Any Student Can Study with a Princeton Professor

Students who dream of taking courses with professors from the most elite universities around the world can make their dreams come true – at no cost.  The most prestigious universities in our country -- including M.I.T., Georgetown, University of Chicago, Notre Dame, and every Ivy League institution -- offer online courses for free.  So, too, do many prominent international institutions including the Sorbonne in France, Oxford in England, and the University of Hong Kong.

Two of the most notable sites for online education are edX and Coursera.  Seven years ago, edX.org was founded by Harvard University and M.I.T. as an online learning destination to offer high-quality courses from the world’s top universities. It now offers more than 1,300 courses, offered for free, and has students from every country in the world. Those seeking a certificate (to boost college applications or resumes) are charged a fee ranging from $40 to $160.

A similar online learning destination is coursera.org which offers more than 2,100 courses.  Among the most popular topics are: Computer Science, Business, Data Science, Physical Science & Engineering, Social Science, and Arts & Humanities.  Its courses are also free for auditing, but those choosing to partake in assignments and tests and seeking a final grade are charged $29 to $99 per course.

Both of these online sites host courses in English, Spanish, French and Chinese, and offer Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced level courses.  

As courses are offered in almost every academic field, these sites offer high school students invaluable opportunities to demonstrate their intellectual curiosity and immerse themselves in a field that they may be considering for their college major.  The time may come to answer a question on college applications such as, “What did you do last summer?” or “What experience do you have in your chosen major?” A most impressive response could describe the “Global Financial Crisis” course taken through Yale, “Artificial Intelligence” studied through Columbia, or “Masterpieces of World Literature” examined through Harvard. 

As learning is a lifelong endeavor, these courses are not limited to high school and undergraduate students.  There is a gamut of graduate level courses in almost every field that can help professionals attain enhanced knowledge and skills in their careers.  With a vast array of experts offering their intellectual expertise for free, learning truly never needs to end.

Susan Alaimo is the founder of SAT Smart. For the past 25 years, SAT Smart’s Ivy League educated tutors have prepared students for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, Subject Tests, AP courses, and all high school subjects. Visit www.SATsmart.com or call 908-369-5362.