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Education The Internet

How to Choose a US-based Online Degree? 63

Posted by Cliff from the worthwhile-diplomas dept.
Catalin Braescu asks: "I have an Egyptian friend which wants to finish highschool in US, using an online degree institution. Her American BF advises her to go for Keystone, but I really don't think she can later on be admitted to any college with that kind of diploma. So I am asking Slashdot if there are any good resources online (or at least some easy-to-understand checking points) to verify whether any online diploma is good for going to college or is just some worthless paper. Being from Europe, I can hardly know such details myself - and the same issue can be applied to online college degrees, too. HELP!"
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How to Choose a US-based Online Degree? More

How to Choose a US-based Online Degree?

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  • You've got mail! (Score:3, Funny)

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    • Troll?

      Come on, I laughed! Did you read his URL at the bottom?
    • While you can't get an MS in Engineering from Stanford from the comfort of your own home, you can get a PhD from Columbia [columbia.edu].

      Actually, you'd be suprised how many 'prestigious' schools are offering degrees online. We live in an era of 'cheap paper' (or not so cheap...).

      • You can get something they call a "PD" or "Professional Degree", definitely not a PhD however. However, they do offer MS degrees in a couple of subject areas, and you are right that this is picking up in popularity at top schools.

        And to Columbia's credit, they have fairly stringent entrance requirements for the CVN (Columbia Video Network) degree programs, high GRE cutoffs (~650 in each section), undergrad GPA requirement (3.3 minimum), and several letters of recommendation. In other words, the same requ

  • Talk to a college admissions advisor (Score:5, Informative)

    by astrashe ( 7452 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @06:16PM (#12181330) Journal
    I'd try to email the admissions offices of a few universities, and ask them. They'd know.

    People who drop out of school here in the states can get something called a GED, which is a "high school equivilancy" certification. I know that people with GEDs can go to university here, although they usually woulnd't be able to get into top tier schools. But many public state universities will take them.

    So I think that it might be possible to make something work -- the standards here are different from those in Europe, and are (unfortunately) lower. But it will help your friend.

    The main thing, though, is to talk to people at admissions departments, because they know who they'll take and who they won't.

    I'd try state schools.
    • If you get a GED, just do well on your SAT or ACT. I got into school that way.
    • the standards here are different from those in Europe, and are (unfortunately) lower.
      Yeah, the proletariat should be denied education based on how they got their previous education. Welcome to 1950.
    • GED isn't a bad deal either. My highschool was hell because of my geekiness and other's inability to accept anything different.

      The day I turned 16, I dropped from school, got a GED, and started working. I interned with a guy for about 3 months learning to install DOS and Win 3.11 and set it all up for corporate usage.

      My mom flipped out! But within 6 months I was making more while working less than she ever had.

      Anyway, I worked days and went to Community College at night. My boss pushed me real hard i

    • Re:Talk to a college admissions advisor (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Motherfucking Shit ( 636021 ) on Saturday April 09, 2005 @06:33AM (#12186087) Journal
      I know that people with GEDs can go to university here, although they usually woulnd't be able to get into top tier schools.
      I got a release from compulsory education (aka "legal dropout") in 11th grade because of a medical issue I had at the time. Once my health was in order, I went and got my GED.

      As a previous poster mentioned, high SAT or ACT scores will help, whether you finished high school or not. I took the ACT twice, and got a 31 and 32. My SAT was decent (1350) but not outstanding. On the ACT scores alone, I could have walked into pretty much any university I wanted; I was being actively recruited by any number of "top" universities around the country, well after I'd stopped going to high school. They'd gotten copies of my test scores from god-knows-where, and were more than happy to take me if I wanted to pay.

      In the end I did a semester at the local state U, then decided that environment was for the birds, and got an AAS at the community college. The instructors there were actual industry professionals, not career educators. Nothing against career educators, I've got some in the family, but for tech skills I'd rather learn from someone who's proficient in the industry as opposed to someone who's proficient as a teacher.

