Some very exciting news: Newlane University just earned US Accreditation!!!!!
Don’t know what the heck Newlane is? In 2017, my husband, Ben Blair, and my brother, Josh Stanley, set out to build a university that was accessible to everyone. It’s called Newlane University. Newlane’s Mission: “To make quality online liberal arts higher education accessible to anyone on earth by breaking down the barriers of cost, schedule, and geography.”
In 2019, they started on the journey to get US accreditation to help assure students that Newlane is a high quality education, and an institution they can trust. Earning accreditation is a HUGE accomplishment, and I could not be more proud of them. DEAC is the accrediting organization, and for those who are curious, you can see Newlane listed here. Here’s a quick FAQ about Newlane:
What is the cost?
Newlane is incredibly affordable! Newlane offers accredited degrees for $1500. Period. $1500 for an Associate degree, and if you already have an Associate degree, then it’s $1500 for a Bachelor’s degree. You pay a $249 registration fee, then $40 per month until you reach $1500. That’s it. You won’t get charged again even if it takes you another year (or years) to finish. And it’s risk free! If you register, try it out, and decide it’s not for you, you have 30 days to get a full refund.
I’m busy. Will Newlane work with my schedule?
Newlane courses are self-paced. This means you can starts and complete your degree according to your schedule, no matter where you live. You can literally sign up today and get started. Newlane has professors around the world who can accommodate any schedule. Need to fit your education around work or family obligations? No problem. In a hurry? You can work as quickly as you’d like. Don’t live near a campus? Doesn’t matter. If you can access the internet, you can complete your degree. Anywhere in the world.
What degrees does Newlane offer?
Newlane offers an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy. Some fun news: Now that they are accredited, Newlane can begin building new programs, degrees, and areas of study. Newlane is currently working on courses in Psychology, Art History, Business, Natural Science, and more. You can begin taking classes today that will count toward any degree they offer in the future.
Are the courses challenging?
Courses are rigorous and competency-based. This means you pass the course only after you’ve learned the material. There’s no sliding by with a B- or C, where you’ve only learned part of what the class covered. Students in typical schools often worry: Will the professor like me? Will I get a good grade? But those questions have nothing to do with actually learning the course work. In contrast, Newlane is explicitly focused on helping you master the course material, and verifying that you have in fact mastered it. It’s a totally different (and better!) approach. Again, you pass the course only when you’ve learned the material.
How do you pass a course at Newlane?
The final step to pass a class is called a Course Hearing, where you meet one-on-one with a professor on a video call for 30-40 minutes. The professor asks open-ended and follow-up questions about the material. Their role is to verify you have mastered all the course goals and objectives. And if you haven’t? The professor will tell you what you still need to review, and then you’ll schedule a follow-up Course Hearing. This means you can’t fail a class. You just review and try again.
What if I’ve already completed some college courses?
You can likely transfer your credits to Newlane, getting you closer to earning your degree faster. And you’re not alone. In the U.S., 40 million people have completed some college, but have not earned a degree. And that number is in the hundreds of millions world-wide. Many schools make it painful and difficult to transfer credits. Newlane does not. Newlane works hard to make this process smooth and efficient. No need to waste time re-taking classes, put those credits you already earned toward your degree.
Apply for Free at Newlane.edu
Newlane is currently accepting students from countries around the world. Feel free to email Newlane with any questions. They would love to hear from you. In the meantime, you can check out testimonials from Newlane students, graduates, and professors.
Founding a university from scratch and earning accreditation was super challenging. I’m so proud of Ben and Josh for making this happen. If you are a journalist, or know a journalist who would want to cover this, please reach out to Newlane. It’s a fantastic story and the more you dig in and learn about Newlane and Higher Ed in general, the more compelling it is.
For those of you who have been following along when I report on Newlane progress, I’m sure you already know how awesome this news is. We are cheering like crazy!!