If you are ready for a career change or if you are new to the job market and are ready to jump into the funeral service industry head-first, completing an online Mortuary Science program may be right for you. I have written this article to divulge my first-hand experiences with online learning in the hopes that it will help you make the right decision for you. Everybody's situation is different, but online learning opens many educational doors for a lot of people including stay-at-home parents and those that can't quit their job to go to college. So read on, my friend, and decide if it's right for you!

I decided to get my A.A.S. in Mortuary Science online because I was a college student already enrolled in a Bachelor's program for Business Administration. So, I actually attended two colleges at once, and yes, it can be done!! It was a lot of hard work, but I walked across that graduation stage Summa Cum Laude with a Business degree in my hand and a Mortuary Science degree in my pocket. Whether you're a committed student, parent, or employee, the idea is the same. Pursuing an online education generally allows you to attend college on your own time.

If you've decided for sure that funeral service is the career for you, take the initiative and look into the Mortuary Science programs available. If you are previously committed or otherwise unable to move away to attend college, an online Mortuary Science program may work best for you. Do some online research to find the right program. Since I was already attending school at a college campus, an online degree worked best for me. After some internet research, I found the Arapahoe Community College online Mortuary Science learning program. ACC was fantastic because it was ABFSE accredited (American Board of Funeral Service Education). They also had a high success rate for the number of students who pass the National Board Exams on the first try.

Applying for the college and applying for the Mortuary Science program are two different tasks. Getting into ACC does not guarantee that you'll be accepted into the Mortuary Science program.

Following the directions found online at ACC's Mortuary Science website, you can apply for the program. Along with the official application form, students may be asked to submit

• Official college transcripts as proof of having completed the prerequisite courses
• Proof of a high school diploma or GED
• Letters of recommendation
• Handwritten answers to questions specifically relating to the field and his/her character
• Pass a background check
• Perhaps meet for a personal interview with a department chairperson

I know it seems like a lot just to get into the program, but they want to make certain that you're serious about it. If you are serious, you'll work hard to complete the application process quickly and efficiently.

You'll also have to provide proof of your Hep B vaccination (at least the first shot in a 3-shot series) and Tetanus shot (within the past 5 years).

For a lot more information about the ACC Online Mortuary Science Program Click Here!

Be prepared to show proof of having completed the prerequisite courses before getting into the Mortuary Science program. For Arapahoe Community College's program, they required college level courses in

• Accounting Principles
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Anatomy & Physiology II
• The Legal Environment of Business
• Introduction to PC Applications
• English Composition
• General Psychology, and
• Interpersonal Communications

Since I was already 2 years into my Business degree, I had completed most of these courses. As for the Anatomy and Psychology classes I hadn't yet completed, I spoke with the chairperson of the Mortuary Science Department, and was admitted into the program on the promise that I'd complete those courses the next semester. Everything worked out just fine.

*WORD TO THE WISE* Completing 2 semesters of Anatomy and Physiology was by far the most difficult part! Jeez, it was like learning a whole new language. If you want a leg up in preparation for the required college A&P classes, you might want to check out this Online Anatomy and Physiology Home Study Course. By completing it before enrolling in the college course, you'll have a major advantage over your peers and most likely fly through the class.

Just because the courses are completed online, don't fool yourself into thinking that it'll be any easier than taking a campus class. Be prepared to devote a lot of time to online learning if you want to be successful. There will be a lot of reading, online discussion forums, papers and homework, online tests, and hands-on experience. Again, if you are serious about your career choice and furthering your education, you'll find a way to make it work.

The money part. Don't faint when you see the tuition cost for an online program of this magnitude. Since ACC is located in Colorado and I was a Colorado state resident already, I paid resident tuition. Still the resident cost for online learning was was 165% the cost of a resident on-campus program. Staggering, but then I considered what I was paying for. I was paying for the option to attend online class on my own time. I was also paying for the ability to finish the business degree I had already stared, and paying for the ability to stay with my horses on my ranch with my family. When considering that, it was all worth it.

Anyway, there's financial aid available if you need it. You can go through the college to get scholarships or student loans. You can also search online resources for ways to help pay for your higher education. There are hundreds of school, organizational, and even contest scholarships out there. Just go out and look for them then pour your soul into applying for them. Since I'm a registered Native American, I was able to get scholarships and grants through my tribe. Then I used student loans to cover the rest. On the other hand, your employer just might pay for your education. If you are already working for a business in the funeral service industry, it could be possible to have your employer pay for your tuition, books, lab fees, etc. Doesn't hurt to ask :) It's difficult to put a price on higher education. Don't worry, it's definitely worth it!

In my opinion, this is the backbone of your educational experience. You will need to spend many many hours reading the information in the required text books. This will give you the informational background you need to succeed in the Embalming and Restorative Art lab settings. The professors are usually very good about assigning relevant reading material. They are there to help you succeed and give you the best information possible. When you succeed, they succeed.

Ha, ha, ha.... It makes me laugh just thinking about all of the Mortuary Science books I lugged around. I would scrape for time to read them during my waking hours. I even completed my assigned readings in between my business classes. People certainly got a funny look on their face when they realized I was reading a big bright blue book that said "EMBALMING" across the front! The books you'll have to read are very informative and very thorough. Oftentimes, the technical jargon can get confusing. My advice is to utilize the online study groups and discuss your concerns with other classmates and your professors.

Since you'll be studying at home, you won't have any extraneous living expenses. But in addition to your tuition, books, and lab fees, you'll probably have to pay for travel, lodging, and food when you have to go to the ACC campus for the Embalming and Restorative Arts practicals. You'll probably have to do this 2 times, or you might get on a track to get it all done in one visit (students that live really far away). The travel and lodging is a hassle, but the practicals will give you the experience a text book never could. You might also have to buy materials for these labs. Examples include comfortable shoes for embalming all day and materials to make your wax face.

