Online school. Has it come into it's own?

[sanantone]

In my area, it's unusual to ask for a diploma because diplomas can be easily faked. I've turned over open transcripts for some jobs, but police departments wanted sealed transcripts. I also applied for a college instructor position that required sealed transcripts. Maybe it's a government thing, but I've lost count of how many times I've had to upload transcripts with an application, bring one to an interview, or submit one after a job offer. It isn't specific to a field because I've applied for almost every type of job under the sun. I could possibly have the world record for number of job applications.

I've only had one employer who required copies of my diplomas instead of my transcripts, and I thought it was idiotic. I wouldn't have a high opinion of an employer that doesn't know how to or doesn't bother to verify education. That's how so many people with diploma mill degrees get jobs. If your employer isn't asking for official transcripts for a position that requires a degree, you better hope they're using a degree verification service. 

I've had a degree since 2011, and I've applied for thousands of jobs (necessary during the recession), so my sample size is huge.

Research has shown that online classes are just as effective as in-person classes, but only for adult learners. Students who are of the traditional college age tend to struggle more with online classes. 

For-profit colleges, in general, are of low quality whether the programs are online or in person. There is research that has found that 2-year programs at community colleges have better outcomes than 2-year programs at for-profit colleges. The only exception was cosmetology because the most prestigious beauty schools are for-profit.