Is the Washington Online Learning Institute licensed and accredited? (back to top)

WOLI is accredited by the Middle States Association (MSA). MSA is one of the prestigious accrediting agencies that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. This type of regional accreditation is the highest form of accreditation that is possible for a school to receive.

Yes, Washington Online is approved and licensed by the New Hampshire Postsecondary Education Commission.

WOLI is approved by the Better Business Bureau and has maintained a 100% complaint-free record since joining the BBB in 1999.

WOLI students can also earn college credits for their courses through our partnership agreement with the University of Phoenix (see below).

Can I earn college credits for my courses at WOLI? (back to top)

By virtue of WOLI's accreditation, many accredited colleges and universities will accept credits transferred based on your studies at WOLI. However, the decision to award credits based on completed courses at WOLI is solely in the discretion of the transferee school. WOLI cannot guarantee that any other institution will award credits for courses taken at WOLI..

WOLI also has formed an articulation agreement with the University of Phoenix which allows students to transfer courses from WOLI to Phoenix through the Prior Learning Assessment program. Up to 30 college credits may be transferred.

Each WOLI course is equivalent to a certain number of semester credits at the University of Phoenix. For more information about transferring credits, please contact your Student Affairs Coordinator at 1-800-371-5581, or visit the University of Phoenix website. You may also contact the University of Phoenix Prior Learning Assessment Center toll-free at 866-440-4707 or visit www.phoenix.edu/admissions/plac.

Click here to view the Articulation Agreement.

What do students, graduates and employers think of WOLI? (back to top)

We get emails and phone call from our students and graduates on a regular basis praising our school, the instructors, and the courses they have taken. Click here to read some of the testimonials.

How is Washington Online different from other schools? (back to top)

Washington Online offers a unique combination of qualities that set us apart from other schools.

Instruction: Our teaching staff is top-notch. Every full professor at the Washington Online Learning Institute is an experienced trained professional. Our teaching staff has been carefully selected to include only outstanding professionals possessing a wealth of skills and experience, and a love of teaching. Instructors are available every day to answer questions from their students.

Online Classroom: Our classes are all taught online using an outstanding web-based online classroom called Moodle. Students log on at their convenience, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Textbook reading assignments and Discussion Questions are posted online. Rounding out the studies program are live “chat” sessions in our Virtual Classroom, online “lecture” material, and online quizzes. Washington Online is not a correspondence school.

Textbooks: We use only well-respected textbooks published by West, Delmar/Thomson and other leading publishers of college-level textbooks.

Curriculum: Our certificate programs and continuing education courses are comprehensive, and are comparable to courses taught at leading universities like Harvard, Yale, and the University of Virginia.

Please follow this link to read more about the programs that we offer.

Are you a member of any professional organizations? (back to top)

Yes, we are a member of the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA), The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) and the National Paralegal Association (NPA).

We are also a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

How are courses administered? (back to top)

WOLI uses an Online Classroom that is available to our students 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year via the Internet. There are no mandatory scheduled class meetings that you are required to attend. This allows our students to do their online coursework whenever their schedule permits.

Students sign in to the classroom using their web browser (Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, etc.). Once in the online classroom, students can review course outlines, assignments, references, quizzes and other relevant materials.

Assignments are presented once or twice a week, and generally consist of a combination of textbook reading and practical exercises. Since there are no scheduled class times, students are able to complete assignments and exercises according to their own schedule. There are due dates for each assignment and exercise, and students are expected to finish their work on time so that they can participate in the ongoing discussions. In the event that a student can not finish an assignment on time, he or she is given up to two weeks to complete each one. 

Most courses take 4 weeks to complete. Advanced-level courses take 8-10 weeks. Certificate programs take anywhere from 6-10 months.

How is your method different from a correspondence school? (back to top)

When you take a course from a correspondence school, you typically receive printed course materials in the mail. These materials generally consist of reading assignments, practice exercises, etc., and you are expected to complete them at your convenience. Once you are finished, you send your completed work back to an instructor for review. This kind of program allows you to complete a course of study at your own pace, but it lacks the community of fellow students and faculty that you would find in a traditional classroom at a college or university.

Our online, web-based instruction techniques offer the benefits of both worlds. As a student in one of our online courses, you have the convenience of being able to study when your schedule permits, and you are one of a group of students who are constantly in contact with one another (and with your instructor) via the online classroom. The discussion groups for each class are there for you to work through problems with your classmates. The instructor helps guide the discussion by introducing relevant topics, and maintaining a focused dialog.

Chat rooms are also available for less formal dialog between students who are logged in to the classroom at the same time. Chat sessions are also periodically scheduled with the instructor. Email is also used for private correspondence with instructors and fellow students.

