Straight Talk: October 26, 2011

Straight Talk:  The StraighterLine e-Newsletter Issue #22, October 26, 2011
Edited by Jeffrey Lee Simons

In this issue…

StraighterLine Welcomes New Partner School: University of Phoenix

Just last issue we were announcing that Albany State University had joined our growing team of partner colleges, and here we are again this issue to announce our biggest partner yet: University of Phoenix, the nation’s largest private university.

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Through flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning, students achieve personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As the flagship university of Apollo Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world.

Get to know more about University of Phoenix.

Five Sure Ways to Fail at College

By Beth Dumbauld

As Beth writes in her latest StraighterLine Report, “It may not be easy, but it is certainly possible for a motivated, committed individual, intent on going to college, to not make it to graduation. Instead of leaving college with a degree and a foot firmly planted along his or her desired career path, this well intended student can wind up with high levels of stress, a pile of student loan debt, and loads of resentment towards how good intentions (going to college) can go so bad.”

Beth goes on to look at 5 critical mistakes that trip up college students, as well as providing strategies for avoiding or overcoming them. Read Full Report

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Get a Perfect Fit with Our No-Risk Free Trial

Would you ever buy a new pair of jeans or sneakers without trying them on first? At StraighterLine, we want you to be sure we’re a perfect fit, too. That’s why we offer a risk-free trial of 6 StraighterLine courses. Try us on… you’ve got nothing to lose, and thousands of dollars to save.

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Best of The StraighterLine Blog

Marine Corps Slashes Tuition Assistance Program by 75%
There’s bad news for Marines looking to start college while serving their country: effective immediately the maximum assistance has been cut from $3,500 per year to $875. Barry Lenson looks at the reason for the military education cuts and what it all means to the brave men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps. Read Full Post

Paying More…and Getting a Lot Less from Your College?
Here are just a few of the absurd and insulting requirements in the course syllabus for the Psychological Statistics course at California State University Northridge:

  • Unstapled assignments will be given a score of zero.
  • Any student caught using a computer during lecture will be asked to drop the class.
  • If a cell phone rings during an exam, the exam session ends for ALL students.

That’s just a taste. If you need a good laugh, we definitely recommend reading the rest. Read Full Post

StraighterLine Wins Praise as an ”On Ramp to College” in New eBook
There’s more to recommend The Edupunks’ Guide To a DIY Credential than the fact that author Anya Kementz speaks well of us. But that’s not a bad place to start. Check out Barry’s post to find out why The Edupunk’s Guide is a must read for anyone taking online college courses, and to get a link for a free download. Read Full Post

Stay Tuned for Our New Online College Courses!

Your patience is about to be rewarded, and our new online college courses are just about ready to go. Click here to be notified the instant they’re available:

  • Introduction to Business
  • Personal Finance
  • Introduction to Nutrition
  • Physical Education
  • United States History I
  • Western Civilization I
  • Pharmacology I
  • Pharmacology II
  • General Physics I
  • General Physics I with Lab
  • Introduction to Criminal Justice
  • Introduction to Sociology
  • Student Success

Online Education in The News

No Campus? No problem
The Argus Leader, Sarah Reinecke, 10/22/11

In South Dakota, enrollment in online college courses is on the rise. According to Jack Warner, Executive Director of the Board of Regents, demand for online classes has been increasing for the last 12 years. “It's a separate market, but a growing one,” he said. “A working adult really does need the convenience and flexibility that distance education provides.”

The University of South Dakota has 34 online distance education programs, with about 75% of their enrollments coming from pure distance learners. Mark Baron, chairman of the Educational Administration Program at USD, says that their online programs allow more people to get degrees while juggling full-time careers. “People are just busier,” he said. “Scheduling face-to-face classes is a lot more difficult.” Read Full Article

Schools Work to Make Online Education More Affordable
US News University Directory, Catherine Groux, 10/13/11

Some online schools are searching for ways to lower the cost of college courses for their students, according to this article by Catherine Groux. She cites the recent partnership between TechAmerica, the technology industry’s largest advocacy organization, and Western Governors University (a StraighterLine Partner College) to lower the cost of online bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business and information technology. Read Full Article

Hitting Hard on Fraud
Inside Higher Ed, Paul Fain, 10/11/11 

According to Inside Higher Ed, the U.S. Dept. of Education is fighting a rapidly increasingly number of attempts by gangs of scammers to fraudulently obtain federal financial aid. Since 2005, Federal investigators have busted 42 fraud rings and levied $7.5 million in fines. The majority of the scams were directed against community colleges or for-profit institutions. And since 2008, the Apollo Group, parent company of StraighterLine Partner College University of Phoenix, has identified over 15,000 fraudulent students, mostly at its open enrollment Axia College, and referred 750 fraud rings to the Inspector General. This unsettling article by Paul Fain also looks at the conviction of 64 people who targeted Rio Salado College, an online provider partnered with The New York Times, and stole $538,000 in federal aid. Read Full Article

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Refer Your Friends and Earn Gift Cards

Why not let your friends in on the StraighterLine secret and make some extra money for yourself at the same time? Get a $25 Amazon.com Gift Card when your friends sign up for a StraighterLine online college course. There’s no limit to how many rewards you can earn. Get started now.

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 StraighterLine Welcomes New Partner Schools