Thoughts on Online College Reviews?

I've been considering some online college programs and have been reading reviews. Are these reviews typically reliable? How can I use them effectively to make a decision about enrolling in an online college?

While online college reviews can be informative and insightful, it's important to approach them with a critical eye. Like any online reviews, there may be biases or inaccuracies present, and singular experiences don’t necessarily reflect the experience of everyone at that institution.

When reading the reviews, try to look for recurring themes or commonalities in the experiences of students. For instance, if multiple reviews highlight excellent student support services or complain about the inadequacy of the same, this might be an area to consider. It's also important to evaluate the specifics of negative reviews. Is the criticism related to something that matters a lot to you, like the exact course content or the responsiveness of professors? Or is it something less relevant or perhaps more administrative, like problems with registering for classes?

Also, remember that reviews often represent the two extremes- students who absolutely love their program and students who might have had a negative experience. Most students fall somewhere in between these extremes.

Lastly, while reviews are a good starting point, don't rely solely on them. Seek out more direct sources of information such as staff members at the online college or current students. Alternatively, you can consult rankings and other more official sources, like the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, for more quantitative data on outcomes like graduation rates and alumni earnings.

In conclusion, while reviews offer useful glimpses into potential experiences, they are best used in conjunction with other tools as part of a comprehensive research strategy.