Online school garners praise for financial incentives

Online school garners praise for financial incentives

Ashford University, which offers a range of online degrees as well as on-campus instruction, has said it will offer outstanding students up to 100 percent tuition relief for four years beginning in Fall 2010.

The move has been lauded by many state officials in Iowa, where the university is based, with U.S. Representative Bruce Braley saying the program will help families struggling in the current economy send their deserving children to college.

The schools has said the grade point average is the only qualification for the new scholarships, which include the President's Scholarship covering 100 percent tuition for those with a GPA of 3.50 and above. Meanwhile, the Provost's Scholarship covers $12,500 toward tuition (for GPA between 3.25 and 3.49) and the Dean's Scholarship covers $10,000 toward tuition (GPA 3.00-3.24).

"We believe that hard-working students who have earned good grades throughout their education deserve the opportunity to embark upon a high-quality higher education," says Jane McAuliffe, president of Ashford University.

"We're rewarding the best and brightest students who have demonstrated their capability and commitment to learning," she adds.

An online college degree may be a good option for adults who would like to enhance their earnings potential. Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau for 2007 show the average earnings for men with high school education were $42,466, while those with bachelors degrees (or more) earned $88,843, which is more than twice as much.