| The dream of completing your college | | | | course work within the given time. Determine |
| education or furthering your studies is no | | | | whether the coursework meets your educational |
| longer elusive. The World Wide Web boom has | | | | needs and career goals. Check how current the |
| brought education to your key board. Many | | | | course work is and whether the textbooks and |
| established and renowned universities are | | | | study materials are relevant. |
| offering degrees in varied disciplines | | | | |
| through online courses. Studies done by the | | | | - Ask if the university has a 24/7 customer |
| Distance Education and Training Council in | | | | service program and whether you will be |
| Washington and other regulatory institutions | | | | eligible for any technical help regarding the |
| indicate that over 2.25 million people are | | | | software or programs you will need to use. |
| registered for online courses at universities | | | | Many universities assign a personal advisor |
| in the US. | | | | to students one who will answer questions |
| | | | willingly and take care all nitty gritties |
| Before registering for a course you need to | | | | like enrollment procedures, course work |
| spend some time thinking. Do I want to do a | | | | submissions and so on right until graduation. |
| course that will further my career or learn | | | | |
| something that I have an abiding interest in? | | | | - Check out the credentials for the faculty, |
| Will I be devoted and complete the course | | | | their qualifications and training to conduct |
| work in time? Take a look at your schedules | | | | an online class room with ease. Otherwise it |
| and find out where you will slot in time for | | | | may be a question of the "blind leading the |
| study. | | | | blind." |
| | | | |
| Online courses offer great conveniences, | | | | - Read the offer document carefully and |
| flexibility, and a world class education | | | | ensure that the course is 100% online. Some |
| brought to your computer. While choosing a | | | | universities are known to use mail, |
| college consider the following: | | | | videotapes, and on-campus programs as part of |
| | | | "online course" work. Ask how long the online |
| - What are the basic qualifications you need | | | | program has been in place and are there any |
| to be eligible for a course are there any | | | | rough spots they have encountered. Read |
| tests you need to take. | | | | carefully the institution's ethical standard |
| | | | document, most reputed schools have a policy |
| - Is the college reliable? Does it have the | | | | readily available for review. |
| required accreditations? | | | | |
| | | | - Check thoroughly the institutions financial |
| - How large are the classes? When the class | | | | history and current position. Make sure you |
| strength is smaller then each student will | | | | are not registering with a fly-by-night |
| receive more time from the instructors. On | | | | operator. |
| the other hand a large enrollment indicates | | | | |
| success of the course. So you need to | | | | - Find out what the accreditations of the |
| carefully weigh all the different aspects. | | | | university are. In the US accreditations come |
| | | | from Middle States, New England, North |
| - Research blogs and other online messaging | | | | Central, Northwest, and Southern Western. |
| centers to find out about the opinion and | | | | They have a membership program as well as a |
| experiences of students who have | | | | system wherein each others accreditations are |
| satisfactorily complete courses or are | | | | acknowledged. |
| disgruntled. Read surveys and analysis about | | | | |
| online education. Ask the college for | | | | - Most important ask about fees and financial |
| referrals. Examine alumni success. Find out | | | | aid. Find out what the tuitions fees are and |
| what percentage of students successfully | | | | whether any other costs like lab fees, |
| complete the program and how many work | | | | technology fees and so on are to be paid. You |
| professionally in the field of study. | | | | will also have to cost expenses towards |
| | | | maintaining your computer and its peripherals |
| - Study the online curriculum as well as | | | | like scanners, printers, and fax modem, as |
| suggested time-frame carefully. Find out how | | | | well as Internet costs and provider fees. |
| many students have been able to complete the | | | | |