Top FAQs about Obtaining an Online Degree

Obtaining an online degree may be easier than you think.
Here is some information to help you get started.

. Make sure that the school you are considering is
accredited. If a school is not accredited by a U.S.
Department of Education recognized body, then you are just
wasting your time and money on a meaningless piece of paper.

. It is also helpful to see how many degrees and courses a
school offers, as a general rule, the more that is offered
the more experienced a school is. Also look into how many
teachers work with the online courses and how long they have
been working there. Teachers with more experience will have
worked out any problems with the curriculum.

. Consider yourself before applying. Are you self-motivated
and disciplined enough to follow through with online
education? You will be the one responsible for ensuring
that you get all of the information and complete all of the
assignments. You should also not expect online courses to
be any easier than if you were actually attending lectures
in a classroom. You must also have access to, and enjoy
using, a computer.

. Look into class sizes. If the student to professor ratio
is too high, it may be difficult to get personalized
attention or may slow log in for group projects. If the
classes are only sparsely attended it may be difficult to
find other students with whom to discuss projects.

. Tuition varies between schools and degree programs, but it
is often comparable to those of standard classes. Ask about
all tuition costs, as well as any additional fees or items
you will need to purchase in order to complete the class.
You might also look into the possibility of a refund if you
decide not to finish your degree.

. Financial aid, scholarships, and loans are often available
for students who qualify. If you have not planned how you
are going to pay for your coursework, now is the time to do
so. Look into what assistance is available and what you
have to do to qualify.

. You will more than likely need to meet certain technical
requirements in order to take classes. This will include a
compatible operating system, fast enough computer, enough
memory, good Internet connection, access to email, a word
processing program, and the ability to receive sounds and
view videos. Your chosen school will be able to inform you
of the exact technical requirements needed.

. Language and geography are also important to consider.
Most skills require the ability to speak, write, and
understand English. Others are only available to students
within the U.S.

. You will have to submit an application, same as if you
were applying for a traditional college. This may involve
an application fee, essay, resume, letters of
recommendation, and official transcripts.

. If you have attended college before, find out if your
credits are transferable. This will prevent you from having
to retake courses that you had previously finished.

. You will also need to take some standardized tests, and
most of these are only available at a school location.
These might include: the College Level Examination Program
(CLEP) which allows you to earn credits for courses with
passing scores, the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) which is
generally required for students entering college, the
American College Testing Assessment (ACT) which is also
generally required, and the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE) if you are planning to enter a non-business field or
the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) if you are
entering business. Check with your desired school for which
tests are required to apply. Additional tests may be
required for specific fields.

. Plan ahead. Once you have gotten accepted, plan out
everything that you need to do to finish your coursework in
the allotted amount of time. Schedule in study hours into
your day. Decide where you are going to work and when. If
you are going to be using the library, look into the times
of day that it is open and find out when the best time to
get work done will be.

Now you are well on your way to earning the degree of your
dreams and reaching your goals!