Best Free Online Schools

Research tells us that an active mind is a healthy mind, and what better way to keep your mind active than learning and discussing everything under the sun? Do you need to learn about Retirement Planning or Tectonic Plates? Maybe Web Site Marketing or enough Quechua to get you by on your travels to the peaks of the Andes on your archeological adventures to the Inca Empire? Wouldn't it be great to be able to say "Where is the bathroom?" or "I need a doctor! Hurry!" and be understood by the natives? I know that everyone just has to know the details of the planetary system, especially now that Pluto is out of the galaxy. Well, with the free online schools and classes below, you can surely find exactly what is top on your list of 'gotta knows'!

http://www.free-ed.net Free Ed, sounds like a revolutionary bumper sticker, but is probably one of the most technically and academically inclined free online schools. I've taken Anatomy and Physiology, Oceanography, a freaky and confusing (to me) class on String Theory, and a very substantial and well produced Video Introduction to Earth Sciences, with entertaining and instructional videos about the oceans, climate, space and more. Their Medical Terminology course is actually superior to the course I paid $565 for at my local community college.

http://www.sba.gov The Small Business Administration site offers an amazing wealth of information for small and independent business. From Marketing and Promotion to Understanding Taxes (and, face it, who understands taxes except number crunchers), Managing the Digital Enterprise, and Building your Website, the SBA provides free online classes, many in Spanish. Education at the SBA is easy, fun (except for the tax class!) and best of all FREE.

http://www.word2word.com A great selection of free language courses online, including Quechua, Hawaiian, Gaelic, and about 100 more. There are resources for basic travel language learning, industry specific language for a variety of industries, including medical, teaching, and hospitality and, language learning for children. This comprehensive site also has a very cool chat translator. I use this when visiting chat rooms of countries I am planning on visiting (after the room I am doing so, because I don't want to have anyone think that I am playing some game on them). Much of the world's population, at least on the internet, understand at least some English, but conversing, at least minimally, in the native language is pretty cool and you just might get local information that you otherwise would not learn.

http://university.barnesandnoble.com Barnes and Noble, the booksellers, do a lot more than sell books. They have a fun, and ever changing slate of classes. I am currently enrolled in three of their classes; Geography for Everyone, Writing for Quick Cash, and Understanding Islam Today. In addition to the many offerings in Liberal Arts and Life Improvement, B&N also has a selection of online reading groups every 'semester', the reading groups based on current bestsellers and/or controversial works. The reading group discussing The Last of the Mohicans by Daniel Defoe was very animated and enjoyable, and so popular, it will be offered again, regularly.

http://www.thirdage.com Third Age is a print and online publication aimed at golden-agers, which I certainly now finally belong to. Serving primarily those adults aged 50 plus, Third Age has a great and diverse course listing. A few of my favorites are Planning for Retirement, Getting Started with Photoshop, and Achieving Balance in Your Personal & Professional Life. Third Age also has a humongous wealth of info and entertainment, so be sure to check it all out. The free online course Making your Dreams Come True is next on my To-Do list!

The only course I need and haven't been able to find is 'Making Each Day 40 Hours Long', so if you know where that one is taught, let me know, please.

Free online schools offer a tremendous opportunity for people to expand their minds, while at the same time, engineering a life filled with learning and growing. Online education is easier to fit into your schedule than standard classroom instruction, and you can self-pace your free online school to give you options. Some of the free online schools even offer 'certification' if you simply need to add to your collection of diplomas.

So, take a look at these and other free online school sites, and start working on your own Master's Degree in Everything!