The opportunity to communicate with other students is perhaps the most valuable aspect of any education. With today's online education technology, there is no reason to forfeit community just because you are unable to attend a traditional classroom-style school.

How long are courses? (back to top)

The courses we offer vary in length from 4 weeks to 10 weeks or more.

WOLI offers two Paralegal Certificate Programs that range from 6 to 10 months in length and focus on different aspects of paralegal profession. Students are allowed to complete these program in less time by taking two courses at a time. The two paralegal certificate programs can be combined into a more comprehensive 15 month curriculum.

WOLI offers a 12-month Medical Office Assistant Certificate Program.

The Paralegal Pathway Certificate program is 6 weeks long.

Our Continuing Paralegal Education (CPE) courses include basic courses (4 weeks), advanced courses (10 weeks), and Master Classes, which are 8-10 months.

When do courses start? (back to top)

We start new sessions of our certificate programs and continuing education courses every four weeks. This allows you great flexibility in deciding when to begin your education. If you are accepted to a program, you will be given a choice of the session you wish to join.

Other courses are scheduled regularly throughout the year. Please call us toll-free for an exact schedule, or check our Online Course Catalog for availability and online enrollment.

How can I communicate with other students and faculty? (back to top)

The Online Classroom includes excellent facilities for communication with other students and faculty. We offer bulletin boards, discussion forums, chat rooms, and private email.

• Bulletin Boards: Used by instructors to post assignments.
• Discussion Forums: Instructors post topics and questions for students to discuss.
• Chat Rooms: For informal communication with other students and faculty who are online.
• Email: Used for private correspondence between students or faculty.

What are the requirements for admission? (back to top)

The main admission requirement for our certificate programs is that students have at least a High School diploma or equivalent. Work experience and other schooling also help as students go through the courses, but are not a prerequisite for admission.

The main reason we ask applicants to enumerate their education and work experience (see the online application form) is so that we can construct classes that are as diverse as possible. Don't worry: applications will not be rejected simply because you don't have extensive work or education experience.

Read more about our Admissions Procedures.

What are the tuition costs? (back to top)

Please refer to the Tuition Information page. We offer a number of payment plans and student loan programs to help you pay for your education. If you have any questions about how to pay your tuition, one of our dedicated Student Affairs Coordinators will be happy to assist you.

Do you offer student loans, payment plans, or other financing options? (back to top)

Yes we do offer a variety of financing options, including payment plans and government programs. Please refer to our tuition page for more information.

Where do the graduates from Washington Online work? (back to top)

The students at Washington Online are a very diverse group. Our students work in companies of all sizes, from small law firms and medical offices to large corporations to government agencies.

WOLI is very pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has chosen Washington Online to provide its employees with paralegal courses.

Below is a brief list of some of the better-known companies and organizations. Often times, law firms, medical offices, and corporations send their employees to us for paralegal training.

How am I graded? (back to top)

Students are graded using a number of criteria. First, students are required to participate in the ongoing discussions that develop as a course progresses. Second, students are given a number of written assignments during the course that they must complete and submit to the instructor. Finally, each course has at least one quiz that students must complete. A typical quiz consists of 50-100 questions (multiple choice, short answer, etc.). Some instructors will also award extra credit for additional work that a student completes.  Each course is graded on a scale from 0-100.

All quizzes and tests are offered online. Most quizzes are graded automatically and provide students with instant feedback of their score.

Students enrolled in a certificate program also take a cumulative final exam after completing all of the courses in the program. As with the other quizzes and tests, the final exam is offered online. Students will receive a numerical grade for the final exam, and a final combined numerical grade for the entire program.

Your official transcript provides a conversion scale from numerical to letter grades.

Why should I take courses online instead of in a traditional classroom? (back to top)

Online instruction is an ideal way to further your education in today's busy world. Most of our students have schedules that do not permit them to take classes in a traditional classroom. They are either employed full-time, have families, or have other commitments that make it impossible to attend regularly scheduled classes at a local college or university. Some students do not live near a school that offers a paralegal program, and can not just pick up and move somewhere else.

Online instruction primarily offers convenience, but there are additional benefits. With our online communication tools, students keep in close contact with their peers and are able to carry on lively and instructive conversations about course topics.

We have also heard anecdotal evidence that employers are impressed when they see potential employees who have taken and completed online courses. Employers say that it demonstrates the important qualities of self-motivation and self-discipline.

How can I get more information about courses offered at the Washington Online Learning Institute?
(back to top)

You may click here to download our brochure.

Click here for our mailing address and other contact information.