[copenhagen]

Hi

I would like to know if anybody have tried out an online college, which offer web programming? Is it waste of time, or should you go for the "real" thing?????

[Nykc]

Real Thing

[jjsaw5]

I don't know what the online colleges are like, but i personally would go for the real thing.

1. You will have human interaction for me being able to learn something and interact with the professor and other students is a good thing. I personally liked attending class because i learned better listening and watching people do something and then trying to do it myself. You may be different.

2. Sitting at home all the time would get kind of boring don't you think? I liked getting up and going to class. For me getting out of the house is always a good

But its all in what you like if you are someone that is better off sitting alone reading a book, or a independent learner then i would give it a shot.

This post has been edited by jjsaw5: 17 April 2008 - 11:57 AM

[supersloth]

it's really a personality thing, you have to be really self-motivated to keep up with the work since no one will be around bugging you, as well as being able to learn and problem solve yourself since your ability to talk to the people grading you will be really limited.

it works for some people, not so much for others. i know i could never do it.

[Nova Dragoon]

If you have a job already in the industry then it would be alright for you to go after an online degree.

However if you are just coming out of high school, then go do the real thing. Reason being that at the real thing you can get research jobs, internships, and other stuff like that, where as an online college doesn't usually have those opportunities.

[JasonMcAuley]

The real thing gets my vote. Its just a much better experience.

[Lisa S]

copenhagen, on 17 Apr, 2008 - 11:47 AM, said:

Hi

I would like to know if anybody have tried out an online college, which offer web programming? Is it waste of time, or should you go for the "real" thing?????

I would say if you are in the US then most state schools offer online/hybrid programs and they are usually quite good, but like the others have mentioned, you have to be pretty motivated. If you are a procrastinator then online classes may not be for you. If you like learning things on your own and enjoy a schedule that is flexible then you may have found the ideal format.

I currently take some programming courses online, but at a state school. I love it! I work full time so it is very convenient. I would be very careful with some of the one hundred percent online schools; some are absolute rip-offs. Also, not all courses in my program are offered online. Some concepts are just too hard to learn on your own.

A few statistics: Only about 40 percent of the people in my class are actually passing.

Good luck whatever you decide!

[tody4me]

I am currently attending online courses at the University of Phoenix. It's sponsored through work, and I would say that it's better in a real classroom than online. For one thing, you have to participate in real classes, the 2 classes that I've been in so far I know the "slackers" the first day but they always wind up on the team that I'm for the final paper. The class that I'm in now is a major class, and the "teacher" the first day (as per posting in the lounge for humor rather than seriousness) asked for 3/4 of our bio information. Come to find out later that he didn't know how to copy and paste properly. THIS IS A MAJOR CLASS! Needless to say he's gotten a lot of my smart-arse comments about things that he's requesting of the assignments.

This post has been edited by tody4me: 17 April 2008 - 09:29 PM

[P4L]

Like tody4me, I also attend University of Phoenix, but I am in a classroom. There are times that I would rather be online, and I am actually thinking of doing that once I get back into my gen eds, but for the major classes, I would rather be in the classroom being shown live how to do the work, yet at the same time doing it right along with the professor. There are pro's and con's to both, but I think it might be safe for me to assume that most people here will say to go to class rather than do the online thing, even if it is from a school like UoP.

[pariah]

I'm attending Westwood Online for game design. I've just started the programming classes but it is pretty interactive. You have access to a college email for everyone in your class as well as your instructor. They also offer video lectures and tutoring sessions via chat.

I'm only in my second term but I like it so far.

This post has been edited by pariah: 18 April 2008 - 01:49 PM

[jeronimo0d0a]

I'm going to "real" classes and I love it. There's so much more to college than the classes and I wouldn't miss it for anything. Even though I'm older than most of my classmates, it's still a wonderful experience. I think you learn what you set out to learn but the social experience shouldn't be counted out.

[WOLChad]

I am at Westwood College Online and it is an awesome school! They have real tutors at certain times throughout the week and my favorite one is considering on putting me with him to help out since theres only 8 or so, 2 on the weekend shift. Anyways its expensive for a high school graduate but I got big plans and the army or the navy isn't doing much to help. I reccomend you guys to look at the school. I am majoring in the Game Software Development but its building applications for games specifically. Currently the graduation rate is above 70% and hired within one year is 80%. Compared to University of Phoneix (no pun intended) Westwood just dominates the rates. www.westwoodonline.com Send me a pm if you want more information and I'll have my counselor contact you! =)

[Rahlcepx516]

copenhagen, on 17 Apr, 2008 - 11:47 AM, said:

Hi

I would like to know if anybody have tried out an online college, which offer web programming? Is it waste of time, or should you go for the "real" thing?????

DeVry offers a decent online programming class(es). I was doing on campus there for a while but it wasn't really anything more than immediate help from an arrogant teacher and a waste of gas. The only difference I had when I did my online programming classes for there was.
1. I saved gas.
2. I had to wait for an e-mail for help, but I could have called my professor.
3. I got to sleep in 3 days of the week.

[RodgerB]

You're probably more employable if you do it at a college instead of doing it online. I believe you would be fed more information at a college and taught more, than blasting Google for information. At least at college you've got both resources at hand.

This post has been edited by RodgerB: 03 May 2008 - 02:36 AM

[KYA]

RodgerB, on 3 May, 2008 - 03:31 AM, said:

You're probably more employable if you do it at a college instead of doing it online. I believe you would be fed more information at a college and taught more, than blasting Google for information. At least at college you've got both resources at hand.

Do you have any substantial evidence or experience to back up this claim? As long as the college your attending is accredited and preferably has a campus somewhere, online classes should not make you less employable, especially in the programming field where people are supposably looking for self motivated individuals, which online coursework takes a lot of self motivation.

I've taken a combination of both and face to face did not offer anything better then online. You're still surrounded by a pack of phenomenal idiots.