Going to School Online - The Simplicity of Enrollment
Posted by Jeff Davis on January 13th, 2009
Typically, the enrollment process for an online college program includes online registration, transcript processing, placement testing, program placement, and advisement. However, this can vary depending on which school is chosen. In my case, the enrollment process was a simpler process than this. There was really nothing difficult about it at all. Any questions that I had at that time were answered by the school Enrollment Counselor via telephone. In fact, this counselor actually walked me through the whole process as I did it online. So, I hope this demonstrates the difficulty level of one of the enrollment processes to others who are considering enrolling online. Quite simple indeed!
Once you have decided on the degree that you would like to earn, you should start by requesting information from online universities that offer that particular type of degree. Most online university websites have an application that allows you to request detailed information on enrolling in the college and on the requirements for the degree that you are seeking.
Most online universities will also assign you to an Enrollment Counselor, who will guide you through the process of enrolling in the college, filling out the necessary forms, and paying tuition. This counselor will also help to transfer in any credits from previous college courses that might apply to your degree. It might also be necessary to speak to a Financial Aid Counselor who can also help in finding scholarships, grants, and loans to pay for tuition.
Based on my experience, I believe that a prospective online student should begin their search for the right program at least a month or two before they are ready to start the program. This should provide ample time to complete the entire enrollment process. In some cases, the school may have an open admission policy in which case no ACT or SAT tests will be necessary for admittance and many schools will also waive the standard application fees. I know that with the University of Phoenix Online, the program allowed me plenty of flexibility in order to balance work, my family, and an education.
