I was raised with the mindset that if you want to excel in your career, then you have to learn how to do it best, which meant getting degrees and/or certifications in various fields of study This is not to put down anyone who has made a comfortable living though grit and grind….I just wasn’t bred for that. This is to give you ideas on where to start if you want to advance through formal education.

Here are my picks for ONLINE Education to learn tools that can elevate your focus. — I elected to mention online courses for several reasons:

1. We’re still facing a pandemic and online learning is your safest bet. Hybrid courses may also be available for those who still want in-person human interaction.

2. Many of us work full time or have our own families and need a schedule that caters to what we already have in place.

3. I don’t know about you, but I'm at an age where I can't really deal with young college student shenanigans…it’s to no fault of their own, they are just beginning while most of Us are continuing. — Did you catch that?

   • For students entering their very first degree, even though you can earn your bachelors 100% online through many colleges, I still highly encourage on-campus learning. Although I know this is not the best time to do that, schools are still opening up to allow students to be present. Just be careful and follow the safety guidelines.

The top fields I suggest looking into is Medical, Finance and Tech. Several people in my family and in my close knit circles are doctors, they always give me insight on healthy practices and we’ll always need doctors. Finance is self explanatory, we all handle money and having someone to teach us or help us manage it is a plus. Lastly, I am more of a tech person (website management, digital design, creating online training modules and templates, etc)…thank my Father for that.

Each of these fields have their own subcategories of expertise, but don’t be limited to my suggestions, look into what interests you.

I chose these schools due to rating by region and average cost. (Since I now live south with imprints of the north, you may see that many of the schools reflect where I live or lived. I also looked into each of these schools for my own career and business developments.) — But there are MANY options for online education if none these schools below tickle your fancy.

Harvard Online (Only Offering Development Courses)

• Price Per Course: Free - $3000

Penn State World Campus (Various Programs Available)

• Undergrad Degrees & Certifications: $576 - $ 617 per credit

• Graduate Degrees & Certifications: $925 - $1235 per credit

Baylor Online (Mainly Business, Education, and Medical degrees. Also offers Doctorates in Medical Fields)

• Graduate and Doctorates: $1086 - $1785 per credit

Rice Online (Only 2 Degree Programs Currently Offered)

• Master’s of Computer Science and MBA: $2035 per credit

• Certifications & Professional Development: Free - $500 per course

Texas A&M Distance Education (Various Programs Offered for Graduates and Doctorates)

• Undergrad, Graduate, Doctorate, and Certifications: $40 - $550 per credit/course/program (Sorry, the Texas A&M website was not great with helping users navigate to find the costs for each item.) — Any Faculty reading this, please make this more user friendly.

University of Houston Downtown (Various Programs Offered)

• Undergrad & Graduate: $335 - $700 Per Credit

Alabama by Distance (Various Programs Offered)

• Undergrad: $375 per credit

• Graduate: $420 per credit

• Non-Credit Online Courses: $375 per hour

• *PARENTS: UA offers “Early College” programs for High School Students to start earning college credits. $375 per credit

  • When I was in High School, my AP classes allowed me to earn college credit. Each College has different AP Policies. I believe more universities may adapt these high school programs, it’s innovative, it helps students better prepare for college, it can save costs, and it aids in early graduation.

LSU Online (Various Programs Offered)

• Undergrad: $291 per credit

• Graduate: $481 - $1110 per credit

• Certifications & Professional Development: $175 - $5075 per course/program

For those who may be members of the “Brok Phi Brok” Fraternity/Sorority, there is always financial aid and other payments options outside of federal funding that can help. Don’t let money issues hinder you or excuse you from excelling. Yes, there are always concerns and jokes circling around college debt, but no one ever highlights the grace period and different options for repayment that fits just about anyone’s budget.

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