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Many people reading this article have either applied or even enrolled in an online or traditional college or university, however, the one question you may not have answered is, “How will I pay for it?” There are many options, which include grants, subsidized and unsubsidized loans, and scholarships. In my opinion, the best option is scholarships.


I recently spoke to a University of California, Berkeley student who received so much scholarship money that after paying for four years of school, books and room and board she still had enough money to buy a car. That’s right, a little known fact is that after you pay for all your books and classes, many scholarships allow you to spend the balance any way you choose. There are millions of dollars worth of scholarships that go unclaimed each year and my hope is that after reading this article you will pursue getting your share.

When I asked the Berkeley student what her secret was she said it was not her grades because lots of students have good grades, it was not her ethnic background, nor her gender, but it was the fact that she had overcome hardships in her young life.Download a FREE copy of Windows Live Toolbar and optimize your Web experience!

People in charge of issuing college scholarship money will frequently not issue them to a person that has grown up in a typical home with the perfect grades. The reason for this is that a student completing a college degree, whether it is through an online or a traditional college or university, has many challenges to overcome and scholarship boards would rather invest in someone that already has the skill set and level of maturity gained from overcoming a significant challenges.

You’ve considered the obstacles you’ve overcome and now you are ready to write the essay, but before you start remember that you do not have to write an entirely new essay for each scholarship you apply for. You can revise your original essay to meet the requirements for other scholarship submission requirements. When writing your essay, be sure to write about school activities and experiences, however, do not make them your focus. Find A Career In Accounting, Nursing, Medical, Business And More! Learn More Today!

Rather than simply listing activities, describe your level of achievement in those activities including employment or volunteer activities and the personal qualities revealed through the time and effort you devoted to them. Also, discuss your interest in your intended filed of study. If you have a disability, you may also include a description of its impact on your experiences, goals and aspirations. Any exceptional achievement such as honors and awards that demonstrate your motivation, achievement, leadership and commitment will be welcomed. Make sure your essay is neatly typed, is well written, and does not contain grammatical errors or misspelled words.Specialize in an industry or craft. Get media arts school info here!

Q. You want to continue your education, but as a full-time professional you can’t spend the time going back to school. Are online degree programs worth considering?

A. Online degrees can be a boon to your career and your life, as long you choose the right program and understand the commitment that will be involved.


Before you make the leap, be prepared to spend at least 10 to 20 hours a week, for at least one or two years, on your online learning — and possibly more, depending on the degree. And be aware that this type of education requires much more self-direction and self-discipline than traditional classes would.

Q. What does the online education process entail?

A. A lot of time in front of the computer. In most cases, educators record lectures off-line and upload them to a password-protected Web site for students to view when time permits.

A majority of online degree programs also involve discussion groups, in which students post comments and feedback to a Web-based discussion board.

Trent E. Gabert, associate dean of the College of Liberal Studies at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, notes that a growing number of discussion sessions occur in real time — in chat rooms where students can interact with one another and, sometimes, with their professor.

“All of these interactions are about the dialogue,” Mr. Gabert said. “When people communicate and work together, they learn.”

Q. How much do online degrees cost?

A. The price varies widely, but in many cases tuition fees are comparable to those at brick-and-mortar schools — minus the added cost of things like room and board. In online programs affiliated with state universities, fees can be less expensive for in-state residents.

Richard Garrett, program director and senior analyst at Eduventures, an education-oriented research firm in Boston, noted that with gasoline prices on the rise, indirect costs of online education might be lower, because students who work on degree programs from home don’t have to spend money on travel.

Q. How do employers view these degrees?

A. While every employer is different, Susan Kryczka, director of distance education at Boston University, said that most treat online degrees as equivalent to degrees obtained by attending classes in classrooms.

Ms. Kryczka said that many employers would cover online education as part of existing tuition reimbursement programs, provided that employees could prove that the online degree pertained to their current job.

Once employees have completed their degrees, she added, many are rewarded with additional compensation for advancing their education.

“Our students have reported very little pushback on the part of their employers,” said Ms. Kryczka, whose program offers eight graduate degrees online.

When employers are considering job applicants, online degrees are also becoming more accepted. Bob Leber, director of education and work-force development at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., says that when employers are evaluating prospective employees, most don’t ask applicants to specify how they obtained their degrees, just where they obtained them.

