Interest in the Boston University Online Program for Financial Planners is up
300% over the same time last year indicating a strong surge in online
preparation
BOSTON, March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- After surveying nearly 700 potential
candidates of the Boston University Online Program for Financial Planners,
Boston University (BU) and the Boston Institute of Finance (BIF) today
announced a unique profile of potential online financial planning students.
The partnership between BIF and BU is an extension of a successful joint
venture in the development of BU's Online Program for Financial Planners,
launched in the fall of 2002.
The BIF-BU Online Readiness Index, which is comprised of 25 questions, is
designed to help potential students determine if they have the interest,
technical capabilities and skills to pursue BU's rigorous online program. The
Boston University Online Program for Financial Planners, which fulfills the
education requirement to sit for the CFP(R) Certification Examination, can
take students nearly 18 months to complete. The BIF-BU Online Readiness Index
is the only online gauge that helps students rate their aptitude and assess
their fit for the online financial planning program. Ruth Ann Murray, director
of Boston University's Center for Professional Education, feels that "the
index helps us to serve our students better and fulfill our roles as educators
by helping potential students select a program that best fits their learning
needs."
According to the responses, potential students tend to be strong self-
motivators who, due to work or family reasons, prefer online education over
classroom study. Due to schedule or travel difficulties, 75 percent of
respondents believe taking a course on campus would be "inconvenient" or
"impossible." While only 40 percent of the respondents had taken an online
course previously, 66 percent had taken a self study program, perhaps
explaining the significant increase in students who are interest in learning
via the Internet.
"While classrooms always will play an important role in the development
of future CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) certificants, many students find
they can be equally successful taking online courses," said Allison Cobb,
director of e-Learning, Boston Institute of Finance. "It has become
increasingly difficult to balance the demands of business and family, while
attending classes, so those continuing their professional education are
seeking alternatives. With the ease of accessing the Internet, online learning
is becoming a major factor."
Other BIF-BU Online Readiness Index results include:
* 87 percent of the students plan to pursue a CFP(R) certification for
professional reasons, not to manage their own financial planning;
* 82 percent say they have broadband/high speed DSL access and computer
access at home and work; 98 percent use email on a daily basis; and 70
percent consider themselves "very computer literate" and 29 percent
"somewhat literate;"
* 32 percent are willing to spend four-to-six hours per week on
coursework while 34 percent would spend ten or more hours if necessary;
and
* Nearly 50 percent have some experience or strong interest in the
various concepts and content involved in becoming a CFP(R) certificant.
Cobb adds, "Most aspirants consider themselves to be generalists in their
knowledge with many having some experience across the spectrum of financial
planning learning areas. While this is helpful, it's not necessary."
Please visit http://www.bostonifi.com to take the BIF-BU Online Readiness
Index or to learn more about the Boston University Online Program for
Financial Planners.
About Boston Institute of Finance (BIF):
Based in Boston, Boston Institute of Finance (BIF) is the nation's leading
designer, developer and distributor of online education and test preparation
for corporations, associations, and consumers. BIF possesses the largest
digital repository of financial services training in the industry and manages
the certification and training programs of thousands of corporate and
individual learners in the US and abroad. For more information, please visit
http://www.bostonifi.com. For CPA exam prep, please visit
http://www.cpaeprep.com.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification
marks CFP(R), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) and federally registered CFP
(with flame logo)(R) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who
successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification
requirements. Boston University does not certify individuals to use the
CFP(R), CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(TM) and federally registered CFP (with
flame logo)(R) certification marks. CFP(R) certification is granted only by
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. to those persons who, in
addition to completing an educational requirement such as this CFP Board-
Registered Program, have met its ethics, experience and examination
requirements.
Contact:
Boston Institute of Finance
Allison Cobb
(617) 443-0009
press@bostonifi.com
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