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Finishing Your Degree in Online College

May 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Though we know how important and valuable our educations are, life doesn’t always make going to college easy. Many students today have to juggle school with full-time jobs and other commitments, and in too many cases, students find themselves overwhelmed and step away from school so they can focus more time and energy on the demands of their hectic lives. But when things slow down, going back to school and finishing your degree is one of the smartest moves you can make, as a college degree comes with a great deal of opportunities and chances for a brighter future. And online college makes earning that degree more accessible than ever.

College degree holders enjoy many benefits that put the costs of college and hard work into perspective. For one, many entry-level jobs in many different industries require a bachelor’s degree in any field for an applicant to even be considered. Having a bachelor’s degree entitles you to better employment positions, more opportunities for promotions, and higher earning potential. All of these things will benefit you and your family in the future, as satisfying and fulfilling work with a livable salary make an excellent framework for continued success and overall quality of life. If you have or intend to have a family, your financial stability and acknowledge of the value of dedication, perseverance, and hard work will benefit them exponentially well into the future.

Benefits of Online College

Even if you began you education in a traditional brick-and-mortar school, you can see it through to the finish line in a distance learning program from an online college or university. For students who stepped away from college because of such challenges as a full-time work schedule, a family to raise, or the realization that trudging to class each day simply isn’t for them, online college is a great alternative that provides increased flexibility in scheduling. Students can go to class from their living room couches or favorite coffee shops, creating a less stringent yet still quality work environment. Not having to commute to campus saves plenty of time which allows students extra time to spend with family or at the office.

You can transfer credits and transcripts to accredited online colleges and pick up with your program where you left off. Or, if your time away from school has changed your mind, you may want to pick up a new field of study. Online colleges offer degrees of all levels in virtually any major, so a bit of research will reveal the school and program that works best for you. Do be sure to check on your school’s accreditation before enrolling; degrees from accredited online schools are just as valuable to employers as degrees from traditional colleges and universities.

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Online College Background Check

April 27, 2012 By 2 Comments

Online college is a great alternative to traditional brick-and-mortar schools for students with busy, demanding lives. More popular now than ever before, distance learning programs make higher education possible for everyone from stay-at-home-moms to students working two jobs to pay the bills to learners who do their best with minimal supervision and stringency in scheduling. Before you enroll in any online college program, don’t forget to do a thorough background check of the school to be sure you’re getting the most for your money – and time – and your chosen college will get you to where you plan to go.

Is Your College Accredited?

One of the most important things to be sure of before you do any class selections or pay any tuition bills is that the school you have selected is accredited. This means that your college has been recognized by an accreditation board as a quality school with reputable programs, resources, faculty, and staff. Accredited schools are recognized by the United States Department of Education; those that have not earned accreditation have not been evaluated (or approved) by an accrediting commission and as such, are not guaranteed to have resources and programs available to you that you need to be successful as a student and earn a quality education. Be certain of your school’s status before you enroll so as to waste no time or money on schooling that will not aptly prepare you for you future career. Additionally, employers will be curious of your training and preparation for any position you apply for, and whether or not your online college is accredited will matter.

Does Your College Offer Your Major?

Not all schools, offline or online, offer all programs. Certain schools are restricted to liberal arts, some are best to attend for math and sciences, and many simply do not have the resources or faculty to reach all types of students. In online schools it is especially important to ensure this before enrollment. Though distance learning programs are offered in most fields, many online colleges offer a less varied selection of majors than a traditional school. Save yourself time and tuition by making sure you can study your preferred subject at your school before making any commitments. If it turns out the online college you’re in does not offer your major, you’ll have a tough decision to make down the line: switching schools or switching your major.

Are Students Successful at This School?

When everything else checks out, it’s important to familiarize yourself with certain rates of student success at your online college. Some research on the website may help you find your answers, or you can speak to someone in the college’s administrative offices for the information you need. Your school should be able to identify such things as student retention rates, graduation rates, and the rate of student employment upon graduation. All of these figures can tell you a great deal about the experiences of students similar to you in the school, and may give you an inside look into your prospective future. These figures can also help demonstrate the effectiveness of the school’s academic programs and help you to see if an education from this school will help to set you up for a successful future and career.

