As the options grow for online learning and career schools, the schools are doing more to try to make theirs stand out among students like you. Career schools and online universities have invested lots in the ads, which aren’t shoddy commercials like you would find on your local cable access channel. Look at enough of them, and there are some common themes in the commercials, shown on TV and online.

The stars are not the facilities, but adults who are at various stages of their life – some at home with kids, others in what appear to be unhappy job situations, others who have this overall wistful look in their eyes that there’s got to be something better for them out there. At times, some ads can be too schmaltzy, and as a result, people have even created parodies of school commercials on Facebook and YouTube.

Here’s a look at five real ads. Which ones do you think make the grade?

University of Phoenix

By the end of this minute-long ad, where the names of students are repeated over and over, you can’t help but think to yourself, “Everybody’s doing it. I want to be a Phoenix, too!” The ad plays up the camaraderie of college (even if you never see fellow students face to face) by using comments from adults in majors ranging from communications to business to psychology to share their testimonials. Everything is great at Phoenix, these professionally-dressed students say, from the teachers available around the clock and the current curriculum to the way the education prepares students for a real-world experience. It just leaves us with one question – we don’t have to wear suits and ties when taking the classes, do we?

Grand Canyon University

If you’re waiting for a shot of the breathtaking Grand Canyon, you’re going to be disappointed in this commercial. Instead, it shows students on a bus, walking with kids, in the military, and even washing a car staring into their reflection and seeing happy new futures. I saw my reflection on my computer screen early this morning and flinched because my morning look can be so scary, especially after just four hours of sleep. That’s a horror movie. For this school, with classes online or on campus, it’s more of an inspiration that students can find their purpose.

DeVry University’s Keller School of Management

DeVry makes it clear – their students are up late and early. You’ll be studying on a bus, at the kitchen counter, on your couch. The male voiceover is filled with awe and inspiration for the “5 a.m. scholar,” the “work-to-school warrior,” and the “middle-of-the-night study group.” A few things I wanted more of from this commercial: I would loved to see the baby try to eat the pink marker (my baby would have tried to grab that marker away from me immediately) and where did the woman at the end of the commercial get that cute polka-dotted scarf?

Argosy University

This commercial is the most snooze-worthy of the ads here, and that’s coming from someone who enjoys playing the piano. It’s focused on a 42-year-old mom of twins playing piano (by herself, for starters) in a house that’s eerily all too clean to have kids living there. Turns out she’s considering a doctoral degree in psychology, but the scene makes me wonder: Why isn’t she at work and just how does she have time to play the piano? Maybe it’s just my own issue: My desk chair is right behind a piano and I haven’t had time to tickle the ivory in weeks.

Capella University

This action-filled ad keeps you guessing the whole time. Where is the driver heading? Who’s in the wreck? Is this a trailer for the next “Fast and Furious”? Nope, it’s … well, I don’t want to spoil anything.

Which commercial would you give an A+ (or an F)? Tell us below.

Earning a degree is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and that’s especially true for online students, many of whom juggle full-time jobs and family responsibilities along with their studies. So what’s in store when you complete an online program? Will you be able to cross the stage, accept your diploma, and wave to Mom? Believe it or not, you might just get that chance. Take a look at what some schools are doing to recognize the achievements of their online grads.

In-person graduation ceremonies
Traditionally, commencement is an in-person, on-campus event – and online grads are encouraged to participate. Some schools, like Ashford University, hold in-person graduation ceremonies exclusively for online students, giving grads a chance to meet face-to-face for the first time and celebrate their accomplishments together. At the school’s biannual graduation ceremony in April, more than 1,000 graduates traveled to the Clinton, Iowa, campus from Canada, Guam, American Samoa, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Indonesia, the Virgin Islands, and from across the United States to receive their diplomas.

And each summer, the University of Phoenix holds an online commencement event at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Last year, more than 3,000 graduates attended the national commencement, which featured keynote speeches by Randy Jackson and Dr. Condoleezza Rice. The online university makes travel and accommodation discounts available for the event, but those who can’t make the trip to join the festivities can always watch live and archived webcasts.

Virtual graduation ceremonies
But wouldn’t it be fun to receive your degree where you earned it – online? Since 2009, Bryant & Stratton College has been hosting a fully online, virtual graduation ceremony in Second Life, a popular 3D virtual world. The entire annual event, from the procession to the commencement speaker to the conferring of degrees to students draped in digital caps and gowns, takes place in virtual reality.

