Online Schools: A Safe Haven in a Troubled World

The short list of places in the world offering absolute safety is shrinking; and It is increasingly difficult to avoid contact with unsafe people. With this reality in mind, as well as the desire for increased flexibility, some college-bound individuals actively seek an educational environment outside of the traditional on-campus experience. According to DirectoryofSchools.com, online degree programs are an excellent option.

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) April 24, 2007 -- The short list of places in the world offering absolute safety is shrinking.

Whether traveling amidst heightened airport security, facing a job environment impacted by troubled co-workers or attending school with mentally unbalanced peers - it is difficult to avoid contact with unsafe people.

Crimes in Schools and Colleges

With this reality in mind, as well as the desire for increased flexibility, some college-bound individuals actively seek an educational environment outside of the traditional on-campus experience. According to DirectoryofSchools.com, online degree programs are an excellent option; because they allow students to exercise full control over their classroom and study environment.

The value of online education is undeniable. The FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia, incorporates e-learning into its training program for special agents and professional staff. FBI personnel are the ultimate experts in assessing the risks and sources of violent activity in our country; and they actively recruit talented technology specialists for their Distance Learning Evaluation Unit. Online education is also effectively used in the business world for employee training.

But is there really any evidence that significant safety problems exist on school campuses; or are occurrences of bodily harm to students rare? According to a soon-to-be released report by the National Institute of Justice entitled "Crimes in Schools and Colleges", the statistics are troubling. The results include 558,219 incidents committed at U.S. schools between 2000 and 2004 by 688,612 offenders. From these incidents, 181,468 arrests were made. Violent crimes accounted for 37.6 percent of the arrests, and include simple assault, aggravated assault and intimidation. Thirty deaths were sadly included in these numbers. According to the report, which gathered its data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, only 20 percent of law enforcement agencies voluntarily contributed their crime statistics. That leaves a question mark about how many school crimes actually took place.

Potential students who pursue information regarding accredited online degree programs will undoubtedly discover that, according to the Sloan Consortium, more than 3.2 million students are enrolled in at least one online class (Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006). They will also learn that over 1,300 online schools provide high-quality bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. programs via virtual classrooms, e-mail contact with professors, online chat rooms linking fellow classmates, and online bulletin boards.

Those who choose accredited e-learning programs may also apply for federal financial aid, which is available to qualified students. In addition, online schools often assign personal counselors to guide students in their educational journey. Those who are focused and diligent generally graduate and continue their higher education. Or they begin careers in a variety of fields, including business, computer science, law, accounting, graphic arts, education, liberal arts, sciences and criminal justice.

According to the 1999 FBI report, "The School Shooter: A Threat Assessment", incidents of random, deadly violence on educational campuses are rare. These events are tragic and heartbreaking; but they do not represent the norm. Most students who head off to school each day can expect to arrive safely back home to their families, significant others, friends and roommates. And that is a nugget of hope for which we can be thankful.

About DirectoryofSchools.com
Since 1999, DirectoryofSchools.com has connected over 21,000,000 potential students to accredited online schools and e-learning information. More than 9,328 online degrees and professional certificate programs in over 1,364 schools represent the DirectoryofSchools.com commitment to excellence in online education through partnerships with universities, colleges and trade schools. DirectoryofSchools.com strives to insure that partner schools are reputable by utilizing an in-house verification process which reviews accreditation or vocational industry standards relevant to each school. In addition, a comprehensive national directory of high schools in the United States is available on the DirectoryofSchools.com website, along with homework help and numerous other resources. Career-minded individuals need make only one cyber-stop for all of their distance learning needs.

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