Jen Zeman's Archive
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 8th, 2008
When considering financing options for school, I compared loans from private financial institutions and the U.S. Department of Education. I decided on the Department of Education and completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. I knew my husband and I made too much money to be eligible for grants, so I secured subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Loans through the Department of Education appealed to me more than a private financial institution loan because the Department of Education offered a better loan rate, better repayment options, and deferral of repayment until I graduated from school. The deferral option is great! Not immediately coming up with the additional funds to pay for school was one less thing to stress about.
The world of scholarships is vast and the amount of money available via scholarships is astronomical. The website www.scholarships.com indicates their database consists of over 2.7 million free scholarships and grants worth over $19 billion. The problem I found with scholarships is that it takes time, a lot of time, to search through them to find ones you are eligible to apply for. During the searches I did conduct, I wasn’t eligible for most of the scholarships offered. I simply didn’t have the time to continue, but if you do have the time, scholarships and grants can be extremely beneficial in reducing your total tuition bill. With enough persistence, you may even accumulate enough to pay all of your expenses! The financial aid office at the institution you will be attending can help you get started in the process. The financial aid office can help you apply for financial aid, advise you of funding available directly through the school, and assist you essentially through the entire process.
Posted by Jen Zeman on December 1st, 2008
I was a late bloomer to college – I didn’t start my associate’s degree until I was 24. When I was half-way through my associate’s degree I made the decision that immediately after graduation I would continue on for my bachelor’s degree, even though it meant tacking on another two-years of school work. I would be 33 when I finally received my B.S. Working for a community college at the time, my employer was very enthusiastic about me obtaining higher education. Friends were supportive, as was family, including my husband. However, that’s not to say I didn’t suffer through some minor road bumps (i.e. stress) over the decision to pursue three classes a semester and work full time.
While friends were supportive, it took time for them to get used to the fact that I wouldn’t be available to socialize with them anymore or even have the time to gossip on the phone for hours on end. They were lucky if I could call them once a month. My husband expressed his support but would be visibly annoyed when I told him I didn’t have time to help him around the house or to socialize with our friends. I was determined to complete my bachelor’s degree in two and a half years and I expressed to everyone, husband included, that this was my goal. I knew going in I would be making sacrifices and I was comfortable with doing so. I also explained to my husband that this sacrifice was only temporary – it wasn’t as if I would be going to school for the next ten years. He finally empathized with me when he started his online bachelor’s degree this summer. After two five-week courses while working full-time he said: “I now know what you had to go through when you were in school. I’m sorry for being such a pain in the butt during those years!”
Tips to make the transition to school easier on everyone:
- Be upfront to everyone about your time constraints. You will have a few people who try to invade your time for school. Be consistent with your firmness and eventually they will understand your dedication.
- Schedule time with friends and loved ones. Look at the month ahead and when major projects are due. Decide to spend an evening out with friends or your significant other as a celebration once the project is completed.
- Stay connected. Even if you are not able to go out with friends, allow yourself time once a month to reconnect over the phone.
Posted by Jen Zeman on November 24th, 2008
While earning my associate’s degree at a local community college, I completed an online class and loved the flexibility and the freedom it gave me. However, when I started my online bachelor degree program, a few fears crept into my brain: How hard will the classes be? How much work will be involved? How much time will I need to complete the work? Will I be able to handle three online classes a semester while working full time?
Before starting my classes I decided to come up with a game plan in order to quash my fears and guarantee my success. The game plan was simple: organization. Being organized is by far the number one way to guarantee success with an online college. It is essential to devise a plan of how you will study and complete assignments. Here are the five tactics I used:
- Plan out your semester prior to the start of the semester. If you work full-time, schedule days off strategically so you can give yourself enough time to complete major class assignments/projects without scrambling at the last minute. This will alleviate a ton of stress.
- Assign a separate binder for each class you take a semester. Print the syllabus and put it in the front of the binder. This eliminates confusion and a constant search for important documents. Even though all your required documents will be available to you online, having them at your fingertips makes life less stressful.
- Assign a designated room in your home as your “school zone”. Make it a place where you can close a door and have privacy for studying and completing assignments.
- In this room, hang a large white board on the wall. Use this to write down assignments and major projects for each class, along with corresponding due dates. It is a great feeling erasing completed projects off the board! This was a lifesaver for me.
- Allow yourself some down time to relax. For me it was allowing myself an hour each day to exercise. However, realize while you are in school you will not be able to participate in activities the way you did before – you simply will not have the time. Choose the activity you cannot part with and schedule it in. All others will have to fall off your radar until you graduate. It may seem harsh, but remember you won’t be in school forever.
