If you want a course or two, fine.

If you want a degree employers will respect, choose an online school offered by a respectable conventional school. For example, Univ of Maryland’s online school is as reputable as its conventional school.

don’t go to UOP
UOP online is not respect by employees
read @ http://www.uopsucks.com

It was written: “Almost universally on-line colleges are looked at as sub-par, and most are not accredited.”

Where do we get this garbage? “Almost universally”???? Get a real clue people, it’s 2008 not 1981. “most are not accredited”??? check the lists – actually, most are as accredited as your local State U – your local State U is probably among the offerers of online classes/degrees.

Try these online programs and see if you can find someone who tells you that they are “sub-par” or “unaccredited”

Harvard University http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2007-08/DistanceEd/courses/

University of Oxford http://www.online.ox.ac.uk/

UC – Berkeley http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/online/

UCLA http://www.uclaextension.edu/

Berklee Music http://www.berkleemusic.com/

Cornell University http://www.ecornell.com/

University of Florida http://www.distancelearning.ufl.edu/

University of Massachusetts http://www.umassonline.net/Home.html

this is the tip of the iceberg – everyone is teaching online these days. Some of the best colleges in the world are teaching online and offering degrees that way.

So, you asked “how legit are online classes?” Harvard, Oxford, Johns Hopkins, Cornell, Columbia, Berkeley, Stanford, etc… all think they’re legit – they do it. I won’t presume to know more about the legitimacy of online courses than does the administration of the finest universities in the world.

“Anyone know about their credibility?” Yes, the most credible online courses/programs are at the most credible traditional colleges. USNews and World Reports ranks them for us.

“Which ones are highly approved by employers?” The same ones that are “highly approved” when discussing any college. Most employers are impressed by any of the Top-10 and more than a few of those teach online. Remember though, employers don’t usually “approve” colleges.

The bottom line is that there are some really poor online programs out there. There are also some really poor in-the-seat programs out there. There are some truly exceptional online programs too, they tend to be at the same schools that have truly exceptional in-the-seat programs.

In the education field, your primary consideration is regional accreditation. A High School pays you no more for an MA from Harvard than for an MA from Peru State College (both are regionally accredited and that’s all they care about). In post-secondary education, they do indeed care about what school awarded the degree. And, that’s the real key. It’s not about online vs classroom; it’s all about the reputation of the school that awarded the degree.

I won’t give you my opinion on “which ones stink” as that can be an actionable (libelous) statement. I will tell you that your options are far greater than those ‘as seen on TV’ colleges — almost everyone is teaching online these days. It’s here and it works.