Penn Foster Career School
Approximated Education Costs: $598-$698
Penn Foster is a bit different from the previously mentioned institutions in that it provides students with a distance learning approach to tackling the basic skills of motorcycle repair. Penn Foster is located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and focuses on at-home education and training and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools, the Distance Education and Training Council, and is also a recognized member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
For students looking to complete an at-home motorcycle repair training experience, Penn Foster Career School's Motorcycle Repair Technician training program will assist in teaching students how to work on a variety of motorcycles. The program covers two-stroke and four-stroke engines and also theory on all major motorcycle components: lubrication/cooling, transmissions, electrical systems, frames, steering, and brakes/wheels. This program also covers maintenance and troubleshooting. Upon completion, students should be able to perform inspections, maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs, work with engines, ignition systems, and electrical circuits, inspect and repair frames, steering, and suspensions, and work with brakes, wheel assemblies, and tires.
The duration of the program lasts as long as the student wants it to last and is completely self-paced but coursework must be completed within a two-year period. Internet access is a must for this program. Basically, the student enrolls in the program, gets his or her acceptance, and is then enrolled as a Penn Foster student once monies have been paid. Students will then be able to access initial study materials online by logging in through the Penn Foster Career School website. Students will then be able to download their first study materials and are encouraged to begin lessons as soon as possible. Additional learning materials will be shipped directly to the student and self-paced lessons cover major makes from Harley-Davidson to Suzuki, plus ATVs and snowmobiles. Penn Foster claims that course materials explain procedures more thoroughly than ordinary Motorcycle Repair manuals; however, if you have a question about anything in the program, a toll-free instructional support hotline is available. Faculty and instructional advisors are available to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, or by email or snail mail. At the end of each lesson, students take an exam, which can be completed online through the website. As soon as the student passes an exam, he or she can go on to the next lesson. New course material will follow as exams have been completed, and books and learning materials will always be on hand to continue moving forward. Obviously, a motorcycle is not provided for practical application purposes, so students will have to provide their own bike(s) to get the hands-on approach.
Upon completion of the career-training program, students are given access to the Alumni Career Services site, which includes resume preparation, job search, cover letter design, and preparing for an interview, all for helping students successfully land a job. And students will also receive a set of basic professional-quality tools to use as they wish, but students will need to provide tools while taking the course.
The school does not offer financial aid, but does offer 0 percent APR financing with customized payment plans and available savings offers.
Contact:
Penn Foster Career School
(800) 275-4410
pennfoster.edu