1. You can study anywhere – everything’s online

You’ve probably realized that this was why distance education was started in the first place. You can begin your education at the comfort of your own home, and you won’t need to commute just to attend a class. Everything else is virtually within your reach, and advances in mobile learning predicts that it will even become easier and easier.

2. You can start any time

If you’re worried that you’re too late to start studying online, let us reassure you that it’s quite unfounded. Given the nature of distance programs, learners can usually start at any time of the year. You could begin online programs whenever you want to and even semester-based university programs offer a degree of flexibility for its students.

3. You can start at any level of expertise

Not only could you start at any time of the year, you could start learning online at any point in your life. Whether you’re a career-shifter, a college student, or even a high-school student, there is an online program made especially for you. People over 40’s, busy moms – the list is endless and you’ll find that there is always something being offered.

4. With online study, you’re free to tweak your learning

Though you still need to sign up for the courses, as an online learner you’re given the freedom on how you will go about completing the course. If you want to stay ‘safe’ and just do what the course requires, that’s ok, but you also are free to pursue your interests and go beyond the program content. (Don’t worry, you’ll get extra credit for that)

5. You can pace your studies however you want

Online courses are mostly done by employing modular content. This just means that you are free to slow down or accelerate your progress however you want it. If you’re too busy with other stuff, you can relax and take things slow. If you want to earn your degree faster, then no one’s stopping you from devouring mounds of content.

6. You can personalize your study space

Since you’re not required to go to a classroom, you can prepare your study space anywhere and anyway you want. If you want to study in your bedroom – that is, while on your bed – then you’re free to do so. Want to munch on chips and watch TV while taking an exam? If the type of exam permits it, then you’re well within your rights.

7. You can end anytime – and choose how to do it

Online learners can start any time and are free to end the course in whatever way they want to. For example, you could have your resume evaluated and ask for life credit experience, thereby shortening the time you need to complete the course. You could take a certification test and get further credit units – and so on.

8. You can choose your support group

If you don’t want any help doing your online course, then that’s fine. No need to attend additional lab classes or course meetings. On the other hand, help will always be provided. Online facilitators are there to provide support at any time, while email and SMS are real handy if you’re too shy to ask. You can also choose how to be contacted. Too busy? You could sort out your email later. Need to clarify instructions on the fly? Chat and video conferences are there for you to employ.

9. Everything is there, 24/7

Since your course materials can be taken or downloaded online, there’s virtually no problem getting your resources at anytime. You can’t ever miss anything; lectures, assignments and notes are just there for the taking.

10. You’re free to work with a group

If studying alone makes you lonely, there’s always you’re classmates to collaborate with. Yes, you still have classmates and given the conveniences of the Web, you could easily collaborate with them regarding virtually anything you need help on. Ain’t if perfect?

How do you choose the right online course?

There are ways to become more confident about our choices though, the simplest one actually involves taking a look at our day-to-day experience with the online program. For one, if we feel that the challenges we encounter fit our current competencies, then that’s a sure way of saying that the online degree is something worthwhile to continue. When something seems a bit hard but could still motivate us to move on, that’s the sweet spot between boredom and anxiety – simply said, this is enjoyment. We can say that this is what will drive us to continue on: if something is enjoyable (i.e. a little bit tough but motivating) then it fits us snug and tight.

To help us understand this more, we compiled 3 more ways to know if the program you’ve chosen is the real deal.

The right online course fits your strengths

Though there are many reasons to get an online degree, more often than not people, enroll because it’s something that they are good at. If you’re already a biology degree holder, chances are you’ll be taking graduate studies in any of the sub-specializations that make up interesting biology degrees. For those who are quite good at Mathematics, then it’ll be okay for them to have a second helping in their grad studies; there are many online mathematics degrees to choose from. If you’re constantly failing your subjects even with due time for study, or losing motivation as a result of attending classes that are quite difficult, then it may be time for you to consider other options.

The right online course reflects your interests

Of course, we also gravitate towards degrees that mirror our interests. Those who like to tinker with electronics and computers would most probably take an online computer engineering degree (itself one of the top online engineering degrees), while a voracious reader would probably be more at home with an English Studies or Literature major. As it is, we like immerse ourselves in things that we’d probably enjoy. Even when the going gets tough, any kind of problem would just be a simple challenge if one likes what he is doing. What boredom does is to signal that something is either too easy or too hard to understand. If you seem to be bored with most of your courses, then maybe it’s high time to think of something else.

