Trustworthy Online Schools and Links That Wont Steal Your Identity

Don't give your SSN to the school. If they say they need it because it's your student ID number, tell them to assign you a student ID number. Bottom line, they're not allowed to require you to give them the number unless they're giving YOU money (financial aid); in which case they're required to report it as income to the IRS.

DO apply to recognized, accredited brick-and-mortar schools which have online degree programs. A degree from an online school with no reputation or a bad reputation won't help you much, and could be a huge waste of time and money. It may be that as a student of a brick-and-mortar school, you have access to the college health care facilities, resources and perhaps insurance coverage.

If your ultimate career goal is to be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), research what the requirements are in your state. It may be that no degree is needed; perhaps you can self-educate, then take and pass a test to become a CPA.

Once you've chosen a school, DO apply for every scholarship and grant you can find which will apply to you. It just may be that you can line up enough financial aid to quit your second job.

Aim for the highest-quality college at which to study; the most financial aid (grants and scholarships - avoid debt!); and the least amount of required coursework to achieve your career goal.

I don't know what your current two jobs are, but if you're aiming for an accounting career, consider getting a job (not a third! - replace your second) as a bookkeeper. Many times you can learn accounting basics under the tutelage of someone else as a bookkeeper. It's even possible to get a work-from-home job doing bookkeeping work. This would be career-building work experience and if work-from-home would make your college studies and child care much more feasible.

Be sure to check with the online school that they do not have deadlines that you can't meet. Sounds like you have your hands full with 2 jobs and a child with medical issues. It would be a waste of money if you pay for a class you cannot finish in their time frame. Do not go with an online school that doesn't already have a good reputation as a traditional campus school. They would not ruin their reputation with a poor online program.

You should be able to apply to a school without giving your SSN. I know people who never give theirs out.

You can check to see if a school is legit by researching them on line. Check with the Better Business Bureau. If they're accredited, check with their accrediting agency. If they're claiming that after finishing their course work you can be licensed check with your state licensing agency.

Be sure to find out if you can take your time completing coursework. Usually on line schools are similar to schools in a building in that they have terms or semesters and work has to be completed by certain deadlines. You will save some time by not having to travel but attending school on line still takes a chunk of time that you may not have to dedicate to school based on their schedule.

Check and see if it is accredited. I finished my master's degree last summef from an online school recommended by my school district. It was Grand Canyon University. Many universities are offering online classes including those in the Houston area. So far I have not had any problems. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau.

St. Leo University based in Florida is a great on line and on campus school. You can call the number and they will help you register. My husband got his B.S. in Criminal Justice and I did almost all of my nursing prereq's there. I really liked their customer service and the professors were awesome!

Just go with your local community college, I am doing anatomy/physiology, english and math online at the moment, I know they do accounting online at my college (lone star, which is in your area) - It says I live in CA, but I actually live in Richards TX, which is not far from you. I just have to go in for my exams.
it's cheap too, like $60 an hour!

As a general rule of thumb, never give your SSN to anyone (online or not) unless you have been given a full explanation as to why it is needed and how it will be used. This is probably best done in person. There are many community colleges in the Houston area that offer online courses. Do some research and decide which one best suits your needs. Once you have decided, set up an appointment to meet with someone in the Admissions office. When you begin the application process, you can always leave that information blank on an application. If you are challenged, ask if an alternate indentifier can be used. If it is still demanded of you, ask the following:

Why is the SSN needed?

How will it be used?

What are the consequences of refusal?

What law requires the number to be given?

If I give it to you, how is the information stored?

Once you have that information in front of you, then you can make a more informed decision.

Identity theft is a very scary thing and is very cumbersome to try to clean up. If you are monitoring your credit reports every 6 months, you should have a good idea of whether or not someone is trying to use your information.