I was in my doctor's office yesterday speaking with a nurse who commented on my bright yellow LSU T-Shirt (what can I say, I'm originally from Baton Rouge) and asked me if I went to school there. I said no, that I was going to school online at Ashford University. She said "oh, that's not that school in Arizona is it?"
I replied "you mean the University of Phoenix?"
She responded "yeah, that's the one; a lot of people I work with say that they are a fake school where you just buy your degree online." I was a little shocked that she truly believed this and of course I corrected her and explained the concept of for profit schools vs. non-profit, virtual universities vs. campus based, open enrollment vs. selective, etc.
It would seem that after my conversation with her she was of the assumption that an "online degree" was something that was purchased contrary to a campus based degree program where a degree is earned. Once I informed her that Ashford University was actually a traditional campus based school with an online program she seem to be more accepting of the idea. After all, they have dorms, sports, a mascot, they are seemingly familiar in how they do things to someone used to a campus based school. University of Phoenix however is purely a professional school, even if they do have campus based programs.
Unfortunately some schools, like University of Phoenix, using guerilla warfare style recruitment methods have tainted the reputation of professional and online schools in the eyes of many. It's one thing to have open enrollment, it's another thing entirely to pursue an inquisitive potential student, chasing them to the furthest corner of the earth and lasso them into a program that may or may not be suited for them or in their best interest.
Online learning is of course a viable and highly useful way to go about getting an education. It is indeed unfortunate that the actions of a few hurt this method of learning beyond their own institutions.
The University of Phoenix is a good, legitimate and reasonably rigorous school. I know and have worked with some of their graduates who enjoyed the process of getting their degree very much. Now if they as an institution (and others like them) would care as much about their reputation and their students as much as they do the bottom line, I have no question that they could become a world class institution and maybe then online degrees wouldn't require an asterisk next to them in the future.
Note: This is not to say that University of Phoenix is not a good school, I feel that they are, but they do have a damaging marketing strategy.