Selecting the Right Online College; What Questions Should you Ask
by Daniel Kane
There are more online degree programs than ever before.
While that's something to celebrate, it does give students a lot of institutions to investigate before choosing one.
But, the selection process is generally much less difficult than students anticipate. The first step in that process is determining what a student wants in an online college or university. After that, it's pretty easy to put together a list of questions in need of an answer.
The questions below are universal...they are a good starting point. Depending on your needs and preferences, just add to them.
First and most important is accreditation. If an online college or university is not accredited by an agency approved by the U.S. Department of Education it should be eliminated from consideration immediately.
Your second question should be whether or not a college offers a major in your area of interest and how its program compares with those elsewhere. Faculty qualifications, the availability of academic concentrations, the specific course offerings and requirements, and how well the program might prepare you for your chosen profession are all areas to investigate.
You should consider financial variables, of course, but do so carefully. Don't just ask about tuition. It's only part of the puzzle. Find out about the availability of scholarships, grants, loans, and installment payment plans.
The next most important factor for people with significant professional or college experience is the transfer credit policy of each college on their list. For what experiences is college credit awarded? How many transfer credits can be applied to a degree? Will your college credits be evaluated, in writing, prior to your enrollment? Remember that the more transfer credits you are granted, the shorter your path to a degree.
The final "must" questions are about student services. Is anyone available to help you with filling out financial aid forms? How tough is it to contact a professor if you have a question? Does the college offer free job placement, and if so, how effective has it been?
Take some time to think about and clarify your educational and professional objectives. You'll then be able to know which questions to add to those we've already discussed. As you obtain answers to those questions, you will be able to rule out some of your potential choices fairly quickly and identify others worthy of continued consideration.
The necessary answers are easy to find once you first find the right questions. The good news is that you now have all the information you need to make a good college choice.
Daniel Kane has been assisting students for more than 25 years through his positions in higher education and more than a dozen educational websites on online education and online universities. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
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