Online College: The Easy Part

Posted by Jen Zeman on January 7th, 2009

The application process for the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) was simple. The three steps involved included:

• Completing and submitting the application online.
• Payment for the application fee was online as well.
• After submission of the application, I requested official transcripts to be mailed directly to UMUC from previous schools.

Then, it was a matter of waiting for a letter indicating my acceptance. I received an additional letter detailing my transcript evaluation (i.e. what credits UMUC would accept). For me, the process from start to finish was approximately six weeks.

My recommendations to prospective students:

• Know where you really want to attend! Nearly all, if not ALL, colleges and universities charge an application fee (UMUC’s fee is currently $50), so unless you have an unlimited budget, it can be quite expensive to submit multiple applications. Most online colleges and universities have a lenient admissions process and acceptance procedures which means if you apply, you will be accepted (the one exception would be for graduate programs).
• Plan ahead. If you want to start classes in the fall, get the application process underway in the spring. Give yourself enough time to apply, have a transcript evaluation, and have plenty of time to select your desired classes.
• For submission of official transcripts, do not hoard a stash of official transcripts sent to your home address only to send them on to prospective schools. Many institutions will not accept these types of submissions as official (i.e. the official transcripts need to be mailed directly from the home institution). The reason is transcripts mailed to a student first renders the possibility the transcript could be altered.

Once you complete the application process, you will find it is most likely the easiest part of your online college experience!