In recent years there has been a proliferation of online colleges and online universities, many of them private for-profit schools with no ties to a traditional institutions. Several of these are considerably over-priced and of dubious accreditation.
It’s certainly not uncommon to find online universities charging between $10,000 and $20,000/year for tuition.
If this isn’t bad enough, many of these institutions aren’t even regionally accredited. This means they aren’t even recognized as legitimate schools by the U.S. government or most traditional universities.
Without this recognition, students attending these institutions cannot receive federal financial aid to cover their cost of attendance, transfer credits earned at these schools to accredited schools, or often get their degrees accepted by potential employers.
By: Online College Plan
Considering all this, it’s very important to research educational programs prior to starting an online degree.
American Public University (APU)
One diamond in the masses of new online schools is American Public University (APU). It is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Therefore, attending students are eligible to receive federal financial aid after completing a FAFSA form and can also use their GI Bill benefits to cover tuition.
With that said, APU’s tuition is among the most affordable in online education. It charges undergraduate students about $270/credit, or approximately $8,000/year, and graduates a rate of $350/credit, or $6,300/year; students with prior military service receive a $20-25/credit discount.
Regionally accredited, its academic credits are readily transferable to most traditional schools. Also, many employers, especially in the public/government sector, respect APU’s degrees and hire its graduates.
APU – Military and Government
While APU is open to everyone – they emphasize their commitment to educating those in the military and government. It offers a wide array of programs and degrees, ranging from certifications to doctorate degrees.
APU has strong degree programs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Business and Security & Global Studies.
In STEM, APU students can pursue certificates, Bachelor’s or Master’s degrees in things like Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.
This university offers Business majors, among other things, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Accounting, Business Administration and Management.
If you are interested in the Security field, APU has certifications and degree programs in subjects like Criminal Justice, Homeland Security and in the ever-important topic of Weapons of Mass Destruction Preparedness.
Students – Seeking Affordable Alternative Schools
So, for students seeking an affordable alternative to traditional schools of online colleges, APU is a good choice. APU gives consumers quality courses at a most affordable price, with its annual cost of attendance being about a third less than that of the University of Phoenix.
It is also an online university that is both recognized and respected by the U.S. government and by numerous major employers.
APU students, particularly those in the STEM, Business and Security fields, are given many diverse program options and can study in their chosen fields from the certificate to the Ph.D. level, in some cases.
