How to Evaluate the Value of Your Online Degree

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What does your institution’s online degree say to the world? That your students are committed, hardworking, and knowledgeable? That they persevered despite the fact that they chose not to attend the “traditional” classroom setting? That they are curious, critical, and sharp in real-world situations? Or does it say that they somehow achieved less than on-campus students? That they received a degree that’s similar, but not equal?

Much like paper money, a paper degree hanging in a frame on the wall doesn’t have much inherent value. We assign value to money because we know the bargaining power it represents, and the opportunity that resides within it. So long as enough of us believe in this value, money will be worth far more than the paper it is printed on. Similarly, your institution’s online degree represents the cumulative knowledge that your teachers imparted to your students. It represents performance and acquisition. It shows the hard work that was necessary to earn the grade, and the resulting knowledge and degree that was acquired. That knowledge is a hard asset that the student can spend on future opportunities.

Online proctoring services guarantee credibility. And credibility is the currency on which academic merit is traded. Online proctoring services can help you prove that your academic institution’s online degrees represent your students’ true acquisition of real world knowledge.

Honesty, academic integrity, and proof of a student’s hard work are what give the online degree its value – not a gold seal, not a stamped signature, not a Latin phrase printed at the bottom of the certificate. Objective verification that your online testing processes are thorough, verified, and accurate will show that it’s worth placing trust in your institution’s online degree. ProctorU was the first to establish the standards of objectivity by which all online proctoring services are currently measured.

But it is important to note that credibility and confidence in a degree are not only ensured by catching cheaters. It’s about preventing cheating from occurring in the first place. The fact is, the majority of students taking online courses aren’t cheaters. But no school wants their brand and their reputation sullied by a cheating scandal. And for those students who have invested their time, energy, and money into an institution’s degree, the last thing they want is for their investment to be devalued by a cheat.

Most students are motivated and dedicated enough to want to improve their lives. These are the people that ProctorU works for. These are the people that drive our rigor and pace our innovation. Since setting the standard in 2008, we have continuously evolved our solution, but we have always avoided the temptation to rush forth with novelty. Cutting corners for a quick buck is not an option when you see the stakes like we see the stakes.

The value of the knowledge that students gain from their online degree is the true measure of an institution’s performance. While cheaters most certainly hurt themselves – in addition to being robbed of the knowledge they could have gained, they are also usually expelled – fraud on exams devalues your online degree for the trustworthy, hardworking students. Even rumors that originate from using less reliable proctoring solutions can damage your institution’s reputation. By casting doubt on the authenticity of your degree, cheating also undermines the perception of integrity and rigor in your academic programs. Protect your students’ faith in your credibility and academic integrity, and elevate the value of your online degree.

Money only has value if there is trust in the institution that issued it. You worked to build up your program, and your students work hard on their studies. Don’t let academic dishonesty threaten your future, or theirs. ProctorU will work with you to safeguard this credibility – making sure that your academic institution’s online degree will have value for years to come.

With ProctorU, you can guarantee that your students made a wise investment in your institution