Applying to an Online College Degree Program

"So it's that time of the year when those of you...applying
to B-school [business school] must be working furiously
trying to put together your application package...Don't
sweat! Applying to a B-school...is a great roller-coaster
ride. "The sooner one learns to relax,... the sooner one
can begin to enjoy it, and...do better justice to it." 
This quote may be found at: www.Businessweek.com,  posted
on Jan. 7, 2007 by Vivek Bhatnagar in the MBA Journals,
"From India to Octopus' Garden."

The above quote applies to all applications to online
college degree programs, not just to business school
applications.  Below are some of the requirements for
applying to online colleges.

Prerequisites

If you are interested in online education, there may be
some prerequisites required for the online degree program
you choose.  The best way to find out if prerequisites are
required and which ones are needed is to check the online
admissions pages of the college.  Prerequisites will vary.

If you are interested in an associate's degree, you will
need:
* a high school diploma or its equivalent or
* have a job, be at least 18 years old, and have Internet
access.
* For some majors, such as English and mathematics,  you
may need to pass basic
competency English and   mathematics tests or take
prerequisite courses.

If you want to apply to a bachelor's program, you will need:
* a high school diploma or its equivalent
* or an associate's degree.
* For some majors, such as English and mathematics,   you
may need to pass basic
competency English and   mathematics tests or take
prerequisite courses.

To join a master's program, you need:
* a bachelor's degree from a college that is, at minimum,
regionally accredited
* a 2.5 to 3.0   grade point average (GPA)
* either   the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), the Graduate 
Management Admissions Test (GMAT), or
the   Miller   Analogies Test (MAT).

For certification programs, you may need:
* a job in the field of the certification.

(These facts may be found at:  "Prerequisites for Enrolling
in an Online College" by Vicky Phillips, Published on
Wednesday, 9th of August, 2006  on: 
http://oedb.org/library and on: www.geteducated.com.)

The College Application

To apply to an online college, you will need to provide
your high school diploma or equivalent, all college
transcripts, results of any tests that are required, and,
possibly, your birth certificate.  You may have to take
some of the tests mentioned above.  The GRE tests verbal
and quantitative skills: vocabulary, reading comprehension,
and math, including statistics and algebra. The Miller
Analogies Test (MAT) is math free.  It tests your ability
to think comparatively, such as "Cat is to dog as kitten is
to puppy."  The MAT is often required by graduate schools
in education, human resources, library science and the
social sciences.  The GMAT is often required by graduate
schools in business or management. The GMAT does not test
your knowledge of management or business. It tests verbal
skills, mathematical knowledge (through calculus), and
writing aptitude.

If the college you are interested in is accredited, it will
accept course credit earned at other colleges.  You will
fill out paperwork and provide transcripts of the classes
you have taken.  Some online colleges give course credit
for work experience; you may have to take a test to show
how much you learned.   Usually the application for an
online college can be completed over the Internet.  When
you apply, you may meet with an advisor to help you in
deciding which program to enroll in, how to apply for
financial assistance, and answer your questions.   Online
colleges require access to the Internet.  For that reason,
the college may require you to have certain hardware and
software programs.  You may have to upgrade your computer
to meet the requirements, for example, by purchasing more
memory.  Most online colleges require computers that are
PCs rather than Apple Macintosh computers.

If you are applying to an online degree program, gather the
needed documents, take any tests required, and fill out an
application.  Confer with an advisor.  Check to make sure
you have the required computer capabilities.  Once your
application is approved, you're on your way!


----------------------------------------------------
Ken Anczerewicz is an author and publisher devoted to
providing time & money saving resources designed to help
students of all ages achieve their financial goals.  Learn
how to create your own income stream by clicking here now:
http://www.resourceriver.com