You will find with organization comes discipline – discipline will keep you focused on your goal. Tell yourself you will succeed in your online courses and it will happen. Once you complete the first semester of online college following the tips above, you will ask yourself, “What was I so scared about?”
Posted by Jen Zeman on November 18th, 2008
Living in a small, rural country town has many advantages. Having an easily accessible four-year college or university is not one of them. Accessibility became the main inspiration to pursuing an online university.
The University of Maryland University College (UMUC) provided me everything I needed online: application, course schedules, registration, book ordering, advising, library services, you name it. I didn’t have to step foot on the physical campus until commencement! Final exams couldn’t be taken online, but even that was convenient. I had the ability to take proctored exams at my local community college (which at the time I worked for them, making it that much more convenient). It was wonderful knowing I could achieve a bachelor’s degree (and now even master’s degree) without having to commute 45-75 miles to a physical campus. No wear and tear on my car, no extra money spent on gas, and no traffic! I could log-on to my coursework during lunch breaks, evenings, weekends, whenever it worked for me versus the rigid three-hour classroom requirement typically available. A point to remember – the coursework isn’t any easier because you’re not sitting in a classroom! There usually is plenty of reading, but if you account for the three hours normally spent in a classroom, the reading won’t be an issue.
One other reason I chose an online university was the ability to learn at my own pace. I’m an independent learner who normally moves quickly through assignments so an online atmosphere was ideal (i.e. I didn’t have to sit through an hour-long discussion on someone else’s question when I didn’t need the clarification). However, instructors were easily accessible if I did have questions.
If accessibility to a four-year institution is an issue for you, an online college or university is an ideal choice. It certainly beats the alternative – not getting a degree at all.
Posted by Jen Zeman on November 3rd, 2008
It’s general knowledge that a MBA or a bachelor of science in nursing are admirable and trustworthy degrees that have stood the test of time, but what if are interested in something outside of mainstream? There are many colleges and institutions that offer creative degree programs, but I found these degree programs to be most unique (http://www.bspcn.com/2007/10/19/top-10-most-unusual-college-degrees/):
- Master Ranching offered at Texas A&M-Kingsville
- Astrobiology offered at the University of Glamorgan in the UK
- Retail Floristry offered at Mississippi State University
- Professional Nanny offered at Sullivan University
- Sports Ministry offered at Campbellsville University
- Adventure Recreation offered at Green Mountain College
- Golf & Sports Turf Management offered at Mississippi State University
- Comedy: Writing and Performance offered at Humber College in Canada
- Organic Agriculture offered at Washington State University
- Fishing Sciences and Management offered at Colorado State University
So if you are looking for an educational experience beyond mainstream, take the time to do some research online. As you can see from the list above, if you have an interest in it, there is a good chance someone offers a degree in it. Just be certain that it is a career field you are passionate about before plunking down $25,000 - $50,000 for a degree that may not help you anywhere else!
Posted by Jen Zeman on October 11th, 2008
Unless you have been living under a rock or in the remote regions of the Appalachians, you realize the United States is in a serious credit crisis. This crisis is affecting all markets, including higher education. If you are contemplating going back to school, you may be worried with the economy in its current state it doesn’t make much fiscal sense to attempt financing college. While it’s true that because of the credit crisis the cost of student loans, especially private loans (i.e. loans by such companies as Sally Mae or your local bank), are more expensive because of an increase in interest charged, college still remains a sound investment in your future. Federal loans are still reasonable and are always an option. According to www.education.yahoo.net, those who obtain a bachelor’s degree earn an average of 88 percent more a year than high school graduates! It is true that there are infinitely more opportunities for individuals with a college degree than just a high school diploma, so invest in yourself. If you are still uncertain if you can afford to back to school, I strongly encourage you to make an appointment with a financial aid counselor at your school of choice. They will be more than willing to explain the financial aid process and how educational loans can fit into your budget.
Posted by Jen Zeman on September 28th, 2008
If you are interested in pursuing an online degree but are more interested in a liberal studies program versus business, you are in luck! Many colleges and institutions now offer their liberal studies programs online, whether you are pursuing an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Simply type in “online liberal studies degree program” in your search engine to find a program that suits your needs. I used Google in this instance. In searching, “liberal arts” and “liberal studies” is often used interchangeably. A plethora of information will then be delivered to you. Two sites I found to be helpful included:
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/liberal-arts-humanities/liberal-arts/
This site lists different institutions across the country that offer online liberal arts/studies programs.
http://education-portal.com/liberal_studies_degree.html
This site also lists different institutions offering online degrees, but also provides useful articles such as what kind of career can one have with a liberal studies degree. This site also has a search engine within it to narrow your search even further.
