When the flexibility of an online education lets veterans, parents, businessmen, and recent high
school graduates all pursue an accredited, reputable degree at home, or anywhere else you can take a
laptop what's not to like? Unfortunately, there are pitfalls that distance learners can suffer from,
just like their campus-studying counterparts. Here are some mistakes you will want to avoid making
when pursuing your online education:
1.Avoid choosing the wrong school. Educating yourself on national and regional accreditation can help you avoid going to a degree mill
that will not provide the rewarding education you deserve. Before enrolling in a distance learning
program, make sure the school is accredited by one of the national or regional accreditation
agencies; this not only ensures a strong, reliable degree, but eligibilty to transfer your credits
elsewhere if necessary. College information centers like
DegreeGo help filter through the mess of degree mills and bring a list of quality colleges
right to you in a one-stop, convenient website.
2. Do not procrastinate on deadlines. If you know you have a tendency for
procrastination, make sure to crack down on your online classes. Procrastination is the mortal enemy
of the flexible online classroom, where a student completes the class at their own pace. Online
students that are prone to procrastinating their work often never finish their degree because of a
lack of discipline and motivation. Setting weekly or even daily goals and sticking to them greatly
helps in facilitating the flexible schedule process.
3. Make sure to connect with peers. A student in an online classroom might not have
the face-to-face interaction with other students, but you can still correspond via message boards,
chatrooms, and email. Making connections and learning collaboratively is part of the college
experience. Make sure to take advantage of the fact you are enrolled in a classroom with several
students that are studying the same things are you and potentially share similar interests and
goals.
4. Manage your financial expenses for school. Going to college is never cheap. This
does not mean, however, that you have to accrue hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt; through
scholarships, student discounts (with things as large as a computer and as small as a visit to the
theater), and sound financial planning, your college experience can be a cost-effective experience
that will pay for itself in the future with your degree. Military students should also take advantage
of all the military education financial benefits
available.
5. Do not scare future employers. While online education has made major advancements
in the past couple of decades, there are employers that still are wary of an online degree. Many
employers do not know how to differentiate between a degree mill and a reputable online school. It is
in your best interest to not flaunt that you earned your education online when pursuing employment
(unless asked, of course!) in order to avoid unnecessary hassle.
6. Make sure to get the credits you have already accumulated. When you attend an
online school, you do not necessarily have to start from scratch. Get your transcripts from any
previous colleges you have attended and have them sent to the online university so that they can be
checked for course equivalency. Some schools also let you receive credit for life experienced by
testing you or giving portfolio reviews. It's important to check with your school counselors when you
get started to see what you have already completed.
7. Be aware of online resources. There is wealth of knowledge available to help
students out on the Internet. Make sure you are aware of the online resources that are available to
you. Many universities provide JSTOR as a means of online
research. Virtual dictionaries and books, research aid materials, and resources that relate to your
specific degree are all valuable tools for learning. These resources could save you money when
purchasing equivalent resources that were already available to you at no-charge.
8. Do not stress out. Stress is a serious concern among college students, whether they
are distance learners or campus-attending students. Read
more about how online- and campus-based universities like Saint Leo University are supporting stress relief programs
for their study body to combat this issue. Always remember that you need to leave a little time to
unwind between your education and any other life responsibilities you are juggling.
9. Take advantage of the college experience. Just because you are an online student
does not mean that you are not entitled to the college student experience. Participate in volunteer
work whenever you can to support your degree you can even do volunteer work online through calls for
online writing/aid. Be part of the academic events and opportunities your online university provides,
like a virtual facebook community or college graduation ceremonies.
10. Do not discredit your education. While it might frighten employers for you to
start your educational pitch by telling them you attended an online school, you should not sell
yourself short because you acquired your degree via distance learning. When communicating with peers
and fellow coworkers about your college experience, be sure to tell them how rewarding and well-
rounded of an education you received indeed, without any difference in quality from a traditional
campus-based degree.