OEdb’s Online University Rankings 2012

Whether you’re going to a traditional college or an online school, college ranking lists can really help you determine which program is right for you. Until recently, there weren’t any lists specifically meant to help non-traditional students looking for distance learning opportunities. Today, the list compiled by the Online Education Database (OEDb) is one of the best ways for you to compare online degree programs.

OEDb is one of the largest websites dealing with online colleges and other online educational programs. The website was launched in 2006, and has reviews of other 1000 college programs from over 85 different online schools. They work with exclusively with programs that are accredited, so you can be sure that the programs listed there are legitimate educational opportunities.

The first OEDb ranking list was released in 2008 to complement their online college reviews. Online school on the list are not only accredited, but also listed by College Navigator, which is a publication compiled by the United States Department of Education. They look at a number of factors with all of the programs that qualify for the list. These metrics include the following:

  • Number of Years Accredited
  • Student Retention
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Student-Teacher Ratio
  • Graduation Rate (within six years for four-year programs)
  • Scholarships and Other Financial Aid Available to Students
  • Publications by Students and Professors

Most college ranking lists include some kind of peer review, and the OEDb list is no different. However, instead of asking administrators or faculty members to rate other schools on the list, they instead study peer rating by looking at which other online colleges link to each school on the list. For example, if Program #1 is linked by three other online colleges, it would receive a higher rating in this category than Program #2, which was online linked once on another college’s website.

OEDb includes schools on their list that have offline, campus classes as well, though to keep the list as focused on online education as possible, they limit their review to schools that have at least 50% of their students earning degrees through online programs. This is the help the list remain a strong resource for distance learning schools, rather than including a number of colleges where you likely have to travel to a campus for at least part of your education.

Like all college lists, the ranking provided by OEDb is just a start to your college research. Once you see how the colleges compare, check out OEDb’s reviews to read more in-depth information about each school and take “tours” of the programs that interest you most. Just because your education is online doesn’t mean that the school shouldn’t provide you with the chance to learn more about the experience they offer, so online tours are essential for helping you make your final decision.

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