Sociopath Community

No  .

Yah, if you don't have any hands on classes that you would need to be present for that sounds like a great idea! College is just a big scam to take money, information doesn't need to be that expensive.

It isn't a bad idea, but a friend of mine got scammed seeking her education online.. you have to be careful and do a lot of research, but that's all. Don't worry about some yuppie boomer "not real, not respectable" nonsense. 

In some cases being in the school physically is advantageous because, you'll meet professionals. 

Sometimes a professional is hired to teach and they often come from companies you and your colleagues will be eyeing. 

The difference really is making connections which makes it easier to get your foot in the door. Surely you've been told "It's who you know" 

Some places really do expand themselves by cherry picking fresh graduates, for they are cheaper than someone whose been in the field for decades, while the experienced worker still gets the job. This is why they cherry pick though.

If on the other hand, the school doesn't offer instructors that are currently working in the field, then there is no real benefit to driving yourself into student debt. 

My personal experience with college was very good. I totally wasn't learning that stuff on my own, and we all helped one another understand things about a software no human being in their right mind knows how to use 100% Still though, there are guys that learned it on thrir own in their garage and scored a career. ( In Canada an employer can hire anyone they want, regardless of their level of education. Not when it comes to doctors and serious shit though ) 

Go to the school and request a tour. You will see students there, talk to them when you get a chance. They will be prideful in what they are making themselves out to be, do not envy them, and find out if their instructors are professors or professionals. If they don't even mention that, then they are most likely professors, because a school with multiple  professionals as instructors is a major selling point.

Finally, when you're going to meet people in your field. Please DO NOT, bring deloris the explois, you will lose your shit and end up in a cell for manslaughter.

i would not recommend it. maybe a few classes if they will transfer. the best job prospects are when you go to a local school in the same area that you want to work in.

look for this

ABET accreditation provides assurance that a college or university program meets the quality standards of the profession for which that program prepares graduates.

We accredit programs, not institutions. We provide specialized accreditation for post-secondary programs within degree-granting institutions already recognized by national or regional institutional accreditation agencies or national education authorities worldwide.

https://www.abet.org/accreditation/find-programs/

looks like University of Hawaii at Manoa has accreditation

This is possibly a wise decision, but focus on outcomes. I.e.: How many graduates from that program end up in their desired field within 6 months? Look at success rates for the programs, but yes, you don't need to dump your money into the fire pit that is college dorm life tuition.

I'd say it depends on the field. You could consider not getting a degree at all, lots of courses available online for free for you to learn the skills you want.

No. Lots of these online schools are just scams to get your $$ - aka Trump university. Move to Canada and get in a program that offers co-op jobs every second semester. You can make money and get connections while in school. Check out Simon Fraser. 

I work in the University System on the research side of things but I am also very bias against institutions in general, so that's my lens. 

Attending a University online is perfectly acceptable and can take you places if one keeps the proper constraints in mind.

Several here have expressed that online schools can be scams and they certainly can be. As Billy has stated what matters is accreditation and many online schools hold the proper national and regional accreditation. Several famous institutions have such programs but I would look into online schools that are part of their states university system. To be part of such a system they must meet all accreditation requirements. With that you'll have a valid and marketable degree. 

The other major concern, as Tony stated, is the social aspects of a brick and mortar school. Connections carry wait and there's nothing like meeting people face to face. I would think you can make plenty of connections with people in your industry of interest and still attend a online university. For one, you will be in a class with other students. Most are actually already working adults or military and as such all it takes is sending a pm to start socializing with someone who's possibly already in the industry. You will have professors and once again they are only a pm away. Ask questions and be proactive and they will not only notice you but would love to stay in contact. Professors all around the world have public emails and are also very lonely people, if you are working on a project and are using some specific technique attributed to some researcher...you should email them. They would be SO HAPPY that someone not only noticed their work but is using it for engineering purposes. Most people don't understand this side of high academia but scholars and inventors are constantly interacting and even live for such interactions. And, of course you can always go to local events pertaining to your interests (job fairs, expos, clubs, etc) or interact with brilliant everyday people on the web.

As a quick example for the above, last semester we brought on a girl from high school to help with research. Why? She emailed my boss, who is the head of the department at one of the worlds leading institutions for our field may I add, and showed enthusiasm. After a meeting with her I could tell she was very competent and capable so I too saw no problem with it. She was actually a great asset to a team made up of graduate program students and seniors. She didn't have our knowledge but she had Will. The result was a very productive semester for us and she got recommendations. 

Universities today are institutions that manage decline. 

The internet is the new neural center of Mans imagination and ingenuity.