New Podcast Available Addressing Key Benefits Of StraighterLine’s Online Education Program

StraighterLine (www.straighterline.com), a new online education solution that provides students a high quality, better supported, and lower cost way to obtain college credits through regionally accredited colleges and universities, has announced the release of a podcast discussing the key benefits of its state-of-art services and online course offerings. In the podcast, Ryan Busch, director of StraighterLine, discusses how the company helps equip students with the necessary skills to graduate, what separates the company from its competitors and how StraighterLine instruction compares with that of a traditional brick-and-mortar college.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 30 percent of college students leave after their first year and almost 50 percent never graduate due to a rise in financial pressures and a lack of preparation, among other reasons. With StraighterLine, students can select to take a single course for $399 or use the CaaS ("College as a Service") model which allows them to access all SL courses for $99 per month with no start-up costs and no time limit for course completion.

StraighterLine also represents the only online education source providing up to 24/7 on-demand instructional guidance. The program leverages SMARTHINKING’s online tutors, which to date have provided more that 1 million tutoring sessions to college students. SMARTHINKING, founded in 1999 and the parent company of StraighterLine, is an award-winning market leader in providing online tutoring and academic support to students. It launched the StraighterLine division in May 2008.

StraighterLine will focus initially on four entry-level curriculum courses where credit can be transferred: College Algebra, English Composition, Economics 101 and Accounting 101. More courses are planned for the future. Courses completed through the StraighterLine program can be awarded college credit by regionally accredited partner colleges. Student-earned credits may also be transferred to non-partner colleges that recognize the StraighterLine’s partner’s courses as equivalent programs.

The podcast is now available for download at: www.mmimarketing.com/files/keybenefitsofstraighterline.mp3

Related Links:
www.straighterline.com
www.smarthinking.com
www.mmimarketing.com/blog/?author=straighterline
www.mmimarketing.com/files/keybenefitsofstraighterline.mp3

Quotes:
"College dropout rates contain a number of different tragedies," said Busch. "First, the number of students that do not complete college is dramatic. Second, the number of students that come to college not ready for college level work is extremely high. And lastly, the number of students that successfully complete developmental courses is surprisingly low. StraighterLine offers today’s student a unique opportunity to pursue a college degree on their own terms of flexibility and affordability. It has the potential to create a positive change in some of our nation’s most challenging obstacles within higher education."

About StraighterLine:
StraighterLine provides students with a new online option for obtaining required college credits from accredited colleges and universities. StraighterLine’s affordable courses are the first to include up to 24/7 live, on-demand instruction. StraighterLine offers six entry-level college courses, including College Algebra, English Composition I, Accounting I, Accounting II, Economics I: Macroeconomics and Economics II: Microeconomics, and two developmental courses, with many more planned. StraighterLine students may choose to receive credit from StraighterLine’s regionally accredited partner colleges. Student-earned credits may also be transferable to non-partner colleges that recognize StraighterLine’s partner’s courses as equivalent programs. There are no set due dates for StraighterLine courses. Students may start and stop at any point with up to six months of access. StraighterLine offers two remarkable pricing programs; individual courses cost only $399, include 10 hours of one-on-one instructional support, and allow up to six months of access; and the StraighterLine for $99 program: a $99 per month subscription with no additional start-up costs which includes unlimited access to any and all courses one at a time, plus 10 total hours of one-on-one instructional support, with no minimum or maximum time limit for course completion. For more information, visit www.straighterline.com or call 202-507-7020 or 1-877-str8erline (1-877-787-8375).

Tags:
SMARTHINKING, StraighterLine, Ryan Busch, Burck Smith, Online Education, Online Tutoring, Education Technology, Online Academic Support, E-structor, e-Scholars, McGraw-Hill, Blackboard, Whiteboard, Online Learning, College Accreditation, Partner Colleges, Accredited Institutions,

Patty Briguglio
MMI Associates, Inc.
919-233-6600
patty@mmimarketing.com
PR Firms Raleigh, NC

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