Overcoming the Biggest Challenges of Choosing an Online Degree
February 9, 2021 3:11pm
Taking the leap of enrolling back into college classes as an adult is not easy. There are many questions you may have including how much earning your degree will cost and whether you will be able to commit your time. Choosing a college and a degree is the first step. Here are some of the biggest challenges adult learners face when making that decision and ways to overcome them.
Estimating actual costs
Getting to the bottom of how much earning a degree is actually going to cost you can be one of the biggest factors to evaluate. A great way to lower the final price tag is by transferring credits. If you have prior learning credits, military education, or work experience that might qualify for college credit, you should contact your school of interest and ask for an evaluation of your transfer credit. This will help you determine the remaining requirements needed for degree completion. Once you have that information, you will be able to better calculate the cost of the remaining credits. Be sure to ask about additional fees. Depending on the institution, ancillary fees can be a significant cost and something to consider when choosing a school.
Applying for financial aid and identifying funding sources
When it comes to identifying ways to pay for your tuition, you should start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to identify whether you qualify for any federal aid or loans. You should also check with the school and inquire about additional scholarship opportunities. You can also search for other scholarships available to you. Lastly, ask the college what payment plans they have available to make paying for tuition work with your budget.
Identifying a program that meets your needs
Many college websites provide a good overview of each available program including required credits to completion, course outcomes, and curriculum. Some may even include related careers, job outlook, and projected salary. Once you discuss your career aspirations with an admissions counselor, they should be able to help guide you toward a program that will best fit your goals.
Finding sufficient information about academic requirements
It’s pretty common for school websites to outline the academic requirements of their programs. Look for specific requirements related to the degree you are interested in as requirements, such as minimum credit hours and GPA, could vary by program. Again, it would be helpful to have the school conduct a transfer credit evaluation to get a better idea of what specific requirements you will have remaining after those credits are applied. It’s also a great idea to consult the school’s catalog for the year you will be entering. The catalog will outline all the course and graduation requirements.
Working through all of these challenges will help you decide what school and program to choose that will provide you the best, fastest path to your career.