The right online course helps you be mindful of your priorities

Choosing an online degree sometimes mean that it’s mirror one’s future career goals. It may be due to one’s strength or interest, but it’s also important to consider what one wants later in life. Now if enjoying something usually means that it’s something we’d want to experience every time, then we could say that an online degree that fits us would certainly be something that will be enjoyable regardless of what happens. The occasional failing exam is not a deterrent, and even something as major as a flawed course would be just another hurdle. If one becomes more committed to his goals, then it means that he’s enrolled in an online program worth finishing.

Successful online students are self-driven

People have certain misunderstandings about online education, one of which is that it’s too easy to be taken seriously. Nothing can be further from the truth –although an online education makes studying more convenient, it doesn’t necessarily mean that going about it is a walk in the park. For one, online students usually work by themselves and are required to be self-sufficient in terms of their school work. Successful online learners are usually pro-active and self-motivated, needing none other than their intrinsic interest for their field of study to fuel their education. Students who have successfully finished their degrees online also have clearly-defined objectives, never taking their eyes of their goals until these are accomplished.

Successful online students have good planning skills

The flexibility that an online education offers is not without its challenges. Since there is no real fixed schedule to follow (live-chat sessions excluded), students need to commit to a schedule that they themselves have planned. Doing so is one of the easiest ways to make the most out of your online education because this ensures that deadlines are met and projects are finished to order. Cramming is not just something to be frowned upon but has a big effect to one’s online study – too much and you’ll find yourself quitting in no time at all. Successful online learners are mindful that they should always plan ahead – no wonder they do well.

Successful online students have good language skills

To be successful in online study, students need to have a good command of the English language. Though multimedia learning is here to stay, most of the educational materials used for online study are usually in textbook format, which means that an online student is required to do a lot of reading through his coursework. Aside from this, online students are usually required to submit a lot of papers and reports for their subjects, making composition skills even more important for distance education. Successful online learners usually like to read and to write in the first place, allowing them to capitalize on the distance learning format and make the most out of their learning.

Successful online students are good self-learners

Educational materials from distance-learning courses are made to be self-paced. This means that online students need to have the capacity to learn the material by themselves. Though online collaboration is something that students may employ, an online education usually assumes that students would be studying the material by themselves first. This is not just something that’s done to challenge the learner but to help him acquire self-learning skills that they could continue to use even after graduation. Successful online students are very skillful self-learners and thrive even with the challenge. In addition to this, those who are successful with their online studies also usually study beyond what’s needed by the course, earning them the academic recognition they deserve.

How do I know which course I should take online?

Subjects best taken online are usually those that require little real-time interaction with students and faculty. This means that courses such as these are more project-oriented than discussion-driven and usually evaluate students’ competence based on the quality the projects submitted. Courses best taken online should also be able to benefit from the simplest of media, relying more on text than video (or even audio) for its delivery. It is also suggested that courses taken online should be easily recognized and accredited by traditional universities so that the student has more options available.

What subjects do we suggest? Here are 5 types of courses best taken online:

Online course you should take online #1: General Education courses

Since students could cross-register and take their general education courses in different universities without much of a problem, these courses are definite choices for an online education. In addition to allowing students to take their subjects at the comfort of their own homes, online general education courses also provide variation to a student’s education.

Online course you should take online #2: Computer Programming courses

The first online courses were about computer programming and web technologies, making these subjects obvious candidates for a would-be online learner to try out. Since the subjects themselves talk about the very media (i.e. the Internet) that is being learned, it makes sense to take these courses online.

Online course you should take online #3: Literature courses

Literature courses usually don’t require much synchronous interaction between students and faculty; students are given scheduled reading assignments and are usually just required to submit their reflections to class. Given that most of the learning here occurs outside of the subject, it’s also a very suitable online course.

Online course you should take online #4: Writing courses

Writing courses usually revolve around the writing exercises that students are required to accomplish, making it an obvious example of a project-oriented course. These are usually included in the curriculum of English Studies and Literature degrees, making online education a good choice for students of these majors.