Other schools are jumping on the digital bandwagon and providing virtual graduation ceremonies for online students, too. This year, the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s College of Education offered a virtual graduation ceremony in Second Life, with 22 graduates in attendance, along with family and friends across the country. And last year, Florida State University’s College of Communication and Information piloted a small, virtual graduation ceremony in Second Life, attended by the avatars of six students. The special effects were pretty cool – one professor parachuted into the ceremony to deliver his speech, and students were treated to a virtual fireworks display at the end of the event. The emcee even “shape shifted” into the avatars of faculty who were unable to attend but who were giving prerecorded speeches.

No matter what the shape of the ceremony, online grads deserve to celebrate their academic achievements. And, to be honest, a virtual graduation ceremony sounds like way more fun than my own in-person college commencement!

-Robyn Tellefsen

If you’re the type who loves to sit in the front of the classroom and fall asleep, wear obnoxious T-shirts, or make snide remarks under your breath throughout a lecture, you might feel lost in an online class. How will you ever command a professor’s attention in the anonymity of cyberspace? Fortunately, there are ways to make your presence known.

Don’t pace yourself.
The beauty of online learning is that it’s self-paced. So if you miss a deadline here or there, don’t sweat it. Then, just before you think your prof is getting ready to drop you from the class – and not a minute sooner – send in all your overdue assignments. Go ahead, flood her inbox. Professors love that kind of stuff. They see it as a challenge.

Contact him at all hours.
Most good online professors post virtual office hours, but they also realize you may need to contact them at other times with questions or concerns. This is your chance to show your prof you care. You’ve got his cell, so use it – day and night. Why post in the chat room what you can text your prof directly and incessantly? You can be just like the new mom who calls her doctor at all hours with every question in the book. He’s definitely noticing you now!

Don’t conform to standard rules of grammar.
Grammar is a dying art, especially in the online classroom. Make it your job to kill it for good. Use as many acronyms as possible (it’s a timesaver, after all), never start a sentence with a capital letter, and use shortened spelling for everything (e.g., “nite” instead of “night”; “thru” instead of “through”). Oh, and ALWAYS TYPE IN ALL CAPS. PROFS LOVE THAT. SRIUSLY.

Make her your BFF.
It’s an online class, so it’s a good bet that your prof is lonely without a gaggle of students surrounding her. Close the distance and treat her like you would any of your other friends. Insist that she join you for drinks IRL, and make frequent inquiries about her personal life. As you learn more about her, make plenty of references to her personal stories during class time. And come up with as many inside jokes as possible so you can insert them randomly into the online class discussion threads. It’ll definitely liven things up.

Don’t limit yourself.
Sometimes online professors request that you limit your input to a certain number of comments in order to give everyone a chance to participate in the forum. Ignore this. Use your freedom of speech to the fullest and write a treatise on every thread. Dissect and refute each and every dissenting opinion. Make sure you answer every question first, and always get the last word. You’ll be amazed at the class participation grade you’ll get!

It’s not always easy to get a professor’s attention when you’re learning online, but there are ways. Just don’t give up until you’ve gotten as far under his skin as humanly possible.

And you thought online learning was impersonal!

-Robyn Tellefsen

This spring, thousands of online degree recipients are joining those graduating – and celebrating the accomplishments of their hard work. But the distance factor in online learning may make it difficult for students to take the time or afford to attend the commencement ceremony hosted by their college or university.

We at MyEducation.com wanted to share what our graduation speech would be for you. So sit back, grab something bubbly, throw your cap and gown over your PJs, and read these brief words from us to the Class of 2011…

Congratulations!

Graduations are a bittersweet time of looking back and forward. While you want to take a few moments to remember the hard work, late nights, early mornings, chat room sessions with classmates, and computer screens filled with discussions with professors and peers, it’s tough to keep from wondering, what’s next?

The amazing thing about being an online student is that you’ve already embraced what’s next – using technology to further your education and your career. You are one of the pioneers in higher education because of your willingness to embrace learning online.

You fully embraced the ability to use the Internet to earn your degree while balancing other responsibilities such as working full time, taking care of your family, or serving in the military. And you did it!

Your decision to pursue an online degree shows just one way in which you will be desirable to potential employers – your innovative spirit. At a time when some students still remain reluctant to step outside the normal college classroom, you recognized that technology was not something to question, but to use to your advantage to accomplish your dream of earning a college degree.

Look at your Facebook friends and Twitter followers. These likely include the names of people you have met along the way to achieving an online degree. Some of the friendships you have formed, even if you have never met face to face, will last forever. Others have supported you – and maybe even taken the time for virtual study sessions – in ways that helped you thrive when taking the tough classes required for your degree.

