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Fixing America’s Schools Through Nationally Accredited Online Schools

December 1st, 2009

By Alvina Lopez

America’s school system has drastically dropped down from once being in the top tier of educational programs around the world, as public and private universities have lost their edge in the foreign marketplace.  Whether this is from their lack of competition, their ranking systems, or the many advertising wars that have emerged with the creation of online schools that lack accreditation, the fact remains that our education system is in trouble and new programs are needed to bring the system back up again. 

Simply glancing back a few decades ago to the previous state of the school system reveals an outstanding change in policies.  High school graduates are no longer guaranteed a well-paying job; rather, students now need at least a Bachelor’s degree to be considered for most career opportunities.  Even this is slowly changing so that most companies now require a further Master’s degree.  So where do online schools fit in, in this complicated system?

Nationally accredited online schools have presented the American youth with a viable alternative for their future.  Amidst all the brewing questions about the future of our school system (should students really have a summer break?; should we have high school last an additional year?), online schools have risen to the challenge and allowed many students to take the initial step into a community or vocational school without completely devoting themselves to a 4-year program.  President Obama has backed this type of proposal and suggested that students better prepare themselves for a career by enrolling in a short community college program before attending a public or private university. 

This is a step in the right direction, as many students remain confused and unsure upon their first year at traditional universities.  Allowing students to remain at home for another year (maybe work on the side), while still attending online classes or even classes in their community will save time and money in the long run.  Many of these course credits will additionally transfer over to other institutions and help students decide what they inevitably want to major in.  President Obama’s plan embraces the possibility that the federal government would front the bill for this extra year of schooling, thereby saving even more money for concerned parents and students.  If this does end up happening, high school graduates will have no excuse not to enroll in such a program.

Nationally accredited schools fit in this puzzle of education because they offer students a wide array of options when beginning their higher educational experience.  Surveying the many accredited schools gives students a taste of what is out there in the education field and lets them pick and choose at their leisure, rather than be confined by their community courses.  While the future of the education system remains uncertain, nationally accredited online schools are slowly beginning to play a bigger role in contributing to a secure future for the country. 

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