What are the best online degree programs for the military?

I received both of my degrees with Grantham University. I came across this institution by shear luck and was very pleased from start to finish. Although it took 10 years (with about 1 1/2 year break) to go from nothing to a Master Degree, I don't regret a minute. To accomplish this it took a lot of self-discipline, dedication, family sacrifices and time management. I was very fortunate to have the family support in this endeavor.
Grantham allowed me to do 100% work on-line and the entire staff was very willing to work with the student with the utmost professionalism. 100% of books were covered by tuition assistance with no out-of-pocket expense (except for a small fee during the Master's program).
All the Professor's were willing to work with me and my busy military work schedule...to include deployments. When I was appointed a new student advisor, it was as if they new my entire plan and had been working with me the entire time.
The education I received during my trek was superb. As with anything, the more effort you put in the more you get out of it. The benefits of my program have aided me with my current military position working at the Pentagon. With my Bachelor Degree in Business Administration and my Master's Degree in Performance Improvement, this aids in understanding the military from a Business Analyst perspective. This is key when dealing with military civilians, acquisitions, human resources and budget analysis.
When deciding on one's avenue for their education path, the main thing I would recommend is look at is whether you are the type that needs to sit in a classroom that necessitates the need for student/ instructor face-to-face interaction with classmates or if you are more of a material reader that can interact via the web. It is all based on the individual. Personally, I like the self-paced avenue that allows me to either work ahead or at an even pace with my fellow students and allows me to work during my off-time from the military as not to interfere with my military duties.
Bottom line: No matter what...further your education. I would recommend Grantham University to anyone.

My experience at Grantham University was both challenging and rewarding. I found their distant learning program to be catered to the military and the professors are flexible in their deadlines. Some of the classes I took for my MBA were on the easier side while others were very difficult. What I like about GU is the material taught being applicable. I applied some of the business management models to my office which helped administration and operational duties occur more efficiently.

Other online programs I've heard/know about are ones from my alma mater (Norwich University), Troy, AMU, and a few others. I haven't heard anything bad about them and look forward to hearing others' experiences with their higher education.

I personally would stay away from non-accredited and for-profit universities. I only heard negative facts about them and/or are questionable in their teachings.

So the issue with online universities is one I have dealt with from the hiring end. It's a tough one. The key problem is that when someone presents an on-line degree and it's not from a major and otherwise highly selective university, that degree doesn't tell you much. (There are good degrees from places like Johns Hopkins or UPenn that are usually for experienced professionals and are themselves selective) The problem is the low standard to pass, which means that even though the person may be motivated, intelligent, and found the experience truly valuable, it is hard to distinguish them from the "also ran", because the finish line is easily crossed (intellectually) so long as one could get a loan. This is the most important point...these schools are easy to pass intellectually. They may have required commitment of time and resources, but not of mental effort on-par with a graduate degree. Thus, the range of mental capabilities and intellectual habits these graduates have is huge.

The worst examples are on-line degrees + fashionable majors like "homeland security". When I see that on the resume I start desperately searching for something else that tells me what this person knows and how they think. If they make it to interview then I grill them to see where they stand intellectually. The main issue with degrees in fields that are not academic, but are fashionable is that they are little more than job-search enhancement programs. When someone says they have a degree in physics or sociology I know the general profile of their coursework and the kinds of mental challenges those required; as well as the quality of the work in those fields that they were exposed to. Homeland security, criminal justice, information systems, etc are skill trade catch-alls, not academic fields. Thus, I can't even begin to infer what this person knows apart from some statistics and trivia from those career fields. A physicist is trained to think a certain way. A historian is trained to think a certain way. A "Homeland Securitarian" knows a bunch of facts.

There is also something to be said for the in-class experience or even an on-line experience where one's writing is highly judged. Although I won't judge someone explicitly on the mode of their degree (especially if it is a Master's), where that degree is from and what it is in matter.

This is definitely one of the longest running, informative, and thought provoking threads I've had an opportunity to read as a RP member! Great topic / fantastic points shared / and congratulations to each and every Veteran in here who has taken the time to advance their higher education resume. It's not easy as we all know.

I think it's important to remember 'there is no college / university which appeals to each and every one of us.' I think we all choose institutions of higher learning for a variety of reasons. Online tends to work better for working adults, particularly as most of our Veterans have day time jobs to tend to. It also works well for the active duty component! Particularly if the school is asynchronous, with the overall flexibility of log-in times and material submission.

But one point of discussion which has not surfaced is the topic of "relevant curriculum". I encourage anyone considering a college / university to do a little research on the given schools curriculum. Is the school teaching material relevant to today's society? Does the school work with industry leaders to determine instructional needs per employeer requirements? As society changes so does the need for updated curriculum! Please keep this in mind.

I also want to congratulate all of the AMU grads within this discussion! Nice work!!

I have a lot of experience with on line course. The best I have found is Capitol College, now Capitol university. It takes a real skilled professor, administration and support team to make it work. You as a student need to research, discuss and visit each school's on line services.

I completed my Bachelors with Wayland Baptist by taking both online and in person classes. The online classes I felt were much tougher then the in person classes. I'm currently working on my MBA with UMUC, in a hybrid program. Classes once a month and the rest online. The work is tough but I'm learning.
As military members with access to TA, I don't understand why people go to these "for profit" schools. I graduated with a Bachelors with no debt. The MBA classes cost me $214 each, I will graduate with no debt. I have friends who have gone to these "for profit" schools and now carry $30k worth of student loans. Why? When I called one of these schools, they were more interested in getting every nickel out me, then getting me started in a program. They wanted me to use the top up program and/or my 9/11 bill. Why? So many affordable good online programs available to us military folks.

I've taken a class from Georgetown University (view EDx), and I was quite surprised by it's quality.

I am currently attending Liberty University online and I love it. I am pursuing a degree in Psychology with a Military Resilience cognate. They cap tuition at $250 per credit hour for military, they give a $200 book voucher per semester, and waive the technology fee if you are part time. It is a Christain school with biblical worldviews incorporated into every class so it wouldn't be for everyone, but the professors are engaging and they have a ton of resources and are always extremely helpful. And it is a brick and mortar campus in Virginia.

I received my bachelors degree from Chapman University in Southern California. I chose to utilize the brick and mortar as well as online option.

I got my MBA online through Grand Canyon University. At present, it's an (overpriced) $50K piece of paper that I'm incredibly bitter about. I wish I had done more research before I started with them.

The program was not "easy." No, we didnt have tests, but we had lots of weekly essays to submit that I wonder how in the world any professor could have possibly had time to review properly.

While GCU "does" have a brick and mortar institution, it's still a for profit university, and everything I have read has stated that not-for-profit/public universities, specifically the well known universities that happen to have an online program to supplement the needs to today's society is better than a for profit institution.