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GED to PhD: Online Degrees for All

April 20, 2012 By 3 Comments

Students of all ages and levels of education are becoming increasingly aware of all the benefits online colleges and distance learning programs have to offer. Particularly for those who must work full-time or manage a family, the accessibility of online schooling offers second – or third, or fourth – chances for students to reach whatever next level of education they set their sights on.

Online education has grown in not only popularity but in possibility as well. Where it used to be favored by graduate students working full time and trying to earn master’s degrees, or busy moms and dads going back to college to complete an unfinished degree, online learning is an option for everyone from high school students to PhD hopefuls.

General Equivalency Diploma (GED) Online

For students who were unable to complete high school for whatever reason, the business world can be unforgiving and unwelcoming. Without a high school diploma or equivalent, there are much, much fewer opportunities available to job applicants. Luckily, obtaining that essential diploma doesn’t have to mean four-hour night classes and impossible exams anymore. Accredited online high schools such as Lincoln Academy and GED Academy offer courses and exams to help students graduate high school, whether it’s been months or years since their last quiz.

Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degrees Online

A large portion of distance learning participants are undergraduate students earning associate’s or bachelor’s degrees. So many various fields are available for online study, ranging from arts to business to science. Studying for your bachelor’s or associate’s degree online can be a great way to balance an otherwise busy life or fast-track your education and, ultimately, your professional career. The business world is catching up with the times as well, and many, if not most, employers report viewing graduates of online colleges and brick-and-mortar schools as being on equal footing. There are a great deal of colleges that are comprised strictly of distance learning, as well as a growing number of traditional colleges offering partially or fully online programs.

Master’s and Doctorate Degrees Online

Accredited master’s and doctorate degree programs are increasing as well in the online learning world. Because of the focused and intensive nature of this level of education, some fields of study will require students to complete an amount of coursework offline, whether in a practical, on-the-job setting or in a traditional classroom. For students juggling jobs, families, fieldwork, and undergraduate debt, attending graduate school online slightly lightens the burden by taking away the time factor of commuting to a campus and increases the scheduling flexibility with home study.

For students looking to advance an their education with a graduate degree, or for those looking to get their educations started, online college may have your perfect accredited program for anything from your GED to your PhD.

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Safeguarding Your Facebook

March 15, 2012 By 3 Comments

With the level of ease that social media enthusiasts can update their favorite sites, not all take into consideration the repercussions that posts can have on their professional careers. The moment it hits the web, whether it be an embarrassing photo or a comment on a political topic, all is fair game to whomever is capable of viewing it. It can seem unfair to weigh an employment decision on how scandalous your spring break photo album is, but employers are now using social media to take a candid look at potential employees and will judge based on that material, fair or not. Paying attention to the details of your content and privacy settings can save you from falling out of consideration for your dream job.

Not All Photos are Worth Sharing

While your best friends and family may find it entertaining to see the video of you acting rowdy last weekend, it is not encouraging anyone to hire you. Inappropriate photos or videos do not show the extra hours you put in at the office for a big presentation or the admirable work ethic you live by (especially if any of it alludes to something illegal). Avoid categorizing yourself by choosing your photo and video content wisely. Consider social media sites the water-cooler of the 21st century; do not post media that you would not be comfortable explaining in a work environment.

Watch Your…Fingers

Updating your status with a blunt judgment or politically incorrect statement can be just as harmful as an embarrassing photo. Even if the comment is made in jest or made on a page other than your own, it takes the same amount of time to judge you for your words that it takes you to type them. Be mindful of what others are posting on your page as well and do not hesitate to use the “delete” function; you do not want to be coupled with those who are not making an effort to filter their comments if you are.

Who Are Your Real Friends?

The internet has become a popularity contest in many ways. People gain notoriety for having a certain number of “friends” or “followers”, but how often do you actually know those who you are connected to online? Consider your relationship with the person and ask yourself how they may perceive or (mis)use the information you post. With an increase in employees being let go for various items posted on Facebook, it is smart to keep your personal and business contacts separate.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

Before anyone else can search for information about you on the internet, do it yourself. Go to various search engines and input your name in different variations (full name, initials, etc.) and see what comes up. Does it show a link to your social media accounts? How much content can be seen if you navigate to your pages through the search engine? If you find that too much can be seen, it’s time to adjust your privacy settings. Sites like Facebook make it easy to limit what the public can view and provide a place to type a person’s name in to see exactly what they are capable of seeing, friend or not. People may be searching the net for information about you when you least expect it, but safeguarding your page gives you the power of controlling exactly what they are capable of digging up.

