Monthly Archives: November 2009

Here is an interview conducted by Keith Hampson that gives a nice overview of how Straighterline reduces the cost of college education. It is reprinted below:
Burck Smith is CEO of Straighterline. Full bio.
Q: Burck, can we begin with a high-level description of Straighterline?
Straighterline provides very affordable, very flexible, very well supported online general education courses [...]

In October, Straighterline's courses were reviewed by the American Council on Education's (ACE) Credit Recommendation Service. All nine of Straighterline's credit bearing courses were given approval. This means that any college - and there are thousands - that adheres to ACE's recommendations will now accept Straighterline's courses for credit. To get college credit at Straighterline's [...]

Over the last three months, Straighterline has made quite a splash. First, Kevin Carey wrote a feature article for the Washington Monthly showing how Straighterline's approach to course delivery can save students thousands of dollars. Then, Business Week said the same thing. Not to be outdone, Forbes and the Christian Science Monitor mentioned Straighterline. Finally [...]

From February, 2009...
No one likes to waste either time or money. So why do both when it comes your college education?
For example, if you take the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) series of tests to gain college credits, you first will have to buy any required textbooks or other study materials needed to prepare in [...]

From January, 2009...
College challenges students to perform to the highest standard in every class to prepare them for the rigors of the professional world. That is the popular general belief for most of us, that the educational experience offered in a university setting promotes accountability and preparation in students.
But a study by the National [...]

From January 2009...
Among its many worthy charitable efforts, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (http://www.gatesfoundation.org/united-states/Pages/program-overview.aspx) has set a goal of doubling the number of low-income young adults earning a postsecondary degree by age 26 in the United States. Postsecondary degrees include any education after graduating high school, and one of the foundation's strategies involves plans [...]

From December, 2008...
Forty-nine of 50. That's the number of states in the U.S. with failing grades in higher education affordability, according to The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.
The Center published the findings in its "Measuring Up 2008: The National Report Card on Higher Education" study, which grades states in six categories. But [...]

From November, 2008...
Clayton Christensen is a proponent of disruptive change. That sounds intimidating, but it really just means the process of incorporating innovation into your business that can radically alter your work procedures yet ultimately provide you with an edge over your competitors. Christensen is applying this business principle to our educational system in the [...]

From November, 2008...
It has been the accepted standard operating procedure for years now for those attending college - you schedule everything else in your life around your classes for that semester, not vice versa. But nowadays, thanks to the convenience of online learning, you can make your class schedule fit your needs and not the [...]

From October, 2008...
Some 50 years ago, if you were a student who transferred from a two-year community college to a four-year university program, you would have been regarded as an exception to what others were doing. Not anymore. Studies show that such transfer rates are increasing each year. Indeed, some top academic institutions such as [...]

From October, 2008...
Online education is becoming a fact of life for many of our youth nowadays, and not just those who are home schooled. Twenty-six states now have statewide virtual schools for children in grades K-12. Total enrollment nationwide is estimated to be 1 million students. The Florida Virtual School, established by the legislature in [...]

From October, 2008...
The idea of online education was once treated as a novelty. Today, many companies and even governmental bodies regard it more as a necessity. And that applies not just to the United States either.
For example, there are many joint partnerships between computer companies, schools and governments overseas in educating their youth. Success stories [...]

From September 2008...
The increase in online college educational courses in recent years has been so expansive that the figures astound even some leaders in the profession. Take a look at these numbers:

Almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term, a nearly 10 percent increase over the number [...]

From September 2008...
The first year of college is a difficult one for many students to handle. The new surroundings can be dizzying to absorb, along with all the new material that must be learned. Unfortunately, some colleges and universities, particularly larger ones, make this daunting situation even worse by establishing entry-level courses with less-than-ideal circumstances [...]

From September, 2008...
According to the College Board, college tuition costs for the last school year (2007-2008) increased 6.3 percent, far outpacing inflation. More specifically:

At public four-year institutions, in-state tuition and fees averaged $6,185 for in-state students, or $381 more than 2006-2007, a 6.6 percent increase, and $16,640 for out-of-state students, or $862 more than in [...]