Spring Break
Drexel's online enrollment rises
Omkar Baxi
Issue date: 7/25/08 Section: News
Recent statistics released by Drexel University show that interest in online learning is up.
Statistics show a 22 percent increase in inquiries from prospective students during May and June when compared with the same period last year. The statistics show a continuation of the trend of shifting toward online learning.
Over the past few years, Drexel Online has seen its student body grow from around 200 students to a few thousand, according to Hartman.
"Drexel University is a leading not-for-profit institution in online learning. The University offers 60 fully online degrees, from certificate courses to graduate level education," Hartman said.
Hartman commented that while increasing gas prices play a role in selecting online classes versus on-campus, the real motivation for a student to pursue an online degree comes from the inherent flexibility of the online program. Hartman also attributed the rise in online interest to the advertising campaign for Drexel Online.
According to Michael Schwartzman, the marketing director of Drexel Online, the application process for online education is virtually the same as that for on-campus degrees.
"The requirements for admission are exactly the same. In fact, the applications are all handled by the same selection committee, and there is no special process for online education," Schwartzman said.
Drexel Online's high acceptance rate of around 86 percent was attributed to an applicant services group that works with online applicants to make sure Drexel Online is a correct choice and in turn "weeds out" unqualified applicants, Schwartzman said.
According to Hartman, the students attracted to online education are typically older adults holding full-time jobs that require a higher degree to advance in their careers.
The option of completing that degree through strictly online classes is appealing because it gives the students the flexibility to pursue a degree without sacrificing their commitments at work, at home or in the community.
"A survey of last year's online students showed that 75 percent would not be Drexel students if the online program was not available, simply because online learning better suits the students' lifestyles," Hartman said.
The degree earned by online students is exactly the same as its on-campus counterpart, with no distinction between an online program or in-classroom. Essentially, the program of study is the same in both modes of learning, often with the same instructors for a given course, according to Hartman.
Statistics show a 22 percent increase in inquiries from prospective students during May and June when compared with the same period last year. The statistics show a continuation of the trend of shifting toward online learning.
Over the past few years, Drexel Online has seen its student body grow from around 200 students to a few thousand, according to Hartman.
"Drexel University is a leading not-for-profit institution in online learning. The University offers 60 fully online degrees, from certificate courses to graduate level education," Hartman said.
Hartman commented that while increasing gas prices play a role in selecting online classes versus on-campus, the real motivation for a student to pursue an online degree comes from the inherent flexibility of the online program. Hartman also attributed the rise in online interest to the advertising campaign for Drexel Online.
According to Michael Schwartzman, the marketing director of Drexel Online, the application process for online education is virtually the same as that for on-campus degrees.
"The requirements for admission are exactly the same. In fact, the applications are all handled by the same selection committee, and there is no special process for online education," Schwartzman said.
Drexel Online's high acceptance rate of around 86 percent was attributed to an applicant services group that works with online applicants to make sure Drexel Online is a correct choice and in turn "weeds out" unqualified applicants, Schwartzman said.
According to Hartman, the students attracted to online education are typically older adults holding full-time jobs that require a higher degree to advance in their careers.
The option of completing that degree through strictly online classes is appealing because it gives the students the flexibility to pursue a degree without sacrificing their commitments at work, at home or in the community.
"A survey of last year's online students showed that 75 percent would not be Drexel students if the online program was not available, simply because online learning better suits the students' lifestyles," Hartman said.
The degree earned by online students is exactly the same as its on-campus counterpart, with no distinction between an online program or in-classroom. Essentially, the program of study is the same in both modes of learning, often with the same instructors for a given course, according to Hartman.
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