Online courses you should take online #5: Social studies courses

Generally, social studies courses benefit from an online learning format. Most of the required readings and study guides are given in text, and the projects not as media-hungry as the other types of courses. Given this, humanities courses might be a more advanced online course choice for many, although it’s not rare to see subjects optimized for online learning available in some universities.

Tip #1: Earn your degree faster by getting certification

Instead of taking all the courses in the online program, a student may have the option to take tests that would instantly get him credit for the course. This is usually reserved for language subjects and basic media courses but it’s not rare to find a course which will allow testing. Ask your online university about the ways in which you could get instant credit for a subject – they’ll be glad to help you out. Just take note that accreditation might cost a bit of money, but given the benefits you get it still seems a wise investment.

Tip #2: Earn your degree faster with credit equivalencies

Career shifters who start an online graduate degree are sometimes required to take additional units in the basic courses for its field. In other cases, there are some similarities between the graduate and undergraduate courses of a given field of study. To capitalize on this and help you earn your degree faster, ask your online university if there are undergraduate academic credits that you could use to substitute. For example, if an online program calls for a subject in Algebra, and you already took that subject in college, maybe you wouldn’t have to take the online course again. The same credit could also be given to alternatives to online degrees such as technical-vocational or personal development courses, so be sure to take that into consideration.

Tip #3: Earn your degree faster by capitalizing on life experience

If you’ve been working long enough, you might be able to inquire if your school could give your academic units based on your life experiences. This includes training certificates earned at work, projects you worked on, accomplishments at work, and participation in extra-curricular activities; the list is not exhaustive, so be sure to include anything that you might think relevant. It might also help if you could create a compilation that would attest to your experiences – a portfolio comes to mind – so that it would be easier for your online school to decide.

Tip #4: Earn your degree faster through internship work

If you don’t have much experience and have no creditable undergraduate units, you can still earn extra credit by logging man-hours through volunteer work or internships. Ask your local establishments if they could take you in as an intern. If you’re studying an online program that’s best for an education job, then it might be best for you to contact your local school regarding openings for teaching assistants or education assistants. Ask your online university about the procedure for crediting the time you spent doing extra work; it’s one of the best ways to earn your degree faster.

Go to college without finishing high school by getting a GED certificate

The GED or General Education Development certificate was made specifically for people who haven’t had the benefit of finishing high school. Obtained by taking a test, the GED certificate can be used in lieu of a high school diploma. The GED test serves to evaluate a person’s competencies in standard high school topics, summarily divided into the Language Arts, Reading, Social Studies, Science and Mathematics. Review classes are given for GED but are not mandatory; the students are only required pass a pre-test that would allow them to take the actual GED test. International students who plan to enroll in an online program based in the US are also suggested to take the test so that instant equivalencies could be used for their subjects. This route also allows international students to earn their online degrees faster so it’s something to keep in mind.

Go to college without finishing high school by crediting life experience

Some online universities give credit to the work and life experience of a student recognizing the fact that these could serve to substitute for an online education. A lifetime of achievement and work could well serve to show a competency that’s more than what’s needed for high school. Other schools might also consider the extra-curricular activities of a high school student, enabling him to go to college without completing all his subjects. For the latter example, a student should have a higher-than-average competency in the subject to be able to ask for credit; be sure to inquire upon its details.

Go to college without finishing high school by enrolling in both at the same time

Since it is a known fact that some students who want to college didn’t finish high school in time, some online colleges allow concurrent enrollment – the student attends both high school and college at the same time. This happens on instances where the student only needs to complete a few credits worth of high school courses to get his diploma and is the suggested approach for such a situation. Just ask both schools it they could allow such an arrangement, and you’re well on your way to finishing your Bachelor’s degree.

Go to college without finishing high school by enrolling in a ladderized program

Some colleges have preparation programs in place specifically designed for people who don’t have a high school diploma. Instead of making the student take a GED test, he is placed in an intensive high school-oriented course run by the school. This program ensures that he will be able to develop all the required competencies for the tertiary courses of the school, and usually takes from 6-months to a year to finish. This is also the route that could be considered by international students if they are set on enrolling in a specific online college that fits their goals..

