A lot of people are getting their college degrees online these
days. It can be much simpler than going to an actual physical
college, and often it's the only way some people can fit a
degree into their busy schedules. But is it worth it financially
to get an online degree?
One of the big problems you'll run into is respect for the
degree. A good general rule is that for advanced degrees (an
MBA, a master's degree, or a law degree, for example) you
shouldn't even consider an online school. No one in a
professional field is going to take it seriously, simply because
there is a vast difference in quality between the regular
graduate schools and an online one. However, for a college
diploma, it's not true to that extent - there are many good
online schools, and they aren't much different in quality from a
local community college, where a large number of people get
their degrees (or at least start off). You do need to watch out
for online "diploma mills." If the place you're planning on
taking classes from is unestablished or is shady in any way, you
shouldn't get one from there. This is going to be on your resume
for some time, and if it comes out that they are simply granting
degrees for cash or other practices, your degree will be
worthless. Avoid places that offer things like "life experience"
credits for most of your requirements - that's a sure sign that
they aren't really making you do the work for a degree. Bigger
companies will know all about the "fake" degree programs, and a
smaller one can find out with a simple google search. Because
online degrees don't cost that much, a college diploma can be
worth it - it's really a symbolic thing, that you were willing
to do the work, and it will get you over a hurdle to your career
advancement.
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