Anonymous wrote:I used to be a college professor. I just don't know how they get around the issue of cheating with on-line degrees. WIth these huge courses, they also have peer grading, as opposed to grading by someone who truly understands the material. If I were hiring someone, I'd look for someone who sat in a proctored exam hall, as opposed to someone who got an on-line degree.

You must be old because exams are taken in person at testing centers.

No way to cheat more so than an in person degree.

In fact I would be more inclined to ask lecture questions using a messenger Program than raising my hands in person.

I used to be a college professor. I just don't know how they get around the issue of cheating with on-line degrees. WIth these huge courses, they also have peer grading, as opposed to grading by someone who truly understands the material. If I were hiring someone, I'd look for someone who sat in a proctored exam hall, as opposed to someone who got an on-line degree.

Anonymous wrote:Online degrees are getting more and more popular due to its much lower costs. It's likely VA public schools will offer online undergrad degrees in 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If i buy 529 prepaid semesters for my DC today, who knows if 15 years later it's only allowed to be redeemed for online degree courses?

The question you're really asking is whether the higher education pricing bubble will pop.

I believe it will. I do think the days of 9% annual tuition increases are over and so the instate ROI of a prepaid tuition plan has been evaporated. I also think we'll see the quality of online courses increase, including more MOOC taught by elite professors.

So, really, a 529 plan you actually own may be worth more since that money can be used for things like computers, study abroad, graduate school, etc. It's much more versatile.

Yeah online makes more sense it will solve the inflated cost of tuition and allow universities to increase their capacity

Then don't get the prepaid. Just have a small 529 and save the rest elsewhere. It's not worth fretting over.

Anonymous wrote:Oh, I don't think they'd cost less. They'd just jack up the price if it became really common. In fact, I'm pretty sure most universities that offer online degrees cost the same or more.

Did you read the article? The online CS degree from Georgia Tech is $6,600 — far less than the $45,000 on-campus price. The worst case scenario is that they will offer 2 price options like Georgia Tech but only allow you to use the prepaid semesters to buy online options. If my DC want to take the other option to have on campus experience, I will need to pay extra to upgrade to the "Cadillac plan". That said, it's all hypothetical. All I want at the end of the day is to have better investment returns to to finance college educations for my DC. They are only age 1 and 3 now.

Oh, I don't think they'd cost less. They'd just jack up the price if it became really common. In fact, I'm pretty sure most universities that offer online degrees cost the same or more.

True. But that's the risk you take no matter what. You're paying for something now hoping it will cost more in the future. But you still get what you paid for - a degree.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think online classes would be subpar? As the article said, VT is already teaching freshman math entirely online. Don't you think in ten years the universities will have figured out the best way to manage online learning? The technology will advance dramatically, too. Hell, in ten years they may be able to project the professor right into your living room.

OP here. Online classes may not be subpar in turns of knowledge value, but it definitely cost less $$. The rate of return on your prepaid investment may be zero or even negative.

Why do you think online classes would be subpar? As the article said, VT is already teaching freshman math entirely online. Don't you think in ten years the universities will have figured out the best way to manage online learning? The technology will advance dramatically, too. Hell, in ten years they may be able to project the professor right into your living room.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Online degrees are getting more and more popular due to its much lower costs. It's likely VA public schools will offer online undergrad degrees in 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If i buy 529 prepaid semesters for my DC today, who knows if 15 years later it's only allowed to be redeemed for online degree courses?

Why would that be a problem?

Online degrees are much less expensive than the in class degrees. You are paying in class tuition today to buy sub par classes tomorrow. Don't you feel it is a scheme?

Anonymous wrote:Online degrees are getting more and more popular due to its much lower costs. It's likely VA public schools will offer online undergrad degrees in 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If i buy 529 prepaid semesters for my DC today, who knows if 15 years later it's only allowed to be redeemed for online degree courses?

Why would that be a problem?

Anonymous wrote:Online degrees are getting more and more popular due to its much lower costs. It's likely VA public schools will offer online undergrad degrees in 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If i buy 529 prepaid semesters for my DC today, who knows if 15 years later it's only allowed to be redeemed for online degree courses?

Or who knows if in class courses will be the norm?

I'd like to say, stick to VA muni bonds. But I don't really trust those either.

Online degrees are getting more and more popular due to its much lower costs. It's likely VA public schools will offer online undergrad degrees in 10 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/education/masters-degree-is-new-frontier-of-study-online.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If i buy 529 prepaid semesters for my DC today, who knows if 15 years later it's only allowed to be redeemed for online degree courses?