      I don't know how this works for someone living in a foreign country. I presume that each country probably has its own standardized tests ala ACT/SAT, and the scores or transcripts could be sent. There are plenty of folks here on student visas, so while I don't know how the import process works, there obviously is one. In addition to speaking with admissions advisors, it might help to write or call the Egyptian embassy in the US.

      Looking back, I wouldn't do anything differently if I had the chance. I do have a tendency to skirt the GED issue on the resume, e.g. under Education I list my college/degree, followed by my high school. I don't claim on my resume that I graduated, but I don't say that I got a GED instead, either. Nobody's ever asked.
      • Once you get some sort of degree (aa/as/etc) or at least some college credits and certifications, whether you have a GED or "real" HS diploma is kinda unimportant.

        The parent here said "AAS" degree, which is a combination of an AA and an AS, so when you go for a BS/BA+ more of your credits apply, etc. Not all colleges take them, and those that do don't take them from all the CCs that offer them.

        Also, if you choose to go to an online college/university be sure they are accredited via SACS [sacs.org] or a similar group
      • meh. back in high school i got a 1.7 GPA, but i got test scores just about identical to yours. i only got accepted to one school i applied to, though. maybe i should have dropped out and got a GPA so they wouldnt have grades to look at. :-P
    • So I think that it might be possible to make something work -- the standards here are different from those in Europe, and are (unfortunately) lower. But it will help your friend.

      God, I can't fucking stand it when Americans say these kinds of things. FIrst of all, American schools are among the top in the world -- definitely better than Egyptian schools, and far better than former-USSR and Eastern European schools. No, this isn't the 1970s -- the US has finally caught up to the rest of the world. If y
      • But we have tiers.

        I've attended both Northwestern and the University of Nebraska. Everyone at Northwestern was very smart. Lots of people at the University of Nebraska could barely write a coherent paragraph.

        It's the direct result of two thigns. First, there's a state law that says that the university has to accept anyone with a high school diploma issued by an accredited high school in Nebraska.

        And second, when profs try to crack down and fail people, they're called to the carpet, because there's a p
      • If you ask any European what the best university in the world is, they'll say Harvard. If you ask them the second, they'll say Princeton.

        Well, that shows how much the average European knows. If you ask any discerning American, they will say Princeton is first, and Harvard second.

    • I think the GED would probably be your best bet. Heck, I didn't even know there was such a thing as an online high school. Sure, you may not be able to get into a top-tier school with this. I'm not even sure where GED holders rate in terms of state university acceptance. But perhaps your best option after the GED would be going to a community college, which I think practically HAS to accept you. If you kick ass for two years there then I think you can get into many universities, even the top-tier ones.

  • RE: Homeschooling (Score:3, Informative)

    by Woofles ( 674667 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @06:30PM (#12181495)
    Many college's find programs like Keystone quite respectable (in America), and from personal experience I know it is a good program (although expensive). If your friend does not wish to attend an American Public School then Keystone is defiantly a good alternative. Like a few other posters have pointed out; you can always go for a GED, which is generally as good as any high school diploma. Also as they have said make sure and speak with a college adviser. For more information on these topics I suggest you look at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GED (GED) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeschool (Home Schooling) Good luck!

    • Re: GED (Score:4, Interesting)

      by jonadab ( 583620 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @07:07PM (#12181913) Homepage Journal
      > Like a few other posters have pointed out; you can always go for a GED,
      > which is generally as good as any high school diploma.

      No, it's not. It's more like a certificate of completion. It'll get you a
      job that doesn't require anything beyond high school only if there aren't
      any better applicants, and it'll get you into most major universities,
      including any state school of course, but it is *not* the same as having
      graduated high school in the first place.

      What would be better than a GED, as far as college admissions are concerned --
      especially smaller schools with higher standards than the state schools -- is
      a halfway decent SAT score, plus a diploma from your home country that is the
      closest available equivalent there to what a high school diploma is here.

