Does this look like a good idea?

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Now I'm just getting frustrated.

I talked to my dad about it. He said he doesn't really care, just to make sure its accredited, and he needs to find out if his insurance will still consider me a full-time student and I'll still be covered. He said he thinks I should go to UW-Steven's Point to get my degree, that way I'll get the "experience" of living in a dorm.

My mom thinks I'm making the wrong choice with Penn Foster. She just said "we need to talk," when I mentioned it to her briefly before school this morning.

Ughh. Nothing's easy, is it?

[Lillycat]

no, not easy trying to pick a good school.....UW is a nationally recognized good university.....

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

I'm still leaning towards Penn Foster. I've read so many great reviews, even heard from people at work that they really like PF.

I called a couple clinics today and the two I called said they really had no experience dealing with vet techs that had done an online program. I have a few more I'd like to call, then I'll make my decision.

[Sirrahsim]

It is the general consensus of the people I used to work with that people with online degrees are generally not taken as seriously in the working world as people with brick and mortar degrees. If you are serious about your education, why wouldn't you be serious about putting your time and effort into an actual university? In my opinion, and theirs, online courses are fine if they are for a prereq class or elective, but shouldn't be used to try to complete a "degree"...
Then again my experience was talking with people in the financial field.. maybe a vet tech would be looked at differently.

[Flatcoatluver]

I got my high school diploma from a online school. I am so happy I did, or I probally would have dropped out of school. I loved how flexible it was, I mostly did my work late at night, because that was the time I was most awake.

I say go for it if you feel good with the school. Good Luck.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Very reputable universities now offer degrees online (including John Hopkins, Yale, Cornell, and Stanford). I think as long as the degree does not have a heavy lab component and it is a good program online degrees are fine. (I know that I keep looking at one from Hopkins). I attended a "regular" university for all of my degrees but now that I am working fulltime again I do not want to go back to school fulltime (again).

So if an online program works and is recognized, then go for it. Additional education is ALWAYS a good thing

[sumbirdy]

That's the school I'm attending now! (To be a vet tech as well) There are absolutely no colleges close to me that offer any kind of vet classes. You have to take online classes once a week for two hours when you're enrolled in certain subjects. Its really flexible and works for me because I work part-time and then come home and take care of my nephew. You don't have to discard job offers because they don't coincide with your school hours, you can build your school hours around work! It works for me but it isn't for everyone. It's easy to set the books down and forget about them because you really have no teachers reminding you everday, and then you get behind (They give you 1 year to finish 2 semesters, and if you don't finish you have to pay a $75 6-month extension fee, you get 3 or 4 extensions I think) With whichever you choose make sure you stay dedicated.