Do you have self-discipline and motivation?
It is very important that you make your online course a priority. Although you have more flexibility and freedom, it is up to you to keep pace with the class and complete assignments in a timely manner.   The self-discipline is important for both online and correspondence courses.

The advantage to online coursework is that those students who need motivation and the goal setting should be able to get it since there are definite deadlines and interaction with other students and the instructor.  It may also move quicker for students since it is completed in either eight or 16 weeks (fall and spring sessions) or 10 weeks (summer session).

Do you have time management skills that will allow you to schedule specific times to work on your course?
Online courses require as much time if not more than traditional courses. It is important that you set aside extra time to meet the requirements of the course.  It is recommended for face-to-face classes that you study outside of class time a minimum of three hours for every hour that the class meets. If you do not meet physically as a class for lecture, etc., you still have to cover the material, but you do it on your own. 

A student should be devoting at least 144 hours for each three credit hour course. For some people it will be less, but for many, to get a good grade, it will be more hours devoted to studying. This is true whether it is an online course or correspondence.

Do you feel comfortable expressing yourself in writing?
You must be able to put your thoughts into grammatically correct, written statements and/or essays.

Will you miss face-to-face interaction and the traditional classroom?
Does the online environment make you feel isolated or are you comfortable interacting online?  Unfortunately, we no longer have the face-to-face course option.  Students should have more interaction online than they would in the solitary experience of doing a course by correspondence.

Do you have access to a computer and Internet connection?
You do not have to have a computer and internet access in your home, but you do need to have easily available access to the internet in order to complete these classes. Other possible locations include the public library or your workplace (if your employer agrees).

Do you have basic computer skills?
Computer skills such as word processing, downloading software, using a Web browser, attaching and uploading documents, etc. are essential in an online course.

Are you comfortable in a “virtual environment?”
The virtual environment includes using and expressing your thoughts through e-mail, in discussion groups and chat rooms, etc.

Send us an e-mail or call 1-800-895-0811 for more information.