When I decided to return to school and pursue the degree in an online learning environment, I had 2 key requirements: get the degree from a reputable school and do it in a way that was convenient for my lifestyle.
Getting a degree from a school with a good reputation is important. Accreditation is the first factor in the review - regional accreditation is a step up from national accreditation. Either of these accreditations give credibility to the school, the curriculum, the faculty and in turn, the degree. Without these factors, the degree is not necessarily transferrable and it may not be recognized. I also asked for reviews of the schools - getting personal and professional referrals was important. Finding someone who had successfully completed a degree from that school was helpful as well. Make sure the reputation of the school you choose is one that you can trust for the long term.
The other major factor was convenience. We all have different lifestyles and demands on our time. I wanted to attend a school that was fully asynchronous - so I could be online at any time. I also wanted a program that had structure - rather than an independent study. I needed to be held accountable for the work on a regular basis.
It can be hard to know what you’re looking for in a school until you try it. But ask questions, get feedback from others who have been in classes at those schools, and find out about their experiences.
Posted by Jeff Davis on December 12th, 2008
Since I worked full-time and have a family, I really did not have the free time available that I would have liked to have had in order to pursue the various avenues regarding financing options for school. Therefore, for my financial aid options, I chose to go the route of student loans and to pay any out of pocket expenses that the student loans would not cover. This worked well for me but may not be the right fit for everyone. Overall, I think it really depends on each individual’s needs for financial aid and how that person wants to address them.
There are many ways to obtain financing for college and an online school is no different. Among these are: student loans, private loans, employer tuition assistance, and scholarships. From what I discovered, there are more financial aid options available than ever for students pursuing online programs. If you are unsure of how to get started with obtaining the correct information, then consider your university’s financial aid department. They will have plenty of information on the university’s financial aid policies.
However, one advantage that online schools have over more traditional schools is that they can save you money. If you attend college on a traditional campus, you will have more expenses involved than you originally anticipated. Think about it. You will have to pay for not only tuition, but also you may have housing, food, books, supplies, and gas for commuting. With an online school, these costs are greatly reduced because you are attending class from home. Therefore, your only costs should be tuition and books. You also have no commuting costs since you do not have to drive to class.
Overall, you need to understand all of your options when it comes to paying for college. I would recommend that you take the time to do some careful research and be sure to apply for everything you can including federal and state aid as well as private scholarships.
Posted by Jeff Davis on November 27th, 2008
One of my biggest fears before enrolling in an online college was that I would not have enough time available or maybe how I would juggle my time between work, family, and school. All I could imagine is that this could be quite stressful. After all, it is not always easy balancing just work with family time and adding school on top of all my other responsibilities seemed almost impossible. I soon realized that this was really not a problem. The key to overcoming this fear was being able to balance my time effectively. If done properly, you would be amazed at how much extra time you can squeeze into your day. For me, it was important to develop a routine, find a quiet place to study, leave work at work, and to take time away from school each week. Once I developed a routine, I was more motivated. Once I found a quiet place to study, I was able to concentrate better. Once I made sure that I got my work done at work, I did not have to bring it home and could focus on my class work. Once I made sure to take at least a day off from school each week, I was able to relax more and enjoy quality time with my family. You have to remember, that in all circumstances, there will always be sacrifices that you will have to make, but just think about the great reward that will await you at the end.
Another fear of mine was how long it would take to finish my degree. I was afraid that it might take forever. But the fact is that most online degree programs today are based on accelerated learning. This means that most will take less time to complete than in a traditional learning environment. Since the online courses are typically based on shorter semesters, they can excel at delivering a quality education as quickly as possible and without sacrificing your ability to learn and absorb the material.
I was also fearful that employers would not take my degree seriously once I had graduated. I was concerned that since my degree would not be coming from some big name university, that employers might not view it as credible. Realistically, however, it has been my experience that most employers today view online degrees as not only credible, but just as equivalent as their traditional counterparts. I believe that as the demand for online education continues to grow, that more employers are realizing the validity of degrees earned online.
It has been my experience that online colleges are not that much different from traditional colleges. Having done both, I can now say that, for me, online education is the solution that I was looking for.
Posted by trinity9058 on July 16th, 2008
Everyone thinks that their lives are busy. Everyone is probably right. I, for one, know that my life isn’t just busy, its hectic. I have to work to pay my bills so my children have the things they need, I have to go to school so that I won’t be stuck in a dead end job my whole life, and I have to take care of my kids because, as a mother, that’s what I do. I am always going, going, going. I get up when my husband leaves for work at six a.m. and I go to bed when everything that I needed to do for the day is finished. The way that I accomplish all of this is with lists. I love lists. Whoever invented lists deserves some sort of award, like the Nobel Peace Prize. I’m sure that lists have saved countless people from doing bodily harm to other countless people. I do not, however, have schedules. My circumstances are forever changing and I have to adapt accordingly. If I have to be somewhere at a certain time, I will consult my list to see if there is anything else I can do while I am in the area. I don’t plan specific times for doing homework. I just have to do it while everyone else is otherwise occupied, which means directing people to activities that I have delegated to them. Delegation is a great thing. My family knows that my going to school will benefit everyone in the end so we all pitch in to do what needs to be done. This is the main reason I go to school online. It fills my need to better myself while leaving me enough time to work and be with my family. I have a work schedule that requires me to be at the office only four days a week. The rest of the time is for me and my loved ones. Another big thing that helps me is getting up before everyone and going to bed after everyone goes to bed. I know that this will not help everyone but I actually don’t do well on a lot of sleep. Over the course of my blog, I plan on getting a lot more detailed so if anyone has any questions or comments, don’t hesitate.