      But when all is said and done, the frist psot is right: talk to the
      admissions officers (and, frankly, also the financial aid department) at
      the colleges you are interested in attending. They will know what will
      get you enrolled and what won't, and what will get you considered for
      grants and scholarships and what won't, too.
      • It'll get you a job that doesn't require anything beyond high school only if there aren't any better applicants, and it'll get you into most major universities, including any state school of course

        Some state schools in the U.S. actually are extremely competitive. Not the majority, of course.

  • You have to match the credential with the career path you want to take. What kind of university do you want to go to afterwards? American Community College? In that case, a GED would be fine. UK/European/Australian University? Go get your A levels. For US some private schools, you may not even need a high school diploma if you have strong SAT scores. Your best bet is to contact the admissions office of the next university you want to go to and see what their requirements are.
  • There is also the community college system. By attending a two year community college, which is open to anyone who is willing to pay the small admission price, a student who attains decent grades can transfer to most state schools.
    • There is also the community college system. By attending a two year community college, which is open to anyone who is willing to pay the small admission price, a student who attains decent grades can transfer to most state schools.

      Very good point. I don't know how it is in all states, but by way of example... In North Carolina, the Community Colleges generally have an "open door" admissions policy... if you apply, you're in, period.

      The only trick is, you usually have to take a "placement test" that deter

  • Why not Egypt? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by dshaw858 ( 828072 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @07:03PM (#12181872) Homepage Journal
    I think if she wants to get admitted into a US university, her best bet would probably be to finish high school in Egypt (or get a GED from the US), and apply to a US college as a foreigner. Colleges like diversity and foreigners.

    - dshaw

  • Go straight to college, but... (Score:5, Informative)

    by aquarian ( 134728 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @07:58PM (#12182387)
    So the GED has been mentioned. However, many American colleges and universities don't actually require high school graduation or a GED, if the student is otherwise qualified. This can be determined through testing. Most people don't realize this, but in fact it's true. OTOH, a GED should be a breeze for anyone who's truly college material.

    I suggest your friend try to go straight to college. Contact admissions departments to see what the requirements actually are, and the best way to get from "here to there." One caveat though -- is your friend really ready for college, emotionally, and maturity wise? Think about this carefully -- even if intellectually ready, most students under 18, and especially under 16, are simply not ready for college level responsibilities. Then there's the language/cultural issue -- is this student fluent enough in English, and comfortable enough with American culture, to handle college studies?

    I went to high school in a foreign country. I returned to the US for my senior year. In retrospect I should have gone straight to college, rather than waste that one year in American high school. (It really was a waste, but that's another story.) I was ready, both intellectually and emotionally. But the idea never occurred to me, my parents, or any of the counsellors I talked to. So I say to anyone in the same situation, if you think you're ready, just go for it. A good community college or state school is no more or less demanding than a rigorous high school program, but it puts you much further ahead in life. Coming from elsewhere, the rest of the American "high school experience" is meaningless anyway. Might as well adjust to college instead.

    • High school (Score:4, Interesting)

      by bluGill ( 862 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @10:53PM (#12183806)

      For anyone else who is reading slashdot and still in high school, in most states you can do some sort of "post secondary" program. Basically you study at the nearest university, and the school pays for it! This is the best kept secret of high school. Go for it!

      This is something you will have to fight for. They have to let you do it, but the school loses money when you do it, so the counselors are told to try and talk you out of it! Don't let them, force the issue. Threaten to drop out if you must (that will scare them because dropouts are the one thing worse for the district than the college students), but take your last two years of high school at college.

      Note that you will have to take the B.S. liberal arts classes, and not the interesting engineering classes. Still, those are college credits so they count as generals already taken in a real college anywhere, while the "advanced" high school classes rarely count for much.

      • One more thing to add.

        I did some community college during nights while in HS. It worked out to be a blessing becuase I walked onto campus with ~30 units, while everyone else was at 0. It gave me early registartion. And it really helps for the basic classes that everyone else is fighting for.
      • Note that you will have to take the B.S. liberal arts classes, and not the interesting engineering classes.

