The Blackstone staff wishes you and your family a healthy, safe and happy Thanksgiving! So that we can all enjoy the holiday with our families, our office will close at 4 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, November 26 and reopen on Monday, December 1 at 9 a.m. (EST). If you have any questions or need assistance, you may contact us via e-mail (info@blackstone.edu) or phone (1-800-826-9228), leave a message, and we will respond as soon as possible when we re-open.

Accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) since 2005, Blackstone is in the process of preparing for its five-year review to renew its accreditation in 2010. Similar to the initial accreditation process, the review ensures that the institution continues to meet certain standards and provides an assurance that its programs of study have been approved, its instructors are qualified, facilities and equipment are adequate, recruitment and admissions policies are fair, and that the financial operations are sound.

The DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency and is a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

As part of the process, the school’s staff must prepare a Self-Evaluation Report (SER) that analyzes everything from its history and objectives to staffing, learning outcomes assessment, and financial practices. Coursework will be submitted to the DETC for review by subject matter experts. An examining committee from the DETC will make a site visit to review the records and facilities in order to verify the information submitted in the SER report. The final decision on re-accreditation will be made by the nine-member Accrediting Commission, which determines if the institution meets all standards.

In addition to being nationally accredited by the DETC, Blackstone is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools and is a private licensed school regulated by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. Blackstone is also in the process of renewing its accreditation with Middle States.

For many, the coming holiday season may not be as bright as it has been in recent years. With unemployment rising, workers are without jobs or facing the possibility of future layoffs. Others may feel insecure about the future of their career field and their prospects for higher salaries and promotions. If you are in a position to invest in the future of a family member or friend, the holiday season is an excellent opportunity to give the gift of education: you can sponsor a Blackstone student and even take advantage of our interest-free payment plan to do so. Both the paralegal and allied health job markets remain strong, so now is an excellent time to begin a career training program with BCI. If you would like to give the gift of education this year, contact us toll-free at 1-800-826-9228.

Since the Blackstone Facebook group was launched a few months ago, we've had a great response.  We’re happy to have many students, alumni and prospective students on board. If you haven’t already joined, we invite you to check out our group.

We would also like to encourage you to actively participate in the group: sign in and “write on our wall” or post a discussion topic. Alumni, we invite you to write about your career experiences and job hunting successes. Let us know what you are doing now! You can provide valuable advice to current and prospective students. We would love to hear from all of you, so please visit our Facebook group and leave a message: you are welcome to start discussions on relevant topics regarding education, the paralegal and allied health fields, the job market, and more.

Have you ever dreamed of writing your own novel or learning a new language to travel to a foreign country? Would you like to become more assertive or learn how to communicate more effectively to achieve greater success in the workplace? Would you like to start a new hobby such as drawing or photography? In six weeks you can learn a new skill with Blackstone’s Ed2Go online courses: they are fun, informative and highly interactive. Courses include:

• Get Assertive
• Writing for Children
• Interpersonal Communication
• Drawing for the Absolute Beginner
• Enjoying European Art
• Beginning Conversational French
• Instant Italian
• Speed Spanish
• Genealogy Basics
• Luscious, Low-Fat, Lightning-Quick Meals
• Music Made Easy
• Mystery Writing
• Secrets of Better Photography
• Write Fiction Like a Pro
• Beginning Writer’s Workshop
• And hundreds more!

Ed2Go courses are instructor-led and feature lively discussion areas, informative lessons, self-assessment quizzes, hands-on assignments, supplementary links, and more. They are also moderately priced (most are $99) and include all online lesson materials, which can be printed out for reference at a later time. Each week, two new lessons are released to the student, for a total of 12 in six weeks. If you are going on vacation or have other time conflicts, a two-week grace period is granted at the end of the program to give you extra time to finish.

All courses start monthly, including December 10 and January 21. To learn more about the courses offered, including the syllabi and information on the instructors, visit our Web site. 

Blackstone students now have the convenience of making tuition payments online using a major credit card, debit card or e-check. Students (or those sponsoring a student) just need to go to the Blackstone website home page, www.blackstone.edu, and click on “Make a Payment” under “Student Resources.” Students using the Online Student Center can access the “Make a Payment” feature from the Student Home Page.

To enter this secure site, students will need to provide their Blackstone Student ID number and the zip code to which study materials are sent. In addition to Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express, the system also accepts check payments online. Students can log on 24 hours a day to make a payment, although funds will not be applied to their account until the next business day’s activity is processed.

Another convenient method of making monthly payments is through Blackstone’s autopay option, which the school has offered for many years. Payments are automatically charged to a student’s credit or debit card on a specific day each month. Students can select this option upon enrollment or at a later date by contacting the school. Many find this method of payment to be the most convenient since it relieves them from having to remember to make their monthly payments.