Online education can be the most practical path to a higher education. Inaccessibility to traditional brick and mortar educational institutions, a busy life, an unpredictable work schedule, frequent business trips — all these things make an online degree program the way to go. Before the advent of the high-speed internet and interactive communication software, this type of education was typically conducted via snail mail.

We've come a long way indeed.

An Increasing Number of Accredited Online Colleges

Online education has largely overcome the stigma it once had. In times past, most online schools were not accredited. Regardless of how good the instruction was, HR departments would scoff at applicants that held online degrees. Today, however, most major universities offer online curriculums and some institutions are strictly online.

In order to not waste time and money, it’s important that prospective students ensure that the school under consideration is accredited. When you begin the job search with your certificate or degree listed on your resume, your employer will be considering your school’s accreditation status along with your skill set and relevant professional experience. That may just be the deciding factor on who gets the position so do your research.

Some of the Major Benefits of Online Colleges

• As mentioned above, there are many potential students who simply don't fit the mold that allows them to take advantage of a traditional campus education. During the period between 2007 and 2008, 20% of total undergraduates undertook at minimum of one online education course and 4% of all undergraduates went on to complete their degree plan and achieved graduation (according to the National Center for Education Statistics). This number has only grown during the ensuing years.
• Online schools can be a more thrifty approach to higher education. Students studying online can potentially harvest savings of thousands of dollars each semester. Common areas of savings are dorm fees, the cost of commuting, and many other campus fees and expenses that traditional on-campus students are obliged to pay.
• Many of the same scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial assistance are available for qualified applicants. The same eligibility requirements for campus-based education generally apply.
• Student-to-instructor communication can be enhanced. Since this type of communication is done mainly by email, chat, and newsgroup discussions, adhering to unrealistic office hours is no longer a problem.
• Students have more control over their study time. Although some lectures may be delivered in real time, most are presented in a more flexible format. This allows the student to study when and where their schedule allows.
• Students can maximize the time they devote to their studies and maximize their effectiveness. For traditional students, things such as driving to a physical building (hoping for no traffic problems), finding a parking space in a crowded parking lot, and walking to the classroom are all time-wasters that otherwise could have been spent actually studying.
• Online schools offer a great way to keep up with changes in the working student's industry. Many industries, such as information technology, are in a constant state of change. The pressure to keep ahead of the curve can be tremendous and many employers are not proactive in scheduling classes for employees. However, the proactive student can avoid the so-called "shelf life problem."

How to Stay Focused and On Track with an Online Education

One of the biggest problems that some online students face is that the work is primarily self-directed. Although there are set deadlines and milestones, everything that happens in between is scheduled by the student himself; typically the instructor is not there for daily hand-holding. This means that students must schedule themselves and maintain rigorous self-discipline.

One way to keep on track is to lay out the milestones on paper or a computer spreadsheet at the beginning of the course. Fill in realistic objective goal points. These may be checked off as they are met. If at all possible, try to stay ahead of schedule in case some distracting life event arises, as it inevitably will.

Be sure to take breaks from coursework periodically. While it is a good thing to remain motivated and focused, long periods with no relaxation and entertainment will actually act to the student's detriment in the long run. It is always a good thing to recharge your batteries!

There are many advantages of attending an online school, especially for remotely-located students and those that are already working and are in the process of earning a higher degree. To learn more about our online degree programs in technology, business, health science, criminal justice, and nursing, contact ECPI University. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.