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Online degree programs are growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. In fact, by 2008 it is estimated that one in ten college students will be enrolled at least part-time in online coursework. It sounds great; flexibility, lower costs and the chance to attend class in the comfort of your own home. However, it takes a special kind of student to really make an online education work.

People sign up for online degree programs for a variety of reasons. They may already have a job, they may have a disability or a transportation problem, or they may simply want to save some money. Online colleges are less expensive than their bricks and mortar counterparts. One thing most people have in common is that they understand the allure of working on your schoolwork at your own pace in your own environment. There is, however, a down side to the self-paced style of online degree programs. Although they are more flexible, most have time limits on specific projects and on the amount of time allowed to finish your required courses. Being successful in an online college program requires self-discipline and determination.

There are several things you should do when you enroll in an online degree program to make sure you don’t fall behind or lose track of your progress. Most of them are relatively easy to implement, but a surprising number of students don’t think about them until they’ve run into trouble with their classes.

When you receive your course assignments and class schedules, mark down everything on your calendar. This includes scheduled times to log into class sessions, due dates for assignments and when you will be taking online exams. Post a copy of your calendar next to your desk so that you can glance at it any time you want without having to boot up your computer. This will get you in the habit of glancing at it before you go out, etc. to refresh your memory of important dates.

Have a clearly designated area in which to work. It is best if you have a desk to work from. If you don’t, carve out some space somewhere for your computer, your study materials and other supplies. Use this area only for studying so that you see it as your classroom and aren’t tempted to waste away valuable time on activities that will distract you. Habitually studying in the same area will get you in the proper mindset for your work.

Set aside specific times and dates for studying and writing papers. Ideally, you should set aside several hours each week that are specifically for your homework. Make the time a priority and mark it on your calendar in ink so that you can’t change it. And don’t reschedule your time unless a true emergency has come up.

Save everything. Back up your computer. Print out if you feel it’s a good idea. Online instructors aren’t happy accepting excuses like a hard drive has crashed when assignments are due. Back up all of your work, and make hard copies as well. In fact, hard copies of your papers are a great way to proof read your work as things look different on paper, and you may catch some mistakes you’d otherwise miss.

Allow quiet time for your schoolwork. Let your friends and family know that you don’t want visitors and won’t take phone calls during not only scheduled online class times, but during your study hours. Time can slip away and leave you with unfinished work if you chat during your homework time.

If you use these simple study aids, you’ll be successful in your classes and soon be the proud recipient of a degree from your online degree program. Good luck!

Technorati Tags: Degree, Discipline, Online, Programs, require, Self

The internet is a great source of information.  You could research, connect with friends and relatives, shop for various things, and you could even finish or earn an online college degree.  With the advent of technology, everything seems to be just a click away.  But the world wide web is not just a source of facts, it is also full of scams.

More students are becoming interested in acquiring online college degrees.  In fact, as of 2007, there are already 3.7 million online students.  It is easier for working parents, single parents and the disabled to take online college degrees since geographical location is not a big issue.  Time and budget would depend on the student.

But online college programs are not the only one increasing in popularity.  Bogus online colleges are also proliferating on the internet.  The issue of having fake college degrees and diplomas is not new, the internet just gave the problem a new look.  Nowadays they are called diploma or degree mills. Come to think of it, there would be such illegal and fraudulent activity if there is no demand for it.

Fake online colleges would show or provide an illusion that they are reputable and solid online academic institutions.  But when researchers and experts check their domain name, it would show that they do not have a concrete campus or office or they may be located in states where state laws covering illegal diplomas are not to stringent.  States governments are starting to take notice of such problem.  There are states that have created offices and agencies that would be monitoring unaccredited colleges, online or traditional classroom setup.

How could you differentiate illegal and legitimate online colleges and universities?  There are two ways these fake institutions would market.  They could blatantly announce that they are selling bogus  college diplomas, while there are others which would pretend to have solid academic background and fool the people.  How do you protect yourself from such scams?

• Ask questions.  It has been a common notion to never question a college or a university.  But when dealing with online colleges, it is important to ask questions about management, offered courses, etc. to get an idea about its credibility.

• Check the accreditation of the online college in question.  Even if they are saying that they are accredited do not settle until you have completely verified their accreditation.  Sometimes they would claim accreditation but not from a recognized agency like U. S.  Department of Education and Council of Higher  Education Accreditation.

• They do not require anything else other than credit card information.  Online colleges require high school transcript, academic record from previous academic institution and test scores.  It is likely you are dealing with fake institutions if the only thing important for them is money.

• Earning your degree would just take you about 30 days after enrolment. A real college degree, even if it is online, is something that you would have to earn and not something that would be handed to you regardless of your status.

• The online college in question has multiple complaints filed against them.  You could check your local state government if they have lists of unaccredited colleges.

Online college degrees are made by college institutions to cater or answer to the needs of employed, single and disabled students.  However, even if they are online courses, it does not mean that they can be quickly finished without even sweating a bit.  Currently the U.S. government has not national or federal requirement that online colleges be recognized and accredited by a specific agency.  Being cautious is important.

Technorati Tags: Against, College, Degree, Online, Protecting, RipOffs, Yourself

Increasing fuel costs, rising inflation, and continuing economic hardships have really made going to a formal college difficult and impractical. That is why more and more students these days are enlisting to earn online college degrees. Attending school through the Internet is now a viable and more attractive option for people who want to continue college education but who have not enough time and resources to do so. The online college programs are also perfect for people who could not afford to leave their formal jobs just to attend to school classes.

A recent study conducted by the Sloan Consortium has been one of the many research efforts that aimed to determine the extent by which people are getting to online college degrees. The study, just like all others, tried to see how popular earning college degrees via the Internet have become. The findings were not surprising and were literally logical and anticipated. The study was entitled ‘Staying the Course: Internet Education in the US.’ It was published in the country in November of 2008. It showed that Internet degree programs have become readily accepted as an important and practical way to attain tertiary education.

The report was actually part of an annual study. Sloan Consortium has been running the same research effort yearly since 2002. This has made tracking the volume easier and more accurate. In 2008, about 2,500 universities and colleges have contributed and participated as respondents to the study. The effort focused more on the nature as well as the overall extent of Internet education. Every year, it should be noted that the scope and coverage of the study is maintained. The interesting results are as follows.

The annual survey revealed that volume of enrollees in universities and colleges’ online degree programs have grown faster compared to enrolment in conventional or traditional tertiary institutions, 12.9% against only 1.2%, respectively. The study also estimated that more than 20% of tertiary students or about 3.9 million have enlisted in college-level programs or courses in the Fall season of 2007 semester. This caps the numbers game regarding volume of online college degree programs. It is expected that in the coming years, the number would further grow especially in the United States. More institutions are considering offering online college programs so it is expected that more students would take the opportunities.

What could administrative staff and faculty say about this trend? According to the study, those people see the rise of online college degrees as a positive development. That is because more and more students are given the chance to complete and earn college degrees despite all the odds. Online education systems are also becoming more in demand and are more developed to cope with the situation. Thus, in the coming years, expect that curriculums and systems of online college degrees would further improve and develop.

It is not surprising if in the future, almost all students in the college level are taking courses and programs online.

Technorati Tags: College, Degrees, More, Online, Popular