Texas Border Business
McAllen, TEXAS – South Texas College is among the most innovative online schools for students seeking associate degrees, according to a new ranking published nationwide Feb. 5.
Named among the ‘30 most innovative online colleges’ in the nation, according to Online Schools Center, the website is an online resource geared towards students who are seeking an online option for college apart from traditional brick and mortar institutions. STC was the only institution in Texas to receive the recognition.
The variety of associate degrees makes STC an excellent transfer school and a top-rated college for military personnel whether they are veterans or on active duty, according to OSC.
There is also a wealth of academic, financial, and career-based resources all of which are available at a distance along with the 100 percent online coursework. STC is the most affordable college in this ranking, especially for residents of Texas, according to OSC.
“We have developed an outstanding Online Campus at South Texas College over the course of more than 20 years that is available anywhere to students seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” said Ana Rocio Pena, Director of Distance Learning and Online Campus at South Texas College. “Above all, we believe that taking online classes prepares students for the real world and enables them to be responsible by providing them the opportunity to study and work at their convenience.
Online Schools Center says it considered dynamics such as the incorporation of new technologies, adaptability, flexibility, groundbreaking resources, unique degree courses, and how responsive each school is to the changing demands of 21st-century online students and professionals.
It also considered factors like awards and recognition, as well as the presence of pioneering faculty members. This included a look at the top online universities in the country, consulting resources such as U.S. News & World Report’s 2020/2020 rankings of the best online schools in the nation for undergraduate and graduate education.
Online courses across the nation have quadrupled in the last 15 years, and one in six students are taking online classes exclusively, according to a report by Brookings Institute.
At STC, about 10 percent of all students (3,226) took classes exclusively online in 2018, compared to the 853 students who took online classes 10 years ago.
Starting in 1997 with two-course sections and 57 students, the Distance Learning Program at STC has since expanded to include 35 online degrees, which are fully online, about 280 faculty are certified to teach online courses, over 700 online courses, and over 6,000 online students.
Students can earn one of 35 degrees and certificates entirely online as they pursue their career goals.
