The Transfer Times
March 2005

TRANSFERRING TO AN ONLINE COLLEGE
Points to Consider When Choosing a Program
by Anita Crawley, Distance Learning Counselor, Montgomery College

A friend asked me for information for her sister who is considering an online program.  Here's what I advised her - also posted on the Montgomery College Online Student Success Center at:  www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevgt/onlinsts/

1. Look for regional accreditation.  If a school is accredited by one of the Associations listed here, you probably need not look farther to decide whether or not the school is a "diploma mill."   www.elearners.com/resources/agencies.asp

Another way to get the answer to the general accreditation question is by searching the Department of Education's new website at: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/   

2. Will the school fit educational goals? The next question your sister might ask herself is whether or not this the best online college for her needs.  Is it important for her to go to a school with a "name"?  Is she hoping to go on to graduate school?  Will this school hurt her chances for getting into graduate school or getting a job?  How about the price - is money a concern? Is the school for-profit (many are still somewhat skeptical of these schools unless there is no other alternative).  For-profits are in the "business" of education.  That can be good news as well as bad news.  In many cases the for-profits are ahead of traditionally delivered online programs with respect to delivering student services at a distance (admission, registration, payment, bookstore, library, academic support, advising etc).  If they don't have excellent services, they will lose their customers. 

In addition to the "name," the real question is whether or not the educational experience is comparable to online programs delivered through traditional colleges.  If this is a concern, I would look for ways to take one online course as a "student at large" before making a commitment to the school that doesn't have a recognizable name.  Remember, if your sister gets an online degree from the University of Illinois, for example, the degree appears on a transcript as would any other U of I degree. 

I have a tendency to explore traditional colleges that offer fully online programs before selecting a school that is fully online or where most people consider it an online school, even if it offers some on campus courses such as University of Phoenix.  Some people (employers, graduate schools) may have a less positive view of non-traditional schools (Capella, Walden, and many others).  Depending on your sister's situation, that may or may not be an issue.  When working with a student who is looking for a Bachelor's degree for advancement at their current company, this is less of an issue.  For all other students, I suggest they call potential employers or graduate schools to assess the possible consequences of having a degree from a non-traditional school on their resume.  Just like all other decisions that have to do with the "name" of a school, if your sister interviews for a job or graduate school admission with a person who has a degree from a for-profit/non-traditional college, this becomes an advantage. 

3. Additional resources to explore.  Here are some additional resources I use to find online programs and help students decide if these programs are right for them.  I am not recommending any programs included on this list, but it is important to check several different resources rather than rely on one when searching for programs:

Athabasca University Centre for Distance Education Canadian Virtual University Degree.net Central Dept of Ed Accreditation Distance Education Guru Distance Learning, Online Educational-Instructional Media and Technology Graduate Programs, Online Masters Degree, Online Gradu DistanceLearn Database eLearners.com Featured Online Degree Programs - Education Degrees Geteducated.com Globewide Network Academy Illinois Virtual Campus ITCnetwork League for Innovation Articulation Agreements

Online Courses at World Wide Learn Online Education - UMUC Online Graduate Schools Online UC - List of Universities Peterson's Distance Learning R1edu.org Sloan-C Catalog SUNY Learning Network TeleCampus.com The Open University UK UCLA Extension - Lifelong Learning University of Wisconsin - Extension usnews.com E-learning Best online graduate programs usnews.com Education E-Learning Yahoo! Education Distance Learning Colleges and Universities

4.  A final, critical point:  Is online learning a good fit for the student's style of learning?  This question is often overlooked as students think, "Online must mean easier, right?"  Often the opposite is true.  Try the survey "Is an Online Course Right for You?" on the MC Online Learning website, www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/studevgt/onlinsts/right.htm