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Joining LinkedIn

March 13, 2012 By 3 Comments

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are used every day for job networking, but with a surplus of risqué photos and an open forum for comments, it takes an extra effort to keep your content professional. Linkedin takes a different approach to social media by making it all about professionalism, creating a space to present an extended resumé, reconnect with old contacts, establish new ones and even find a job that suits your goals and credentials. The site has become a one-stop-shop for networking and staying current on the hot topics in your field of interest.

Everyone Knows Someone on Linkedin

In March 2011 Linkedin reported passing their 100 million member mark, gaining one million new users a week worldwide. In a wide sea of users, all you need to do is establish one connection that will spin off into many more. Connecting with friends from the past can allow you to see who is working where these days, which could potentially turn into the recommendation you need to get your foot in the door of a company you have been eyeing. If you have already applied for a job and you know the recruiter that is handling your resumé, you can connect with them to further show interest and give them a more detailed view of your achievements.

Job Search Made Easy

Linkedin allows you to search for jobs that are posted directly to the website by recruiters. A search option for “Students and Recent Grads” is also available, taking those who are new to the job market to a job search engine including entry level positions. You can search for jobs based on job titles, keywords or a company name. Most jobs display the recruiter’s information alongside the posting, giving you the opportunity to connect with them. Based on your resumé and any groups you have joined through the website, Linkedin also provides a short list of “Jobs you may be interested in.”

Stay in the Know

Based on the industry you have selected for your profile (and your E-mail preferences), Linkedin will send recommended articles to your E-mail including “The Five Things You Need to Know in the News This Week.” This includes important topics happening in the news that revolve around your professional interests. Staying up-to-date on recent happenings in your desired industry is beneficial while interviewing for jobs, as it shows potential employers that you have the desire to stay knowledgeable and current.

With countless job seekers and resumés circulating through the hands of recruiters and hiring managers daily, set yourself apart by having a well established network of contacts. Establishing connections through Linkedin and putting in the effort to make a presentable page can give you the edge over others vying for the same employment opportunities.

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Facebook Hiding Tricks

March 8, 2012 By 3 Comments

When Facebook hit the Internet scene, it was a requirement to have a college or university E-mail address to register. With more than 845 million active users counted at the end of 2011, it is safe to say that almost everyone is using Facebook now, including potential employers. If you feel your page has traveled too far down the road of questionable content to befriend anyone in the professional world, the alternative solution is to make your page invisible to the general Facebook universe.

Control the Search Results

The first stop in controlling who can look you up on Facebook is your “Privacy Settings” page. From here you can control your Default Privacy, which refers to what someone can see if you are not Facebook friends and they navigate to your page through a search or mutual friends. Editing the settings under “How You Connect” gives you the option to manage who can search for you, send you friend requests and messages.

Change Your Name

A tweak to your name may be all you need to stay hidden when someone is searching for you. Keep it basic by replacing your last name with your middle name or splitting your first name into the first and last name slots (for example, Christine Xyz becomes Chris Tine). For a more drastic change, you can aim for a humorous effect by using a personal nickname or something completely bogus, such “Eddie Spaghetti” or “John Jingleheimer-Schmidt.” Avoid using celebrity names or someone else’s name. Facebook will review your name to make sure it is nothing offensive or blatantly fictitious and approve or deny the request within 24 hours.

Block List

If you know the name of a recruiter or hiring manager, the fool-proof way to prevent them from finding your Facebook account is to add them to your block list. Found under “Privacy Settings,” select “Manage Blocking” to search for and add the person’s name even if you are not Facebook friends. Blocking them prevents finding you in search results or seeing your name next to comments you have made on other people’s Facebook walls and pictures.

For many users, Facebook is a place for sharing laughs, photos, opinions and ideas. Making simple adjustments will allow you to take comfort in your free expression by controlling who can view (or not view) your Facebook page.

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Social Media and Online College

March 6, 2012 By 2 Comments

As the first decade of the 21st century came and went, the college degree transitioned from helpful perk to resumé requirement, with the National Center for Education Statistics reporting a 45 percent increase in full-time student enrollment from 1999 to 2009. Throughout this growth period, an alternative arose for those unable to attend traditional class sessions on campus: online courses. A simultaneous technological boom came in the form of social media, with websites like MySpace, Facebook and Twitter becoming a daily Internet pit-stop. Colleges and universities offering online courses have capitalized on the increase in people using social media by setting up Facebook and Twitter accounts to give current and prospective students access to a hub of useful information.

