You’ll likely knee-deep in the confusing choice of where to study and are tempted by talks of the easiest, accredited online colleges. It’s human nature to want to finish tasks as easily and quickly as possible. Especially when that task is a degree that can greatly uplift your résumé. After all, the Washington Post reported that nearly 70 percent, or five in seven, jobs now require college education. The median salary for bachelor’s grads in the Class of 2017 was $66,097 according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. High school graduates only make an average of $35,256 yearly in comparison. Slaving over papers, tests, and textbook readings can hard enough for nontraditional students alone without adding time-consuming campus commutes though. So let’s explore whether the easiest, accredited online colleges actually provide good education that’s worth its salt.

See Also: 30 Easiest Online College Programs for Undergrads

What Makes Some Online Colleges “Easy”

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Easy can be a subjective descriptor because what’s simple for one might be hard for another. For instance, maybe you excel at writing papers for English but scientists find lab research easier. There are several characteristics that the easiest, accredited online colleges share though. They usually have open-enrollment policies for acceptance rates at or near 100 percent. Many have test-optional admission to avoid the painstaking ACT or SAT exam process. Quicker routes to degree completion are common. Easy online colleges often condense material into five to 10 weeks to concentrate on one course at a time. Most have liberal transfer rollovers to waive up to 90 credits on a 120-credit bachelor’s. The easiest, accredited online colleges also offer free tutoring, keep classes asynchronous, and reduce projects or practica.

The Quality of the Easiest Online Colleges

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Easy online colleges can deliver good education since none of the above adjustments affect their quality. Tweaking the mode of instruction simply makes learning more convenient; you’ll still need to put the work in. Your education won’t be Ivy League, but it still can be valuable and fast. The easiest, accredited online colleges that have nonprofit status are generally the best. That’s because some might be biased against for-profit, online-only institutions like DeVry, Webster, Ashford, and Walden that have faced lawsuits. The NCES College Navigator found that 5.75 million students take online courses now, so employers will usually recognize them. Online schools with brick-and-mortar campuses frequently omit the word “online” from diplomas anyway. The easiest, accredited online colleges aren’t gimmicks because they really offer an opportunity to sharpen vocational knowledge with plus time management, collaboration, computer, and thinking skills.

How to Find Good Online Colleges That are Easy

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Research from the U.S. Department of Education in 2009 found that online classes produce stronger student learning outcomes than face-to-face ones. However, that’s only if you carefully shop for institutions that don’t throw up red flags for diploma mill practices. Employers Choice reports that over 370 fake schools still award 200,000 unemployable degrees yearly. Your first safeguard against becoming prey is accreditation. The easiest, accredited online colleges can be validated for quality by six regional agencies: the NEASC, MSCHE, SACS, HLC, NWCCU, and WASC. Others might have national accreditation from bodies like the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), but they’re not as widely accepted. The U.S. News & World Report online rankings are an excellent place to find good education. The Open Education Database and Better Business Bureau can also let you know how online schools fare.

Great Examples of the Easiest Online Colleges

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The Guide to Online Schools currently lists 555 non-profit colleges that range in level of difficulty, but easy options abound. Let’s dive deeper into a few U.S. examples available from literally anywhere. Oakwood University is a test-optional, SACS-accredited school offering 18-month completion for the B.S. in General Studies and B.S. in Church Leadership. Lewis-Clark State College is publicly funded to deliver easy, eight-week Blackboard courses for the RN to BSN and Early Childhood Development B.A.S. Patten University starts WASC-accredited online courses every Monday for debt-free degrees like the B.A. in Law Enforcement and B.A. in Entrepreneurship. Midway University in Kentucky easily connects to eight-week, Moodle courses for the BA Interdisciplinary Studies and BA Psychology. Wayland Baptist University also has 100 percent admission into SACS-accredited, 11-week online modules for the Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Business.

Don’t ever expect earning a degree to be a walk in the park. Online schools offering the chance to buy diplomas with little time spent on actual courses can’t be trusted. Fortunately, the easiest, accredited online colleges are checked regularly by third-party agencies to students get the good education they deserve. Other outstanding online institutions, such as Wayne State College, Charter Oak State College, Concordia University, Becker College, Limestone College, Post University, and Eastern Kentucky University, also simplify learning with non-competitive admission, test waivers, easy majors, and shorter spans.