The Google search also provided links directly to colleges and universities offering an online liberal studies degree program. With a little legwork, I am confident you will find the perfect online liberal studies degree program!
Posted by Jen Zeman on September 21st, 2008
Graduate school seems like a logical progression once you achieve your undergraduate degree. However, the reality is graduate school does not have to be the next step in your life and you have to ask yourself honestly, “Is grad school right for me?”
I recently had to ask myself that very question and the truth, at first, seemed hard to bear. I’m currently in a career field where, realistically, a master’s degree is not required to achieve advancement to within a significant salary level. However, I felt that grad school was a logical progression and reasoned that I should have my master’s degree. My reasoning? I believed people looked upon those with a master’s degree more favorably based upon the rigor demanded by graduate school and that a master’s degree would automatically open more doors for me (whatever those doors may be). I decided that I really had no desire to earn a master’s degree in the business field (which my employer would pay for), but instead insisted that if I was going to complete a master’s program, it would be in a program that I would enjoy. So I applied and was accepted into the online liberal studies program at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. I reasoned with myself that if I handled taking three undergraduate courses a semester while working full-time, I could easily handle two grad courses a semester.
The day the fall semester began I reviewed and re-reviewed the syllabi for both classes. Suddenly, my heart was filled with fear versus enthusiasm. The reading alone for one of the courses would easily consume twenty hours a week. I realized I had taken on much more than I could possibly handle. This precipitated me to contemplate why I was even taking grad courses in the first place. Confusion set in and I agonized whether I should attempt the courses or drop them both. I’m not one to quit anything, so this decision left me anxious and depressed. I had several other important activities that I wanted to accomplish on my personal time and these classes would put these activities on hold indefinitely, which was something I really did not want to do.
After a good five-mile run (highly recommended for clearing the mind), I came home and wrote two lists: pros and cons of taking grad courses. The pros list had two items while the cons had approximately ten. I realized that a liberal arts master’s degree while interesting, would not guarantee me that my writing would improve or garner me any more opportunities than my bachelor’s degree and work experience combined. I also realized based on these two facts that it wasn’t worth accumulating an additional $25,000.00 in debt for school loans. My husband is also taking classes, so with me in school as well we really would have no time for one another, which was not acceptable to me. I decided right then to drop both classes and put grad school on the backburner. It wasn’t easy, but I knew in my heart it was the best choice for me and for those close to me. I was relieved instantly.
If you are asking yourself whether grad school is right for you, consider these questions first:
- Does my career field require an advanced degree? Be honest with yourself here.
- Do I have the time to commit to the rigorous requirements of graduate courses? Just looking at the syllabi for my grad courses made me realize it is vastly different than undergraduate work and would take a considerable amount of time to complete.
- Do I want to spend the money on a graduate degree? If so, will it truly be a good investment for me? If a graduate degree won’t help you advance financially, it may not be worth it.
Take the time to review your options. Two sites I found helpful are http://gradschool.about.com/cs/shouldyougo/a/should.htm and http://www.spsu.edu/cccenter/counseling/career/Gradschool.htm. They provide targeted questions and realistic answers to help you with your decision.
Posted by Jen Zeman on August 4th, 2008
One of the benefits I found with online courses versus traditional classroom courses is the ability to begin the coursework early. With my experience at the University of Maryland University College (UMUC), most instructors would post the syllabus a week or two before the official start of the semester. I wised up to this early on and took complete advantage of it. My suggestion, if this is an option for you, is to take advantage of it as well. Doing so gives you a jump start on required readings and assignments and if you maintain this same pace throughout the semester, you will not fall behind schedule and most importantly, you will not be stressed out trying to complete assignments at the last minute. Required books are generally available several weeks prior to the start of the semester, so purchase them early as well. Starting early also enables you to understand the requirements for the course and to ask for clarification if needed. Online coursework is challenging, but stay ahead of the game guarantees success.
Posted by Jen Zeman on July 27th, 2008
If you are still confused about online degree programs, don’t worry. Alleviate some of that anxiety by doing your homework! If you enter “online education” in Google, you will receive thousands of results. One of the most reliable and reputable sources I have encountered online is elearners. This site contains a vast amount of information regarding online degrees, including a large listing of accredited colleges and universities and the online degree programs they offer. In particular, this site offers a Guide to Online Education that provides users with practically all the answers to all the questions they may have. If you are still not certain an online degree is right for you, eLearners offers a free online test to determine your compatibility with online learning. eLearners also provides links to recent news articles pertaining to online education to continue your research. I found this site extremely helpful while I was researching universities that offered online liberal studies master’s degrees, and I believe you will find it helpful too.
