Don Kassner: DL Man of the Year

[Herbert Spencer]

For anyone who hasn't already spotted it on other channels, DETC-accredited Andrew Jackson University has a new "no tuition" program.  

To take advantage of this new and unique opportunity, students need only to apply to Andrew Jackson University through one of our marketing partner sites. Applying through a partner site makes the applicant eligible for a 100% tuition sponsorship for their entire program at AJU. Once enrolled, the student will only need to pay a per-semester student fee, a per-course proctoring fee, and for textbooks.

http://takeeducationanywhere.com/2008/07...llege.aspx

http://www.takeeducationanywhere.com/

http://www.aju.edu/partners.asp

AJU's President Don Kassner and all concerned who made this innovative program possible deserve a big thumbs up.  The only thing better than DL is cheap DL.  They have combined the very best of all worlds.  

[Albert Hidel]

AJU's President Don Kassner and all concerned who made this innovative program possible deserve a big thumbs up.  The only thing better than DL is cheap DL.  They have combined the very best of all worlds.  

I'll second that emotion.  Don Kassner and crew just fired the first shot of the new higher ed revolution.

AJU always has been a fine school and well worth the very reasonable (relatively) tuition they were charging.  To get more for even less is a tough deal to pass by.  

Do we see this sort of innovation coming from RA schools?  No way.  They pay lip service to making education accessible, but what they really mean is more tax money for student loans, which just saddles students with the decades long student loan hangover when (or if) they graduate.  

This program is a great example of why the RA cartel is on the road to obsolescence.  RA fat cats in their soft chairs are protecting the status quo, or getting their friends in government to do it for them.  DETC is finding new ways to create opportunity for everyone.  

[Brian Crawford]

For anyone who hasn't already spotted it on other channels, DETC-accredited Andrew Jackson University has a new "no tuition" program.  

To take advantage of this new and unique opportunity, students need only to apply to Andrew Jackson University through one of our marketing partner sites. Applying through a partner site makes the applicant eligible for a 100% tuition sponsorship for their entire program at AJU. Once enrolled, the student will only need to pay a per-semester student fee, a per-course proctoring fee, and for textbooks.

http://takeeducationanywhere.com/2008/07...llege.aspx

http://www.takeeducationanywhere.com/

http://www.aju.edu/partners.asp

AJU's President Don Kassner and all concerned who made this innovative program possible deserve a big thumbs up.  The only thing better than DL is cheap DL.  They have combined the very best of all worlds.  

Not to bust your bubble guys, by there are several questions here which would need to be answered.

To take advantage of this new and unique opportunity, students need only to apply to Andrew Jackson University through one of our marketing partner sites. Applying through a partner site (statement: Marketing ploy) makes the applicant eligible (eligible doesn't mean acceptance) for a 100% tuition sponsorship for their entire program at AJU. Once enrolled, the student will only need to pay a per-semester (which is how much?) student fee (which is how much?), a per-course proctoring fee (which is how much?), and for textbooks (which can be from $800.00 on up per quarter!!!!!!!).

[ham]

To take advantage of this new and unique opportunity, students need only to apply to Andrew Jackson University through one of our marketing partner sites. Applying through a partner site (statement: Marketing ploy) makes the applicant eligible (eligible doesn't mean acceptance) for a 100% tuition sponsorship for their entire program at AJU. Once enrolled, the student will only need to pay a per-semester (which is how much?) student fee (which is how much?), a per-course proctoring fee (which is how much?), and for textbooks (which can be from $800.00 on up per quarter!!!!!!!).

there is no such thing as a free meal...
much like those '7% interest guaranteed with XYZ bank*'
* 1 amounts only upto $20.000
2 lasts until october 31, then interest paid at EURIBOR minus 2%
3 interests credited monthly. A 10€ interest-crediting fee applies
4 7% is a gross rate before taxes & all other applicable levies

[Brian Crawford]

To take advantage of this new and unique opportunity, students need only to apply to Andrew Jackson University through one of our marketing partner sites. Applying through a partner site (statement: Marketing ploy) makes the applicant eligible (eligible doesn't mean acceptance) for a 100% tuition sponsorship for their entire program at AJU. Once enrolled, the student will only need to pay a per-semester (which is how much?) student fee (which is how much?), a per-course proctoring fee (which is how much?), and for textbooks (which can be from $800.00 on up per quarter!!!!!!!).

there is no such thing as a free meal...
much like those '7% interest guaranteed with XYZ bank*'
* 1 amounts only upto $20.000
2 lasts until october 31, then interest paid at EURIBOR minus 2%
3 interests credited monthly. A 10€ interest-crediting fee applies
4 7% is a gross rate before taxes & all other applicable levies

In this specific case, I agree 100%. When one advertises 100% free tuition, that is a psychological marketing draw unless and only if all college costs are covered for that specific course, degree program or what have you. This would normally not cover out of pocket expenses such as meals, transportation and when necessary lodging. That exemption would be resonable and should be clearly indicated.

[ham]

talking about a discount would have been more ethical.
Might just be a ploy to attract more prospects.

Our first sponsor is Pupilcity.com, a social learning website that allows students from many different colleges to form study groups around common topics. The site is currently in beta development.

