Category Archives: Colleges & Universty

How to Go About Choosing the Best Online College

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Congratulations on making the decision to go back to school. If you have been out of school for a while, it is a difficult decision to make and one that you know will take up an awful lot of your time in the future. Finding the best online college can be a challenge, so here are a few thoughts to help you evaluate your choices.

The first thing that you must know is that there are accredited colleges and there are those that are not. Sometimes it can be a little difficult to discern the difference, but suffice to say that you have to go to an accredited college. Although it may be tempting to get a degree from an unaccredited institution – primarily because it is cheaper and usually takes very little time – your degree won’t be worth the paper it is printed on.

Some people believe that online classes are easy and don’t take up much of your time, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you are going to a quality school, you will certainly be putting in the time at the computer. Make sure, when you choose the best online college for you, that you have the ability to set aside the time to take your classes or you may end up dropping classes, and wasting money late in the semester.

Finally, put some time into really thinking about your major. Although you may think of only applying at the best online college you can find, if they don’t have a major that interests you, then you may want to look elsewhere. Because school can be so expensive, even wasting the money on one course can be pricey. So, put the thought into your educational choices before you commit all your time and energy to one school.

Use Online College Courses to Supplement Live Courses

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When you are working towards your college degree, you want to do whatever you can to get the credit you need faster. Many people would love to take an extra class or two each semester to graduate earlier, but it often doesn’t seem possible with their schedules. Many students are juggling a work school and other activities and commitments as well, and there are quite simply only so many hours in the day when you can take live classes at your school. This is why you should consider taking online college courses to earn a few more college credit hours each semester.

For many college students, the traditional college hours when live courses are offered are busy and often even overloaded with classes, study groups, a part-time job, and other activities. The evening and weekend hours often are far less busy, and while this would be the perfect time to earn some extra college credit, the courses you need for your graduation requirements are rarely offered during these times. However, you can consider taking online college courses to earn extra credit hours and get the boost you need to graduate just a little earlier. These internet-based classes can be taken anytime day or night, so if you want to hop online and spend some time early Tuesday morning, Friday afternoon, or Sunday evening, you have the freedom to set your own schedule.

As a busy college student, you are eager to graduate and move on to the next stage of your life as a professional, working adult, but you don’t have the flexibility in your daytime schedule to take more hours than you already are taking. Online college courses are the perfect answer to earning a little extra credit in a way that conforms to your busy schedule. Spend some time today reviewing how an online class or two can help you earn extra credit today!

College Success – What Does it Take?

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College success is not as difficult for most young students as learning how to take on adult responsibilities. Letting go of adolescence and becoming an adult is more challenging according to Carl Pickardt, Psychologist and adolescent specialist. If you take responsibility for showing up to class regularly, turning papers and work in on time, and sacrificing some of the time spent with friends in favor of more study time, you have won half the battle for achieving college success. Being responsible for meeting the demands of college (ability to respond and step up to the plate) is one of the keys to college achievement.

You already have been using some of the higher level thinking skills needed to succeed in college. You use these skills when you solve your life problems and overcome obstacles. Your lack of success in college will not be because you are not smart enough. There are many different types of intelligence and my experience in working with hundreds of students has shown that practically every student is smart in one way or another. For more information on different types of intelligence other than IQ, you can read the theories of Howard Gardner (Multiple Intelligences), Robert Sternberg (Successful Intelligence) and Daniel Goleman (Emotional and Social Intelligence).

In addition to self-responsibility, there are three other factors you will need to succeed in college:

1. Learning how to learn and study skills — You need to learn how to learn effectively and the ways that you learn best. Most colleges offer at least one college success course which can teach you these skills. These courses also need to be taught to high school students, but sadly few high schools provide them. A good college success course will teach you: how to study and learn, reading comprehension strategies, your best learning styles and types of intelligences, how to set and reach your goals, time management, discovery of your talents and strengths, career exploration, writing skills, note taking, problem solving, and more.

2. Work Ethic — Good study and work habits will lead you to success in college and in the work force. Good study skills will only be effective if you apply them. They will be worthless to you if you do not use them.

3. Motivation — Without motivation you will not consistently use good study skills, work habits and your intelligence and potential. There are two types of motivation, the carrot (pleasure) and the stick (pain). When you use these together you will have a powerful motivational combination. Keep your long-range goals for achieving a college education in your mind’s eye. For example, let’s say you want a degree in secondary education to become a teacher. Visualize and imagine yourself as a teacher who is making a positive difference for your students. Enjoy the positive feelings that come when you see yourself as a great teacher. This is the carrot and a reminder of one of the benefits (pleasure) you will experience by achieving your goal. Also remind yourself of the stick (pain) or the consequences if you do not achieve your goal of completing a degree in secondary education. It can deprive you of becoming a teacher. Reminding yourself of the benefits and consequences will help you to stay motivated and persistent. Also break your long-range goals into small steps. Every step accomplished provides you with positive feedback and will increase your motivation to reach your long-range goals.

You can succeed in college, in your career, and in your life. Where to begin? Start with college success by taking responsibility, learning how to learn effectively and how you learn best, using good study skills and work habits, and by fueling your motivation to succeed. Use these four keys and you will open the door to college success and the gateway to your dreams.