Many students enroll in online college degree programs for the convenience. Students these days might choose from online certificate offerings and degree programs provided by two and four year colleges and universities and by vocational schools that train students for specific jobs.
Students who learn better through visual offerings and experiential tasks and those who are introverted, have language barriers, or require more time for studies might particularly fare well in college online, according to career author, publisher and Web site founder and CEO Randall S. Hansen. Working students might be more easily able to participate in online school offerings where they control the pace, Hansen noted. A student's motivation can also be one of the strongest indicators of success with online schools, and students should have at least basic technology skills and set time commitments for their studies, an April article in U.S. News & World Report suggested.
College online or otherwise is a big investment in time and money, the National Center for Education Statistics reminded. Finding the right online college might not only be important as far as achieving career goals. It might make a difference in how successful students are with their studies. Students interested in spending their time and money wisely might consider:
Their needs and goals: Identify online schools with reputations and online programs best suited to those needs and goals. Guidance counselors, people who've participated in specific colleges online and those who work within fields of interest might help. Students can visit campuses and browse the websites for online schools in which they're interested.
Their communication preferences: College programs online can be offered entirely from a distance or through a combination of online and classroom instruction. Some online classes might be led by instructors who respond more quickly to questions and concerns than others and who offer interactive elements, such as message boards, according to reports. Some online instructors might also deliver coursework through a wider variety of technologies, such as video and audio, reports suggest. Students might consider courses where instructors have been trained to teach online, according to information in the U.S. News & World Report article. Being engaged and involved in studies can be important, the report noted.
Their schedules: Online college programs are often identified with allowing students to schedule studies around work and family responsibilities. Some online course formats might be more flexible than others, according to reports.
An online school's credentials: When a college online or otherwise is accredited by a nationally recognized agency, it's more likely students can transfer credits and obtain federal financial aid, the U.S. Department of Education suggested. Many colleges online or otherwise are accredited by one of six regional accrediting agencies. The U.S. News & World Report article also suggested that department and degree programs have specialized accreditation from professional associations, such as the American Dental and American Bar associations. Students can check with institutions to determine which agency or agencies have granted accreditation and confirm any information with the Department of Education and those accrediting agencies, according to a report from the ERIC Clearinghouse on Education. Students can review recognized accrediting agencies on the Department of Education Web site, the article reports. They might also contact the Better Business Bureau, state higher education agency, or the state attorney general's office to find out whether any complaints have been filed about the school, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Costs: Students participating in online college classes and online degree programs can save money that they might otherwise spend on meal plans, campus housing and commuting to and from school. Online tuition reportedly costs about the same as tuition for campus-based classes, and students interested in obtaining financial aid for tuition at accredited institutions might apply for grants, scholarships, fellowships and work study offerings that schools, government agencies, corporate giants, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups make available. A 2009 Society for Human Resources Management report showed most employers offering tuition reimbursement in the survey extend the same assistance for online college classes as they do campus-based classes. Deducting the amount of any assistance from the cost of tuition at different online colleges and universities might put some schools within easier financial reach and help students decide on the online degree or certificate program that provides the best investment for them.
Weighing all the factors involved, online college degree programs are the smart choice for so many. This includes the new student to the career employee looking to advance via an online masters program. Essentially, distance education is the future and the promise of what it offers is bright.
