Why did I create this website?
I am a software and platform architect and I was instrumental in building the IT infrastructure of a preeminent online university. One of the first of the type, and now a publicly traded online university. Our efforts were a long and difficult series of tasks, but I learned a great deal during my time developing the infrastructure. I was one of the chief engineers, and therefore have come to understand every facet of the way online education works, from the technology that runs the operations to the enrollment, courses, and student management aspects. It is all a complex web of software platforms and processes that must be perfect. In my opinion, there is no better person to ask than I if you have a question about how an online university works, what you need to know to make your decision and ask the right questions, or how to best prepare for an online degree. By virtue of being so personally involved, I thought the time was right to share my secrets with the world and make my knowledge available for anyone who is beginning to research an online degree.
I will not name the online university I started (though if your Google-fu is good you can easily find out), nor its competitors, and I will try my best to share unbiased information. I have no vested interest in any one particular online university, I own no shares in any and no longer work at the university I helped create, having moved on to new and different pastures. Nor will I say that an online degree is a good thing or a bad thing, as it is both and neither, depending on your circumstances. And unlike some other sites, I will not recommend a “top school” based on any of my likely biased notions. The right school for one person may not be the right school for another person.
I feel that the insights I have acquired should be shared with the world, and if I can help even one person be prepared, and help them make the right decision for them, I will feel that I have made a real contribution towards aiding someone make a proper choice and find the right institution for distance learning that fits their time, budget, and will add qualitative knowledge to their skill set.
