Information overload is something most new students are very familiar with. The onboarding process at most online schools involves a virtual tour of the online classroom, several emails requesting action on certain items, and then the bevvy of resource links. Instead of having to track down those emails every time you have a question turn all that information into a personal FAQs list.
If you’re unsure of the content then write down some questions. For example:
- How do I register for a course?
- How do I get my books once I’m registered for classes?
- What courses should I register for first?
- How many credits can I transfer in?
- How many classes do I need to take to be considered full-time?
- When is tuition due?
- When do I turn in my assignments?
- Who do I contact if I have problems in the classroom?
- What is a course extension?
- When can I register for new classes?
You can put these questions along with the answers into a Google doc or an excel spreadsheet. Whatever medium you prefer make sure you label the questions by department. If it’s an advising, financial aid, online classroom, or transfer credit question then categorize it that way. Add multiple tabs to keep them separated or combine them and do a simple sort when you need to find the right answer. Build onto the list as you move through your program. If you’re coming upon your senior thesis you’ll have a whole host of new questions to address, and it will be good to have the tedious information saved for reference.
If it’s a localized document make sure to save a copy to your desktop and email, but I would suggest putting the information in a cloud based environment. This way you can access these questions from any device, and you can cut down on your stress levels when school offices aren’t open.
By J. Mason
Online Learning Tips Editor
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