University of the People, the world's first tuition-free online University: Review of my experience at UoPeople

“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” ~ Eric Hoffer

"This post is a Review based on my own experience as a student studying computer science at the University (UoPeople) and it is not based on hear-say. nor is it a story told to me. This is real and is for someone out there seriously trying to advance their education" but time and Money has been the major obstacle.

I know that this sounds  too good to be true! A tuition free University education in this day and age? A world Where every one has become a loan shark trying to squeeze the last buck out of every Jim and Jane. It is no further from the truth. Believe me there are people with the heart to give. The University of the People was founded by Shai Reshef in 2009 to try to help students from all over the world who have been disadvantaged by time and money for them to access Higher Education.  The university is a fully accredited online school for higher education by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), an authorized accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. The online platform was a way to offer affordable distance education to students across continents and time zones

How did I come to know about its existence? A friend of mine posted a link entitled UoPeople offering tuition free university education on a forum I had subscribed to called ‘ebrain forum’ early in 2010. I didn’t think much about it but I said well what have I got to lose by submitting an application (extra information wouldn't do me any harm). I am also sure that a lot of people saw the link when it was posted but ignored. I eventually completed an online registration form and submitted all the requirements and soon after that left my country of residence to attend another training course in the Netherlands. One requirement was to submit a short write-up on why I thought I needed the education which I did. I completely forgot about the application until when I was somewhere in Europe on official assignment that I found an email that my application was successful in the faculty of Computer Science. Well in my mind I said well bring it on hoping to see one of those curriculum that would say do that for for three months and you get our Degree! The every day Internet scams we are accustomed to see, but God! I have been shocked by the curriculum and stud delivery standards I have been exposed to, the resource materials and the lecture methods comparable to any international standards I have read about. Yes it’s purely online but you don’t even feel it’s that way.  The university is up to date with the latest technology, research materials, teaching aids, laboratory methods and market trends. to give you an idea, in most computer science training, only read about things like Central Processing units (CPU) but in my experience at UoPeople, I got to develop one and also an android mobile system commonly called (Cellular Phone). Attending class at your own time and convenience, having access to the best training materials and tools  has been fun while you continue with daily life uninterrupted has been quite empowering

The university currently offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration and Public Health including Master of Business Administration (MBA) 

May be you are asking what my greatest joy has been studying at the UoPoeple? Put simply ‘Information’ has been the goldmine. Gaining the most valuable up to date information has been like gaining access to the international currency. Believe me, information is the modern day product of the moment. He who pursues learning will inherit the earth and the one who thinks has learnt enough will be in charge of a world that does not exist.

Before you start arguing with me, Go find out for yourself at http://uopeople.edu/groups/tuition-free-online-degree

The Message from My "Mess"

I cursed the fact that I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet ~ Persian Proverb

"Meet Nick Vujicic (pronounced Vooyeecheech) Born without limbs due to a rare congenital condition called tetra-amelia syndrome, the Australian Nick may not look like everyone else, but he can surely have fun like everyone else. The guy can swim, dive from a diving board, play golf, kick a soccer ball, and go places" (Nick Vujicic brings message of hope to Manila).

Now Try to take a good look at yourself and give yourself one reason why you believe that you are experiencing the worst days of your life that even just a mare Flu is big enough to stop YOU from your destiny. We take things for granted until we lose them

Starting the new year and reflecting on the future, I realize that according to the divine oversight above, the worst days of my life were truly the best days of my life. I sincerely thank God for my painful PAST. It was through the persecutions of life that I learnt the wisdom of growth and persistence.  It has been the worst form of mental, physical and verbal abuse through which I have learnt the power to rise when I am down. If I still have the breath of life in me, then God's Purpose upon my life is not yet fulfilled. Therefore, its not over until its over

It was the broken person of yesterday that has given birth to the stronger me standing today. It was my failures of yesterday that has brought about the resilience in me. The loses I have suffered in my life has given me the winning ways of today such that I can testify and write about life today. The tough lessons that life has taught me that I can't help the poor by becoming one of them but only by rising above them can I be able to lift the poor from under. YES! You can't kill the rich in order to make the poor rich, its wishful thinking!!. Its easy to get stuck in the past and lose sight of the precious present and the glorious future. Stop blaming the rich for your circumstances they are just running the race in their own lane.

Life is surely abundant with everything enough to go round everybody such that when one becomes too rich, they never take anyone's potion. Life is fare, don't you think? I am responsible for what I need to take from life. Its easy to blame other people for everything going wrong in one's life until you realize that the blame game does not put food on the table neither can it be cashed for money at the bank. I know through the wisdom of others that whatever I am looking for, is also looking for me. Why not just get off my comfort zone and start looking. Its easier to be comfortable with the comfort zone but it is more glorious to be comfortable with being uncomfortable with one's current state. Challenging one's dreams for bigger dreams is an adventure replete with success and abundance.  

I choose to take stock of every day so that I can consciously move through my days knowing exactly what I want to achieve. What I focus on expands, therefore, I choose to focus on what I want. Its easy to sleep-walk through life and not realize it. You think you are thinking, only to realize that you are sinking. Growth will be my goal in the new year. I will strive to learn at least one new thing every day so that life does not pull surprises in my face but instead hand me a bank full of growth. If a maize seed was built with everything it needs to become a maize plant that give forth more seeds, then I know that everything I need to become the best Me is already wired in my DNA and its crying for manifestation. All I need is to provide the right environment, spiritually, mentally and through actions and daily rituals or habits to give birth to the life I desire and not the life that my society has designed for me  

Just give it a though