need feedback please.

[Slowone]

Hello, I am looking for some opinions regarding "online" and/or "independant" continuing education. I am an LPN looking to further my education. I am also a mother of three young children and cannot attend school fulltime. I would love feedback, both positive and negative from those who may have gotten their degree this way (or attempted to) as well as from those who may work in an adminisrative capacity; how do you rate these types of degrees in the hiring process? Thanks a lot.

[Stormy]

Congratulations on your desire to further your education! Going back to school is challenging, but extremely rewarding. I started my Post RN degree program in February of this year via distance education at Athabasca University.

Positives:

1) You can work at your own pace - be it fast or slow.

2) You don't have to attend school full-time, thereby reducing childcare expenses, and being able to maintain your current job

3) Tutors are flexible.

4) You can get as much 1-1 with your tutor as you desire - or as little.

5) It is more affordable

Negatives:

1) You don't have deadlines, so you must maintain your momentum on your own initiative - sometimes hard to do.

2) You don't get the benefits of learning from fellow students as much.

3)You don't have the benefit of having an instructor available all the time.

Personally, I am enjoying studying through distance. I had tried several years ago, but was unsuccessful. I had the not so brilliant idea that studying would give me sometime else to think about other than the divorce I was going through at the time. It didn't work!

Athabasca University (where I am going) is well respected, not only in Canada, but world-wide. From an administrative perspective, I do not judge where a person obtained their degree as much as how they can integrate their knowledge. If you are interested, check out: http://www.athabascau.ca

Good luck!