“It’s not like you have to put on your résumé that you got your master’s online,” Mr. Leber said. “All that matters is that you have a degree.”

Q. What are the downsides to online degree programs?

A. Professionals who opt for online degrees will almost certainly miss out on many of the impromptu lunches, barroom debates and other serendipitous learning experiences that occur on a college campus. You may also be less likely to make lasting personal and professional connections with your online classmates.

And be aware that your time-management skills will be put to the test. It won’t always be easy to concentrate on your schoolwork after a long day at the office.

But perhaps the biggest risk associated with online degree programs is that not all of the programs are created equal.

John Bear, co-author of “Bear’s Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning” (Ten Speed Press), said prospective students should consider working toward online degrees only from accredited institutions, and should contact the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org) to make sure that the accreditations are legitimate.

“The popularity of online degrees has made the bad guys swarm out of the woodwork to the point where there’s now a whole world of bad and fake degrees,” said Mr. Bear, an educational technology consultant in El Cerrito, Calif. “Before you invest time and money, make sure you’re putting it in the right place.”

By MATT VILLANO

As Katie Wesolek puts one of her twin baby boys to bed, the other is waking up. “I get up at least 10 times a night,” said the Valley resident and mother of three. So it was critical that Wesolek could attend college class lectures in her living room while still wearing pajamas.

Wesolek recently finished her bachelor’s degree in business from Western International University, a Phoenix-based private school that began offering lectures this year for all its classes live and online.

Western International is one of many universities remodeling traditional college education in hopes that working adults and parents will enroll.

“We live in a highly mobile, very busy society with women returning to the workplace, single parents, husband and wife both working and taking care of the kids,” said Mike Seiden, WIU president. “The university has to respond to the special needs of today’s working population.”

Rio Salado College, a Maricopa County community college, offers new sections of classes starting every week.

The state’s three public universities are expanding their slate of online programs, and Northern Arizona University has opened campuses in Mesa and Yuma — far from its Flagstaff base — to attract working adults.

At Western International, which offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, the changes make a classroom out of any place with a computer and Internet connection.

Wesolek used that opportunity to earn her degree while also taking care of her newborns and 10-year-old son.

She said she attempted to take night classes at Arizona State University West. But Wesolek couldn’t commit to two-hour lectures away from home every week for four months.

“It’s just too much,” Wesolek said, “too much time to find a baby sitter, and it’s too much time away from your kids and family.”

A former co-worker recommended Western International. It proved a perfect fit, she said.

Wesolek watched live lectures on her computer and was able to ask questions, and hear other students’ thoughts, using a headset.

Western International offers classes at 10 a.m., noon and late at night to accommodate adults and parents with different schedules, Seiden said. Classes meet once a week and finish in just nine weeks.

Most critics of higher education online complain that it prevents students from interacting with their instructors.

Deborah DeSimone, Western International’s chief academic officer, said her university has solved that problem.

“We were finding that our recordings were becoming outdated before too much time went by,” DeSimone said. “It was not a simple matter to get a teacher to come into a studio to do the recording in the first place. And students didn’t seem to like them, they weren’t listening to them.”

DeSimone said 85 percent of Western International’s students finish classes now that lectures are live.

Wesolek said she has a strong relationship with her marketing and e-commerce instructor, who encouraged her to begin her own business after graduation.

In November, Wesolek launched a Web site to sell beaded jewelry she designs, allowing her to also begin her career from home.

To remain economically competitive, Arizona residents need to earn 29,000 college degrees in the coming decades above what they are now on pace to earn, according to the research firm Postsecondary Education Opportunity.

“There’s just a whole raft of statistics, and the more you dig into them, the more upsetting it becomes,” said Fred DuVal, a member of the Arizona Board of Regents.

DuVal argues that all the state’s universities, public and private, and community colleges have to contribute.

Online education has really blossomed in the past several years. Most universities offer online classes, but some may not offer complete degree programs online. Others won’t offer online degrees in your area of interest.

If you select a school carefully, the credits may be easily transferred. This is particularly true for general education credits. These are for classes required for a degree but not part of your major.