Where in the World is Temecula, California? A student came in with a dilemma - her parents are moving to California and they want her to go to a four-year college near their new home in Temecula.  Could I help her find out how admissions requirements for San Diego State University?   She didn't know how far Temecula is from San Diego or what other schools might be nearby.  We used these websites to come up with a list of possible schools: www.randmcnally.com - Under Driving Directions,  punched in the address for San Diego State and used Temecula, CA as the destination - discovered that it's 56 miles away, a one- hour drive.  Not a good commute.  Other schools?  (and by the way, Randmcnally directions seem sometimes clearer than MapQuest!) www.collegeboard.com/csearch This free college search program has a handy factor - "Distance from Home - Less than (or more than!) - choose one:  20, 50, 100, etc. miles from _____ (type in a zip code).  Didn't know the zip code for Temecula, but found it by Googling the word "Temecula" www.google.com .  Added in Business as a major. Results?  A list of 14 four-year schools less than 50 miles from Temecula .  The student has gone off to do further web investigating.  After looking at some photos of Temecula, I'm thinking a field trip is in order! Anne Schleicher

The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) News Corner           March 2005   USG to Host Undergraduate Research & Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) All Montgomery College faculty, staff and students are invited to the first annual Undergraduate Research and Creative  Achievement Day (URCAD).  This event will take place on Friday, April 15, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in Building II of the  USG Educational Center.  The purpose of this event is to recognize the scholarship and academic excellence of students  who are completing their degrees from any undergraduate program offered at USG.   The event will feature student  demonstrations, poster displays and creative presentations in a variety of topic areas and disciplines.  We hope you will join us as we showcase the “best of the best” among students attending USG.  This event is free and  no RSVP or event registration is required. Spring Open House  - April 13, 2005 The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) Spring Open House will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2005 from 4:00 – 6:00 pm.    Montgomery College students can discover what USG has to offer.  Explore academic program offerings, meet with program representatives, apply for admission, take a walking tour of USG and more.  Participation is free and event registration is not required.  Directions and transportation information may be found at our web site at http://www.shadygrove.umd.edu/prospectivestudents/howtogethere.php.    USG’s Upcoming Recruitment Events at Montgomery College In support of our continued outreach and recruitment efforts, USG has scheduled an array of visits to the Montgomery College campuses this spring.   All students interested in learning more about program offerings are encouraged to stop by and meet with USG representatives.   A schedule of our upcoming visits is as follows: Tuesday Recruitment Visits to MC’s Rockville Campus   March 15, April 5 & May 3, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Student Life Window, Campus Center Semesterly Campus Visits to MC’s Germantown Campus   March 16 & April 12, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Café Lobby, H.S. Building Semesterly Campus Visits to MC’s Rockville Campus   March 8, 9 & 10, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Library, Macklin Tower Semesterly Campus Visits to MC’s Takoma Park Campus   April 19, 20 & 21, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m., Outside Bookstore, Commons Building USG’s Baccalaureate Graduate Survey, 2002-2004  USG recently conducted a Baccalaureate Graduate Survey for students who received baccalaureate degrees from undergraduate programs offered at USG since our inception in Fall 2000.  The survey was conducted for purposes of collecting information about student satisfaction with USG, as well as education and employment activity among graduates.  Collectively, results showed that the majority of graduates are living and working in Montgomery County, and are employed full-time in a variety of fields including business, education, nursing, technology and service related industries among others.  Results also showed that high numbers of respondents rated their overall experience at USG favorably and that many feel they would not have been able to complete their bachelor’s degree program if it were not for USG.  A detailed summary including information on the survey instrument, questions and collective responses will be posted to USG’s web site soon.  This information can be found at https://shadygrove.helpdesk.umd.edu/grad/ .   