Alexander with her children

Many people dream of making a living doing what they love. However, earning a self-sustaining salary is often an issue. Such was the case with Tracie E. Alexander, who wanted to transition from a successful career in television to higher education. With a little sacrifice and a lot of family support, Alexander, 42, is saving up to supplement what is initially a lower salary and maximizing her income potential by pursuing two doctoral degrees.

One would think that being the first African American woman to anchor the evening news in central Louisiana would be enough of an achievement to rest on. Alexander earned numerous accolades in her 15-year career, including a National Association of Black Journalists award for her work on BET’s Meet the Faith, and an NAACP award for her coverage of the death of actress and singer Aaliyah. Still, despite measurable success, a comfortable lifestyle, and a salary that reached $110,000, Alexander says that by 2001 she began to feel empty and unfulfilled. “My experiences throughout my journalism career were more than I could have dreamed of, but I knew I wanted to do something else. I wanted to share my experiences; I wanted to teach, especially since I was becoming a mentor to newcomers in my field.”

Alexander’s transition came at an awkward time, to say the least. Divorced, with one child, Skylnn, now 8, and eight months pregnant with her second child, Alexander Julian, now 4, she nevertheless felt driven to give back to her community and decided to go back to school. She enrolled in a graduate studies program in 2005 at The College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, New York, to earn a master’s of science in organizational communication, which gave her the ability to become an adjunct professor at Monroe and Iona colleges.

“Obtaining my M.S. afforded me the opportunity to transition from the television studio to the classroom,” she says. Alexander earned her M.S. in 2007. At the time, her combined income from consulting projects and teaching was about $100,000. However, in order to earn more money and eventually become a full-time professor, she would need to earn a doctorate.

Alexander’s ultimate goal is to become president of a college or university. To reach that goal, she joined a fast-track Ed.D. program last May at St. John Fisher College at the College of New Rochelle, which requires her to do her course work and

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dissertation simultaneously. As a part-time adjunct professor, who receives a 50% tuition discount, Alexander can expect to earn up to $122,000 once she receives her doctorate next year and becomes a full-time professor by 2012. Alexander estimates that between her M.S. and Ed.D. programs she has accrued $55,000 in debt. However, an Ed.D. will pay off, as she can expect a $62,000 increase in salary.

In the meantime, Alexander has made some sacrifices, for example, taking a $50,000 salary decrease, moving with her children back in with her parents, and cutting out a lot of the luxuries that a high salary could afford her. She says her parents continue to play a huge supportive role that allows her to pursue her academic degrees at a feverish pace. “When I was living on my own I was shopping, traveling, dining out with friends and doing all the things that I thought were important but that now no longer seem to matter,” says Alexander.

Her research falls in line with a need to help young women of color. “It centers on developing and increasing the pipeline for more African American women to obtain positions of leadership in higher education and business. Just recently I was appointed the graduate fellow in my program. This scholarship provides additional earnings for me. To that end, as an adjunct professor, my potential earnings are endless.”

After Alexander completes her Ed.D., she will pursue a Ph.D. in business to maximize her income potential. In aspiring to become the next Ruth J. Simmons, Ph.D. (president of Brown University), or Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. (president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), she understands the many sacrifices she will need to make. However, she wants to emphasize that African Americans should change their thinking when it comes to developing their monetary value and building their social network. Being a student, blogger, public speaker, and columnist have all increased her professional network and earnings potential.

For people who tend to procrastinate, the flexibility of an online program and freedom to complete assignments on your time can be disastrous.

There are several factors to consider to determine if his online schooling is right for you:

The workload is not easier or lighter online. “Some students feel that this is easier because it’s online, but they’re in for a big shock,” says Clinefelter. Online courses can involve as much or even more work than traditional classes and require students to be independent, self-motivated learners.

Be prepared for large amounts of reading and to participate heavily in virtual discussions. Even though the amount of work may turn some people off, Clinefelter sees it as motivating. “It forces participation. You can’t just sit in the back of the class and daydream. You have to be engaged. It’s active learning.”

It’s not your typical classroom. For some people, the lack of face-to-face contact can be a big drawback of online courses. For some people, the camaraderie and social aspect of attending class is just as important as the knowledge gained from the courses. “The general perception is that it [distance learning] is impersonal,” explains Clinefelter. “It turns out that that’s false. People’s personalities and sense of humor come out online.” If not being in a physical classroom with other students is a problem for you, then you might want to consider attending a traditional school or attending an online course that also involves an in-person residency.

Whichever way you fall, knowing the details of online learning can help you decide whether this type of learning is right for you.

Previously in the series: How Legitimate Are Online Schools?

“It’s an opportunity to change your career direction,” says Reggie Smith III, president of United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA), a nonprofit that promotes the development and application of distance learning for education and training. ”More degrees can make you more competitive. It’s also an opportunity to network with people in your field. As blacks, we don’t do that enough.”

Before you apply for admission, here are some key points to consider to get the most out of your experience.

Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Class Schedules

There are two schedules that many online courses follow. Synchronous classes happen in real time and follow a set schedule. Asynchronous classes give students more flexibility by allowing them to access posted course material and attend classes at any given time.

For professionals who prefer to have a more structured learning experience, synchronous online courses would be the preferred option. For professionals who are able to manage their work without having hard deadlines and need to have a more flexible academic schedule, asynchronous learning may better suit them.
While picking a class schedule, keep in mind that some programs require students to spend a certain percentage of time in a physical classroom.

Accreditation

Beware—not all online educational programs are properly accredited. Known as diploma mills, these entities have all of the trappings of an online educational institution but are really just scams. Some recurring characteristics of diploma mills are the absence of a physical location (many have P.O. box addresses), false advertising that degrees can be completed in a manner of months instead of years, and the requirement that students pay per each completed degree instead of for each course or semester.

A number of these false setups even have names similar to prestigious or well-known institutions. For example, Americus University, an unaccredited degree-granting school located in Washington D.C., has a strikingly similar name to the fully accredited American University, which is also located in Washington D.C.  Degrees from unaccredited schools are not recognized by prospective employers or other colleges and universities. Check with regional accreditation agencies or confer with your state’s education department to confirm accreditation.

Price

There’s a public misconception that online classes are cheaper than traditional universities. In some cases they can be just as costly. Calculate costs and all related expenses before choosing the right program for you.

If money is an issue, there are a number of online destinations that provide entire courses free of charge. One such entity is iTunes U. At iTunes U, any individual can access free coursework from prestigious universities such as Stanford University and the University of Oxford, among others. Similar to purchasing songs, individuals can download lectures (video or audio files) to their iTunes library or to their MP3 player.

Check out Part II: Are Online Classes the Right Fit For You?