Mom-Friendly Online Colleges?

I am a mother of 3 with a home based daycare. I have done daycare in my home for 13 years. I am currently attending Ashford University Online. It is a great school. They take financial aide. If you need to know anything, don't hesitate to call them at 1-877-241-9893. The people there are great and the classes are flexible. You will only need to log onto the computer 2 times a week. I love it. If I can do it with the busy schedule I have, then you can do it to.

Dear K.,

I am an ambassador for Capella University which has excellent on-line learning opportunities for adult learners. I am currently in the dissertation phase of my PhD and have been attending since my daughter was 3 (she is now 6) and I have been able to go to school, work full time and be a soccer mom and be very involved with my daughter. I have a job that is very flexible and I make my own hours so working full time doesn't get in my way of being there for her when she needs me.

Keep in mind that there is financial aid for all schools. Financial aid is Federal monies. The only degrees where you cannot get a Pell Grant are those that are graduate level and if you already have earned a Bachelor's degree. However, there are other sources for these situations such as student loans, grants, fellowships, et cetera. Thus, you should be able to get financial aid no matter where you go to school.

Check out Capella and if they have a program you are interested in. Their website is capella.edu. I have read some of the responses. Capella is a brick and mortar school out of Minnesota, MN that has on-line courses. Capella, like Webster University, is accredited. You indeed have to make sure that the on-line program that you attend is accredited and most are now a days. If you have any questions let me know. Good luck!

C.

HI I am currently doing the same thing accept I am looking at teaching programs. YOu may want to check out the 2 I am looking at Ashford University and Western Governors University . They are both online but I am just not sure if they have business programs...worth checking out. Also my girlfriend is doing hers online right now with Walden University. Hope these help-good luck!!
S. Bear

Both of my daughters have gotten their associate degree through University of Phoenix and are continuing with their bachelor's there. It has cost them very little out of pocket and they also have received Pell Grants in addition to student loans. They have done all this online from home and in addition to having children and working full and part time. My oldest daughter worked for University of Phoenix as enrollment counselor in Georgia, but had to quit because her husband got stationed in Hawaii with the Army last October.
Good luck with your education.
Sincerely,

A proud Mom & Nana

I have been taking online courses through Georgia Perimeter. While most of the classes do have specific deadlines for assignments, you are still able to do more of your lessons on your own time. It really is a great option for stay at home moms.

Online colleges are expensive and if you are looking at a 4-year degree will take you years and money. They also have schedules to meet. You also have to change colleges sometimes if you are transferred and credits don’t transfer. I have a home business that is very SAHM oriented, involves no selling, and you will have the equivalent of a BS in BA with all the business experience you acquire by on-the-job experience. Ask any counselor these days – especially financial counselors – and they will tell you that everyone in America needs a business of their own to make it ahead and be in charge of your future. A JOB is defined as Just Over Broke because YOU are NOT in control of how much you can make or your schedule. We can sit down together – on the phone – and I can tell you how I do it with a great bunch of friends for support. I’d love to show you how to bring in a significant income and still stay home with your kids. As an Army brat and military wife, I can tell you that Army wives are made for this – it’s portable and you already have all the resources you need. There are many other fringe benefits that school can’t offer you. As a former school counselor, I’ll add, if you decide to try a school, take Rebecca’s advice – she’s on the money.

I would STRONGLY recommend that you choose a real bricks-and-mortar university that has online classes. In NC, for example, many of the schools in the UNC system offer classes online. My husband completed his masters at Western Carolina this way, and because it's a "real" school, he's having no trouble having his degree recognized. In contrast, I have two friends who got degrees through online-only schools (like Univ.of Phoenix) and neither one has had success with employers recognizing their degree-- one couldn't get a job at all, the other has a job but her employer won't approve masters-level pay because they don't see the degree as legitimate. The cost at UNC, for example, is not any more than online-only schools, and is about half what you'd pay for regular classroom instruction. The drawback is that some professors do require assignments on a schedule, but you can always just take one class at a time so you don't get overloaded. PLEASE consider classes with a "real" school-- I'd hate for you to invest so much time and money only to be disappointed with what your degree can get you. Good luck!!