        Quick tip from somebody who hires geeks: those classes need not be BS.

        If you want to use computers to solve real-world problems, knowing about computers isn't enough; you must know about the real world. Anthropology, history, business, political science, sociology, and economics all have parts that are directly applicable to most commercial software development.

        Plus, you'll have a much better chanc
        • And when I'm interviewing people, I have a bias toward people with broad interests. Literature, music, philosophy, sports, and foreign languages are always a plus. Not only is that a good indicator that they have enough curiosity to get interested in what we do, but it also gives them common ground for connecting with people in the rest of the company. That communication is vital for building really kick-ass technical products.

          I'm always amazed at the number of people who get their comp sci. degrees an
    • I saw several posts that say a HS diploma or GED isn't strictly required by many colleges, and I'm thinking that's a load of BS. Of course they require diplomas.

      Well, after looking at a few institutions, it appears a diploma isn't always a must-have after all:
      • Harvard doesn't list it in the admission requirements [harvard.edu].
      • But, U Penn does require a completed secondary education program in their requirements [upenn.edu].
      • Some like Penn State are a little fuzzy - they require [psu.edu] four years of secondary education, but not necessa
      • ...it appears a diploma isn't always a must-have after all...

        That's true at other levels as well. I discovered awhile back that if you're appealing enough to the admissions office you can get into a Masters program without having even an Associates. :)

  • Does she need it? (Score:4, Interesting)

    by itwerx ( 165526 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @08:27PM (#12182631) Homepage
    I can tell you from personal experience that some (most?) foreign high schools are accepted by US institutions. Here's how it works:
    1 - come to the US with a foreign high school diploma.
    2 - try to join/attend some institution which requires a US high school diploma.
    3 - when they refuse to accept your foreign diploma call the state board of education and ask them which colleges/universities handle this situation.
    4 - stop by the admissions office of the nearest place on that list and explain the problem.
    5 - they will give you a "certificate of equivalency".
    6 - Et voila'! Just as good...

    Of course in her case it would be wise to check in with these various institutions ahead of time to be sure that her specific school system is, in fact, accepted as an equivalent but I myself had no problems doing that and I've met various people over the years in similar situations who did the same.
    Good luck!

  • Maybe, but think carefully (Score:5, Interesting)

    by bluGill ( 862 ) on Friday April 08, 2005 @11:10PM (#12183921)

    Think carefully. I have no idea what schools are like in Egypt, and I suspect few others here do either. While US schools sometimes get picked on, we know what they are like, and overall it isn't too bad. Most people think of Egypt as some backwords country where people don't even know what the light bulb is, and few even attend school, much less make it to third grade. So one advantage you will have by doing this is ignorant people will trust the degree. (This same advantage would apply to any distance learning from Europe. American's tend to think the Europe's schools are pretty good, but have no real knowledge)

    However there are disadvantages. You loose social time with your peers, which despite the idiots in most high schools, is still useful. (You will have to deal with those idiots for the rest of your life, so you better learn to do it)

    Also I would assume that Egyptians would think less of the degree than a local one. (though maybe not, if everyone knows Egyption schools are bad they might think more of it) Which means if you get this you are pretty much forced to move to the US (or at least go to college in the US), which can be difficult to do. The US doesn't let just anyone in anymore, much of Europe would though, and Europe has a good standard of living. (though not 100% the same, Europeans and Americans have different tastes) So consider a European degree which might work better for you.

    In general I think less of any distance learning than of the "equivalent" degree earned by attending class. However not everyone is like me, and your friend may not have much a choice. In fact in your friend case, if he gives a good case for Egypt's schools being junk (remember like most people I'm ignorant on the topic so this should be easy), the fact that he went through the effort to get a US degree, even if it is second best, is impressive. The effort of finding and using this program on his own impresses me more than a US high school degree, precisely because he is from Egypt. (but only if he convinces me that Egypt's schools are junk)

    Check with the local law. If they refuse to consider this program the equivalent of a local degree it might hamper anything you want to do back home because you cannot claim to have a high school degree, even though you have a "better" US degree.

