Dec 29, 2008 8:16 pm US/Central
Stretch Your Dollar: A College Degree For Less
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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John Bucher and his wife, Jacqui Bucher, attend Western Governors University online. They say it fits well into their busy schedules.
CBS
So, you want to go to college, but don't have the time or the money to attend a traditional campus? There's a cheaper, more convenient option that's gaining credibility and helping you stretch your dollar.
Jacquie Bucher wants to be a teacher.
"I work full time. I've got two kids, full time. I'm a Girl Scout leader. I'm very busy," Bucher said, "so I needed something that worked into my schedule, not me having to work my schedule around it."
So Bucher and her husband, John Bucher, attend college online at Western Governors University.
They'll get their degrees when they prove how competent they are in their fields of study.
"This is not an easy degree," said Pamela Tate, president and CEO of non-profit adult learning organization CAEL.
Tate believes accredited online universities, like WGU, can be even more demanding than brick-and-mortar colleges.
And, WGU is affordable.
"We have to have alternatives like this," Tate said.
The $3,000 tuition for six months of study toward an undergraduate degree is comparable to a semester at Northern Illinois University or University of Illinois at Chicago.
But at WGU you might be able to finish faster, lowering your overall bill. And you can start your studies on the first day of any month you choose.
"Each person's gonna go at their own pace, some people will go faster based on this and some people will take the full six months to do their classes," John Tate said.
E-books are included in the Buchers' tuition, and they receive financial aid.
WGU says it has placed graduates in positions at companies like Microsoft, AT&T and John Deere.
Click here to check out WGU's Web site for more information.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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