Question: What do these people have in common?

1. A father of 4 and grandfather of 5 who is 50+ years old. Only one of his five brothers and sisters ever obtained a college degree.
2. Needing to make money right after high school, she spent 13 years enrolling in college programs, taking classes and then dropping out as workload, travel or other issues got in the way.
3. She moved from Boston to Phoenix, and had a baby, all while attending college. She needed to take several weeks off during the time of her divorce, and now she is a single mom working full time.

1. After 20 years in a career in law enforcement, she decided to become a teacher to work with children with disciplinary problems.

Answer: They all turned to online education to fulfill their goals and dreams. They will also be joining about 1,200 other college graduates attending the biggest graduation ceremony ever in the history of the University of Phoenix's Online Campus.

The University of Phoenix Online was established in 1989. The online campus offers customized corporate training programs, as well as complete degree programs at the associate through Doctoral level in Business, Management, Technology, Education, and Nursing. It is part of the University of Phoenix, the nation's largest private university with more than 100,000 students. Here's how it works:

What kind of people get their degree online?
Students are career-oriented professionals: 20% are executives or owners of their own businesses, 30% are middle managers in business and industry, and 44% are technical or licensed professionals.

The average age of University of Phoenix Online students is 38 and nearly two thirds have families.

How do you get in?
S tudents must be at least 23 years old, possess a high school diploma or equivalent, and be employed. They must complete the University of Phoenix's proctored Comprehensive Cognitive Assessment. In order to enter the degree programs, students must have a minimum of 30 transferable credits from a regionally accredited institution. Admissions are rolling. There are no traditional semesters; students can begin a course of study any month of the year, with classes starting every 4-6 weeks.

Is there a residency requirement?
No.

How do the classes work?
Classes are limited to 8-13 students to ensure maximum interaction with the professor and between students. Students are expected to log on to the class site five out of every seven days. Online classes last five to six weeks. Each class shares its own group mailbox, which serves as an "electronic classroom." Typically, on the first day of the week the instructor sends introductory information on the week's topic and confirms the assignments, such as reading from the textbook, completing a case study, or preparing a paper on the topic you're studying. The instructor also posts a short lecture or elaborates on the material, and provides discussion questions related to the topic. Throughout the week students work on their own, just as in a traditional classroom setting. The computer conferencing system allows for class discussion; students also can contact the instructor via e-mail to ask questions or receive feedback. When assignments are due, students send them to the instructor online, where they are graded and returned with comments.

Is online education as effective as classroom study?
60% of online students graduate and receive degrees. In tests of cognitive achievement, online students perform as well as or better than students enrolled in traditional classroom programs.

How To Pick an Online University

_{Information and answers to questions provided by University of Phoenix Online}