AIU ONLINE UNIVERSITY NOT SURE YET. PLEASE HELP ME TO MAKE FINAL DECISION ripoff ATLANTA Georgia

Hillary, great rebuttal! You are a very funny lady'. You are one of those rare, well intentioned and tolerant liberals. In fact, you practice what you preach so much so that it makes me question whether or not you really are the true carpet bagger Senator from New York.

Seriously, most of your advice truly was great. However, I just wanted to make a quick point. If you earn an online degree at a school with a brick and mortar presence, chances are no one will ever need to know that you never actually saw a classroom. Schools that offer online degree programs almost never distinguish between their traditional and online students. It is extremely rare that schools with online offerings put the words online on their degrees and transcripts.

As far as the law school thing goes, as I am sure you already know, I completely disagree. Believe me, I know how hard is to succeed at a traditional law school. However, I am certain that I could learn just as much at an online school. Except for oral arguments, I personally can't think of anything that couldn't be accomplished via distance education. I barely ever got called on, and I rarely used the school library. For my first semester memo (remember those pre lexis days?), I used the court house library.

Finally, Senator, make no mistake, distance learning is not just for the softer academic disciplines. Oakbrook Law School grads prove this every single year. In fact, they often score higher than their traditional counterparts on the California bar exam. On a fairly recent bar exam, their first time pass rate of 73% was second only to UCLA's 79%. Not too shabby! I wonder how our own law schools stack up?? ABA approved Whittier scored a 24% and the state average is something like 35%.

The success of Oakbrook, along with my former experience with accredited distance education at the graduate level, reinforces my confidence in the process. In many ways, a distance education Master's program can be more challenging and rewarding than on campus, ABA approved law school study.

Looking forward to our next rendezvous.

I concur with Jeb on most points, although I will not be voting for him in '08 and would like him to know that his recent trip to tsunami devestation zones isn't fooling anybody.

Here is one of the MANY points on which he and I have split in the past and will continue to split in the future. You certainly should not be "wary" about attending a properly accredited institution. But answer me this: is not being wary about your prospective institution enough? When you graduate, will you be fully satisfied with your education if all you can say about it is "at least I didn't get scammed?"

As I said before, there is nothing inherently wrong with distance learning for the most part. Jeb will have a hard time convincing me that the distance learning paradigm is capable of quality legal training (I will never have full respect for a lawyer that didn't have to do an OA as a 1L), but for many other less intensive programs it is capable of providing a quality education.

The problem as I see it then is three-fold. First, there are aspects of brick and mortar education that cannot be present in the distance forum: spirited, spontaneous debate in a non-chatroom setting, live socialization, etc. Second, there are a host of sub-par distance learning programs that are mere profit vehicles, and this is evident from exhorbitant tuitions and the predominance of "recruiting" over selective admissions.

The last factor is a matter of pure pragmatics, and has nothing to do with the quality of education offered. Distance learning, right or wrong, is still seen as an alternative to the traditional paradigm within which most of the employing world was educated. Distance learning degrees simply do not carry as much credence with employers as traditional degrees. Now then, I'm sure there are a host of exceptions, and the Governor was kind enough to point out that even Ivy League schools have online programs now, which undoubtedly have significant cache. However, if I am an employer interviewing candidates for a position within my firm, all else being equal, who am I going to hire out of the following sets of competitors: 1) AIU grad vs. Michigan State grad; 2) Harvard grad vs. Harvard online grad; 3) Concordia Law grad vs. Widener Law grad.

In each case, all else being equal, I (and most other potential employers, unless they were graduates of online programs themselves and had an axe to grind) would hire the brick and mortar grad. Whether that is right or wrong is an irrelevant matter.

Now I am well aware that, for many people, distance learning is their only option. To that I say go for it, get yourself an education and don't let a doom-and-gloom liberal like myself scare you into thinking that you'll never get a job with your online degree. Many people have tried to scare me away from pursuing my goals, and they can all now collectively take a good look at my middle finger. Get your own degree however you must, get a good job, and you can come flip me off someday (just be sure to let me know why you're doing so, such as by using your other hand to waive your AIU degree stapled to a big fat paycheck).

My final advice is thus: if you have a choice between distance and brick-and-mortar educations, follow my advice and go with the one that takes you to a building. If not, follow Jeb's advice, he is a spring of information on distance learning programs. If you want more information from him, just file a report saying something along the lines of "distance education is for people who can't handle the real thing."

1) As far as your main financial aid concern.....
I concur with Tim, except with regards to his warnings about alternative course delivery methods. You can visit www.fafsa.ed.gov, fill out your Federal Loan application, and list up to six prospective schools on the application. You can always go back and make changes in the future. Your credit rating will have no bearing on the Federal Student Aid process.

After you complete this free application, you will you will be provided with an EFC, and an idea of the loan amount you qualify for. Then, the schools you listed will receive your financial aid information. After AIU gets your information, contact their financial aid department and raise any questions you may have. If you have a problem with the online FAFSA application, call AIU and ask for help.