Now it’s time to think about the future. Use what you learned about technology and the experiences you had learning online as you enter the workforce. Show your colleagues and bosses how a virtual education has given you the skills to work virtually with clients and co-workers across the globe or to be a more efficient worker, thanks to technology.

At the same time, show the world that while technology made it accessible for you to earn a degree, it also helped you recognize the value of face-to-face conservations and getting away from the computer screen. Continue to be part of a community, both online and away from the computer.

Although this chapter of your life may be coming to an end, we’re excited to hear about your new journey. And thanks to technology, it won’t be tough to keep in touch. Now go out and celebrate!

-Lori Johnston

When I blogged “What the Government Really Thinks About Online Education” back in February, I discovered a very real bias against learning on the online platform. Coming from Department of Education officials themselves, that’s especially disconcerting.

But with every bit of bad news comes some good tidings – it was recently announced that former President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker at Walden University’s commencement in July. Presidents speak at college commencements every year, but this isn’t just any old school; it’s an online university. If the presence of a prez at the culminating event of higher ed isn’t an endorsement of online education, I don’t know what is.

Plus, President Clinton is known for his commitment to education. Just one example: He launched the Clinton Global Initiative University in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world as they brainstorm solutions to global issues. Each year, these student leaders create specific plans of action that address pressing challenges on their campus, in their community, or in other parts of the world.

President Clinton also serves as honorary chancellor of Laureate International Universities, a global network of more than 55 campus-based and online universities in 27 countries. Walden is the flagship online university in the network, offering accredited bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees for working professionals from all 50 states and more than 100 countries. As honorary chancellor, Clinton advises the network in areas such as social responsibility, youth leadership, and increasing access to higher education.

At Walden’s commencement, which will take place on July 30 at 1:30 p.m. at the Minneapolis Convention Center (streaming live at WaldenU.edu), President Clinton will receive an honorary doctorate in recognition of his commitment to civic engagement, youth leadership, and education.

Clinton’s support of online education makes sense, especially in light of his dedication to global change. Online universities allow students to connect with faculty and peers around the world, not just those in their own small community. Degree programs at schools like Walden are delivered with an international perspective, enabling online students to achieve success in a global marketplace.

We may not have everyone on the online education bandwagon just yet – but with prominent figures like President Clinton leading the way, the future of online ed is looking brighter every day.

-Robyn Tellefsen

Debates over the merits of online education are nothing new, but from time to time it can be fun to listen in on the discussion – especially when students are the ones doing the talking. Last month, The New York Times invited the K-12 set to weigh in on the online vs. face-to-face learning issue, and their perspective was enlightening… if not particularly enlightened.

Many of these young students have the misconception that online courses offer no opportunity to ask questions or interact with the teacher or their peers. They’re equating “online” with “on-your-own,” like correspondence or home study courses, or online courses from the earliest days of the Internet, when technology and interactivity were extremely limited.

Though the majority of these students were just misinformed, I’m intrigued by the fact that those who did weigh in with personal online learning experience didn’t have good things to say:

“Face to face learning is a million times better than online. My grades, my personality, my lifestyle all changed when I did online learning, and not in a good way. I didn’t learn nearly as much as I needed to, and I missed the direct contact with teachers and students.”  – Emily

“I dislike online courses because for me it is harder to learn … I never fully appreciated teachers until I didn’t have them there to help me, I really appreciate what they do now.” – Tiffany

Hmmm… it sounds like these students are suffering from a lack of accountability, needing a physical teacher to help them stay on track and limit distractions. Of course, self-discipline (or lack thereof) is a common problem for online students of all ages. Whatever the reason, many of us require constant monitoring and hand-holding to get our work done. (Why is that? And is self-motivation and self-control even harder to come by when we’re young?)

That being said, the students did mention quite a few advantages to online learning. Working at their own pace and on their own schedule was a frequently cited benefit, along with the opportunity to take courses that their own school did not offer. Some students mentioned the idea of their own home as a more comfortable, relaxed environment for learning, less stressful than the traditional classroom.

Whatever their experience with online learning, students were pretty well united in the opinion that online courses should not be mandatory. Many recognized the fact that what works for one student will not work for another; online learning is not for everyone.

But what I’m still pondering is this: Is the K-12 set even less equipped to deal with the difficulties and distractions inherent to online education?

What do you think?

-Robyn Tellefsen