How to Be Successful in an Online Degree Program

Online Classes Are Not for Everyone
Online college programs for bachelor and masters degrees are popping up all over the place. Once reserved for more technical and business-oriented colleges, online college-degree programs are now available at most major universities. Despite the accessibility, online classes are not for everyone. In fact, the success rate in online degree programs is much worse than in traditional college classes. Here are some tips for finding success in an online college-degree program.

Set Aside Time. Online classes rarely require you to be anywhere at any particular time. While this is great for busy parents and working professionals, it also requires the college student to be very self-motivated. Before starting any online degree program set aside a few hours each week (at least three hours per class) to specifically work on your online class work. If you just decide to work whenever you feel like it, you may find yourself falling behind very quickly in your online classes.

Work ahead. Many online classes will provide a syllabus with due dates for the entire semester at the beginning of the class. This great feature of an online degree program allows you to work ahead. Every college student starts to get a little burned out near the end of the semester. Working ahead in your online classes will allow you to stay on top of your college coursework and finish ahead of time, before you really get burned out. Also, stay ahead with discussion board topics and forums which are an integral part of most online classes.

Brush up on your computer skills. If you aren't proficient in basic computer programs, make sure you brush up on your skills before starting any online degree program. Just about any online degree program will require proficient use of Microsoft programs including Word, Publisher, and Powerpoint. You may also be required to know additional software for specific online courses. Make sure you feel comfortable with these computer programs before starting an online degree program.

By E Harmon via Associatedcontent