Keeping Up with #Trends

While many online colleges have campus locations, not all students live within driving distance. A disconnect in location may be inevitable, but Twitter has made it simple to connect to campus life through real-time conversations and informational updates. National University, ranked the number 1 online college in 2012 by the Online Education Database Organization, Tweeted an announcement for a campus event with a link to the event webpage. This tweet will appear in the instantly updated Twitter feed for all those who follow the school.

Going a step further, those attending the event can tweet a trend (a word or phrase preceded by a hashtag, for example, #NUinfosession) on National University’s Twitter account and start conversations with other attendees or those who are following from home via Twitter. This leads to a domino effect of students, faculty and community members following one another, conversing and sharing links and information with people they may not have encountered otherwise.

Do You “Like” Your School?

Whether the answer is yes or no, it could benefit at least saying so through Facebook. Similar to Twitter, Facebook provides a venue for the instant update of important information, solutions to problems, and answers to begging questions. Colorado State University (ranked the number 5 online college) posted “Tune into the live webcast of tonight’s first Stadium Advisory Committee meeting, 7 p.m. MST” with a link to the online broadcast. Status updates like these not only bring awareness to the event, but instantly spawn discussion on the topic.

As soon as the meeting began people were weighing in on discussion topics through that status update in variations of one sentence opinions to well-thought-out paragraph responses. If the school has a good following (like CSU boasting 34,385 Facebook friends), questions and comments are reaching a broader audience in a centralized location. This allows even the more specific questions, such as, “what time zone do I have to follow for the assignment’s due time?” have a chance at being answered, and fast.

Connect to Your Campus

According to a 2011 study conducted by Pew Research, 47 percent of the population are using social media regularly. Putting these resources to good use by connecting with your college or university can allow you to engage from a distance, something that may pose as a challenge for an online student only using email communication. WIth a swift click of the mouse on your favorite social media site, you can be sure that you will never be the last to know.

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Keeping Organized in Online College

March 1, 2012 By 2 Comments

Online college means no dorms, no fighting with other commuters for a parking spot, no dealing with campus traffic, no terrible cafeteria food, no slushing through rain or snow to get to class, no 8 AM exams, and no annoying classmates reminding the professor to give you assignments he’d already forgotten about. What a relief! No wonder more and more students are picking online college over in-person classes.

But, just because you’re not on campus doesn’t mean you’re free from the rest of the hallmarks of college: syllabi, essays, exams, quizzes, textbooks, essays, readings, discussion questions, and so on. The difference is you won’t see your professor in person twice a week to hear him remind you a thousand times that your paper is due on Monday. In-person or online, a deadline is a deadline and assignments are assignments. If you don’t get and stay organized, you can easily fall behind and veer off track in online college.

Keeping organized is key to success in college. One of the first and most important things you must do after enrolling in classes is create a system of organization that makes sense and that you can stick to. If you need to have copies of papers in front of you, be sure to print out your syllabus right away. If you can keep it on your computer and still stick to it, save a copy to a folder dedicated to that class. Folders, whether they be paper or electronic, will be crucial to keeping you organized in online college.

To be sure you don’t fall behind or scramble for instructions at the last minute, go through your syllabus as soon as you have it. Make a list of other documents you will need, and download them as soon as they’re available. Either print copies to keep in each class’s folder, or save them to computer folders along with all other class documents. Keep all materials together and get them as soon as you can. Check-lists should be your best friend. There’s no better way to keep track of all assignments, materials, deadlines, and steps.

Keep a deadline calendar. If you’re taking multiple classes it’s important that you have all the information in an accessible place. Go through each syllabus and write in each deadline and exam date for every class. Then, add in other time commitments and appointments you have. Sometimes this is the only way to realize that you have four papers due, an exam, and a dentist appointment all on the same day. You can start planning now how to budget your time.

The most important tools you’ll need for keeping your online classes organized will be folders. Keep a separate one for each class, and create sub-folders for individual assignments or projects. Keep contact information for your professor or classmates together with other class materials, so you don’t have to scrounge when you have a question. Budget your time carefully and don’t forget to look at both the small picture – taking each assignment step by step to keep from being overwhelmed – and the big picture.

