If you’ve always wanted to get a university degree but haven’t been able to, you are in luck. More and more universities and colleges are adding online or distance learning programs. These are not sometimes shady for-profit institutions but real public and private schools where you can earn an Associate, Bachelor, Master or even a PhD degree online.
Universities know that not everyone can move to a college town or give up a good career to enhance learning. Almost every institution has an online degree program for a huge variety of degrees. Classes can be taught via internet or TV and can be self-directed or have a set start and stop time. If online learning seems like a great solution, discover how to find an online university today.
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Why Get a Degree or Pursue an Advanced Degree?
There are as many reasons to get a college degree as there are degrees to pursue. In general, the more education you have, the more money you make over people without education or a specialized skill. People with college degrees tend to have lower rates of unemployment and poverty rate. College grads tend to feel more job satisfaction. Many college grads find that their entire education experience was more important than just getting a degree. College grads tend to be happier and healthier, participate more in community life, and live longer than people without degrees.
Non-traditional students may have lost their original job and been retired involuntarily. Early retirees may be starting a second career through choice. Added education can breathe life into a declining career. Lifelong learning is important to stave off depression and even dementia in seniors.
Basically, you can’t lose!
Best Online Students
If you are interested in online learning, there are certain personality traits that help learners to be more successful. Ask yourself if you have:
- Persistence – can you deal with technology issues, ask for help, dedicate time for lessons and homework, and enjoy challenges?
- Time-Management Skills – can you set and stick to a schedule and be organized?
- Effective Communications Skills – you’ll have to ask for help since your instructor can’t see your confusion.
- Basic Technical Skills – if email, internet, word processing, and computers are baffling, you might want to learn those skills first!
- Reading and Writing Skills – if these are a challenge, take some remedial courses –your course work will be a lot easier.
- Motivation and Independence – if you aren’t motivated or need a lot of active guidance, online learning is hard.
- A Good Study Environment – demanding toddlers, cellphones, the lure of the internet, and other factors make it hard to learn.
Getting Started
There are a few steps you need to take to find your best online college.
- What degree do you want to achieve? Not all colleges offer every degree online
- Is your prospective school accredited? The school should be accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the US Department of Education (USDE)
- What is the graduation rate? 100% is fishy but 10% is not very encouraging, either!
- What is the cost for tuition, books, and other fees?
- Will you have to attend some classes on campus? These are often called blended programs.
- Visit school website to make sure it is a real school
- Talk to students at the school or who are taking online classes
You can make an educated choice for your future college by starting your search online.
Final Word
If college is a dream, but attending a physical university is not an option, you can still go to college and get a degree. Start looking for online college today and you can be pursuing your dreams in a matter of days!