2) Evaluating a school's legitimacy has nothing to the existence of a campus....
Students should not be wary of online education. What people should be wary of is unrecognized education. A program's delivery method has no bearing on whether or not the school is legitimate. Accreditation is the key!

Since it is so easy to determine whether a school is legitimately accredited, I am shocked people haven't yet figured it out. I can't believe that, in a day where Ivy League universities offer distance education, people are ready to judge a program based only on delivery method.

I'm personally not a huge fan of AIU. This is mainly because I feel that their tuition rate is far too high. Cost notwithstanding, though, AIU is definitely a legitimate school. They are accredited by SACS (like Emory, for example), and they offer Federal Student Aid. They even have campus based locations throughout the U.S. (Georgia) and the world (UAE), so they are not just an online school. However, contra to what Paul and Timjd would lead you to believe, this, by itself, means nothing. The SACS accreditation is the important thing to take note of.

There are campus based schools that lack accreditation (eg Virginia International University) and there are entirely online schools that posses full institutional accreditation (eg Capella). The existence, or lack thereof, of a campus or classroom means nothing. Again, you must look to accreditation.

Evaluating a school's accreditation is an extremely simple process. First, keep in mind, the Federal Government does not allow unaccredited schools to offer Title IV Federal Student Aid. If a school is Title IV eligible, it is either fully or provisionally accredited. There are some properly accredited distance education schools that can't offer Federal Student Aid (because of the 50% rule that may be repealed shortly), but the existence of Title IV eligibility is a one good (and fast) way to rule out the diploma mill possibility.

If the school you are considering does not offer Federal Student Aid, or if you want more information concerning the prospective school's accreditation, visit www.chea.org and look the school up in the institutional database. If the school is listed, it is properly accredited, and thus, not a diploma mill. The process is so simple that even a liberal could do it (just kidding, Tim).

As far as the 60 Minutes and similar stories are concerned, the schools reported on were not properly accredited by agencies recognized by the United States Department of Education and/or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. This could have been easily determined by a quick two minute visit to the www.chea.org database.

The bottom line: There is no need to be wary of legitimate online education. And it only takes a minute or two to verify legitimacy, and rule out the diploma mill possibility. That said, you still may want to speak with current and/or former students of a prospective school (properly accredited, of course) in an effort to get some more detailed feedback. This is because even though accreditation ensures legitimacy and significantly increases degree/credit acceptance, it does not necessarily ensure student satisfaction.

Why is accreditation so important? It is near impossible to transfer credits earned at unaccredited to accredited schools. It doesn't matter if the unaccredited school has big beautiful campus, library, or impressive faculty list. It is very hard to make use of unaccredited work.

It is also very hard to use an unaccredited degree for employment purposes. For example, many sensitive U.S. Department of Homeland Security positions require degrees, and these degrees must be from properly accredited schools. See the DHS job listing below. They make mention of accreditation in the "Methods of Evaluation" paragraph, but nowhere do they prohibit, or even discuss, online course delivery methods. This means that AIU graduates most certainly qualify!

*** http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=25996467&AVSDM=2005%2D01%2D03+15%3A20%3A08&Logo=0&col=dltc&cy=&brd=3876&lid=316&fn=&q=

POSITION SENSITIVITY: This is a Critical-Sensitive (Level 3) position and requires a Secret Security Clearance and completion of a favorable Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) or Background Investigation (BI) prior to appointment, unless a waiver is obtained. The incumbent will be subject to a 5-year periodic re-investigation. You must also pass Drug and Alcohol Screening and be subject to random testing.

METHOD OF EVALUATION: Applicants will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. If you are qualifying on the basis of substitution of education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcript or a list of courses with title of course, number of credits, grade, and date of completion. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Refer to the OPM and the U.S. Department of Education websites for more information at: www.opm.gov/qualifications and www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html

Responses to the evaluation criteria may be ranked according to relative merit for this position and identified as being "qualified" or "best qualified." Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. *****

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Latonya, I would certainly steer clear of any college that wants to get you on board before you can look in to funding.

You can fill out a FAFSA regardless of whether you have even been admitted to a school, and thus find out how much money Uncle Sam will be willing to put in before you sign up.

Any reputable school will allow you to talk to financial aid counsellors if you are a prospective student

Many (if not most) colleges require an application fee. If they do require a nonminal fee for application (below $50) then I wouldn't let that dissuade you from applying, as it is not indicative of a scam.

I too would be very wary about any online education program. There is nothing wrong with distance learning per se, but online degrees from unrecognized schools have not received much respect in the employment world.

Several notable colleges offer online programs. I would try to find a recognized school before going somewhere that nobody has ever heard of.

Latonya, I would certainly steer clear of any college that wants to get you on board before you can look in to funding.

You can fill out a FAFSA regardless of whether you have even been admitted to a school, and thus find out how much money Uncle Sam will be willing to put in before you sign up.

