Online Learning

 When considering your future do you have college in your plans?  Have you thought about going to a building and sitting for hours on end in hard plastic or even wooden seats and wondering why you ever decided on this course?

Office chairs are cushy and recliners are comfortable.  Think about the wonderful opportunities that have been availed to us all thanks to the world wide web, high speed internet and online universities.  Technology has its benefits and online distant learning is definitely one of them.

There is advice that you should consider before enrolling in a distance learning program.

(OK, here comes the list!!)

1.  Do you have the dedication and level of personal discipline to attend a flexible program?

2.  What is it that you want to learn?

     a.  if you do not know what you want to learn, what your goals are then figure that out before researching.

3.  Research many universities and look around for status of the school, accreditation, reputation and educational benefits.  Be sure that the university you are choosing prepares you to complete your goals.  Not all universities offer the same opportunities for degree programs and higher learning.

4.  Make sure you can secure financial aid, understand the process and talk to academic advisors.

5.  Make sure you are qualified for the job you are trying to learn.  For example, if you are over 44 years old, criminal justice may not be the direction to go.  Most police departments have age requirements.--learned by experience, myself.

6.  Once you are enrolled in the school go to school.  Even though the time is flexible that does not mean you have the opportunity to avoid it altogether.  Your grades depend on your attention to the academic process.  Especially since you will not be physically attending many classes you still have assignments and discussion boards to respond to in order for the instructor to make sure you are learning.

If you are not a self-starter, if you have the time available to go to brick and mortar universities or you don't have the dedication to complete the college process then online education is maybe not for you.  The responsibility for your learning rests solely on your head in the virtual classroom and you have to have the drive and determination to finish what you start.