FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INDEPENDENT SURVEY PROVES SESSIONS ONLINE (SM) ADVANCES STUDENTS’ PROFESSIONAL OBJECTIVES, INCREASES EARNING POTENTIAL

Eduventures Poll Links Career Advancement and Increased Earnings with Sessions Curriculum

NEW YORK– June 24, 2008 – Sessions Online Schools of Art and Design, the quality leader in online education for creative professionals around the world, today announced the results of an independent survey validating that the Sessions certificate programs substantially help students achieve their career goals and increase their earnings. The survey, conducted by top higher education research and consulting firm Eduventures, polled both alumni and senior-level students enrolled in Sessions’ award-winning certificate programs including Graphic Design, Web Design, Multimedia, Digital Arts and Marketing Design. 

Sessions’ unique educational model includes rigorous coursework; close one-to-one mentoring by faculty (who are all working designers); a human-centric culture; and measureable outcomes evidenced by students’ professional-level portfolio of work.  The programs are designed for adults who are self-directed learners who thrive in a self-paced fully online environment.

The survey drew comparisons to students’ stated professional objectives prior to enrolling in Sessions.  Thirty-four percent of the respondents came to Sessions with the hope of a major career change; 49 percent came to further enhance their design career by improving their skills.  Almost 80 percent of the students reported that they had achieved their objective since enrolling in Sessions with over 90 percent of those agreeing that the Sessions program was central to achieving their objective.

Launching a new career in design

The survey results also pinpointed the unique role Sessions has played in helping students successfully transition to a design career from an unrelated field.

According to the survey data, 85 percent of students who were employed in non-design positions secured design-oriented positions after completing the Sessions program, and they credit Sessions with that achievement.  Most graduates move into the intellectually stimulating and financially lucrative Web and graphic design fields. 

The survey also underscores the entrepreneurial nature of many Sessions students and alumni, with over one third of the respondents saying they have launched freelance design careers – or started their own design related businesses – after improving their technical and creative skills at Sessions.

“A fully online higher education program can deliver the kind of ‘ROI’ that matters most to students: career advancement and increased earning potential,” said Laura Boothroyd, Director, Eduventures. 

The bottom line: higher income

According to the survey, 85 percent of students earned less than $60,000 annually at the time of enrollment.  However, from the period of enrollment through to the execution of the survey, a full three quarters of respondents reported higher incomes after attending the Sessions program, with 15 percent of those reporting an increase of $20,000 or more per year.  Seventy percent of students credit Sessions with the increase in income.

“The results of this survey show that Sessions provides true value in the educational marketplace,” said Doris Granatowski, chief executive officer and president, Sessions Online sm. .  “With a price point within financial reach - and without dependence - on crippling loans, Sessions’ students recover their educational investment quickly, often before actual completion. We’re delighted to validate what we’ve believed all along – a fully online school can deliver a high quality educational experience that equips its students to enter or compete successfully  in the career marketplace.” 

About Sessions Online sm Schools of Art & Design

Sessions Online sm has since 1997 provided an unparalleled learning experience for creative professionals around the world.  Coupling rigorous academic programs with a unique, "one-to-one" teaching/mentoring approach and groundbreaking student social and networking opportunities, Sessions Online sm School of Design, School of Game Art, and School of Fine Arts foster unlimited creative expression within the highly accessible and flexible environment of a human-centric fully online school. 

Sessions Online sm Schools of Art & Design is accredited by both the Middle States Association Commission on Secondary Schools and the Distance Education Training Council.  Sessions Online sm is also licensed by the New York State Department of Education. To learn more Sessions Online sm, visit www.sessions.edu/portal. 

About Eduventures
Eduventures is the industry leader in shared-cost, data-driven research and consulting for higher education. Eduventures is dedicated to helping colleges and universities become more efficient and successful institutions. More than 300 higher education institutions participate in one or more of Eduventures’ eight Learning Collaboratives: Academic Leadership, Continuing and Professional Education, Development, Enrollment Management, Online Higher Education, Schools of Education, Student Affairs, and Summer Sessions. Membership benefits include Collaborative Research Reports on current trends and issues, Custom Analysis, and Implementation Support, including opportunities to network with fellow professionals. Additionally, Eduventures provides consulting and management services to colleges and universities, drawing upon market research, data analysis, and best practices developed through the company’s Learning Collaboratives. More about Eduventures can be found at www.eduventures.com.

Media Contact
Rob Halpin
Version 2.0 Communications
617-426-2222
rhalpin@v2comms.com