Distance education opening roads for the Latino community

The recently released U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges and Best Graduate Schools ranking reveals good news for the Hispanic community.

Just as many Latinos attending college are non-traditional students, meaning they live at home, work full-time and take more than four years to graduate, the non-traditional aspect of distance learning is quickly becoming commonplace with universities offering 20 percent more classes just over the past year.

SEE ALSO: Latinos learning English at faster rate than previous immigrant groups

U.S. News Data Research Analyst Eric Brooks told VOXXI, “For example, we had over 1,200 schools with programs in our rankings compared to last year when it was just under a 1,000 schools.”

The rankings, based only on degree-granting programs at regionally accredited institutions that are offered predominantly online, include bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees in engineering, business, education, nursing, criminal justice and computer information technology.

The methodologies incorporate a number of factors, including student engagement, faculty credentials and student services/technology.

Best Online Bachelor’s Programs

1. Pennsylvania State University—World Campus

2. Daytona State College (FL)

2. University of Illinois—Chicago

2. Western Kentucky University

Best Online Graduate Criminal Justice Programs

1. University of California—Irvine

2. Arizona State University

2. Boston University

2. Pace University (NY)

Best Online MBA Programs

1. Indiana University—Bloomington

1. Temple University (PA)

1. University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

Best Online Graduate Nursing Programs

1. Medical University of South Carolina

2. St. Xavier University (IL)

3. Johns Hopkins University (MD)

3. University of South Carolina

“One thing that jumped out to me is the number of public universities that are at the top of the rankings,” Brooks said. “Eight of the top 10 bachelor schools are public universities and 17 of the top 30 are public universities.”

The data also revealed that even though distance learning appears to be a cost factor, in many cases online degrees cost the same as on campus classes. According to the most recent data released by the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly 5.4 million students (that’s 1 in 4) took at least one distance education course during the fall of 2012.

In terms of helping the Latino community, Brooks pointed out that just in the distance- learning bachelor’s program alone roughly 64,000 Hispanic students were enrolled.

SEE ALSO: Elite colleges join edX, free online higher education platform

Considering distance-learning opportunities through colleges are on the rise, how does this affect the number of students seeking the college campus experience?

“I don’t think either of us believe that at least in the near to short medium term distance learning will replace the 18-to-22-year-old traditional undergraduate experience,” Brooks said. “These are not really competing with them. They’re allowing people who didn’t finish their degrees or who have a community college degree or earned some college credit in the military flexibility to earn a college degree.”

He added, “Obviously a college degree is increasingly important in the professional marketplace.”

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