If you are an online student or considering enrolling in an online degree program you should not hesitate, but keep in mind some of the mistakes that are found among online students so that you don’t make the same mistakes. Take a look at the 8 worst mistakes of online students listed below.
1. Choosing an Online Institution that is not Accredited
It is important to seek out an online college or university that has an accreditation from a reputable organization. Look for institutions that have been accredited by a regionally or nationally-recognized accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
2. Believing that Employers do not Accept Online Degrees
Most employers understand the need for busy professionals who want to continue working while attending a distance learning program at the same time. Employers are more concerned that the educational institution is accredited and has a good reputation rather than the method you use to obtain your degree, but this varies from one employer to the next.
3. Thinking that Online Education is Easier
Most, if not all, of the accredited online degree programs are the same as on-campus programs. You will receive the same subjects, assignments, projects and class work that on-site students receive. You will also get the same high quality education online that is found in the traditional degree programs. Studies show that distance learning is just as effective as traditional on-campus learning.
4. Online Attendance is more time Consuming than Traditional Courses
Online learning is ideal for people who would like to continue their education but do not have the time to attend the traditional classroom setting. Distance learning makes education more convenient especially for adults with families and full-time jobs. Many people choose distance learning simply out of necessity. Not everyone can enroll in traditional higher education due to work and other commitments and obligations so distance learning provides the flexibility to continue working at a current job while pursuing your educational and career goals at the same time.
5. Thinking online learning is not right for everyone and may not be for me
It really depends on your learning style. Online learning is very different from traditional, on-site learning I have to agree. However, anyone can adapt to online learning, all it takes is a little adjustment and a bit of getting used to.
6. Procrastinating
Procrastinating can be a major problem and can play a big role in the outcome of your experience, online or in-class. If you are a procrastinator, you will have to work extra hard. Set weekly goals and deadlines and try your best to stick to them.
7. Failing to use all the Online Resources and Mentoring
Educators are the best resource an online student can utilize. Getting the help from a mentor can be of great benefit. So stay connected via online discussions forums, chat rooms and e-mail.
8. Paying more than you have to
- Most online institutions offer financial aid, grants, scholarships, loans and other ways for you to pay for your education, so take advantage of every opportunity. Don’t borrow more than you need and find different ways to save money, like buying used text books instead of new books and so on.
A college education is one of the major investments any individual will make throughout their lives. Many individuals struggle with finding the resources required for a sound tertiary education and have had to resort to seeking financial assistance. Most students will rack up a debt averaging $60,000 by the time they have completed say a bachelor’s degree program and we all know this money must come from somewhere.
Before the advent of online colleges, most individuals went to traditional colleges where they had no problems receiving financial assistance through the various government educational support programs. However, what of this new growth in the online student community, are they accommodated under this system?
Online College Financing
Students of online colleges need not to worry about receiving financing for their studies. The government has acknowledged the contribution made by online colleges and has extended their financial aid to these accredited online colleges. As long as the online college is accredited by the various government affiliated boards such as the Secretary of Education, then its students qualify for student loans.
Types of Online College Financial Aid Available
Online students have several options through which they can receive financial aid. However, this support is restricted to student existing within the US. This aid can be accessed through government and private loans, grants and scholarships.
Government Loans: Government loans come in the form of Stafford, Perkins and Pell loans. Each of these loans attracts different conditions and interest rates based on the financial situation of the student.
Stafford loans are divided into two groups. Subsidized loans target students in dire financial conditions. Under this plan, the government foots the interest payments of these students until they have graduated and expired their grace period. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are available for all other students irrespective of their financial condition.
Perkins and Pell Loan are subsidiary loans that are used to sure up the finances of students. To qualify students must have exhausted all Stafford loan opportunities.
Private Loans: Private loans are designed for students who do not qualify for government student loans. This may be due to various issues such as immigration, unable to find a co-sponsor, register with unaccredited online colleges or may have exhausted their government student loan. Private Banks lend assistance to these students with loans that are generally above government rates and attract stringent loan conditions.
Grants: A grant is a gift that covers tuition fees that is not required to be repaid by the recipient. These grants may be from both private and government sources. Generally, to qualify, students should have a GPA between 2.0 to 3.0.
Scholarships: scholarships are awarded based on academic achievements. Scholarships may cover a part of or all of the tuition fees. They may be offered for various reasons such as community development, talent pooling or targeting of underprivileged students. Many companies also use scholarships as a means of reducing their tax burden through tax initiatives implemented by the government that forces these companies to give back to the communities in which they are located.
Education is in the top priority list of US President Obama. To make education affordable, Obama is thinking about freeing up more cash for assistance through public funded loan providers and American Opportunity Tax Credit. The best part about tax credit is that it will make sure that initial $4,000 of a college education is going to be free and will cover more than two-thirds of the tuition cost. With Obama interested in making the tax credit completely refundable, students coming from low-income families will get more advantage out of it.
Elimination of six-page form
President Obama is working overtime to streamline the whole process of federal aid application. To accomplish this task, US government is going to get rid of the six-page form. Instead, students need to check a box on their tax forms. This will be a clear sign that all of their tax details could be used in order to evaluate the availability of financial aid.
Role of IRS
To evaluate aid, the family size and income would be gathered from the IRS. From there, students need to send in their name, phone number, address and release form to the IRS. Once you do that, form would be submitted to the Department of Education. With details in hand, Department of Education will decide whether you are eligible for tuition aid or not.
Pell Grant and Private Loan Programs
Obama will offer $25 million yearly in matching money for states to come up with Early Assessment Programs. With these programs, 11th graders can easily evaluate whether they are ready for traditional education or not. President Obama has already announced that there is going to be increase in the Pell Grant to $5,400 over the next two or three years.
There is a strong possibility that US government is going to get rid of the more costly private loan programs. In private loan programs, students need to pay high interest rates. This creates unnecessary pressure on the mind of students. Repayment schedule is also quite a big factor in private loan programs. Often, students are required to pay high monthly installments which they cannot afford.
Implementation of Obama tuition aid strategy
The implementation of President Obama tuition aid strategy is not going to be easy especially when one take into consideration the current economy state. In terms of statistic, at present over forty states have budget deficits. In other words, if the state does not have much to distribute, allocation of resources is going to be really difficult.
Grants and Scholarships
For students whose financial condition is not that good, getting an approval for grants and scholarship is very important. But the problem associated with grants and scholarships is that too many students are competing for a small number of grants and scholarships. To improve the situation, President Obama is in discussion with Department of Education to come up with a plan through which eligible students can get approval for grants and scholarships without any hassle. Application procedure for grants and scholarships is so complicated that students get really confused what they need to do.
Students interested in studying specialized courses are normally the one that struggles to get an approval for grants and scholarships. This is because of the simple reason that tuition costs of specialized courses are normally lot more in comparison to the conventional degree programs.
