Starting an Internet Company

[edro]

So my uncle calls me up (He has 2 PHDs, Business and Economics and is a professor at a couple colleges), and tells me that he is wanting to start an online college.

That kind of floored me. I figured he was calling to ask me to make him another webpage.

He said he has a State of Ohio Education permit of some sort that allows him to teach and elicit degrees. I have no idea how this stuff works...

Anyways... he wants to start an online college, with downloadable text books, streaming video classes, and webstore and all that stuff.

I told him that that is waaay over my head and that since it is all online, he would need some sort of full-time company or even hire someone or have a business partner or something.

Anyone have any ideas? I know, I know... I think it is way over his head too, but he isn't new to the world... just new to the internet.

 

[DT4K]

wtf?

 

[toekramp]

geezus, good luck.

 

[dullard]

I say forget it. Pretty much every university out there is putting in millions a year to do the same thing. I don't know if it ever happened but a few years ago a university (Princeton I think or some similarly prestigious university) even proposed completely free tuition for anyone who wants an online degree from them. How can he possibly compete with them?

 

[pyonir]

Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Gee, that's never been done before. :roll:

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

Exactly. A one professor school just can't compete against all the "real" universities and online colleges that already exist, unless it is in some very specialized niche that none of them are interested in (because it's too small a market).

He's almost certainly better off going to work for one of them instead of starting his own.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

Misleading advertising at that. Their name implies they are part of some B&M University of Phoenix that doesn't really exist.

 

[esun]

I wouldn't go into an online college, but instead online courses could be a good idea (select courses that are usually high-demand, or that students usually want to take but don't have the time). Something like a Calculus course, and open it to high school students as well as college students (I recall Stanford has something like this where they sent you materials and software and you took this class electronically). It would be even better to have webcast lectures and whatnot.

An entire online University would be ridiculous, but if he could talk to some colleges and get them to agree to allow transferability of the courses offered by your program, then that could be a serious incentive for any student. It would be a cost-effective and time-effective way for a student to complete a necessary course they otherwise don't want to waste a semester on.

EDIT: I should clarify then the purpose behind such a program. Instead of offering an easy way to a degree, thereby attracting people that are just too lazy or stupid to actually get into a college, it would be directed more toward driven students who want to supplement their education with stuff they can't get at their school, or don't have the time to get.

 

[Lyfer]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Gee, that's never been done before. :roll:

I know, he's gonna make millions!

 

[MBony]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

That is insane. Could you tell me where you are quoting that number from?

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

Misleading advertising at that. Their name implies they are part of some B&M University of Phoenix that doesn't really exist.

Sure it does. There are over 130 campuses and learning centers across the US. University of Phoenix Online is a "campus" of University of Phoenix. I can take a picture of one of the ground campuses here in Phoenix if you want further proof.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: MBony

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

That is insane. Could you tell me where you are quoting that number from?

I used to work there.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

Misleading advertising at that. Their name implies they are part of some B&M University of Phoenix that doesn't really exist.

You sure?

 

[KillyKillall]

Recruit Sally Struthers...she should be able to help you out.

 

[Hammer]

good luck becoming accredited. lol.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: pyonir

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: pyonir
Does he have any idea how competative the Online education market is?

University of Phoenix Online spends over $10million a month on advertising alone.

Misleading advertising at that. Their name implies they are part of some B&M University of Phoenix that doesn't really exist.

Sure it does. There are over 130 campuses and learning centers across the US. University of Phoenix Online is a "campus" of University of Phoenix. I can take a picture of one of the ground campuses here in Phoenix if you want further proof.

Sorry, what I was trying to say is that they were trying to get people to believe they were part of an existing university like the University of Arizona. University of Phoenix is not a university in the traditional sense, it's more like other adult education centers like ITT Tech, etc. Would that be accurate? Out of the three "campuses" they list near me, 2 of them list a suite as their address.

Now I assume since they call themselves a University they must be a degree-granting institution, but the value of that degree depends a lot on the university's reputation.

 

Your uncle is a PHD and he calls YOU to get help on this?

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: mugs
Sorry, what I was trying to say is that they were trying to get people to believe they were part of an existing university like the University of Arizona. University of Phoenix is not a university in the traditional sense, it's more like other adult education centers like ITT Tech, etc. Would that be accurate? Out of the three "campuses" they list near me, 2 of them list a suite as their address.

Now I assume since they call themselves a University they must be a degree-granting institution, but the value of that degree depends a lot on the university's reputation.

That i can agree with you on. ITT Tech is a little below UOP but in the same sense, yes you would be accurate. A lot of their campuses and learning centers are in rented or leased buildings. They have an actual campus in some states, and the Phoenix campus here is an actual campus. The actual campus has been around since 1976 though.

 

[ActuaryTm]

Originally posted by: edro13
So my uncle calls me up (He has 2 PHDs, Business and Economics and is a professor at a couple colleges)

Has he any fighting experience perchance? Perhaps he could teach you some much needed hand to hand combatant skills. Would certainly prove a more efficient use of time.

 

[desteffy]

sounds like he needs to get a third PhD in not coming up with bad ideas.

lol

maybe it could work out, but I think you need to explain to him what a HUGE project that is. He will need to hire many employees and will need a lot of startup money.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: pyonir

Originally posted by: mugs
Sorry, what I was trying to say is that they were trying to get people to believe they were part of an existing university like the University of Arizona. University of Phoenix is not a university in the traditional sense, it's more like other adult education centers like ITT Tech, etc. Would that be accurate? Out of the three "campuses" they list near me, 2 of them list a suite as their address.

Now I assume since they call themselves a University they must be a degree-granting institution, but the value of that degree depends a lot on the university's reputation.

That i can agree with you on. ITT Tech is a little below UOP but in the same sense, yes you would be accurate. A lot of their campuses and learning centers are in rented or leased buildings. They have an actual campus in some states, and the Phoenix campus here is an actual campus. The actual campus has been around since 1976 though.

Oh wow, I didn't realize they'd been around that long. I was under the impression that it was started when they started advertising heavily a few years ago. What did you do at UOP and why'd you leave?