HR Professionals Can Now Let Employees Test Drive Online College for Free Before They Commit

HOBOKEN, N.J., June 29 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference today, EducationDynamics introduced Test Drive College Online (http://www.testdrivecollegeonline.com) to the world of human resources and training. Test Drive College Online offers a risk-free way for prospective students to see if they will succeed with online education.  For human resource professionals and chief learning officers, Test Drive College Online presents an opportunity to provide employees access to an authentic online learning experience for free before they commit any of their tuition assistance funds to an online program.

"For many people online education is unfamiliar territory and they hesitate to take advantage of the opportunities it provides because they are not sure if it is right for them," said Richard Capezzali, Executive Vice President of EducationDynamics and creator of Test Drive College Online.  "Through Test Drive College Online, employees can test the water before diving in, so they can be confident that they'll be able to succeed before using any of their continuing education benefits."

Test Drive College Online begins with the College Competency Exam that identifies if a student is academically prepared for going back to school.  The test effectively gauges a student's aptitude through freshman-level English and math questions.  Once a student passes the exam, he or she is assigned an advisor who enrolls them into the Test Drive College Online program and works with them through the process.

Test Drive College Online creates a real-life college experience that closely replicates what an individual will likely experience in a typical online degree program.  This reveals if studies fit into their work and family life. The courses take five weeks to complete and require about nine hours of study a week. Currently, students can choose between Introduction to Psychology and English Composition I, which are courses many degree programs at most higher education institutions require. The American Council on Education's (ACE) College Credit Recommendation Service has evaluated all Test Drive College Online courses and Test Drive College Online participates in the ACE Transcript Service, which enables students to present a nationally recognized transcript to the college or university of their choice for the potential award of academic credit.  

"Maybe it's the factor of time, that is keeping people from going back to school and taking advantage of their tuition-assistance program," continued Capezzali.  "That's where we think Test Drive College Online can really step in and help.  This program allows people to see just how much time an online education course will take before signing up for an entire semester."

The "test drive" has become a more relevant tool as HR departments are more accepting of online degree programs for tuition assistance. A 2009 study by SHRM found that 95 percent of surveyed human resources professionals say that it doesn't matter if employees use their tuition assistance for accredited online or traditional universities.  The same study also found that the majority (68 percent) find individual courses taken through online universities are equally credible to traditional university courses.

Test Drive College Online is hosting a booth at the SHRM conference.  For more information about the program visit the booth or www.testdrivecollegeonline.com.

Editor's Note:  To take the College Competency Exam, or to schedule an interview with a student or a representative from Test Drive College Online, please contact Jenny Foust at [email protected] or 303-433-7020, 720-244-4268.

About Test Drive College Online

Test Drive College Online solves the retention challenges at America's higher education institutions by offering a risk-free way for students to see if they will succeed online by revealing the reality of online education.  Students begin by taking a College Competency Exam and those who pass are given the opportunity to take a high-quality online course at no cost and no obligation.  The American Council on Education (ACE) has evaluated and approved all Test Drive College Online courses, so students who pass a Test Drive College Online course can apply to transfer those credits to any ACE member school.  By participating in Test Drive College Online, students can make an informed decision about whether online education is right for them, and colleges and universities are able to identify qualified prospective students.  To learn more about Test Drive College Online, visit www.testdrivecollegeonline.com.

About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics is higher education's leading marketing information and technology services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, EducationConnection.com, TestDriveCollegeOnline.com and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through its Market Research and Advisory Services, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence and best practice insights to its clients. For more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com/.

SOURCE EducationDynamics