Any reputable school will allow you to talk to financial aid counsellors if you are a prospective student

Many (if not most) colleges require an application fee. If they do require a nonminal fee for application (below $50) then I wouldn't let that dissuade you from applying, as it is not indicative of a scam.

I too would be very wary about any online education program. There is nothing wrong with distance learning per se, but online degrees from unrecognized schools have not received much respect in the employment world.

Several notable colleges offer online programs. I would try to find a recognized school before going somewhere that nobody has ever heard of.

Latonya, I would certainly steer clear of any college that wants to get you on board before you can look in to funding.

You can fill out a FAFSA regardless of whether you have even been admitted to a school, and thus find out how much money Uncle Sam will be willing to put in before you sign up.

Any reputable school will allow you to talk to financial aid counsellors if you are a prospective student

Many (if not most) colleges require an application fee. If they do require a nonminal fee for application (below $50) then I wouldn't let that dissuade you from applying, as it is not indicative of a scam.

I too would be very wary about any online education program. There is nothing wrong with distance learning per se, but online degrees from unrecognized schools have not received much respect in the employment world.

Several notable colleges offer online programs. I would try to find a recognized school before going somewhere that nobody has ever heard of.

Latonya, I would certainly steer clear of any college that wants to get you on board before you can look in to funding.

You can fill out a FAFSA regardless of whether you have even been admitted to a school, and thus find out how much money Uncle Sam will be willing to put in before you sign up.

Any reputable school will allow you to talk to financial aid counsellors if you are a prospective student

Many (if not most) colleges require an application fee. If they do require a nonminal fee for application (below $50) then I wouldn't let that dissuade you from applying, as it is not indicative of a scam.

I too would be very wary about any online education program. There is nothing wrong with distance learning per se, but online degrees from unrecognized schools have not received much respect in the employment world.

Several notable colleges offer online programs. I would try to find a recognized school before going somewhere that nobody has ever heard of.

They do help you get funding. They are very helpful. Yes they can be pushy but they feel that if you made the call then you are serious about attending college. They don't give you a degree for life experiences but they will take your credits and apply them towards your degree. I have Military experiences and schools. Believe when I say you can fail these classes if you do not apply yourself. It is a commitment on your part to learn.

You have to submit papers and show that you understand what they are teaching plus you have to be able to apply it. You will get good instructors as well as bad but the experience is what you make of it. There are alot of people that maybethis is not for them but for me it works.

I am getting my BA in Management so one of the classes I had to take was Statistics. That is a very hard class but I survived it and now my class is Managment Accounting so the classes are designed towards your degree.

Latonya, be careful. The show 60 Minutes did an investigative report on on-line education. Their findings suggest that many companies offering this service are little more than diploma mills set up to provide degrees. The rise of this service has increased tremendously.

Both of the prior comments were positive. But, notice how they failed to address your question? You asked about signing a contract in advance of funding. Nobody seemed to answer that for you. That makes me wonder if they are for real. On the web, who can tell?

Here's what I'd do. First make contact and feel out the whole deal. Do they pressure you to sign a contract? Do they make big, extravagant promises? Do they help you find funding? What are their requirements? Anybody that gives you a degree for life experiences is automatically a fraud. A real school teaches and expects you to learn and demonstrate your understanding. A fraud sends you a diploma.

Consider the cost. Can you afford it? A community college is a viable alternative. Don't rule that out simply for convenience. Then, consider if the degree will be recognized as legitimate. A BA in economics is worthless if it comes from someplace that nobody will acknowledge.

The cost will probably run into the thousands. So, think hard and long before committing. In addition, consider your own self-discipline. Can you be counted on to log in and participate? Some people look at online education as a cakewalk. Real learning is the complete opposite of that.

Good luck!

Latonya,
Please do not let what others are saying on this site stear you away! I am sure that they all have what the feel are vaild reports but, do not let them hinder you. I have been going to this school since June and love it. It is great to be able to have the day with my two and three year olds, cook dinner, get them to bed and then go to school. All the people I have dealt with are great. I had one student advisor that I did not feel called me back on a issue in a timely matter so I e-mailed the dean of students and within two hours was changed to someone else. They are there to help you and do just that help. The classes are great and I learn new things all the time. The teachers are active on the boards and help pull more out of assignments and really help you look at the other side of things. I am so glad that I found this website AFTER I was in the school. I hope that you try it out...i am sure you like me will spread to other how wonderful it truly is.

I am a current student at AIU and think that it was a good decision for me. I went back to school after 20+ years of being out. Yes it is a lot of hard work but if you want it bad enough you will suceed. I will graduate with my BA in July 2005. If you are serious about going back to school, then do it for you and noone else. I am a wife, mother and full time employee so being able to log in to the AIU website anytime makes it easier for me to attend classes and do my homework. I have had nothing but good experiences with this and am looking forward to graduation. I am on my 5th class with AIU and love it. It may not be for everyone but for me it works. The classes are very challenging and rewarding. I have had Statistics and Economics which are hard classes and did well in both. A lot of hard work and dedication but I am loving this.