Start by looking for local schools that offer online classes. With local schools, you can still meet with professors.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Internet | Notre Dame | Stanford | iTunes | Department of Education

If local schools don’t suit your needs, look at other options. Try Degrees Online, eLearners and Directory of Schools. These sites will help you locate online programs.

You’ll find schools affiliated with established universities and colleges. You’ll also find online-only schools. Remember that some employers favor online degrees received from traditional schools.

Because of demand, most online schools focus on computers and business. It’s easy to find programs in computer science and management. It is more difficult to find programs in the arts and other areas. But they’re there — if you look.
Online schools are a great way to continue your education. They also can give new students a head start. But research a school’s accreditation carefully.

Accreditation tells other schools and employers that your degree is backed with proper instruction. Without accreditation, credits may not transfer, or employers may not consider your degree valid.

Unfortunately, some “schools” sell degrees. These so-called diploma mills may say you’ve earned the degree through life experience. Employers won’t be fooled.

Ask the school what agency accredited it, but don’t stop there. Double-check. Some fraudulent schools may set up a fake accrediting agency.

You can check accreditation with your state’s higher-education agency or go to the federal Department of Education, which maintains a list of legitimate accrediting agencies.

Find scholarships

Local or state schools will be cheaper than private or out-of-state schools. But many online schools are private. You may pay a premium.

Whether you attend an online school or a traditional one, public or private, you can find financial assistance online.

First, check the Federal Student Aid Information Center. It lists grants and loans from the federal government. Most are based on need.

Other sites list private scholarships and loans. Check FastWeb.com, Scholarships.com and CollegeToolkit.com.

Sit in on classes

Maybe you want to know what a college’s curriculum is like before you enroll. Or maybe you want to take classes and aren’t concerned about earning a degree.

Many traditional schools are putting free course materials on the Internet. MIT, Notre Dame and Stanford are a few well-known schools making course materials available.

Materials may include lecture notes, podcasts and videos. Anyone can follow a course for free. But you won’t earn credit or a degree.

Online graduates can land in any of 100 occupations, from librarian to auditor to counterintelligence threat analyst. Betsy Davis, deputy chief of the C.I.A. recruitment center, estimates that 5 percent to 10 percent of new employees completed some or all of their course work online. Many had been in the military, or had resumed their educations after a break. (Ms. Davis won’t give specifics about who was hired or how many but says the agency waded through 120,000 applications last year.)

Employers are seeing more and more of such applicants. About 7 percent of postsecondary-school students, or 1.2 million, have conducted their course of study completely over the Internet, according to Eduventures, an education market research company. The numbers are bound to grow, with new legislation eliminating limits on federal aid for online students; in April, the State of Michigan, envisioning a future of virtual classrooms, made it a high school graduation requirement to take one online course.

While online programs have been common for advancement within the workplace, almost 40 percent of those getting their degrees solely online are adults who want to take their credentials into the marketplace, for a new career or better job, Eduventures says.

What happens when these virtual graduates go knocking on the doors of potential employers?

“This is the 21st century,” Ms. Davis says. “We should all be right where we need to be in terms of accepting different methods of learning.” But, she adds, “it’s always difficult, I think, for people to start factoring in new ways of doing business and new ways of learning into what has historically been a paper-based, in-person kind of experience.”

Also, chronic problems in the distance-education industry have made employers distrustful; they cite online diploma mills and recruiting violations involving profit-making institutions, many of them online. The United States Education Department, for example, fined the University of Phoenix $9.8 million for overaggressive student recruiting. The university paid the fine without admitting wrongdoing.

In one recent survey, employers overwhelmingly preferred traditional bachelor’s degrees when hiring over credentials even partially completed online. In the study, published in the January issue of the quarterly Communication Education, two communications professors asked some 270 small and medium-size companies in eight cities about their attitudes toward online credentials. The companies primarily sought managers or entry-level employees in accounting, engineering, business and information technology.

Ninety-six percent said they would choose traditional candidates over those with virtual degrees. Graduates of hybrid programs (online and in classrooms) didn’t fare much better, with 75 percent choosing candidates with traditional degrees.

“Recent graduates who apply for jobs without much work experience may find that having an online degree on their résumé translates into having little chance of being hired,” concludes the study, by Margaret H. DeFleur, associate dean of graduate studies and research at Louisiana State University, and Jonathan Adams, director of interactive and new communication technologies at Florida State University.

