Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: Dr. Bear has a way of giving the most information on a very difficult topic. He must be considered as one of if not the pioneer in alternative education publications. I feel that he has been for the most part, unbiased and very thorough and cooperative when it comes to giving complete information on the subject. Overall he must be commended for putting together a fine publication.
Rating:
Summary: Even top students should consider colleges in Bear's book
Review: Even the most highly regarded traditional colleges--e.g., the Ivys and Stanford are FAR worse, in my view, than the public perceives them to be. Think of the passivity of their notorious large lecture classes usually taught by a professor more expert and more interested in his or her narrow, arcane specialty than providing what students more likely need. Think of the minimal feedback generally offered to students on their work. Think about the tests and assignments which are often designed more for easy grading than what will result in greater benefit to students. Think of how many students graduate (even with graduate degrees) unable to write or think. If students graduate from colleges with good writing and thinking skills, it's largely because they came to the college with high ability. The evidence in my view, is clear, that colleges, ESPECIALLY, the prestigious ones, have not demonstrated sufficient value-added for the 4 years and $135,000 sticker price--EVEN when one factors in the career-enhancement that accrues from an Ivy diploma. With many of the degree programs in Bear's book, the instructors are more dedicated to teaching rather than research and they tend to offer more feedback, on average. Perhaps most important, distance learning programs tend to offer greater options for individualizing a program to meet the student's needs. And of course, the best options such as Thomas Edison State College, allow the students to pick the best and best-suited courses from among the hundreds of institutions offering distance-based courses, rather than just the few that the local university happens to be offering that semester. I have spent much of my life evaluating higher education, and I would argue that all students--EVEN teenagers--would be VERY wise to consider colleges in this book. Yes, I have a Ph.D. from Berkeley, but if I were to do it over again, knowing what I know now about traditional higher education, I would probably forgo any graduate degree, but if I did pursue one, it would likely be from an institution in Bear's book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Info on Alternative & Accredited Degrees
Review: Huge excellent book and database for the ever-changing opportunities for adult distance learners wanting an accredited degrees. I particularly liked Dr. Bear's friendly candor and the time-saving information on life-credit for past work experience. Finding out about the educational "credit bank" alone was worth the price of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Without question, the best resource for adult learners
Review: I admit I was skeptical when I responded to a small classified ad offering this book for sale. But the book written by John and Mariah Bear turned out to be an extremely well-written and carefully researched work, offering valuable and practical assistance on completing a degree at any of a hundred-plus quality, regionally accredited schools. The schools, including some very high-profile ones, offer many different specialties. Some are State-affiliated, and several allow the industrious student with a lot of work and life experience to complete an accredited undergraduate degree in under a year for less than $3000! The book also has great -- and amusing -- information on various "less-than-wonderful" institutions to stay away from, as well as an interesting and colorful historical section on past diploma mills. All in all, an excellent resource, enjoyable to read, and very highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Disgusted by this book
Review: I am completely disuusted that this man is still allowed to sell his books. After buying this so-called "guide", I discovered that this man founded and/or was intimately involved with at least 4 degree mills in the past. Greenwich University
Fairfax University
Columbia State University
Institute for Advanced Studies How does he get away with this?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference Work
Review: I bought the 12th edition and the 13th is bigger and even better. Anyone considering trying to earn a degree via distance learning should consider this a must buy. It's about 400 large pages with information on well over a thousand different schools. So you can use it for your initial search for a school to narrow your choices down to just a few schools to start corresponding with. Or if you're already thinking of a specific school you may still want to get this book to look at what the book says about it. There's a paragraph or two written on almost every school in here. It could save you the time and money that might be wasted getting tricked by a degree mill. I think this book would also be very handy as a reference in a personnel office to check up on schools listed on resumes.
Rating: 
Summary: Use As a Starting Point Only
Review: I bought this book for one reason and one reason only: to get a list of addresses and contact information for accredited graduate schools and programs that might interest me (the other information in the book I have essentially disregarded and have not used). I got that, so in that sense, I am satisfied. My goal is a quality, part-time, part-residency MBA. The hardest part of researching these programs is finding out which schools offer them. In that sense this is a good book as it lists those schools in a much more concise format that does a comprehensive guide like Peterson's MBA Programs, which also includes traditional, full time degrees. I do know that Dr. Bear has been disparaged for being affiliated with several diploma mills in the past, and is frequently savaged in reviews and on the internet. I do not know or claim to know of all of Dr. Bear's current and former dealings, but if you use this book simply as a listing and starting point for further research, it could be a useful resource. I would always do due diligence on my own, finding out detailed program and accreditation information before considering a school or program further. My recommendation for others interested in graduate degrees would be to consult with a Peterson's guide, like I have, as the single best source of information in book form. There are certainly a lot of well known and reputable schools in the Bear's Guide, but there are others I have never heard of. Like anything else, buyer beware: do the research on your own.
Rating:
Summary: A great book for exploring non-tradional education.
Review: I found Dr. Bears book to be a great reference to find all the information I needed to pursue a non-traditional degree. The greatest help in his book is reagrding how schools are accredited and how to look out for those who are not - or are questionable in their claims of accreditation. I would reccomend this book to anyone who wishes to pursue a distance learning or non-traditional college degree.
Rating:
Summary: Bears Books Are A Must For Those Interested In Dist. Ed.
Review: I found Mr. Bear's books very helpful in learnng about distance education and selecting a school to enroll in. However, one must remember that people interpret situations and experiences differently and must base their final selection on their instincts and feelings. This book attempts to instruct the reader on distance education, do's and dont's as well as provides information on selecting a program and institution that is right for you. However, he should not be criticized or held accountable because someone doesn't like a program or the school is not rated at the top of a rediculous chart. In conclusion, this book is very helpful and can greatly aid one in learning about distance education.
Rating:
Summary: Cannot Find A Better Book For The Older College Student
Review: I found this book back in 1987, or 1988, and used it to get my college degree(Bachelor's). I have found employers as receptive to this degree as they are to a traditional degree I hold. (I customize my resume with either degree depending on the contract I am after). It's an excellent resource for the older student. The definition of a student does not mean "sit in a classroom for 4 years". That in mind, this book can enhance one's learning and help them to achieve that degree they have always desired. Bear shows them the good schools they can get it from. While not all the schools are top of the line, it's a banquet for the person looking to earn a degree from a good school. Bear does a good job exposing degree mills, too. JT
| 
