Digital Universities On The Rise
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There’s no shortage of universities with distance learning programs.
Sometimes it helps students find time to take classes they would otherwise miss.
Then there are schools like Amridge, that are totally digital.
“All of our programs are 100 percent online. We offer degrees in undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees ranging from business to human services counseling to family therapy all the way to PHD’s in biblical studies,” said Brooks Housley.
Housley is an academic advisor with the university and he rarely gets to meet with students like Thomas Patterson in person.
Patterson recently graduated with his bachelors from the university, and he says online courses were the best way to balance family, school and work.
“The only thing missing was the physicality. We were actually able to communicate via web cam, which was great. I was able to communicate with the instructor as well as my classmates. We are able to ask questions, it was almost like a classroom environment,” said Patterson.
Missing out on that face time is hard for other behind the scenes staff at the university, like the financial aid office.
But as things become more digital, Starr Fain says it gets easier and easier to help break down the money for new students.
“It’s a little tough, but we have a lot of things we can send to them, we have information we send them, we counsel with them so they know how much money they’re receiving, how to use that money and to not hopefully over borrow,” said Fain.
