Top 6 Criteria for Choosing Distance Education

Only certified courses from reputed distance education institutes and universities are valued. Hence, it is very crucial to check the market worth of the online coaching program. Verify whether the establishment is a University accredited Distance Learning Information centre.

All the programs offered by the best schools are generally approved by the premiere University Grant Commission (UGC) and are recognized by Distance Education Bureau (DEB). Besides the accreditation and the national recognition there are other quality labels and certificates that can give an indication about the quality of tutoring.

The next essential factor while judging an institute is to check the years devoted in the field of remote coaching. For instance, Halo Technologies is one such academy that has an experience of 14 years in the field of distance education and has successfully catered to proud alumni of 15000 and has an active base of 3000 students.

A conventional on-campus curriculum is more rigid as compared to distance education schedule. Virtual learning enables you to combine your career while pursuing a degree. However, adjustability varies depending on which university and which distance course you have chosen.

Hence in order to make the best decision ask the following questions-

• Does the university have a fixed semester schedule or you can follow flexible programme?
• Frequency of on-site attendance and whether those are fixed or flexible.
• Some distance learning universities offer several dates and locations for the compulsory on-site meetings. These meetings are important. They ideally should match your work schedule and be close to your home, therefore; help avoid long and expensive travel times.

Part time courses are usually cheaper than traditional full time ones.

• Moreover, full-time colleges do not offer free study material and there may be travelling and accommodation costs excluding other incidental expenses.
• Studying and working simultaneously can be quite demanding. Hence some people reduce their full time jobs to part time ones. High tuition fees can be a big obstacle in such situations.
• Some distance learning institutions offer suitable financing options. Hence, it is always meaningful to take those into account when deciding for the right correspondence education program.

Pay attention to what services are being offered and see that you get good value for money.

The quality of the course material is of equal importance for part time studies. Many distance learning institutes offer free test lectures on weekends to get the students familiar with the different tutoring environments. They also help students decide the best fit according to their schooling preferences.

Last but not the least is the quality of personal assistance. Depending on your studies and the institution you choose; there can be major differences regarding the worth and kind of individual assistance provided.

One must check whether –

• Are there any provisions for missed lecturers?
• Is it possible to arrange flexible personal appointments if needed?
• Is there personal support available during the exam preparation?
• Are questions answered immediately?

All these factors have to match your individual learning needs and preferences. Some distance education centers offer services of relationship manager. This way, students stay connected with the university 24x7 and gets their doubts addressed. Moreover, problem solving through phone helpline, free counselling sessions on sundays, email, model question papers, door step services and the excellent feedback and review based system makes it easy for their learners to overcome obstacles if any.