College Consensus Publishes Aggregate Consensus Ranking of 100 Best Online Colleges and Universities for 2020

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Apr 21, 2020, 08:36 ET

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- College Consensus (https://www.collegeconsensus.com), a unique college ratings website that aggregates publisher rankings and student reviews, has published their ranking of the 100 Best Online Colleges and Universities 2020 at https://www.collegeconsensus.com/online/best-online-colleges/.

The University of Florida takes the first spot again this year, with Rutgers University-New Brunswick, The University of Illinois, Western Carolina University, and The University of Iowa rounding out the top five.

To identify the Best Online Colleges and Universities for 2020, College Consensus combined the latest results from the most respected college rankings with thousands of real student reviews to produce a unique consensus score for each school. According to Consensus editors, "College Consensus gathers the publisher rankings and student reviews from around the web and distills the results into simple, easy to understand scores so students can quickly and easily compare schools." While most rankings only provide one perspective - such as student experience, surveys of administrators, or expert opinion - the Consensus philosophy is to open up and show prospective college students the full range so they can make the most informed decision possible.

As the editors explain, "The College Consensus methodology pulls together rankings from:

Forbes
Money
U.S. News & World Report
The Wall Street Journal
Wallethub
Washington Monthly

Then we average student reviews from sites like Cappex, Niche, Student Review, and more, to get the full picture of how students see their colleges, which we call the Student Review Rating. Put them together, and we have the College Consensus." Learn more about the College Consensus rankings methodology at https://www.collegeconsensus.com/about/.

To help prospective college students and their families evaluate the educational options open to them, College Consensus has identified the best online colleges and universities, according to the combination of published rankings and student reviews. To qualify for the ranking institutions have to have a Consensus Score and offer at least 5 fully online bachelor's degree or bachelor's completion programs.

Rounding out the top 25 (in alphabetical order) are:
Appalachian State University
Dickinson State University
Florida International University
Fresno Pacific University
George Mason University
George Washington University
LeTourneau University
Rutgers University - Newark
Southwestern Adventist University
University of Arizona
University of Central Florida
University of Denver
University of Massachusetts
University of Minnesota-Crookston
University of Missouri
University of Utah
University of West Florida
Valley City State University
Washington State University
Webster University

"Online college education has come a long way," Consensus editors note; "a child born in the same year as the first fully online degree could very well be earning their doctorate online right now." Online education has gone from being a novelty or suspect to being a standard for higher education, especially for working adults: "While predatory, unscrupulous online 'colleges' once threatened to make online degrees a punchline," according to the editors, "today the most prestigious colleges and universities – from the Ivy League to research giants like MIT and Stanford – offer fully online programs." In other words, " The best online colleges for undergraduates are some of the best colleges, period."

That's why the College Consensus ranking of the Best Online Colleges & Universities is a valuable guide for college-bound young people, nontraditional-aged students, working professionals, and everyone else. As the editors explain, "Online degree completion programs offer affordable options and unmatched convenience, especially when compared to their 'brick and mortar' counterparts." With flexible scheduling, affordable tuition costs, and a wide variety of format options (such as accelerated courses, cohort plans, asynchronous lectures, online collaboration, and more), online programs have become ideal for working adults. The College Consensus Online Colleges & Universities ranking points them to programs that are really concerned with their success.

College Consensus is an innovative approach to college rankings. We combine the latest results from the most respected college ranking systems with thousands of real student review scores. College Consensus also offers expert advice and guidance on all aspects of college life, from finding the perfect college, to getting accepted, paying for it, and finding your professional path after graduation.

Carole Taylor
Social Media & Marketing Manager, College Consensus
[email protected]
(512) 710-9901
http://www.collegeconsensus.com/
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TW: @CollegeConsens
IG: @CollegeConsensus

SOURCE College Consensus