NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire -08/20/12)- Although many have no doubts that the education industry will survive, many experts believe that the way the world implements higher education is changing. According to a recent CBS News report, elite universities have responded to these concerns by expanding their curriculum to the Internet. Although online education has been previously doubted as a legitimate way to earn a degree, the creation of free online courses by Harvard, MIT and Stanford has given the practice more credibility. In addition, these programs that are still in their infancy will most likely lay the foundation for how many people approach college in the future. As a private school that prepares students for strong collegiate experiences, York Prep has responded to the rising trend by observing the widespread impact of online education growth.

According to CBS, many international students have responded favorably to the online curricula offered by these noted institutions. Residing in India, Ashwith Rego, a 24-year-old engineering student, explains his education experience, "I never imagined that I would be taught by professors from MIT, let alone for free." While the article pinpoints ways that these programs are beneficial for low-income students or those with busy schedules, York Prep Headmaster Ronald Stewart believes that these programs should also be looked at as a way to enhance every citizen's education.

Stewart explains, "I have listened on my home computer to the complete online lecture series by Michael Sandel of Harvard on Justice, and it was intellectually stimulating and enjoyable. This is the potential of online courses; to provide people from all walks of life the opportunity to hear superb lectures by the best professors in the country. Whether the courses are rigorous enough to deserve college credit or if they can prevent cheating seems secondary to the fact that all of us can enjoy and learn from the best."

However, the education industry is currently in a transition period in which professionals are determining whether online education programs will replace the traditional university altogether or simply expand that experience. While the future remains unseen, the article explains how the shift has benefited universities, "The proliferation of so-called massive open online courses, or MOOCs, has the potential to transform higher education at a time when colleges and universities are grappling with shrinking budgets, rising costs and protests over soaring tuition and student debt."

Having realized the diverse potential York Prep students have in higher education, Ronald Stewart responds to these observations by noting that online education does not necessarily have to be an alternative to the way people learn. He concludes, "Online education can be immensely successful without being considered necessarily as an alternative to a regular college experience. However, for those who do not have the resources of money or time to have that personal college experience, then online courses are a better option than anything else that is currently available."

ABOUT:

York Prep, a private school, was founded by Ronald and Jayme Stewart. Located in New York City's Upper West Side, York Prep offers educational resources to students in grades six through 12. Currently, York Prep has 340 enrolled students, to whom it provides individualized curriculum and course offerings. To learn more, visit yorkprep.org.

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York Prep Reacts to New Online Course Offerings by Elite Universities