Five Simple Steps to Completing Your Bachelors Degree Online

So, you’ve committed to the goal of getting your bachelor’s degree, and you’re going to do it through an online program that fits with your super-busy schedule.

Great! Now what?

Once you’ve ascertained that the college offering online education is accredited, perused student testamonial and sent in application, it’s time to get pumped!

Here are the next steps:

1. Get to know your online program: Though most courses can be completed online, not all programs are the same. Some bachelor’s degree programs, like business or communications, may require hands-on or in-person group activities. Others, like science or psychology, may require lab work. Make sure that the online program fits into your lifestyle and location, for example, if you live in the suburbs, will you occasionally have to trek into the city?
2. Figure out how much time you have: While a traditional college or university degree typically takes four to five years to complete, an online degree can be done in as few as two or three years (for fulltime students) or as many as five or six (for part-time students). The more classes you want to take at one time, the faster you will complete your degree. Students who enroll in four or five courses (for 12 or more credits) -- also known as a fulltime load -- will most likely need to set aside 15 or more hours in their busy schedules
3. Be realistic: One of the biggest potential challenges of online and traditional routes, students bite off more than they can chew, thinking they can handle a fulltime workload because they forget to account for the time needed to get things done. At some university-based online programs, students must be available for twice-weekly “live” lectures, which include chat sessions. For other courses, there might be extracurriular assignments or field work requirements that take extra time. That doesn’t include six or seven hours per week spent studying, trying to comprehend difficult materials and taking tests. If setting aside three to four hours per night (and on Saturdays) makes life unmanageable, a part-time schedule is more realistic.
4. Learn how to work independently: There’s no question that when it comes to online education, self-starters succeed. But when it’s just you and the computer in the comfort of your home, disciplining yourself to focus on the lesson at hand when you’d rather watch a Monday night football (or “Gossip Girl”) could be harder than you think. Students who have obtained their degree often stress the importance of minimimizing distractions (for example, by working in a particular spot or during the early morning hours when everyone is asleep), as well as sticking to a self-mandated schedule.
5. Learn how to work with others, and ask for help: Just because you’re taking college course online doesn’t mean you’ll be void of human interaction. Often times virtual lessons are collaborative -- you’ll work with fellow classmates on group projects, or participate in heated chat sessions. Don’t forget that online courses are taught by seasoned professors and professionals who know that good teaching doesn’t just mean imparting knowledge. It means making yourself avaialble to students.

If all of this seems a bit daunting, just remember to take things one day at a time. It’s easy to be so focused on the big picture -- getting the degree and the perks that come with it -- that one might forget that with any life challenge comes triumphs and small setbacks. Set a goal and go for it -- but don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice from other studetns who have obtained their bachelor’s degree at an online university.

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