College is a drag, what with the high tuition, lack of a job after graduation, and the roommates who are really into jam bands. Why go through all that when you can go to school over the Internet?
Hogwarts is Here
The finest school of witchcraft and wizardry has previously been off-limits to anyone who wasn’t a wizard by birth, English…and fictional. The awkwardly titled Hogwarts is Here is a fan-organized—and tuition-free—virtual academy devoted to the world of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Organizers’ goal is to “create the magical experience that we as fans have all been looking for since we finished the last book.” HIH’s reportedly 20,000 “students” may enroll in nine-week classes straight out of the Harry Potter books, including Charms and Herbology. (Just like in the books, spots in Defense Against the Dark Arts fill up fast.) The school even offers fun extracurriculars, like shopping at a virtual Flourish and Blotts and writing articles for an online edition of The Daily Owl.
American Taxidermy Online
Have you ever wanted to learn how to stuff dead animals but without all the trouble of leaving your home? American Taxidermy Online is just one of several (!) virtual schools that will help you do just that. The American Institute of Taxidermy, founded in 1978, opened up an online branch in 2008. It offers nine difference courses that cover species ranging from deer to raccoons. The seven-hour virtual classes take place every Saturday. Getting study materials (animal carcasses) is up to the student, who to earn their certificates of completion, must send in photos of their completed mounts.
International Ghost Hunters Society
Why settle for a degree in Political Science when you can become a full-fledged ghostbuster? The International Ghost Hunters Society offers a series of home study courses that will teach you just about everything you need to know about dealing with pesky spirits. The faculty claims that a combined 30 years of experience “relating to the study of ghosts, death, and life after death.” Students can become “certified” Ghost Researchers, Paranormal Investigators and/or EVP Researchers.