Reason Online Learners Quit #1: False expectations

It is a common misconception that online learning by itself is easy. It is, actually – it makes studying more convenient for busy people and it allows the completion of a degree right in one’s own home. But a more accurate description is that online learning has a different set of pros and cons as compared to traditional classroom learning.

For example, though it allows a more flexible approach to learning, the time needed for study is almost always the same. This means that although you can shift your study schedule to something more convenient you still need to devote a similar amount of hours for studying. Online learners who quit early are those who assume the opposite; they expect that study times are lesser.

Other false expectations about online education include the actual difficulty of the content. Again, it’s more accurate to say that online education operates against a different set of rules. The content in an online course is almost always self-paced, requiring the online learner to make the most of online education in various ways. Quitters usually stop when the going gets tough – and that’s something that we won’t want you to be doing right?

Reason Online Learners Quit #2: Insufficient planning

Online learning requires a lot of planning. Though schedules are flexible, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to commit to one. In fact, to be a good online learner, you must maintain a consistent study schedule throughout the week. Cramming is not allowed and the importance of consistent study cannot be over-emphasized. You also need to manage the time you spend for other activities, for studying is not the only thing that you will do; there’s social life, and your family to think of. Given this, those who quit online learning often cannot juggle their time, and are often swamped by work even with all the convenience given.

Reason Online Learners Quit #3: No support group

Similar to what we already discussed before, communities help the online learner. Given that the journey of a distance education student is often a solitary one because it’s self-paced, the need for a support group becomes all the more important. Online social network sites provide a venue for people to connect and to deepen their relationships with other people and it is this characteristic that online learners should capitalize on. At the very least, they’ll have someone to ask so that they could be updated about the course. Students who quit online study usually didn’t cultivate their relationships online and may, due to problems in scheduling, have problems that make even their immediate relationships challenging.

Reason Online Learners Quit #4: Waning commitment

Commitment is a very hard thing to understand because there are so many options available as to its explanation. We only have the simple observation that how committed a person is can be gleaned by how much he values something – high value means high commitment. But sometimes, given the nature of online education, people wane in their commitment and only see it as something that they could just take any time. That may be true, but the effort that they have placed on it and the resources that they have already spent would be wasted if they just decide to quit just because they are not motivated. It happens though, making it one of the top reasons why online learners quit.

Tips for Working Moms #1: Ask the family to help out

Given that there will be an additional responsibility that you have to take (i.e. studying), you have to brief everyone about the changes that need to take place. Explain that you will need some time off in the evenings to concentrate on school work, and that you’ll need their help to maintain the household. Distribute chores according to each child’s capability and just assign additional tasks if  there’s a need. Remember to ask everyone to keep quiet when you’re holding your study session and to only disturb you when something important is amiss. By asking everyone to help out, it lessens your load and keeps you committed to continuing your online education.

Tips for Working Moms #2: Personalize your study space

Personalize your online education y customizing your study space. Be aware of the learning styles you employ and capitalize on them to make the perfect learning environment. As much as possible, reserve a room or a table just for online study; the way it is, if your children see you there, then they’ll known you’re doing some serious school work. Your study area will also need some sort of shelving space for your books and manuals so these will always be at hand. Decorate your study space with motivational quotes or a favorite poster; how you personalize your learning space is limited only by your imagination.

Tips for Working Moms #3: Don’t forget your family days

One way of managing your time is to schedule special days in which you’ll devote all your time solely to family activities. Go out with the kids, walk in the park, and play some Frisbee – by doing this, you ensure that you’re not tipping the balance too much to topple any of your commitments. Doing this also ensures that you’ll always have time with your family regardless of what you do in school.

Tips for Working Moms #4: Participate in online communities

Being active in online communities will be a great help to your online education. Participate in the live chats, and be sure to consistently post on your discussion boards. Connect to your classmates through the existing social network sites and make new friends. You’ll never know how a contact could help you out, either with homework or with something beyond your online course.

Tips for Working Moms #5: Relax and have fun

Lastly, always remember to have fun. Take the occasional time off and don’t forget to cultivate your hobbies. Given the load that you have to handle, it’s nice to know that there things out there that you do just for the heck of it.

