# Online Education Advice
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 3, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908 "2013-01-03T01:24:26Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/1 "2013-01-03T01:24:26Z")
After my Father’s death, I am considering a life change.
A new job, & maybe leaving Tennessee, too.
I need advice about online education.
What I have:
[ul]
[li]A Liberal Arts Degree[/li][li]15 years in Aerial Photography[/li][li]Medical Terminology training[/li][li]Sub-professional library experience.[/li][li]Good general work habits[/li][li]Poor to moderate computer training.[/li][li] Current income $25k-$30k[/li][li]I can pass a credit check? background check.[/li][li]I am willing to leave Tennessee[/li][/ul]
I **want** :
[ul]
[li]A certificate program[/li][li]$35k+ income[/li][li]Skills that cane get me out of Tennessee[/li][/ul]
Limitations:
[ul]
[li]No emergency medicine/fire/police gigs.[/li][li]Not a degree program[/li][/ul]
Dopers–hook me up.
What kind of training can I get.
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### Author:  [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/2 "2013-01-03T01:54:35Z")
Teaching?
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/3 "2013-01-03T01:55:44Z")
Rather than online education, I recommend that you look into in-person education or training. You might visit the admissions department of the local community college or state university and talk to them about what sort of programs they offer. You mentioned not wanting emergency medicine, but are you open to other medical jobs? There are various skilled positions in a hospital, some of which you can qualify for without a degree.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/4 "2013-01-03T02:09:00Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Rather than online education, I recommend that you look into in-person education or training. You might visit the admissions department of the local community college or state university and talk to them about what sort of programs they offer. You mentioned not wanting emergency medicine, but are you open to other medical jobs? There are various skilled positions in a hospital, some of which you can qualify for without a degree.
The local curricula are stunted & backward.
Online offers a variety.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/5 "2013-01-03T10:21:18Z")
Anyone?
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### Author:  [@Snowcarpet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowcarpet)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/6 "2013-01-03T15:20:22Z")
I’m at a loss, I thought I had a good suggestion but I see that you don’t want a degree. I’ll give the suggestion with the caveat that I understand it may not work for you, but they do have many options. Western Governor’s University, it’s one of the most respectable online schools. Heathcare IT? It’s a degree, but comes with certifications.
> **[Health Information Management Bachelor's Degree Program Online | WGU](https://www.wgu.edu/online-nursing-health-degrees/health-information-management-bachelors-program.html)**
>
> WGU’s accredited online health information management bachelor’s degree is a flexible, reputable, and affordable program for healthcare professionals. WGU can help you earn a degree at home.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/7 "2013-01-03T15:30:56Z")
I would recommend Charter Oak State College in Connecticut, but it also emphasizes degree programs. So you might look at [Thomas Edison State College](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison_State_College) in New Jersey, which has some certificate programs (eighteen credits required, according to the Wikipedia article). But I question whether you will be as employable with an online certificate as opposed to one from a traditional school. So despite how “stunted & backward” you find the local schools and/or citizens, I urge you to first think about an in-person course.
And another thing. Given that your father’s passing is still quite recent, don’t do anything too rash.
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### Author:  [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/8 "2013-01-03T15:54:08Z")
To begin with, yes leave Tennessee, I was born in Memphis, grew up in Tazewell, left at 21 and never regretted it. It is a stunted place for many reasons.
Are you detail oriented? Does following/developing processes interest you? I am seeing a lot of hospitals advertiseing for Business Analysts. I mention hospitals because of your medical terminology experience.
There are online PMP and BA classes to take, Six sigma may also help.
As for pay my last gig as a BA paid $57 hr/ full time. I am normally employed at the 85-110 K range. I expect you could start out at the 40K area until you have some experience to market yourself.
Just my $0.02
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [January 3, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/9 "2013-01-03T22:58:51Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> And another thing. Given that your father’s passing is still quite recent, don’t do anything too rash.
I heard that.
And I’m still listening to everybody.
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/10 "2013-01-04T00:49:37Z")
Why not a degree?
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/11 "2013-01-04T00:54:53Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#):
>
> Why not a degree?
Takes too long.
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### Author:  [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/12 "2013-01-04T01:07:34Z")
I know this has nothing to do with what you are specifically looking for, but online classes (mostly) blow. They blow for the student taking them, and if you get your certification online only it tends to be worth less.
Have you considered [Teach for America](http://www.teachforamerica.org/)? It will do a lot of the things that you seem to be looking for, and it will do them sort of quickly. If you hate teaching after three years you will at least be in a new place having done a little bit of good for the world and with more new skills.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/13 "2013-01-04T02:18:18Z")
Except that Teach for America isn’t something one can casually choose to do; it’s extremely competitive. Per Wikipedia, “The organization received more than 48,000 applications for its 2012 corps, resulting in 5,800 new corps members in 46 regions.”
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### Author:  [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/14 "2013-01-04T03:00:17Z")
Yep, TFA is pretty much for hotshots just out of top schools.
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### Author:  [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/15 "2013-01-04T03:44:22Z")
Local university has 40+ departments, a dozen graduate degrees, and 20 + interdisciplinary programs. Stunted and backward? Hardly.
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### Author:  [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)
#### Post date: [January 4, 2013, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/16 "2013-01-04T03:47:11Z")
> [@Ruken](#):
>
> Yep, TFA is pretty much for hotshots just out of top schools.
Really? I know a few TFA teachers and…nevermind. I won’t stereotype.
Anyway, if not TFA a similar program. There are others out there. I very nearly joined the Newark Montclair Urban Teaching Residency program when I first moved to New Jersey (before deciding to go a different way with my life). They exist. TFA is just big and famous.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/18 "2014-04-16T00:03:18Z")
A bump.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2014, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/19 "2014-04-16T00:39:53Z")
Why are you bumping your own year-old thread? Did you take any of the advice you were given? Has anything changed?
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### Author:  [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/20 "2014-04-16T00:46:29Z")
What Dewey said. You’d be a year into a degree program if you hadn’t dismissed it out of hand; now, presumably, you’re a year older, still stuck, with no change and no plan. What’s different about your outlook now that people can use to point you in the ‘right’ direction? Did anything at all change?
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### Author:  [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2014, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/online-education-advice/645908/21 "2014-04-16T01:00:18Z")
[Phlebotomy](http://www.phlebotomyguide.org/)pays very well for such a short program of study.
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