Hey, I don't know if this would be anything you would be interested in but I am working on my BS in Business Administration at Shorter in there adult degree program. I only go 1 night a week and I meet with my study group 1 night a week. The way it is set up you are 1 class for 5 weeks then move on to your next class. I had some credits I could transfer in from Georgia Highlands so I started in the middle of the associates program and I will be at an associates level in October then it will take me another 22 months to finish my bachelors. I don't think one night a week is to bad plus I have a great group of girls in my study group so its like I get a girls night our every week. Hope and Pell covered most of it but not all. I did have to get a small student loan but it was unsubsidized and I've already paid it back with my income tax. It might be worth it for you to look into.

Go to the ed center on Ft Stewart and see what they have to offer...it isn't just for soldiers only anymore.

Also check out www.miltary.com They send out free information emails that often highlight online colleges that cater to the military/military spouse.

Good Luck!!

Hi K.

Our profiles almost match, lol. I am also a stay at home mom with three daughters and my husband is currently deployed to the middle east right now. I got my degree through an online college, and it took me almost three years. I attended Colorado Technical University-Online (CTU-Online), and as with most online colleges, it is very convienient, and you work sort of at your on pace. They have due dates and they are strict when they are not met, unless they are given prior notice. They do accept financial aid though and they help you get the most money you can before going to the banks for student loans. Another good thing is books and everything is included in the tuition. See if you can maybe use your husband's GI Bill if he hasn't used it, since his schooling is tuition free or should be. But search around for the good ones that are nationally accredited. Beware of the diploma mills, they are out there and on the hunt for your money. Good Luck. Jess

Hello K.,

I took some classes from Education Direct. They are now called Penn Foster. Here is their link: http://www.pennfoster.edu/ I took some business classes with them in the late 90's and they were a correspondence type so that you could study at your own pace and were independent of a class with deadlines and due dates. Be careful to check out their transfer rates or ability to other colleges and universities. I only took some classes that allowed my next promotion, then they changed the rules and moved it up to 24 hours, to a full degree. When I went to transfer my Education Direct (Penn Foster) classes, some universities (in my case it was Auburn Univeristy and the University of Georgia) would not accept the credits I had earned. There are that do, however, and I picked The University of Maryland University College: http://www.umuc.edu/index.shtml I picked them because they were a full on-line college that offered a History Degree on line. These classes are like a regular college class in that you have fellow classmates (on line) and have a dated semester with exams, papers, assignments, and weekly homework just like if you were attending face to face classes. You can just do your class particiaption at the time convenient for you within the week. It was great for me and I did gradaute with a BA in History in May of 2007. I was so excited that I took my kids, my Mom, and several friends from Georgia to Maryland to do the full walking graduation ceremony!! IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL FEELING!!!

Hope this helps you.............and GOOD LUCK!!!

P.

I would suggest looking into DeVry. I graduated from DeVry in 2005 and I was able to work 2 jobs and go to school full time. I got my degree in Business Admin. w/ a concentration in Health Service Management. I now work at Emory in the winship Cancer institute. I love it, and now want to go back to school for a degree in nursing. DeVry does have financial aid and if you need to take class online or on campus there are classes all around atlanta. Have any more questions feel free to email me at ____@____.com

Good Luck,
S.

CHeck out University of Phoenix Online. The customer service is great and you can get your degree right from without the worries of having to get a sitter for your child. I graduated with my Masters from them and it was great. My son was 3 at the time and I was working full time. They have excellent program choices and they do take financial aid. Check them out. I think the website is http://www.uophx.edu. Don't quote me on that. Or just google them and put in University of Phoenix Online.

Hi K.,
Have you tried Trident Technical College. They also have lottery money that can help also.
Deborah

If you've moved around a lot and attended many different colleges as I have with the military (I'm a vet), the University of Phoenix (or Phoenix Univ online) can't be beat with their administration process.

You give them the name of the colleges you went to (and the years if you can remember them) and they do the legwork by getting all your transcripts together from each college. They will also counsel you about the possibility of adding life experience credits.

They are expensive but definitely worth it. I suggest speaking with an advisor with UoPhx to see what they could do for you and what their online support system is like (instructor availability, exam criteria, discussions boards, etc).

