Many first year college students do not return for their second year. As many as 1 in 3 will not return for various reasons. It is in the best interest of the university to help make sure these students return to complete their bachelor’s degree program. US News has ranked national colleges according to their freshman retention rate.

1. Yale University New Haven, CT 98.8%
2. Columbia University New York, NY 98.5%
3. Stanford University Stanford, CA 98.0%
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA 98.0%
5. Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 98.0%
6. Princeton University Princeton, NJ 98.0%
7. University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 98.0%
8. California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 97.8%
9. University of Chicago Chicago, IL 97.8%
10. University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 97.5%

Students fail to return to school because of family, financial difficulties, difficulty with the academic load, etcetera. Schools also need to be proactive and make sure students have access to counselors and campus resources that can help them to stay in school. Earning your bachelor’s degree online or at campus programs can give you the education you need for your future.

US News and World report ranks schools across the country that have the best degree programs. Computer science is a very popular degree, and the top 10 computer science programs are as follows.
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Stanford University
3. University of California–Berkeley
4. Carnegie Mellon University
5. University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign
6. Cornell University
7. Princeton University
8. University of Washington
9. Georgia Institute of Technology
10. University of Texas–Austin
Earning a computer science degree from one of the top schools can open doors for a great future. But if you can’t get to a campus based program, there are many excellent online computer science degree programs. Computer science is different than information technology.
Computer science programs teach the theoretical basis of computation and information and how it applies to a computer system. … | Read the rest of this entry »

1. Devry University- Request FREE info packet

First established in Chicago in 1931, DeVry University has a long and prestigious history as one of the United States’ top professional training institutions. DeVry offers a multitude of career-oriented degrees, ranging from information technology to business and medical administration, and often at an accelerated pace for students who want to power through their degree and move on to bigger and better things. Meanwhile, on the convenience front, the option of studying online or at one of the schools numerous campuses makes it easy to find a program and schedule that will fit your life. As if that weren’t enough, DeVry boasts an unprecedented 90% job placement success rate. Sounds like a winner, from where we stand!
2. University of … | Read the rest of this entry »

Dr. Caroll Ryan, President of California Southern University joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at California Southern University.
CalSouthern has been offering degree programs since 1978. We have degrees in Behavioral Sciences, Law, and Business. All degrees are earned completely online with the help of our web-interactive platform and learner resources.
Specific degree programs include:
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (BA)
• Master of Arts in Psychology (MA)
• Master of Science in Psychology (MS)
• Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
• Juris Doctor (JD)
• Master of Science in Law (MSL)
• Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies (AALS)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
CalSouthern is unique! In addition to the numerous degrees that are approved … | Read the rest of this entry »

Edward J. Latessa, Professor and Division Head at University of Cincinnati Divison of Criminal Justice.
Tell us about the distance learning Criminal Justice programs offered at University of Cincinnati.
UC began its online master’s program in criminal justice in 2001. This program is designed for working professionals; students take two courses per term, back-to-back so that they can focus on one class at a time, and complete the program in two years.
A new one-year accelerated online program began in Fall 2007. This option enables highly-motivated students to take four courses per term and complete the program in half the time. It is intended for students who do not plan to work full-time while completing the program.
Both programs use the same curriculum: 16 courses covering theory, administration and … | Read the rest of this entry »

Larry Gould, Provost/VP for Academic Affairs at Fort Hays State University joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at Fort Hays State University.
Currently, Fort Hays State University (FHSU) offers one associate’s degree, 14 bachelor’s degrees, 9 master’s degrees, and nearly 20 undergraduate and graduate certificate programs, all available completely on line. One of our most popular undergraduate programs is the Bachelor’s of General Studies, which is designed to be a degree completion program for the adult learner who needs a baccalaureate degree for career advancement. Students find this program to be a highly flexible option, particularly if they have already completed several years of college. Currently, FHSU offers nine different concentration areas, but students may … | Read the rest of this entry »

Marla J. Solomon, Ed.D., Dean of Graduate Programs at the School for International Training joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at the School for International Training.
Our approach is actually to combine face-to-face with distance learning components in many variations throughout our programs. The purpose of this hybrid format is to build a strong learning community face-to-face which can stay strong throughout the distance learning process, bringing into our programs the best of both components.
Our newest degree program format is our most distance-oriented. The International Education Low Residency Master’s degree and Graduate Certificate programs are designed for working professionals who would like to obtain a graduate degree while continuing their careers. Professionals in fields such as … | Read the rest of this entry »

Dawn Drake, Executive Director for Alternative Delivery Systems at University of Wisconsin – Platville joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
UW-Platteville offers 3 graduate programs (Criminal Justice, Engineering, and Project Management) and 2 undergraduate programs (Business Administration and Criminal Justice) completely online. In addition, there are several online certificate programs available and students can also take individual classes to transfer into another program or for professional development. For a complete listing of our programs and courses, visit our Website.
What is the typical duration of each of your programs?
Our individual courses are set up on a typical semester basis (16 weeks in fall and spring and 10 weeks in the summer). … | Read the rest of this entry »

Alan Davis, Distance Education Associate Dean for Jefferson State Community College joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at Jefferson State Community College.
The mission of the Distance Education Department at Jefferson State Community College is to provide accessibility to education through a broad range of quality courses in various disciplines. JSCC offers many online courses for transfer credit (university parallel degree programs). The college also has three accredited career education programs that are available through distance education: Veterinary Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Funeral Service Education. JSCC also offers several online courses toward many other AAS degrees and certificates.
What is the typical duration of each of your programs?
Associate degrees are typically thought of as … | Read the rest of this entry »

Preston DuBose from the Office of Distance Education at Texas A&M University joins us today to discuss distance education.
Tell us about the distance learning programs offered at Texas A&M University.
Texas A&M offers 20 graduate degrees and 3 graduate certificate programs by distance education. The entire list of degrees and certificates can be found at by Clicking Here.
What is the typical duration of each of your programs?
Distance programs at Texas A&M follow the same format and requirements as on-campus graduate programs, consequently the durations are roughly the same. Figure 2 to 3 years for a master’s degree and longer for a doctoral degree.
What would you say makes Texas A&M University programs different and better than other comparable online programs?
As a major research university, Texas A&M attracts … | Read the rest of this entry »