University of Maryland, College Park to Launch  Communications Program at USG In Fall 2005, the University of Maryland, College Park will be launching their full-time Communications program (B.A.) at USG.   Highlights of this program are provided below: What can one do with a Communication Degree? Students who graduate with a communication degree are often employed in various positions in marketing, promotions, public relations, event planning, human resource development and training, account management, community outreach, campaign planning and management, and more.  Who are Prospective Communication Students? Students transferring from MC who wish to pursue a degree in communication may come from a variety of areas such as psychology, sociology, political science, social science, marketing, management, education, health education, physical education, speech, mental health, television and radio, hospitality management, theatre and dance, and English. Course Offerings  -  The department offers an exciting curriculum that prepares students for academic and professional careers in business, government, health, education, social and human services, and related fields. Training is provided in areas such as persuasion and social influence, rhetoric and the analysis of messages, political communication, organizational communication, principles and strategies of public relations, negotiation and conflict management, and intercultural communication. Experiential Learning - To further enhance learning and career training, the department incorporates special hands-on classes such as Marketing Communication Campaigns and Health Communication Campaigns. The department also strongly promotes internship and service learning opportunities with local and state businesses and institutions, and encourages students’ participation in a student-run communication club. Admissions Requirements *  50% of the CORE requirements including fundamental Studies in Mathematics  and English; * Completion of a statistics course ( MA116 or BA210) with a grade of C or better;   * Completion of a communication performance course (SP108 or SP112) with a grade of C or better; * Completion of COMM250: Introduction to Communication Inquiry with a grade of C or better;  * An overall GPA of 2.7 in all college-level coursework. *This course is currently not offered at Montgomery College. The Department of Communication collaborates with The MC Speech, Dance and Theatre Department in creating an academically equivalent course to COMM250. It will be offered in summer of 2005 at the USG campus. Contact Information:  Caroline Harper, Coordinator, Department of Communication, 9630 Gudelsky Drive, SGII, #4062, Rockville, MD  20850; Phone: (301) 763-6002  Dr. Leah Waks, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of Communication, 2101B Skinner Building, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD 20742, Phone 301- 405-6529   Apply Now for Fall 2005 Admission Students interested in transferring to a program at USG are encouraged to apply now for Fall 2005 admission.  Interested students may obtain specific program and application information by contacting USG’s Office of Student Services or our institutional program directors as listed below: Office of Student Services 301-738-6023, shadygrove@umail.umd.edu, www.shadygrove.umd.edu Contact Information for USG Programs: Towson University - Elementary & Special Education, Dr. Roberta Strosnider, Program Director, 301-738-6085, rstrosnider@towson.edu   University of Mayland, Baltimore – School of Nursing, Dr. Elizabeth Arnold, Program Director, 301-738-6047, arnold@son.umaryland.edu University of Maryland Baltimore County - Information Systems, Psychology or Social Work, Karen Archambault-Crim, Program Coordinator, 301-738-6084, karchamb@umbc.edu University of Maryland, College Park –Biological Sciences, Dr. John Kapp, Program Director, 301-738-6008, jk137@umail.umd.edu University of Maryland, College Park – Communication, Caroline Harper, Program Director, 301-738-6002, shadyme@umd.edu University of Maryland, College Park – Criminology & Criminal Justice, Jinney Smith, 301-738-6307, jsmith@crim.umd.edu University of Maryland, College Park – Robert H. Smith School of Business, Luke Glasgow, Program Director, 301-738-6079, lglasgow@rhsmith.umd.edu University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Construction Management Technology, Dr. Leon L. Copeland, Director of Technology, 410-651-6468, llcopeland@mail.umes.edu University of Maryland Eastern Shore - Hotel & Restaurant Management, Karl Binns, Program Director, 301-738-6313, kvbinns@mail.umes.edu   University of Maryland University College - Business Administration, Computer & Information Science, Potomac Team, 301-738-6090, potomac@umuc.edu The Universities at Shady Grove News Corner compiled by Julia Rader, Office of Student Services, Universities at Shady Grove, jrader@deans.umd.edu

The Transfer Times is a monthly publication of Montgomery College
Edited by Transfer Counselor anne.schleicher@montgomerycollege.edu 
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