Good luck and congrats for making a decision to attend!

I know someone who got a degree online it does not say it's from online it needs to be from an accreditated college/university I think you can contact devry u and they probably have a financial aid program, thats a grat choice good luck

Kennesaw State has a great business program and is open to students of all ages.

I take classes through Columbia College. The actual big College is in Columbia, MO, but they have campuses all over the US including one at FT. Stewart, GA and one at HAAF in Savannah, GA (where I enroll and what not). I am working on my BA in Business majoring in Accounting and loving it! My classes are 8 weeks long and I am considered fulltime taking two classes. Now I don't know how much "at your own pace" you are expecting, but there are due dates for assignments each week and you work on the assignments at your own pace while making the deadline. I receive financle aid, a grant and a substadized student loan, and I get book vouchers from that money to pay for books. A few of the classes require that you take proctored finals, but I only had classes expecting that my first year, and since then have not had any proctored finals. Tests are usually taken online at home and usually open book, though some teachers have timelimits that don't realy give you time for looking anything up in the text book. I can't think of anything else right now. Good luck!

*** I just noticed your an Army wife, me too! Go to the Ed Center on post and check out Columbia College! Also, you will be able to transfer previous credits you've earned.

I got a masters degree from AIU online when my child was 18 months old. The assignments are due once a week and you only have to log in once a week. You are not required to attend chat, but you can replay the archives later on your own time. They not only do fin aid, they help you get everything done. Look them up and talk to someone.

K.

I have been a student with Park Universtiy for almost 1.5 years. I started with them many years ago, but was in the military so everytime I changed duty stations, I had to change colleges. Then the online programs took off and I love it!! I have been doing online classes for almost 4 years...it is a long story as to why I am STILL in school. But, my suggestion is Park Univesity. They are a university out of MO but offer an awesome online program. If you have any questions, let me know. There is a branch in Valdosta at the Air Force base there and usually on every military installation. And I know scholarships are offered especially through active duty programs. You being a dependant will open you up to a lot! Good luck!!

I am also a stay @ home mom of 3 and I am in school on-line. I attend the university of Phoenix on financial aid. I take 2 classed at a time in 9 week blocks. I like them and they offer lots of classes. Check into them.

K., Strayer University is a good online college. You can register for class and get you books over the internet. They also have campuses all over the country. I did it for a while but I have such a busy schedule now that I don't have time. I hope this helps.

I think the name is "Southern College". They have 5 different locations. It is a Physical college, but you can take nothing but online courses if you want. Then if you want to "walk" at graduation, you still can. The location I looked at was in Savannah. It looked really good ! They have been around for 100 yrs I think.
K.

I'm a stay at home mom of a two year old. I did onlne classes while I was pregnant and after my daughter was born. There are good ones out there, such as University of Phoenix online. But what I did was go through a local college. Alot of community colleges now do what they call distance learning, which is either all online or you have to go to class once a month, and the rest is online. Check out your locals first, you never know what you will find.

Hi K.,
Saint Leo University (St. Leo Florida) provides online BA degrees. The costs are not as high as some. Also, Nova Southeastern Univ. in Florida offers online classes. A school to avoid is Grand Canyon University and always remember to reject any colleges that promise a degree in a few weeks or months; make sure you check their accreditation - around here it's the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; be very wary of colleges that offer degrees w/the bulk of the credit going to "lifetime credit or personal experiences". The topics above are very familiar to diploma mills. It would be a great waste of time and effort to get involved w/Grand Canyon or the other schools I described above w/red flag issues. Best of luck to you. If I get personal referrals for more reputable, accredited schools I'll send them on.

Hi K.,

I recommend American Public University. They are very "Army Friendly". They have a sister online college, American Military University, for all military. The school offers dozens of majors and have a flat rate tuition each semester. They offer courses in 8 week sessions or 16 week sessions. And the best part is that they are regionally and nationally accredited. They definitely accept Financial Aid. Check them out at http://www.apus.edu. I start my classes there this fall after tons of research myself. I think you will really like them!

Blessings,

T. Ashe
Jordan Essentials Bath, Body and Spa
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I attend kaplan University online and I love it.
Kaplan.edu