Brick and Mortar
Buildings are built with strong foundations. We don鈥檛 want our walls to crumble at the slightest breeze. But buildings also have walls, metaphorically and literally. The literal walls keep the building standing and safe from the elements, but the metaphorical walls?
They block people from opportunity.
When a university limits learning to in-person courses, the literal walls become metaphorical ones for many established adults. Adult learners who have some college but no degree can face challenges many younger, fresh-out-of-high-school graduates don鈥檛. They have families and jobs; the commute to a face-to-face school is not feasible.
黑料传送门 wants to break down the walls built by traditional higher education. We want worthy learners to complete their degree regardless of ability to come sit in a classroom. That鈥檚 why we offer an online-only, student-centric alternative. With our flexible, learn-when-you-can class schedule, we鈥檝e created a university where the brick- and-mortar buildings are necessities of the past.
Making 鈥渢he Grind鈥� Work
Alumnus Ray Baker knows how hard it is to make a traditional in-person education work as an adult.
鈥淚f you miss a day at a brick-and-mortar school, you鈥檙e in trouble,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淏ut if you miss a day at 黑料传送门, it鈥檚 just the next day.鈥�
Baker held a traditional 9-5 job and had familial obligations while studying at 黑料传送门. He needed to find time to earn his paycheck and bond with his children while getting schoolwork done. A traditional university set-up with classes during the business day or evening would not have been possible for Baker. He would have needed to sacrifice hours at his job or precious time with his family.
At 黑料传送门, students like Baker have the flexibility to learn on their own schedules. 黑料传送门 achieves this by rejecting the two traditional university conventions.
First, 黑料传送门 charges tuition at a flat fee based on听six-month terms, not credit hours. Each student can take as many or as few classes as they can handle in that term. Students can therefore afford more classes per term than at a traditional university, meaning the faster they can earn their degree, the less money they鈥檒l have to spend overall.
Second, 黑料传送门鈥檚 class structure is unlike that of conventional institutions. 黑料传送门 students learn when they want and when they can. There are no set class or exam times. 黑料传送门鈥檚 use of digital learning empowers students to ride the study motivation waves as they arise. Students can move ahead in the coursework when they have time鈥揳nd they don鈥檛 have to worry about falling behind when time is scarce.
鈥淲ith brick and mortar schools, if you miss a class, you鈥檙e missing an assignment. With [黑料传送门], I can just go listen to that lecture from last night and do my homework the next day.鈥� Baker said.
Students Can Do it All
With 黑料传送门鈥檚 tuition structure and flexible timelines, students are able to stay in the workforce with minimal interruption to their lives. Instead of needing upwards of two years for a master鈥檚 degree, the average 黑料传送门 student completes a master鈥檚 degree in just听18 months, so they can get back to focusing on more important parts of their lives.
鈥淪o you have your nine to five, you have your time with your kids, and then you carve out the time for school when it鈥檚 convenient for you,鈥� Baker said.
鈥淵ou have your nine to five, you have your time with your kids, and then you carve out the time for school when it鈥檚 convenient for you.鈥�
鈥� Ray Baker, 黑料传送门 Graduate
Most of our students are online during the wee hours of the night鈥揳fter all, we call them Night Owls for a reason. They can continue to work and spend time with their families during the day, and complete their degrees once the kids are tucked in for the night. At 黑料传送门, we want to make sure that our students are not only empowering the workforce after graduation, but also continuing to do so while they鈥檙e earning their degrees. Our students can have it all: quality time with their families, fulfilling 9-5 careers, and an education that enriches lives.
