Despite a successful career, Greg Atkins always felt something was holding him back. Two [years ago, at the age of thirty-eight, he climbed to a position of prestige in state government [as assistant commissioner of New Jersey's department of community affairs.

Yet, despite his experience, he felt he could go no further without an academic degree. However, with a demanding job and small children at home, there was little time to attend classes. "I've been raising a family and my job requires that I attend meetings in the evening," Atkins said. "It is very difficult to get back in the classroom, even for night classes."

 But Atkins found the answer, as did many professionals, at Thomas Edison College in Trenton, N.J.--a non-traditional college without a campus, or even scheduled classes, that offers twelve degree programs.

 After receiving credit for courses taken more than two decades ago and for his experience in social work and state government, Atkins can fulfill the balance of the requirements for a bachelor's degree at home. Late at night, on weekends and any time he can find the time, Atkins studies. A year from now, he plans to have a bachelor's degree in public administration--just one step, he says, on his way to a master's degree and a doctorate.

 Tens of thousands of people each year turn to similar programs--offered at some of the nation's top colleges and universities, and at institutions like Thomas Edison--to earn associate's, bachelor's, master's and even doctoral degrees at the pace most suitable to their lifestyles.

 Accreditation and Access There are 138 such programs accredited by the nation's six accrediting agencies and recognized by the Washington-based American Council on Education (ACT i), according to Eugene Sullivan, one of the co-authors of External Degrees in the Information Age: Legitimate Choices. The hook, which was also written by ACE colleagues Henry Spille and David Stewart, is a guide to programs accessible to students around the country and the world. It is scheduled to be published this summer by Oryx Press.