“Online education has great hope and great promise,” Professor DeFleur says, “but I think we’re looking at it with blinders and assuming certain outcomes.”

Online advocates take issue with the study’s methodology, because it forced employers to choose between traditional and virtual degrees.

“There is no ‘no difference’ response allowed,” says Jeffrey Seaman, survey director at the Sloan Con

Several outstanding colleges offer classes online to high school students. Even middle-schoolers can take advantage of them. According to the Wall Street Journal, the pre-college student category has become one of the fastest growing segments of the distance-learning market.
Want to unlock your earning potential? A degree is the key.

I have long been an advocate of taking classes online. Many high schools offer full credit for them; check with your high school. It should work the same as getting credit for classes taken at a local university.

Several high schools give credit for taking classes online or off campus. Students taking classes at Purdue North Central in psychology, for instance, may receive dual credit; one credit for high school and three credits from Purdue. Check with your high school about whether such courses qualify for dual credit.

Off-campus and online classes help students who have different learning needs at different times in their academic preparation.

For example, LaPorte had a student taking Latin, which is not taught there, through a correspondence course with Texas Tech. The student transferred into the LaPorte system already having completed a year of Latin at another high school. The Texas Tech curriculum not only meets the academic requirements of the LaPorte High School; it also qualifies for the academic honors program.

On the vocational side, engineering design software such as Unigraphics and AutoCAD have made their entire curriculum available online. This computer-assisted design software is labor-intensive and takes a lot of time to learn, yet it is fully capable of being mastered by the average high school student. For many students, access to instruction online is the only way they can get quality instruction.

Online learning is also working its way down to the middle schools. Many parents with engineering backgrounds are surprised to learn that Unigraphics, for example, has a well-defined curriculum for American and British middle school students. Because the classes are offered online, collaborative learning is possible between students of the two countries.

I highly recommend AutoCAD for middle school students who want a challenging drawing program without the expense of going to a local community college.

On the academic side, Stanford and John Hopkins each have more than 8,000 students enrolled in online programs. Other schools include Duke and Northwestern University. Costs range from $120 to $1,000 per course that last a semester or longer.

Parents take note: Many colleges use online classes as a recruiting tool. They help identify potential candidates for admission to their regular degree programs. This gives online scholars an edge when they apply. Listing these classes in the personal statement impresses admissions officers who are constantly looking for innovative applicants. It shows you are ahead of the curve of other applicants and might just be the item that tips the admissions committee in your favor.

“My first contact with professor Smith was as a student of his at Stanford. I was a seventh-grader 2,200 miles away in Indiana” is an excellent opening line on your personal statement.

Home-schoolers should take special care to review the benefits of online classes. Home-schooled students have a chance to gain valuable experience working with students from around the world with similar interests and aspirations.

Regardless, online education is the wave of the future. The faster parents realize this and prepare their children for it, the better their chances are for them to compete.

By GERALD M. BRADSHAW

There are some people in the world who hold the opinion that online degrees are easy to obtain and not worth anything. For these people, getting an online degree holds a certain stigma. This causes some potential students to shy away from online programs because they are afraid that employers will think that they did not work hard or learn the right information from an online degree.

“I never thought to get an online degree because I heard so many negative things about them in the past,” said Cortney Crenshaw, a senior in dance and communication. “I was told that a lot of employers don’t take them seriously, so it never crossed my mind to seriously look into them.”

However, in recent years a number of students and employers have moved past this old-fashioned way of thinking and embraced this technology as a legitimate means of educational advancement.

According to recent reports from the Sloan Consortium, an association of online learning institutions, enrollment rates at online schools have increased at an annual rate of 9.7 percent, compared to an overall rate of 1.5 percent for all colleges combined. By their count, almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term, and participation in online learning is increasing by 400,000 students a year.

Congress even lifted a rule limited the number of online students eligible for student financial aid, making the transition both convenient and affordable for the masses.

Because of this new mindset and expanding opportunities, online education seems to have come of age, almost overnight, making college available to almost anyone hungry for a degree, and the menu of majors and course topics is endless.

