Distance Learning

Online educational opportunities abound in today's society. Distance learning, as it's called in the industry is soaring to new heights and giving more people an opportunity for an education. Going to college isn't the maze it used to be and is more accessible for today's busy lifestyle. Follow these simple steps and do your research and you too can write your own ticket to success!

1. Many colleges have online programs, but not all colleges are the same. Your research begins with finding accredited schools. Why is accreditation important and what does it mean? Accreditation is important for you, the student. Many training programs and schools are not accredited and may not be qualified to teach, rendering them useless to you. National or regional accreditation means that the school has been reviewed by the educational board, others in the field of online education such as; teachers and faculty of other colleges or universities. Once you've found an accredited institution, you must now research what programs they offer.

2. Most schools that are worth their salt will have enrollment counselors on hand to answer any and all of your questions. Find out what programs the school has to offer. Most online schools have certificate, associates, bachelors and masters programs in many different fields. If you have a general idea what you want to study, or if you're merely looking to brush-up on current skills, these schools can help.

3. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov In order to fill out the application, you'll need to have all of your income and asset documentation as well as your chosen school code, at the ready. The school code will be important for the federal government to determine if they can provide federal funding, such as the Pell grant, or Stafford loans. The application is several pages long, but self explanatory. If you're missing information, you can save the application and finish it later when you're prepared. During this process you'll have to list family members, household income, asset information and information pertaining to any other household members who are currently part-time or full-time students. The process is quick and the response time is only a few days. All of your information will be forwarded to the school you chose and a good school will assist you with the financial aid process. Once your financial aid has been determined and put into place, you'll set a date to start classes. You'll be well on your way to achieving your personal and professional educational goals! I have a few tips for you as you start your journey.

A. Be prepared to read. Set-up a learning schedule and stick to it. Juggling work, school and family can be a challenge so discipline is the key.

B. Find an area of your home where you can work without interruption. Outside noise, the sound of the television or just conversation can break your concentration. Let everyone in the household know, that your study time cannot be interrupted.

C. Don't just do the work, do it well. Valuable points can be lost for grammar, spelling, punctuation and just plain sloppiness. Your Word program is designed to help you write clean documents, so make use of the spell check button and the thesaurus.

D. Access all the resources your institution has to offer. Universities have an abundance of resources at your disposal such as; the library, workshops and discussion forums. There are even tutors to help you if you need it.

E. Have fun! Although it will be hard work, you will uncover talent you never knew you had. You may find out a thing or two about yourself and open up a new world of possibility.