Advise is Free

A new friend of mine recently told me that she is considering going back to school to improve her employment prospects and asked me for advise.   I recommend that she consider online university.   I was reading about Western Governors University and it seems as though they have a extensive program of study that is quite affordable because they’re a nonprofit university.   They charge a flat rate every six months, rather than a per credit fee.

For someone considering an online mba, their program looks quite doable, especially if you’re already working a full-time job.   They base your progress on completion of assessments that measure your skills and knowledge in a subject area, rather than accumulating credit hours.   Sounds good to me.

2 Comments

  1. Richard
    Nov 30, 2009

    She should also check on the school’s reputation in the business world. Some on-line degrees aren’t worth the bytes you use to get them. Others (such as the University of Phoenix’s MBA program) are respected by most large companies.

    Businesses are not so much interested in the “MBA” after one’s name as they are in the proven ability to get others to work together, and a 100% on-line program does not do that. Programs like the U of P mix on-line work with local class work and team assignments (even when done via the internet), so participants have a chance to develop teamwork and managerial skills.

  2. Karen of Scottsdale
    Nov 30, 2009

    That’s a good point, Richard.