A Guide to Getting an Online Education

An online education can be an excellent stepping stone toward achieving your career aspirations. However, before you set out on your search for universities with online programs, it’s important to determine what your educational and career goals are and decide whether you’re a good fit for online education in the first place. In addition, it’s important to make sure you meet admissions standards, as well as determine which programs fit best with your budget so that you aren’t stuck paying off student loans for the rest of your life. Our helpful guide will walk you through the process of preparing for and attaining an online education.

Step One: Decide on Goals

Before you select a college, it’s important to identify your academic and professional goals so that you follow the right educational path to get you there. If you have a specific career in mind, you may want to research the common education and/or licensure requirements necessary for that position. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook is an excellent, unbiased resource for seeing what the education requirements are for common careers, as well as what the highest-paying and fastest-growing occupations are. If you are unsure of the type of career you are interested in, you may want to look into career assessment services offered through your state’s workforce commission. This will help you craft a map, of sorts, that will guide you toward the degrees or certificates that will help you arrive at your chosen destination.

Step Two: Make Sure Online Education Is for You

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and online learning is no exception. While it’s true that online degrees allow you to take college courses on a more convenient schedule, this does not mean that online classes are easier or that you can learn at your own pace, turning in assignments when you feel like it. Online students must submit their assignments and complete their exams by the deadlines set by their professors. Students who learn online must be comfortable expressing themselves in writing, as most online courses involve large amounts of independent research and written assignments. In addition, online students are often required to weigh in on online discussion boards, where they must make significant written contributions to discussion topics introduced by the professor throughout their courses. And, of course, students must meet minimum technology requirements.

Online courses are a good fit for students who:

  • have access to a computer, a reliable high-speed Internet connection, and possess strong computer skills (e.g., sending and receiving emails, downloading software, using the Internet, using common word processing software, videoconferencing, etc.);
  • enjoy learning independently;
  • are not procrastinators and can manage their time well; and
  • are willing to ask for help when they are having difficulties long before deadlines arise.

If you thrive on direct interaction with faculty and fellow classmates, then you may want to consider online programs that are synchronous, requiring you to log in at a certain day and time each week and allowing students and faculty to interact with each other directly via videoconference. While you will lose some flexibility in a synchronous program, the format could increase access to your professor, allowing you to ask questions in real-time, which many students find beneficial. Finally, if you believe that you learn best in a traditional campus setting, you may want to consider blended, or hybrid, online courses, which incorporate on-campus work alongside online work, giving students the best of both worlds รณ face-to-face interaction and the flexibility of online learning.

Step Three: Research Schools and Prepare Yourself

Colleges and universities that have online programs have vastly different admissions standards. These standards also vary by degree level. Generally, most undergraduate programs will require at least a high school diploma or GED, and English proficiency. If you never finished high school, you may want to look into local programs for obtaining your GED so that you will be both eligible and better prepared for the rigors of college, online or otherwise. Some programs, particularly graduate programs, may require work experience, professional memberships, licenses, or undergraduate degrees. Others will require students to take prerequisites so that they have the appropriate academic foundation in place on which to build more advanced concepts. Research schools and programs carefully to make sure you meet admission standards, or know the steps you must take before enrolling.

This is also a good opportunity to inquire about how the online program is delivered. You will want to ask whether you will ever have to visit campus for proctored exams, seminars, or labs, and whether you will need to participate in any site-based trainings or internships. For example, teacher training programs require student teaching at K-12 schools, while nursing programs require clinical rotations at hospitals, clinics, and other health care settings. If your program has these sorts of requirements, you will need to have a plan in place well in advance to make the time and any accommodations.

Step Four: Research Cost and Quality

Not all online colleges are created equal. The best online colleges and universities are the ones that offer the highest quality and the best affordability. Students shouldn’t make a decision based on cost alone, though, as the cheapest online colleges and universities may not offer the high-quality education that employers look for when hiring. In addition, some online colleges that at first appear more expensive per credit hour may offer generous scholarships for students who qualify. Students can get a general idea of tuition, fees, and financial aid by searching their school online at College Navigator, a service of the National Center for Education Statistics. In addition, OnlineCollege.org has assembled a list of the cheapest online colleges by degree level and subject. Most students also will fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (aka FAFSA) when applying to colleges to determine if they are eligible for federal grants or loans.

A solid indicator of the school’s quality is if it has obtained regional or national accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Another indicator of quality is researching your online college’s rank. Some of the best-known college rankings are available through U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. You can also scour online student reviews of your school of choice, though keep in mind that you should take the information you find with a grain of salt. After all, reviewers are often more eager to complain than to say anything positive about their experience. You will want to look for sentiments that are common to a large number of reviewers for better clarity, and perhaps even reach out to actual students at those universities through social networks like Facebook or LinkedIn to get a good perspective on the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

Step Five: Apply, Enroll, and Succeed!

Once you have prepared yourself and done your research, all that remains is to apply, submit your FAFSA, and wait to see if you are accepted and how much your student aid award is. Admitted students may then enroll in an online student orientation, receive advising, register for classes, and access their classes online. Professors will post a syllabus for each class and course information that often includes major assignment and exam due dates, required textbooks or e-books, and their contact. Students will need to log in on a regular basis and complete all the requirements of the course. With dedication, they can complete their courses and go on to earn a certificate or degree that can help pave the way toward a rewarding career.