They are fabulous! The program director is very intelligent and she will do anything in her power to help you succeed. The professors are very knowledgeable and available to help. Even though you'll be learning from a distance, you'll have the quality help and guidance you deserve and paid for. They respond to your emails and messages in a timely manner and answer all of your questions thoroughly. You'll find that the same professor teaches several different classes you're taking. This really helps integrate the learning and see how it all connects together.

Although he didn't teach at ACC, I now work for an employer that taught for a mortuary science program for 14 years. Even though I'm no longer in school, I learn so much from him all of the time. It just proves to me that professors love it when student pick their brain and ask them lots of questions. They can teach you so much more about funeral service than the words in a text book can. Be open and be curious. Listen to their stories and understand their backgrounds. It'll help you learn more for sure.

Are you skeptical about the quality of education you'd receive from an online program? Well, it's simple... you get out what you put in. Just remember that if you devote a lot of time and energy into your schoolwork, you'll learn more and do better. Just like in a classroom setting, if you slack off, you won't get what you paid for. The ACC Mortuary Science courses are ABFSE accredited for a reason. The college offers great professors and great educational opportunities. Still worried? Let the numbers tell you. If you Click Here you will see how the ACC online program ranks when considering the number of students who pass the National Board Exam the first time they take it.

So, how does it all work? Well, instead of a traditional classroom where you sit at a desk and listen to lectures until your ass falls asleep, you login to online classrooms and discussion forums where you interact with your classmates and professors. Some of these meetings are scheduled, but most of the time you can participate whenever you want. Keep in mind that the professors watch everything that goes on in these discussion boards, and most even require that you actively participate in them so many times a week. I found online learning to be a lot more interactive than many of my classroom-style business classes. With online learning, the class doesn't seem so large. You're not just another face in the crowd. You can actually have a voice.

Be prepared to do a lot of reading. I can't stress that enough. You have to do it and understand it. If you're thinking that you can just skim over it and have the book open on your desk at test time, you are sorely mistaken. The tests are timed to prevent cheating like that. Just read it and learn it. Besides, you have to know your stuff for the labs, the National Boards, and the "real world" anyway :)

The professors assign homework based on your readings. This can range from answering chapter questions to completing research papers. These assignments are usually submitted via email, so be sure you know how to type well. When it comes time to take a test or quiz, you'll have to login on a special site. The test will then be opened for you and the timer will start (don't worry you don't have to rush through it to finish on time). Once logged-in, you won't be able to leave the test and come back later. So be sure that you have special time set aside for it. Usually the professors will say that you have to complete the test between 0800 - 1600 hours on a certain day. So you can usually find a time that works for you. I didn't find a lot of online cheating going on. Most of the students are pretty honest. Besides, the professors don't really worry about students cheating on their online tests because they're gonna have to pass the National Boards to graduate anyway. Cheating won't help you there!

This is the real meat and potatoes part of your Mortuary learning experience. When you travel to Littleton, CO for these labs, you will have to bring along your mostly-finished wax face, professional clothing, and comfy shoes. The restorative art labs will happen on the ACC campus and you will finish your wax face in a classroom setting with help from the professor. For the embalming labs, you will go to a huge embalming facility in Denver and embalm bodies all day with your professors and experienced mentors. It will be fast-paced and intense and you will finally get to meet your fellow classmates face to face. During my labs, I found that I was the youngest one in my whole class! Almost everyone was a middle-aged professional that decided to make a career change.

In the final semester you will be required to complete a funeral service internship. This can be done at a local funeral home under the direct supervision of a licensed funeral director. The internship will seem short, but you will learn a lot about the industry and have the opportunity to make some good connections. You will write about your experiences and submit a daily journal to your professors. Your preceptor will also evaluate your performance and submit it to your professors. The internship will teach you thinks about funeral service that you can't learn for the classes. Like what to do when you hit a deer with the limousine and make a family late to the funeral.... gosh that was a fun day, not!

When you receive an online degree you can choose to get it in the mail or actually travel to the college campus and "walk" across the stage to receive the fancy piece of paper. I chose to get mine in the mail because I was more concerned about "walking" for my Bachelor's degree and didn't want to miss any more of my business classes at the other college I was attending. It'll be your decision.

With an A.A.S. degree in Mortuary Science, you will make yourself very valuable in the funeral service job market. Unless you're already employed at a local funeral home or mortuary, you might have to relocate to get a funeral service job. Just go out and see what's out there.

Here's my story... since I was living in Colorado, I was in a great position receiving resident tuition for the ACC Mortuary Science Program. Unfortunately, since I was in Colorado, I couldn't receive a license to be a mortician. Colorado is the only state that does NOT license it's funeral service professionals. So, to get a license, I had to leave. That's why I'm a funeral director and embalmer in Idaho now. It certainly was the best decision I've ever made. My Idaho license will reciprocate with almost every state and I can do this wonderful job wherever I want!

If after reading this you decide that an Online Mortuary Science Program is right for you, I suggest that you do the research and start the application process (ACC has been known to have a long waiting list). I hope you have found the information to be useful and helpful in making your educational and career decisions. Good Luck!

Meet Emma Balmer at www.lacynjordan.com

Other than the Arapahoe Community College links listed above, these other websites might be helpful...

• National Funeral Directors Association Mortuary Science Scholarships
• NFDA Listing of Mortuary Science Programs (choose a state)
• American Board of Funeral Service Education
• The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (National Board Exam)