slashing education budgets as
one way to cut their costs.
Some state colleges in financially-challenged Michigan, for
instance,
have been raising their tuition fees by 14% a year recently, while
Illinois costs have gone up over 11% and the University of Kansas
recently hiked its tuition rates by a whopping 16%. In fact, overall,
The College Board says that from 2001 to 2006, the average tuition for
university degrees online at public institutions jumped 35% after
adjustment for inflation, the
biggest jump ever recorded for a five-year period.
Distance Learner Advantage
The silver lining here for online learners is that state schools often
don’t charge higher fees if you are an “out of
state” student, as they do with students who actually attend
live classes. As a result, you can shop for the best bargains in
distance learning on a national basis, rather than having to be
restricted to your own home state.
Just remember that in estimating the cost of university degrees online, you need to look
at more than just the tuition. Although distance learning eliminates
travel costs, food plans and dormitory fees, you still need to consider
the costs of internet connectivity, any special software you may
require and computer hardware. Last but not least, keep in mind that
the tuition cost itself may rise 7 – 10% per year, which
means that you’ll be paying a good deal more for your last
year of schooling than you will for your first.
Next: Shopping For Scholarships
|
|