According to elearners.com, a website geared toward educating and connecting students to online education institutions, some of the most sought-after online programs are in the fields of business and health administration, nursing, and engineering. However, areas geared toward education are in extremely high demand.

Terrence Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer for eLearners.com, stated in one report that “Online education breaks down the barriers of traditionally delivered education. The classrooms and faculty are essentially limitless.”
Is it right for you?

Although there are many benefits to online degree programs, which offer convenience, 24/7 access, self-pacing formats, and enough interactive technology to keep one interested, the process is not designed for everyone. Most are found to be very challenging, demand participants work steadily toward a degree within a particular timeframe, and ultimately require that students possess a serious degree of self-motivation.

As students ponder the pursuit of an online degree, there is more to consider than whether or not they will earn a solid education.

Some students believe that the college experience is something that they would rather not part with, when preparing for their future careers.

Desiree Slaughter, a senior in microbiology, said that while online programs may be just as demanding as traditional curriculums, she believes that the social components of the university atmosphere make students more prepared to deal with the world.

“The college experience in itself prepares you for the real world,” Slaughter said. “Yes, online education will provide you with the knowledge you need to do well in your field, but interacting and networking with others at a university is a really strong advantage, and you don’t get that as much online.”

However, colleges and universities are slowly putting this idea to rest, beginning to set aside previous notions about online learning, and embracin

CHICAGO — Crunching the numbers on college costs has been a particularly grim task for parents of incoming freshmen this year.

The weak economy has strained their cash resources and the nationwide mortgage crisis has made many unwilling or unable to tap home equity. On top of that, dozens of lenders have stopped issuing federally guaranteed loans because of the credit market turmoil.

“In terms of parents paying, there’s more stress than I’ve ever seen,” said Valerie Broughton, a Minneapolis-based educational consultant who says many are considering changing to less expensive colleges or universities than planned.

Even with the start of college just weeks away, however, money can still be found for those who don’t have all the financial aid they need. One reason is that schools, too, are under extra pressure and working harder to fill their freshman classes this year as students make late switches because of costs. That can work to the advantage of those who have been accepted to their school of choice but are struggling to pay for it. Additional financial aid and scholarship money can be dangled at the eleventh hour as earlier enrollment commitments evaporate — a phenomenon known as the “summer melt.”

“The later in the year we get, the more valuable each student becomes and the harder they are to replace,” said Lynn Nichelson, director of financial aid at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Ill. “The quality student is in demand all over the place.”

For starters, experts recommend contacting a college’s financial-aid office before ruling a school out because of money. Sometimes the aid outlook can improve from what was offered earlier, perhaps because of a change in the family’s situation such as divorce or one parent’s loss of a job.

It worked for Debbie Bloss, who checked back with her son’s second-choice school, Drury University in Springfield, Mo., so late that fall classes had begun. She had little option — Stephen had decided after five days at his preferred college that it wasn’t for him, walking away from a nearly full scholarship to enroll at pricier Drury.

Working with aid office

Drury had given out all its need-based grants for the year and it was too late to search for outside scholarships or grants. But by working with the financial-aid office, Bloss and her son were able to obtain a $400 federal Pell Grant, a $1,500 state grant and $500 in academic money, amounts bolstered by $6,625 in federal Stafford loans.

Along with an additional $13,500 in private loans, that was enough to get Stephen through the first year. The following year he started the process much earlier and secured much more federal, state and Drury grants along with work-study aid, so he reduced his loan amounts considerably.

Debbie Bloss, of Blue Springs, Mo., called the financial-aid process “very daunting” but “very rewarding in the end.” Her son enters his senior year this fall.

“You really have to do your homework” on grants, loans, scholarships and eligibility, she said. “It’s a lot of work, and it’s painful because there’s a lot of reading, a lot of investigating, a lot of understanding involved. And the key is finding someone in the financial-aid office who’s willing to take the time to help you get all you can get.”

Some evidence suggests schools are more willing to help out with aid this year than in the past. Broughton, previously an administrator for several universities, says colleges are dipping into their wait lists more than ever before as a consequence of the trend away from early-decision programs, which has resulted in a late scramble for students.

One “must” for those who haven’t already done it is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. The FAFSA is required for eligibility for student-aid programs such as Stafford and Plus loans and is used by most states and many private colleges to determine financial aid.

