StraighterLine Offers Cheap Alternatives to Freshmen Level Classes

The average college student graduates with $24,000 in debt. This can be attributed to the fact that the average college tuition has increased by at least 5.6 percent in the past ten years.
So, what’s the average, broke college student to do? Should you sell all of your worldly possessions so you can take Intro to Biochemistry? Heck no! How about using StraighterLine?
StraighterLine is a complete online “school” that offers a cheap alternative for introductory level classes. StraighterLine allows students to pay under $1,000 for an entire year’s worth of classes. These “101”-level classes offer the same information as traditional freshmen-level classes at many universities, but they eliminate the costs of running a college.
“I don’t think StraighterLine has a peer,” said Jim Selbe, assistant vice president of lifelong learning at the American Council on Education. “I don’t know of any other organization that is offering courses in these general requirements. The convenience of being able to sign up for those courses and not having to worry about an open seat available is of great value to many students.”
Another fantastic aspect of StraighterLine is that you can take the classes whenever you want; they are completely online.
“Most people now are really looking for the flexibility,” said Elizabeth Smith, a 42-year-old student who uses StraighterLine. “Online learning, to me, is natural. If I can shop at midnight, why can’t I do my coursework then? I would much rather be using my computer to expand my horizons than buy a pair of shoes.”
There is one major problem with StraighterLine: it is not accredited. This could affect students who complete classes on StraighterLine and then attempt to transfer their credits to an accredited school. However, StraighterLine’s course have been reviewed and recommend by the American Council on Education and these reviews and recommendations have already lead to partnerships with 22 accredited schools, with more partnerships in the future.
If you have some lower-division classes that you need to get out of the way and don’t necessarily want to take a second job in order to pay for them, consider using StraighterLine. This is also a great service if you are not a student, but really want to learn about a particular subject. The low cost and ease of using StraighterLine makes it a fantastic product for anyone.
Via The Baltimore Sun