College Costs Soar, But is Online Learning the Answer?
The cost of a college education continues to soar (read the Associated Press' Justin Pope's story here). In the meantime, President Obama wants to address the looming student loan debt crisis by making it easier for some individuals to pay back what they owe (Click here for the Tribune News Services' story).
I was working on a story recently about distance education, so I talked with Robert Mendenhall, president of Western Governors University. The fully accredited, nonprofit online program allows students to progress as they master specific standards, rather than requiring a set number of credit hours or courses. He told me that because students work at their own pace, and get credit for the knowledge and skills they might already have, a bachelor's degree at WGU takes an average of 30 months to complete. That's about half the time of a traditional college or university. WGU's classes are also significantly more affordable for many students, averaging less than $6,000 per year.
But distance learning isn't for everyone, and for many people it doesn't come close to the traditional college experience many parents want their children to experience. Mendenhall said about 70 percent of WGU's students are also working adults. He doesn't believe online programs will -- or should -- replace the bricks-and-mortar colleges. Rather, WGU is another way to get the necessary skills to compete in an ever-crowded workforce with too little job growth.
"There's a percentage of the population that never ends up on a campus because they can't -- either because of access issues or finances or a lack of academic preparation," Mendenhall said. "We need options for those students."
I'm interested in hearing from readers out there who might have done their degrees through Western Governors (or another online program). Do you regret missing out on the so-called "traditional "college experience? Similarly, how many of you have student loans that will take decades to repay? Was it worth it?
Here's another question: Does anyone else find the idea of a $200,000 bachelor's degree terrifying?
Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email me at erichmond@ewa.org. I'm also on Twitter @EWAEmily.
I was working on a story recently about distance education, so I talked with Robert Mendenhall, president of Western Governors University. The fully accredited, nonprofit online program allows students to progress as they master specific standards, rather than requiring a set number of credit hours or courses. He told me that because students work at their own pace, and get credit for the knowledge and skills they might already have, a bachelor's degree at WGU takes an average of 30 months to complete. That's about half the time of a traditional college or university. WGU's classes are also significantly more affordable for many students, averaging less than $6,000 per year.
But distance learning isn't for everyone, and for many people it doesn't come close to the traditional college experience many parents want their children to experience. Mendenhall said about 70 percent of WGU's students are also working adults. He doesn't believe online programs will -- or should -- replace the bricks-and-mortar colleges. Rather, WGU is another way to get the necessary skills to compete in an ever-crowded workforce with too little job growth.
"There's a percentage of the population that never ends up on a campus because they can't -- either because of access issues or finances or a lack of academic preparation," Mendenhall said. "We need options for those students."
I'm interested in hearing from readers out there who might have done their degrees through Western Governors (or another online program). Do you regret missing out on the so-called "traditional "college experience? Similarly, how many of you have student loans that will take decades to repay? Was it worth it?
Here's another question: Does anyone else find the idea of a $200,000 bachelor's degree terrifying?
Have a question, comment or concern for the Educated Reporter? Email me at erichmond@ewa.org. I'm also on Twitter @EWAEmily.
Labels: college_finance, distance education, online learning, online_learning, Robert Mendenhall, Western Governors University
posted by Emily Richmond at
3:00 AM
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