How to Make the Most of Online Education
In the last few years, more and more people are looking towards online education as a valid way of earning a degree. In fact, according to the latest survey by the Sloan Consortium, online education grew by 17 percent in the United States, from 3.94 million students taking at least one online course in the fall of 2007 to 4.6 million students in the fall of 2008 across 2,500 colleges and universities. In the same survey, 73% of schools reported they have an increased demand for online classes (source: sloan-c.org).
However, there are still a number of issues about online courses that you should be prepared to deal with once you do decide to go down this path.
Credibility
One of the most important factors to consider is an online university's credibility. Obviously, you shouldn't just enroll with any institution that promises to give you a diploma. Carefully look at the online school's accreditation and make sure the accreditation comes from a reputable organization.
Often times, websites offering online courses claim to have valid accreditation but they are vague as to where their accreditation comes from. An easy way to determine if an online university is validly accredited is if it prominently displays the accreditation on its website. It should also readily answer all your questions pertaining to this accreditation.
It is possible for online universities to offer quality education even without valid accreditation. However, no matter how much you learn from these schools, future employers will not consider your degree valid if it didn't come from a credible institution. So it is important to check an online university's credibility carefully if you wish to be employed by a good company in the future.
Time Management
Another issue you should be prepared for when you decide to take up an online course is time management. Unlike most traditional classroom situations where there is a fixed curriculum and schedule to follow, many online classes are conducted according to the pace of the student. This means that no one will be monitoring whether you are doing your work properly or not. This could either be good or bad, depending on your attitude towards studying and how well you manage your time. If you are a responsible student and are able to complete all your course assignments on time, then you shouldn't have any problem completing your coursework. However, if you are prone to procrastination, you might have a lot of problems if you decide to pursue an online degree.
Your Environment
The kind of environment you have will also be a factor in how successful you will be in earning your online degree. For instance, if you are unable to concentrate on your studies at home, find a place that is more conducive to studying, such as the local library or a quiet coffee shop down the street.
Your Employment Prospects
Finally, before you sign up for an online course, realize that despite the fast-growing number of valid online degrees offered these days, not all potential employers are willing to hire people who have gotten their college education through the Internet. We may be living in modern times but there are still thousands of conservative employers who prefer to hire people who earned degrees the same way they did - through traditional education methods. To convince such conservative employers to hire you, be prepared to give a sound defense regarding your choice of obtaining your degree online. You may have been working at another job at the same time and this was the best way for you to further your education while earning a living. As long as you are able to give a clear and valid explanation, there is no reason why potential employers will not hire you for the job.