    One last thought. When I was in high school there were some students who were home schooled who came to school for a few hours every day for band and other such classes where a group is required. It would be a good idea to see if the local school will allow you take math and English at home, and then those other classes with locals. Some schools are really against this idea, while some will go for it In fact if you convince the school this program is good you might end up with the local degree and the US degree, which is a good end run around local laws!

  • The good people at DegreeInfo [degreeinfo.com] will be more than happy to help. Many recognized experts in the field of distance learning hang out there. I know that Dr. John Bear has a guide to earning your high school diploma at a distance, but I'm not sure of the exact title - someone there would definitely be able to help you out.

    Once she's done with high school, she can come back for help earning her degree by distance as well!

  • Most highschool graduates can not pass a GED. I doubt the average college freshman can either.

  • International Baccalaureat (Score:3, Informative)

    by anticypher ( 48312 ) <[moc.liamg] [ta] [rehpycitna]> on Saturday April 09, 2005 @01:04PM (#12187765) Homepage
    I know a bunch of American families attached to NATO here in Europe who send their kids through a program called the International Baccalaureat. It allows the kids to either apply to a European university or an American one, with the equivalence of a HS diploma.

    From what I've heard, there are qualified schools just about anywhere there is a large ex-pat community. Egypt probably has them, but only in the areas where the petroleum companies have their compounds.

    Supposedly the program is advanced enough to convince the French and the Brits it is the equivalent of a Bac or an A-levels, and leaves the kids at about the level of American University juniors. It requires the kids to be fluently tri-lingual, english, french, and one other. Typically the kids enter the program no later than about 12 years old, unless they are already bi-lingual.

    Google turns up some info, about half a million links. Continue from there.

    the AC

    • It requires the kids to be fluently tri-lingual, english, french, and one other.

      Um, no. I did well at the International Baccalaureate, am a native English speaker and learnt French under the system to an adequate level - I can just about survive in France for a holiday (no chance in French-speaking West Africa.) In no way could I be described as anywhere near fluent in French.

      Typically the kids enter the program no later than about 12 years old

      The "program" is a two year program, starting at 16 or 17

    • I did part of the IB program in high school, but ditched it to instead focus on AP exams to get me further ahead when I started college. My younger brother and sister did the full thing and while they ended up getting about 2 semesters of college credit, they also acquired some good experience through the community service and research paper requirements. The IB standards are definitely well above US standards for high school, by the way.
  • Many universities have back doors, side doors, and open windows - all for getting in. Just don't use the front door. There are many ways to get into university without a high school diploma, or even with shitty marks. Here, I'll give you an example:

    University of Toronto:

    Academic Bridging [utoronto.ca] at U of T allows people who haven't been in school for a little while to take one course, and if you get a 63% you're in part time, and if you get a 73% you get in full time.

    Even people who haven't been in school for

  • Buna... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by stevejsmith ( 614145 ) on Sunday April 10, 2005 @11:49AM (#12193542) Homepage
    Buna! :-)

    Adevarul este, din pacate, ca nu este posibil. Universitatii americane sunt prea competitive pentru a accepta studentii din scoli pe internet. Scolii aceie nu pot sa-i teste pe studentii lor (pentru ca nu pot sa controle daca studentii insela sau nu stiu ce)...e prea complicat. Stiu ca scholii egipteane nu sunt foarte buni, dar e mai bun (si mai ieftin) sa iei o diploma egipteana si sa faci note bune.

    Romana mea nu-i bun, dar e placut sa vorbesc romaneste din nou!
  • (my) synopsis:
    IB programmes are a STANDARDS based honors curricula, designed to enable succussful candidates to enter ANY major university in the world; IB also enables a person to leave the programme in one part of the world, and pick up where theyleft off in another (country, school, etc.)- strongly suggest your friend pursue her ("High School") education through ANY school that offers an accredited IB programme -
    US, Egypt, where-ever...

    Now if only SHE could post on slashdot...
    or at least listen to NPR..

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