Easy Discussion Board Tip #1: Be mindful of ‘netiquette’

Following the norms of internet etiquette can never really be over-emphasized. Being polite transcends cultures and this fact makes it all the more important for the web. Remember to use appropriate capitalization, correct punctuation, and to write in complete sentences (i.e. no text-speak). Try to learn the rules of the specific forum you are replying to. Don’t flood posts, but also don’t be a wallflower. Use the ‘search’ function whenever you’re unsure of what you’re writing about.

Easy Discussion Board Tip #2: Be on-topic

Discussion boards are not live chats. Each post is a fragment of a conversation, and it’s up to the users to ensure a free-flowing exchange of ideas. Each reply should contribute to the thread, and take the conversation further. Take note of the ideas of the previous poster then try to complement it or add to it with your ideas. Nothing is more frustrating than a member who chooses to post whatever he wants.

Easy Discussion Board Tip #3: Speak your mind

Don’t be a lurker. Be an active participant in the forum. Just like the class discussions of a brick-and-mortar classroom, the forums are designed so that everyone could freely add their ideas with only a little moderation. Try to keep your point across in a manner that you’ll be quickly and clearly understood. At the very least, it’s an opportunity to exercise your communication skills and something useful to make out of reading your textbook.

Easy Discussion Board Tip #4: Contribute

The same as what we suggested in live chats, always remember to share resources in the discussion board. Post links that are relevant to the topic or quote a passage from something you read. Discussions are fueled by facts and ideas, and it’s with these contributions that keep it going. You could also place additional links that lead to egroups or live chats if you think the conversation needs some real-time handling. You’ll certainly see its usefulness come examination preparation period.

Easy Discussion Board Tip #5: Remember to have fun

Discussion boards are not just all about work. Forums almost always have emoticons or bulletin board codes to help users personalize their posts. Make use of the board codes to bring some light-heartedness into the conversation. You could also format your posts in such a way that people could instantly see that it was you who were posting. You could also create a unique forum signature to end your posts with or just use the same font consistently to add some interest.

Part of this misunderstanding can be attributed to the prevailing belief that employers are not really comfortable recruiting people who ‘only’ finished online degrees. Here are 4 reasons why nothing can be farther than the truth:

Employers hire online learners for their self-learning skills

The uninitiated are prone to think that an online education is an easy one. Since online education offers a lot of convenience to the learner, it leads one to think that it’s a lot less difficult than traditional education. Surprisingly, it’s the other way around – since online courses rely more on the capacity of its students to learn by themselves, it’s a lot harder. The materials that come from an online learning course are mostly self-paced, requiring students to pull out all stops so that they will be able to study the material on their own. This particular characteristic is definitely a boon to companies, making the online learner a prized commodity indeed.

Employers hire online learners for their time management skills

Though most might think that enrolling in an online degree translates to a more flexible study time, it doesn’t really mean that the study hours are consequently lessened. Online students employ different ways to manage their study time, enough that they could devote enough time for their school work and other responsibilities. Study schedules also vary, and the same time management skill would be beneficial to maximize one’s education. It’s this facilitation of a work-life balance that employers look out for, something that online learners have in spades.

Employers hire online learners for their capacity to adapt quickly

Online learning is certainly an exciting one by virtue of a dozen non-traditional methods needed to maintain a fulfilling education. Some class hours require live chats, while others rely more on discussion boards. Email might be the norm for one course, while another might rely on Yahoo messenger. Schedules might change over the course of a study period. Even different facilitators might mean distinctions in teaching styles. All these require an online student to adapt quickly to the many demands of the course they take. This same skill also ensures a stress-free learning experience, something that obviously any person could benefit from. This same competence is obviously enticing to recruiters, and it’s suggested that online learners capitalize on this fact.

Employers hire online learners for their creativity

Online learners usually don’t just rely on their online courses to complete their education. Most students make the most out of their online education by being active on many fronts: volunteer work, apprenticeship, and part-time work are just some examples. Because they don’t need to go to a classroom, they have more time to go out and maximize their learning experiences. Employees see this as a major benefit because it’s a known fact that companies would like employees with a more holistic outlook to their lives.