My only concern is that big brother could be watching.

In less than two months, she had finished four complete courses, for less than $200 total. The same courses would have cost her over $2,700 at Northeastern Illinois, $4,200 at Kaplan University, $6,300 at the University of Phoenix, and roughly the gross domestic product of a small Central American nation at an elite private university. They also would have taken two or three times as long to complete.

And if Solvig needed any further proof that her online education was the real deal, she found it when her daughter came home from a local community college one day, complaining about her math course.

When Solvig looked at the course materials, she realized that her daughter was using exactly the same learning modules that she was using at StraighterLine, both developed by textbook giant McGraw-Hill. The only difference was that her daughter was paying a lot more for them, and could only take them on the college’s schedule. And while she had a professor, he wasn’t doing much teaching. “He just stands there,” Solvig’s daughter said, while students worked through modules on their own.

Submitted Link #1: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/fea...

Second, consider using a small private school.

We use a church based school with approximatly 55 students(k-6). Since I take her to school each day I know all the staff, about 8 people, and most of the students and parents. Since the school is church based it tends to be conservative and since it is small the staff are very flexible about privacy and other issues. If they lose too many students they could lose their job. It's also not too expensive.

Glad I found your site, great info!

... Have you also checked my blog?
www.invisible-privacy.com

This schedule could provide lots of information to a pedophile, stalker, PI, or whomever. Additionally; sommeone could check the list of students and their assigned classroom/teacher posted on the school doors. There are lots of ways this informmation could be used outside its intended purposes.

It may sound a little on the side of paranoia; but your family information is on public display.

... Good point, Iris!

Absolutely correct. I will be facing the same conundrum shortly, when my existing permit, which is from a county different from where I live now, expires. Technically I'm supposed to notify the Sheriff within 30 days of a change of address, but I still own property in the old county, so I can plausibly say that that is my true place of residence because I have an "intent" to return there to domicile. I keep my post office box in that community for that reason as well. Presuming that I don't sell the property in the next month or so, I'm going to renew my permit in the old county, which will keep me for another five years. Then comes the hard decision, whether to comply with the law and provide my true address or try to skate around it. I'm leaning towards renting an apartment somewhere for a month and using that as the renewal address, but never actually living there. Alternatively I may use the street address of close friends nearby. Or I may dispense with the permit entirely, given the fact that only once in 25 years of concealed carry have I ever encountered a situation where it mattered, and that was during an accident investigation where I could easily have just put the gun in the glove box when the trooper showed up, rather than wearing it and having him disarm me during the contact, which is legal in Colorado. One might claim homelessness, as the federal government allows the homeless to use a shelter address or even a park bench as a "legal residence" for the purpose of registering to vote, but this is likely to be detected unless you actually live on the street.

I have come to the conclusion that I am going to carry as long as it is legal for me to do so, irregardless of everything else. That said, which measures are of use (keeping my true address out of deliverer's hands, the DMV, not having a home phone, etc), and which are consequently unimportant due to my true address being required for the concealed carry permit? On a side note, I could move to Vermont, no permit requirement for concealed carry.

Also, as a possible solution, albeit with rather intrusive results, what about moving yearly (or every 2, or 4, years to hit whichever elections) immediately following each election, registering the move 10 days or so before the election (whatever the minimum requirement is. Your actual domicile would only be exposed for 10 days, and furthermore you would not have to actually be in residence for those 10 days, but actually moved out, but still paying rent, 11 days before the election. (Obviously not a very tolerable solution for the CCW if I have to defend myself on months 9 after the last move.)

Ask yourself: do you want your doctor to have "skipped college"? What about your attorney? Your financial planner? The myriad other professionals who require a college degree to do what they do and serve us? I think not.

Similarly, not EVERYONE can run a business. It's far more complex than it appears and not knowing what you're doing--or not having the heart for it--can lead to ruin. Can it be learned by most people? Sure. But can everyone be a successful enough entrepreneur to make a living at whatever business they choose? Hardly.

I was an entrepreneur for nearly a decade before returning to school and getting my bachelor's degree. I have some graduate education but grad school bored me silly and was far to political. Where undergrad (at least USED to be) about developing your thinking skills/independent thinking, grad school is about group-think, go only this way and I was born an entrepreneur. I went to college because I WANTED to go and I went to one of the best schools in the world predominantly on a scholarship. (I've only ever had to take loans for living expenses because I was a mother raising a child who, himself, has been called to a career requiring a bachelor's degree or higher).

My nephew, on the other hand, has ALWAYS wanted to fix, refurbish and outright build cars. He requires vocational training not a college degree. And even WHEN he starts his own business (because that's what we do iin our family), he will have help from his auntie who did go to college and his mother who decided to return after many year out and is clocking nearly straight A's in a top, online undergrad program.

So, I'm a bit frustrated by the single-minded focus on "skipping college" when doing so is as impractical for some as going is for others. Moreover, I sense some resentment and/or even snobbery from those who may not have gone and think others who have/desire to are foolish. That's as unfair to those of who attend/desire to attend college as it is for those of us who have/are going to disparage your choice.

Don't skip college if YOUR true calling requires it. Plan and save for it starting as young as possible, get scholarships (some $93 billion annually go unused) and skip the debt). Go to a community college for the first two years and transfer to a four year from there. Learn how to preserve your privacy (um, yeah, you gotta forget posting those college binging photos and sharing your life story and your every thought on Facebook and Myspace!) and then prevent your school and others from violating your hard won privacy. (My son's school rarely uses nor requires social security numbers, for example. He now refused to provide them EXCEPT to apply for financial aid. And, BTW, I have NEVER had anyone obtain my financial aid transcript and use it against me. That's like getting somebody's tax return--actually, it's far more difficult. So, I don't worry about that.)

Despite not needing to have a degree to be a successful entrepreneur, I will never bitterly regret having obtained my degree. I learned more from the experience than I did from any books there could ever have taught me and grew in ways I could not have as just an entrepreneur. In fact, I'm a BETER entrepreneur (who is moving into teaching others how to be outstanding entrepreneurs, with or without a college degree.)

And, like or not, even entrepreneurs with bachelor's degrees get more and better opportunities than those without. It's one of the few places that stats can't be effectively skewed...they are what they are. (See link below.)

So, if you don't think college is for you, don't go. But if you know it is, especially if your calling requires it, don't "skip college" because others you know chose not to attend or were bitterly disappointed, debt-ridden barristas (sp?) at Caribou Coffee (since Starbucks is closing stores as even many college-educated individuals get laid off).

And for those who are considering returning, be smart and avoid the debt but, if this is your goal--even your calling--heed that call.

... I stand by what I say in "SKIP COLLEGE." At least half the students should never be there. I admit that for certain professions a degree is necessary. In all other forms of employment, you do NOT need a degree if you work for yourself. I quit college at the start of my senior year. I have never once been asked about a degree. As for a career in law, read the Appendix.