Learning in an online environment is definitely not for everyone. People either have unrealistic expectations, or they think taking online classes is the easy route. In many ways, online college courses are more difficult than their traditional counterparts.

Before you take the next step in deciding to pursue your degree online, here are four basic things you may want to consider as you research:

1.Computers: Are you comfortable using email? Do you know how to work with attachments? Can you perform basic searches/research online?

2.Motivation: Are you a self-starter? Your professor will not be sending you daily emails telling you to complete your assignments and take your tests. A certain level of self-discipline is required.

3.Interaction: In an online class, you will interact with the professor and your classmates primarily via threaded discussions and email. If you feel that face-to-face contact is a must for you to thrive, then online classes might not be right for you.

4.Hurdles: There are certain classes that may be more suitable for the traditional classroom (speech, sciences with labs, and classes such as calculus… for those of us who prefer learning math face-to-face!). Although all of these classes are available online, sometimes, you have to stop and ask yourself if you should take the hybrid approach, enrolling in a class or two locally for best results.

Take it a step further and complete an online learning assessment quiz to test yourself and see if online learning is really the right choice for you.

(source: Online College Blog)

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Top 10 things you should consider before deciding

Tuesday, April 6, 2010  11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET

Register Today >

Our webcast will consist of a roundtable discussion of the top questions prospective students face when considering online education.  Our roundtable will feature a current online student, a graduate from an online program, and a representative from an online school.  Hear their perspectives and ask your own questions too!

With increasing competition in the job market, one way to stand out is with a career-focused degree. According to a 2009 Sloan Consortium survey, more than 4.6 million students were enrolled in online education¹. Pursuing an online degree may be a better fit for your lifestyle, so you can balance work and family with your education and still take advantage of affordable, quality education. You won’t even have to commute!

Register today to get an insider’s perspective of pursuing an online degree and find out if online learning is right for you. 

Top 10 Questions Our Guest Speakers Will Discuss:

1. How does online education compare to the classroom?
2. What to expect when enrolling in an online school?
3. How are online degrees perceived?
4. Is your school accredited?
5. How much will it cost and how can you pay for school?
6. What kind of support is offered by the online school?
7. What does the technology look like and how do the classrooms work?
8. What are the requirements for success as an online student?
9. What kind of assignments, exams, and projects do you have?
10. Why APU? How are we different from other schools?

The webcast will also include a question and answer session so you can ask your own questions!

For more information on this special webcast event >

- Online Learning Tips Staff