Choosing an Online college; Avoid a Big Mistake
After you have made the decision to earn an online college degree, your first step is to find the “right” college or university. To do so requires some simple yet important research.
Degrees from unaccredited institutions are worth nothing in the world of work. In fact, simply listing a degree from an unaccredited institution on a resume or on an employment application will often result in the resume or application being discarded immediately by a prospective employer. Rule #1 is, never enroll in a degree program that is not fully accredited. Rule #2 is that you should never break rule #1.
Coursework designed for the traditional classroom may not adapt well to online education. Be certain the program you choose has been designed to accommodate the needs of online learners.
Most online colleges, but not all, offer pretty good flexibility in terms of when you can work on your assignments and how quickly or slowly you can earn a degree. If you are interested in earning an online degree quickly, or if you need to move forward slowly because of the other demands of your life, find out how long each college will let you take to complete your degree requirements. Be sure to find a university where you are comfortable with your workload and the time to degree. And, you should find a university in which instant messaging, emailing, telephoning, and/or forums give you quick and easy access to faculty members and your fellow students.
Although, if you are not independently wealth, cost may influence your choice, it should not be weighed too heavily.
Remember, however, that the “sticker price” of a college may not be your actual cost. Most online colleges and universities offer financial aid, and some offer scholarships. And, if you do a search in Google or Yahoo for “online college scholarships” (without the quotation marks), you’ll find some good, free scholarship search sites.
Generally, you should apply for scholarships and financial aid as soon as possible. Most colleges offering online education employ financial aid counselors who can help guide you through this process. Take advantage of the expertise they can offer you.
The bottom line is that the more questions you ask and the more answers you find, the better your chances of selecting the online college, the degree program, and the educational financing options best for you. Do not be intimidated; be a thoughtful consumer and select a college or university as carefully as you would any other important, high priced product or service.
