The Online College Degree - Employer Perceptions

Have you been thinking about pursuing your education through an online college degree but remain unconvinced that your employer or future employer will respect your educational path? Far too many people either put off college altogether or settle for an unreasonably hectic day job/night school juggling act that all too quickly burns them out. The fact is that you can be reasonably assured that your choice of an online college degree will be viewed favorably by most employers; most recent studies and polls seem to validate that claim. What Is an Online Degree? Many people feel less than secure about an online college degree simply because they fail to grasp its relevance. A degree earned online is, in most cases, just as difficult to receive as one earned on campus at a traditional university. In fact, many of these degrees are offered by schools with well-established campus environments. And they do not dilute their course criteria just to make it easier to obtain an online college degree. For example, if you receive a liberal arts degree from eCornell, you can rest assured that you have done the same work you would have done had you pursued the degree on their campus. Flexibility If you are already employed, pursuing an online college degree is the perfect way for you to update your present work skills without inconveniencing your present employer. Although most employers will make allowances for their workers to take time off to attend classes that can increase their skill levels and subsequently their worth to the company, even those employers appreciate a situation in which the employee was able to take the classes on his or her own time. Of course, all is not peaches and cream when it comes to these degrees and employers' opinions of them; there are some drawbacks as well. The Survey Says One recent study indicated that when employees chose to take advanced educational courses in pursuit of an online college degree, a full 100 percent of employers responded favorably. In every case, the employer said that the worker was more productive and better equipped for their job as a result of obtaining an online college degree. However, on the down side of when it comes to hiring new employees whose education consists of online courses, slightly more than half of the employers responding to the survey said that they viewed online college degrees less favorably than those obtained in more traditional campus settings. The Bottom Line When it comes to obtaining an online college degree as opposed to those offered in a classroom environment, you should not be discouraged. Those same studies also revealed that when accreditation was factored into the equation, the number of employees who came to the conclusion that both forms of education were equally meritorious rose considerably. The bottom line is that with online education, you should always be prepared to explain and defend the accreditation of your chosen educational resource in comparison the other choices available. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4570435