The Offer: Anyone who joins as a beta participant will be eligible for AJU's sponsored tuition program. Beta participants are required to create a free profile once the site is launched.

it's like those pest ads from free email providers... join here, join there and you might -just might- win a prize, much like the 'you're the 99999999999th visitor to see this' banners.

Last, i doubt a subscription to a magazine can be worth all student fees...

FROM THEIR CATALOGUE:
Calculation of total fees per semester under the Sponsored Tuition Plan
The charts listed below demonstrate total cost to you with your tuition sponsored.
First Semester: Graduate
(based on three-semester-hour courses) Payment Plans
Total Plan A (One Payment) Plan B (Four Payments)
One Course $ 555.00 $ 527.25 $ 138.75
Two Courses $ 585.00 $ 555.75 $ 146.25
Three Courses $ 615.00 $ 584.25 $ 153.75
Subsequent Semesters: Graduate
(based on continuous enrollment and
three-semester-hour courses)
Payment Plans
Total Plan A (One Payment) Plan B (Four Payments)
One Course $ 430.00 $ 408.50 $ 107.50
Two Courses $ 460.00 $ 437.00 $ 115.00
Three Courses $ 490.00 $ 465.50 $ 122.50

[Ben Johnson]

Things may be stated in terms familiar to used car salesmen but it is still a hell of a deal. One could conceivably get a DETC accredited MBA for a bit over 2 grand.

I'm not sure what the bogus sponsorship crap is all about. I mean how many pennies would any sponsor be paying per student?

[ham]

look at the info i posted from their catalogue:
1 you pay semester fees and
2 you pay course fees as above
many details remain shrouded in mystery

[Brian Crawford]

talking about a discount would have been more ethical.
Might just be a ploy to attract more prospects.

Our first sponsor is Pupilcity.com, a social learning website that allows students from many different colleges to form study groups around common topics. The site is currently in beta development.

The Offer: Anyone who joins as a beta participant will be eligible for AJU's sponsored tuition program. Beta participants are required to create a free profile once the site is launched.

it's like those pest ads from free email providers... join here, join there and you might -just might- win a prize, much like the 'you're the 99999999999th visitor to see this' banners.

Last, i doubt a subscription to a magazine can be worth all student fees...

FROM THEIR CATALOGUE:
Calculation of total fees per semester under the Sponsored Tuition Plan
The charts listed below demonstrate total cost to you with your tuition sponsored.
First Semester: Graduate
(based on three-semester-hour courses) Payment Plans
Total Plan A (One Payment) Plan B (Four Payments)
One Course $ 555.00 $ 527.25 $ 138.75
Two Courses $ 585.00 $ 555.75 $ 146.25
Three Courses $ 615.00 $ 584.25 $ 153.75
Subsequent Semesters: Graduate
(based on continuous enrollment and
three-semester-hour courses)
Payment Plans
Total Plan A (One Payment) Plan B (Four Payments)
One Course $ 430.00 $ 408.50 $ 107.50
Two Courses $ 460.00 $ 437.00 $ 115.00
Three Courses $ 490.00 $ 465.50 $ 122.50

Sounds a bit like the TV car sales ads that say no credit application will be turned down. Which doesn't say you'll be appoved, just that they will take your application.

In any event, any major discount on an accredited DL degree program is great.

[Herbert Spencer]

In any event, any major discount on an accredited DL degree program is great.

Brian and Ham, your points are well taken, and on a couple of levels.  In my original post I phrased it "no tuition" in quotes rather than "free" as was stated elsewhere for just the reasons you mentioned.  Obviously if a "fee" is involved it's not "free."

Implicit in your discussion is another excellent point.  Students ought to do their due diligence before jumping in with this program or any other.  Run the numbers and see how the "fee" breaks down per course.  

The car salesman analogy is apt.  Colleges are by and large bigger crooks and bound by fewer restrictions.  Cynicism is always healthy when making major financial decisions.  

A point you didn't mention is that the "sponsorship" extends "for their entire program."  It's not just a loss leader to get you in the door for a couple classes, it's the whole program.

When you do get to the bottom line you find this truly is a heckuva deal.  Whether they call it a sponsorship or a scholarship, whether it's a marketing ploy or not, the end result is enormous savings on a quality program.  As Ben Johnson noted, an accredited MBA for around $2K is just astonishing.   Some places charge that much per unit.  

So that's why I was enthusiastic about this program.  It's no overstatement to say this is a potentially revolutionary development on a Henry Ford scale.  How can an unremarkable RA school peddle a $50,000 MBA when you can pick up one just as good or better for $2,000?  

And on the other end of the scale, why pay $2,500 for a bogus degree that will only embarrass you, when you can do a real program for less and actually learn something in the bargain?

(Another question for another time would be why our acquisitive government should be spending your tax money to subsidize a student loan program if now nearly everyone can afford college without it?)

Since we are quick and aggressive in our criticism of those we see undermining distance learning (a rightly so), it seems only proper that we are equally quick to offer support to those who advance it so mightily.  Once the higher education cartel and their shills fully comprehend the significance of this development you can bet they will be on the warpath both overtly and covertly to hammer it down.