Enrollment in online universities is growing every year
State universities are taking advantage of their traditional benefit: quality education at affordable prices. They are attracting a nontraditional student body: online learners who often live out of state.
While enrollment at higher-education colleges and universities is not growing, enrollment in online programs is skyrocketing. One student at the University of Massachusetts says he takes courses from its regular faculty, gets lots of feedback, and develops friendships with classmates. He contributes to online class discussions after his children go to bed at night.
At UMass, enrollment has quadrupled to 9,200 students since 2001. Most are working adults between the ages of 25 and 50, and 30 percent are from out of state.
Tuition is slightly higher than on-campus programs because Web-based courses aren’t subsidized. On-line students pay $670 a credit toward a master’s degree in business administration. Many schools charge less, but UMass says it emphasizes quality.
According to the Alfred Sloan Foundation, 51 percent of public colleges offer online degree programs in business. Students are generally held to the same admissions standards as on-campus students who enter with some college background. They are judged mostly on their college grades and their work experience. Applicants for graduate degrees, such as MBAs, may need to take the standardized tests for such programs.
At the University of Illinois in Springfield, 92 percent of students complete their courses, close to the 94 percent retention rate for on-campus students.