To: TRANSPORTATION EDITORS
Contact: Shari Rodriguez, Director of Public Relations, +1-858- 513-9240, ext. 2513, [email protected]; or Debbie Mitchell of Mullen Public Relations, +1-602-222-4343, [email protected], both for Ashford University
CLINTON, Iowa, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ — College students across the country are being met by more than just professors and homework.
With fuel prices 33 percent higher than a year ago and the average annual cost of a college education topping more than $17,000 at even a public university close to home, many students are dealing with the economic reality of higher education costs by seeking an education on their own terms — online.
Online education enrollments now surpass traditional college enrollments by a 5-to-1 ratio. Given the financial constraints of a traditional college education, it is not hard to see why online education is gaining in popularity.
Nowhere is this rapid online growth more evident than at Ashford University, where the student population has increased to more than 20,000 students over the past three years. Nearly all of Ashford University’s students take online classes.
The flexibility of online classes allows today’s students to work while earning the college degree of their choice. The accelerated pace of the programs means less time needed to earn a quality degree, and the lack of a commute allows students to curb their fuel consumption, saving them time and money.
“Students recognize they no longer have to attend a traditional university to receive a quality education,” said Ashford University President Dr. Jane McAuliffe. “Online universities provide them with an education held to the same high standards.”
“Estimates show the earning gap between a high school diploma and a college degree to be more than $800,000 over the course of a lifetime,” McAuliffe said. “Given the financial importance of a college education, it makes sense for students — no matter what their age — to earn their degrees sooner rather than later.”
Ashford University students also represent the changing face of today’s collegian — from the college freshman just starting out to the working mother earning her psychology degree to the baby boomer returning to school to earn a degree in business administration.
About Ashford University
Founded in 1918, Ashford University is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The University, a subsidiary of Bridgepoint Education based in San Diego, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees at its Clinton campus. Online degree programs are available in education, organizational management, business administration, and psychology. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable on-campus and online programs, with tuition fees among the lowest in the U.S. compared to other private institutions. For more information on Ashford University, please visit http:// www.ashford.edu.
Contact:
Shari Rodriguez, Director of Public Relations
858.513.9240 x2513 * [email protected]
or
Debbie Mitchell, Mullen Public Relations
602.222.4343 * [email protected]
SOURCE Ashford University
(c) 2008 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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