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Paying for distance education There's much debate today about the value of online learning and where it's headed. But there's little doubt that the students best suited to online education are busy adults. These students are signing up in growing numbers. And we're regularly seeing new online programs to serve them. But as with anything new, there are problems still to be worked out. Most important from the student's perspective is how to determine the quality of the programs being offered. Then, too, there are the misconceptions, especially about costs, that must be clarified. The academic community is struggling with the development of the standards necessary to ensure quality in online education. You might feel you can't go wrong with online classes offered by traditional institutions of good quality. Often that's true – if you're getting the same professors and the same curriculum as on-campus. But it's not that simple – an offline class can't just be put online as is. To be effective, it must take advantage of the interactive capabilities – as well as overcome the barriers – of the new technology. Unfortunately, the quality issue impacts the cost issue. Not only do online programs often cost the student more, but it's also harder to get financial aid to cover these costs. Why? For your protection. Years ago, correspondence courses – many of questionable value – proliferated. In response, the federal government instituted restrictions on the granting of financial aid for these courses. Among the most significant: - The "50% rule" considered an institution to be ineligible for financial aid if it offered more than 50% of its courses by correspondence, or if it enrolled 50% or more of its students in correspondence courses. - To be eligible for aid, the institution had to require a minimum number of weeks of instruction during the academic year. These restrictions have seriously hampered the growth of distance learning. The government recognizes the problem (as well as the potential of online learning) and is working to solve it. But it's a slow process. Through the Distance Education Demonstration Program, the Department of Education is testing waivers of some of the restrictions among a small group of carefully selected institutions. There are currently 15 participants. This summer, 35 more will be added. What does this mean to you? If you plan to attend online courses through any of the Distance Education Demonstration Program schools, you have a better chance of obtaining federal financial aid. But if you plan to attend other institutions your options may be limited. - You'll have the most difficulty if it's an online-only school - If it's an online program offered by a traditional school, you may be eligible for federal aid. - If you're taking online classes as part of a traditional program, you will be covered by any financial aid package you receive for the full program. Most important: ASK about financial aid before you sign up. 5/29/01 TOP |
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