I mentioned earlier I would be talking about my journey to get back into school this Fall by detailing some of the steps that I have taken and the results.  At this point there really is not much to tell other than being a huge cheerleader for my alma mater Ashford University and distance learning in general.  On the subject of scholarship money for grad school I have found out quickly that there is little money from even fewer sources.

Joining Scholarships.com has been more helpful than any other financial aid website thus far.  Only seeing a list of scholarships instead of a ton of internships that are not in my area or are based on specific schools is a very good thing.  Though I wish they would change the navigation so that all of the selections to get information on schools can be turned off if you know what school you are going to attend.

My guiding angel Rhonda from my undergrad time referred me to Caroline to get the ball rolling as a grad student.  I was a bit surprised by a bit of information that was in her initial email to me. “Only 10% of the population that has their bachelor’s has a Masters, so you are entering into an elite group by pursing your degree!” I just knew that this number was a lot higher because it seemed as if everyone that I talked to over the age of 30 has a Master’s degree in something!  It is good to know that I will be part of a small but powerful group of individuals once I am done.  Now if I can put my 3.90 GPA from my undergrad degree to work for some financial aid that would be the icing on the cake!

Hopefully I will get some help from the 10 scholarships that I have applied for.  At this point I do not think that any of them will come in time for me to start class in August, but I can dream.  Oh by the way if there are any companies out there that want to sponsor my education in return for star coverage on my blog feel free to contact me.  Up next tips in streamlining the scholarship application process.

Though I am a strong supporter of distance learning I think that there is still something about going to a brick and mortar building that reading a PDF on an electronic reader cannot replace.  The below article makes a great arguement for a “paperless university”, but for my money I don’t want to see brick and mortar schools go extinct.

Anaheim University, the World’s First Paperless University?

ANAHEIM, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Mountains of paper, shelves of books and rows of filing cabinets are being replaced by PDFs, electronic book readers and hard drives. Anaheim University, the nationally accredited California-based institution, who pioneered online education in the mid-nineties as one of the world’s first entirely online universities to host live web-based classes taught by experts, has now committed to being paperless by 2010. This directive has caused Anaheim to push publishers to produce e-books, as well as adopt technical innovations such as the Sony book reader that allow the entire university’s curriculum of textbooks to be stored in a portable palm-sized electronic reader.

Anaheim University President Dr. William Hartley, who became the 615th university head to sign the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment in February 2009, stated, “We don’t want to be hypocritical by teaching our students to be sustainable while chopping down trees and wasting energy to do so. Times have changed and universities need to practice what they teach.” The ACUPCC is a highly visible effort organizing U.S. college and university presidents and chancellors to address global warming by minimizing global warming emissions and providing education in an effort to achieve climate neutrality.

But can a university actually be completely paperless? According to Chief Communications Officer David Bracey, “Anaheim’s students have submitted assignments electronically and accessed online library resources since 1998. This year we switched from paper to e-catalogs, and digital publishing has replaced the submission of multiple copies of bound theses. We are endeavoring to convert all administrative procedures into digital format by 2010. Being online since our inception gives us a head-start on the traditional bricks and mortar institution. We hope to inspire not only traditional universities, but also our students who can have the same kind of environmental impact on the organizations that employ them.”

Anaheim University’s Kisho Kurokawa Green Institute is named in honor of the renowned Japanese eco-minded architect who designed such sustainable projects as the award-winning Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Through the Green Institute, Anaheim University offers various Sustainable Management programs including an Online Green MBA, a Certificate in Sustainable Management and a Diploma in Sustainable Management.

About Anaheim University

Anaheim University is a nationally accredited online institution of higher learning headquartered in Anaheim, California.

Tel: 1-800-955-6040

Website: http://www.anaheim.edu/greenmba

In a conversation that I was having with my wife about her taking one class at a time while attending Capella University versus taking two classes at a time when she attended a brick and mortar school we both came to the conclusion that for older students with an established life completing and education at an online college has many benifits.

Time has to be the biggest advantage distance education universities have over brick and mortar schools.  Having a classroom available 24/7 is much better than being confined to class attendance during traditional working hours.  Even with this the class is still subject to the limitations of technology, but the good part about this is that during a technology failure it affects all students not just some.

Other points that make distance education more desireable to older students than a traditional education include:

1. Savings on transportation costs
2. Networking with students that share similar stations in life
3. None of the distractions that go with attending class on a traditional campus
4. Full focus on one subject at a time
5. Savings on books

Overall distance education is attractive for individuals that are looking to finish a previous degree or start out new becasue the focus of most online higher educational programs is to cut out anything that is not needed to reach all of your academic goals.

Social Networking Links:

Capella on Twitter

Capella on Facebook

While I will talk about things regarding distance education at any school I will talk more about Ashford University than any other because I am a recent graduate.  While logging into Blackboard this morning to participate in my induction into Alpha Sigma Lambda I learned that Ashford has just received quite a cool industry award.   I have been told by students that attended other online schools that they wish that their school had an online program similar to the one I experienced while in school.  All I can say is the Blackboard and Ashford University rock!

Ashford University is the first university in the nation to receive recognition by Quality Matters™ for its institution-level implementation plan. The 3 ½ year plan includes a formal Quality Matters review of each Ashford online course through a stringent, standards-based peer review process centering on the quality of the course design.

Ashford University is committed to implementing the Quality Matters standards for the design of online courses, and is systematically building and evaluating its courses based on these rigorous, research-based standards. The Quality Matters standards ensure that the online components of these courses promote learner engagement and provide students with the tools and information they require to be successful learners. Further information regarding Quality Matters may be found at qualitymatters.org.

When it comes to choosing what school to attend the main thing to keep in mind is that what is right for one student maybe totally wrong for another.  While I highly recommend Ashford University, depending on your circumstances a different choice may need to be made.

When thinking about starting your distance learning journey a few things to keep in mind:

1. Do I need a degree or a certification?
2. How many college credits do I already have?
3. Where can I go online to get more information on online schools?  Websites like College Matching Services are great tools to use.

These are questions that you will need to ask yourself before getting into is an online education right for you, financial aid, books, studying, etc. Initially it may seem like a lot to digest, but once you make up in your mind that going back to school is what you want to do you will be surprised at how quick and smooth the process will go.

Quick Tip:  Under no circumstance should you pay any money out of pocket to choose a school.  With the popularity of online schools today scam artists are out in full force.  Searching is still free.  Don’t be pressured by anyone looking for money to help you search for the college that is right for you.