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Is Online College For Me?

February 28, 2012 By 3 Comments

As more and more high school graduates make the decision to earn a higher education, the opportunities to do so increase. High school grads can perfect a skill in trade school, or head to college for an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree – which graduate school later offers the opportunity to build upon. Possible majors include everything from liberal arts to architecture to religion to business. And no longer are students forced to dish out dough in order to dorm at a school away from home. You can commute to a local community college or university, or attend college online. With all these choices, how do you know if your decision to get your degree online is the right one for you?

Online college seems like the perfect solution for students with time-consuming commitments, students with children or other family members requiring care, or adult learner students with full-time careers. But along with the benefit of fitting the time you dedicate to your studies into your own schedule comes the responsibility to ensure you do so.

If you’re wondering if online college is right for you, consider the typical pattern of your day-to-day life. Is maintaining an active and busy social life at the top of your priority list? Are you involved in various clubs or committees that hold meetings or events at various days and times? Are you responsible for picking up children from school, or do you schedule your life around a sibling’s or child’s soccer games or gymnastics meets? How about your work schedule, is it consistent? Do you work full-time, or part-time changing weekly with your workplace’s needs? Do you bring work home with you often, and dedicate even your down time to your career? Answering yes to any of these may make you a great candidate for attending college online. What’s left to consider, however, is if you can be responsible on your own for ensuring your schoolwork is a top priority that you make time for every day.

College is expensive and time consuming, even if you attend online, and the opportunity to advance your education is one that should not be wasted. If you’re still considering online college, also ponder these: are you able to tune out distractions, log out of Facebook, and kill the TV when it’s time to get to work? How’s your self-discipline? Can you force yourself to get work done when your friends would rather catch a movie or dinner? Can you set and stick to personal goals and deadlines? Do you have peers to ask for feedback and study help, in the event you don’t have accessible classmates for that? Are you the type of person who will always work to the best of their ability, and put your strongest effort into assignments.

The key to attending college online is self-discipline. Deadlines do exist still, and teachers and classmates are there for help and support. But a large amount of the responsibility will fall on you to keep yourself on track.

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Hybrid and Online Classes from Traditional Colleges

February 23, 2012 By 1 Comment

With the popularity of online colleges, traditional universities are rapidly attempting to keep up with the times and offering students more varied options for their educations. More and more colleges are developing their courses in online and hybrid formats to fit more conveniently into students’ schedules, lessen the chaos of their daily lives, and open more available seats for students in classes. Not only are these online and hybrid classes great for students during an already jam-packed fall or spring semester, but they are often offered during summer and even winter breaks. The online format allows students to work at a quicker pace, in many instances, and work around other commitments that may arise during these weeks away from campus. For example, a student who lives far from his or her campus may take online classes over the summer or winter in order to get ahead on credit hours and speed up their graduation date.

What is a Hybrid Class?

A hybrid class is a relatively new development in colleges and universities. Typically, hybrid classes take the school’s existing standard for class meetings, and reduce the number of times the class meets in person, placing online assignments or “meetings” in the stead of an in-person class. For example, if a college’s typical class meets two times per week for one hour, a hybrid class will meet one time each week for one hour, and have an online class each week as well. Utilizing Blackboard.com or similar websites, students have access to discussion boards, digital dropboxes for submitting essays and assignments, and other resources for keeping in touch with your classmates and professor. These tools are the most commonly utilized resources for online classes from colleges as well, as they allow for all a class’s materials and submissions to be in one convenient, accessible place.

Why Take Online Classes When Attending a Traditional University?

There are many reasons a student may find an online or hybrid class to be a good idea while still attending regular in-person classes. As stated above, the option to take classes online over a school break can help a student stay on pace in the instance of a double major or other special program that requires more than the standard amount of credit hours. Taking an online class during the fall or spring semester comes in handy when another required class is offered in limited times: by taking a less difficult class online, the student’s daily schedule becomes more flexible to fit in work or other demanding classes. The advantage of still being able to meet your professor in office hours also appeals to students who take online or hybrid classes in college. Be sure to not underestimate the work involved in an online or hybrid class, however; if the online class still fills the standard number of semester hours, you can expect the same level of difficulty and work as in an in-person class.

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