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Iowa Central College Online Ranks #2 in Guide to Online Schools’ 2010 Ranking of Top Online Colleges
Kirkland, WA (PRWEB) December 9, 2010
SR Education Group’s flagship site Guide to Online Schools released their second annual list of the best online schools and Iowa Central College Online moved from a position of fourth in 2009 to second in 2010. This year differed significantly from last year in that SR Education Group incorporated the U.S. government’s findings on loan repayment rates into their final totals. Schools where the majority of students were unable to pay back their student loans before sliding into default or forbearance were marked unfavorably.
Other metrics used to determine rankings include whether or not the school was a for-profit or nonprofit university, the average retention rate of students, cost of tuition, student reviews of schools, and whether or not the school was regionally accredited (only regionally accredited schools were included in the rankings). All statistics used were gathered from The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education.
Iowa Central College Online scored well on all of the metrics, but stood out amongst other schools due to its low cost of tuition (only $ 5,580/year), and its excellent student loan repayment rates. It beat out popular schools such as Walden University, University of Phoenix, and last year’s number one school, Boston University. SR Education Group spokesperson, Keith Cushner said of Iowa Central’s improvement, “Iowa Central has clearly used the past year to listen to student feedback. Their rise in the rankings shows that Iowa Central is now one of the best online schools in the United States.”
Iowa Central College Online is the online satellite of Iowa Central Community College. It offers a wide variety of degrees, including associates’ degrees in business, information technology, criminal justice, healthcare, and human services. The school was formed in 1966 and has a main campus in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Known for its flexible course schedules and excellent online programs, Iowa Central College has met the educational needs of thousands of students over its years in existence. Rick Mead, the Barker Educational Services Team Director of Enrollment for Iowa Central College Online, says this of the school: “We are all really excited about our partnership with Iowa Central. It is a great school with excellent academic programs. These programs are definitely not for a student looking for an easy program, but the school takes pride in knowing that their graduates are well-prepared with a quality education. It is this type of academic care that makes Iowa Central a leading organization in online schooling.â
Guide to Online Schools is one of the top education portals on the Web, offering extensive information on distance learning, careers, reviews written by actual online students, and pages where students can directly contact schools to get more information. To see the full list of rankings, visit Guide to Online School’s 2010 Top Online Colleges Rankings.
SR Education Group is based in Kirkland, Washington. For more information, please contact Keith Cushner, 425-605-8898 or email keith(at)sreducationgroup(dot)org.
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