Loans can bring trouble

Searching for last-minute scholarships and loans at online sites such as FastWeb.com and Finaid.com also can be fruitful. But parents are advised by experts to consider noneducation-based loans only as a last resort because of extra costs and the need to start paying them back immediately.

“Don’t go wandering off to a bank that will try to give you a loan at higher rates,” said Nichelson. “The student can really get bogged down financially.”

The reality, of course, is that many will rely on such loans, and if so they need to act quickly. In one recent sign of the lending crunch, Smith College in Northampton, Mass., sent a letter to parents cautioning them that qualifying for and finding loans may be tougher this year and urging them to secure necessary financing soon.

If financial attempts fall short, students and parents may want to consider a less expensive option — from a state university to a community college — or even waiting a year or two to save more money.

Lester Lefton, president of Kent State University and also a psychologist, strongly advocates doing whatever it takes to get a college education and a degree from the highest-quality institution that’s affordable. But he says people have to think realistically about the debt load and the time it will take to pay it.

“A college education is probably the best investment you can make,” he said. “Parents and students alike should think of it as a 10-year commitment.”

These days, Jaime can stay home, go to class and save money on gas — all at the same time.

A sophomore majoring in medical administration at Northampton Community College, LaBadie is taking her first online distance learning class this summer.

“The reason I did it is because of the current gas prices,” jaime, 30, said recently. “For me to drive to Bethlehem or even Tannersville would cost me so much more,” she said, referring to the Northampton and Monroe county campuses of the college.
Jaime estimated that the online course in business communications was sparing her multiple 20- to 30-mile drives to campus for class, which would have meant as much as $50 in gas costs each week.

She is one of a growing number of students at the largely commuter school staying home to study as gas prices have increased nationwide by an average of more than $1 per gallon over the past year, according to the Energy Information Administration.

Data from NCC show that nearly 1,900 students there enrolled in online courses for this summer’s first session, which already represents an increase of 18 percent over the total enrolled online last summer. That growth is likely to continue as enrollment continues for a second session.

Statistics suggest similar trends nationwide.

As reported by Business Wire, 38 percent more visitors flocked to Degree.com, a Web site that gives access to online degree programs, during April-May 2008 when compared with the two months previous, after adjusting for seasonal differences. Sixty percent of those responding to an informal survey cited higher gas prices as the prime reason for their interest. A year ago, gas prices did not finish among the top five reasons for taking courses online.

“I’m sure that the rising cost of gas is one factor among many in why students are taking online courses with us,” said Kelvin Bentley, director of online learning at NCC.

College-going trends nationally have been showing a migration toward online learning. Nearly 20 percent of all higher education students were taking at least one course online in the fall of 2006, according to The Sloan Consortium, which is supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and which surveyed more than 2,500 colleges and universities. There was also a nearly 10 percent growth rate in online enrollments over the previous year, far surpassing those in traditional classrooms.

Continuing improvements in technology, through chats and Web conferences among others, have been major factors in the growth of these courses. “I think our technology has improved by leaps and bounds over the past several years,” Bentley said. “Faculty and students can do a lot more online given that the technology allows for a space where documents can be shared and where faculty and students can communicate.”

The online courses also meet a market niche for students juggling multiple responsibilities. At NCC, like many community colleges that serve students who are nontraditional age, working or raising families while they go to school, such flexibility is necessary.

NCC student Mary Outwater, 45, said she does coursework for her online developmental psychology class every evening, logging on for discussion forums after her teenage children have gone to bed.

“I kind of make it all fit,” said the nursing student who lives in Albrightsville. Outwater estimated that her online course saved her $20 a day in gas. “I couldn’t take this class otherwise,” she said. “The more online classes I can take, the better.”

Still, for all their flexibility, the courses are not for everyone. Students and faculty both report that discipline and self-motivation are essential.

“The popularity of online learning gives us the feeling that it’s a panacea, the ultimate best thing for everyone, but it’s not,” Bentley said. “Everyone learns differently and there will always be the need for face-to-face instruction.”

Christy LaBadie had discovered that she had to rely more on herself in her online course.

“When you do it online, you really have to read directions and read between the lines,” she said. “You have to be very disciplined.”