Getting Started As An Online College Student

Getting Started As An Online College Student

Hi! If you’re here, you’re probably interested in being an online college student. I just went through the process of becoming an online student, after graduating with my Associate’s degree from a community college. There’s some stigma around online schools, but I’m here to tell you that going to an online school can be a great idea if it’s what you need.

Some of the benefits of being an online student are:

Ability to work around your schedule – Whether you work a full-time job or you’re a stay-at-home parent, it can be really useful to not have to block off specific hours of a day for a class. Online classes give you the freedom to work around your schedule. I find this super important for myself because I am currently pregnant and have many days where I am stuck in bed feeling awful or only have a short period during the day where I feel okay.

Ability to go to school virtually anywhere – This is why I decided to continue my education as an online student. My husband is in the military and we found out we were going to Europe. Since we moved to Germany, it’s been great to be able to go to an American college that’s super supportive of the fact that I live overseas. If you’re somebody who moves a lot for work or doesn’t have a school near them with their desired major.

Possibilities of saving money – From my research, I realized that a lot of classes are cheaper online than they are in person. You also aren’t limited to where you can live, so you don’t have to worry about paying for a dorm room or anything. You really can save money by going to school online.

When I decided that I wanted to go to school online, I thought about what I wanted to major in. I was originally going to go to a physical campus and study art history. But, when I thought about the fact that my husband and I may move a lot in our lives, I realized that something else may be a better path for me. I was already blogging and wanting to go down the path of social media as well, so I decided that I wanted to major in graphic design.

If you’re not sure about what to major in, there are resources to help you. You can also often start as an undecided or general studies major and decide later on what you want to study. After you decide on a program of study, think about the degree type. I personally already had an Associate’s degree, so I knew it was time for me to study for my Bachelor’s. If you have no degree, consider starting with an Associate’s degree and then decide if continuing is right for you. There are also certificate programs you can generally study as well.

After deciding on my major and my degree type, I started researching schools. Simple google searches like “top online schools for graphic design” or “online graphic design degree” were good enough to bring up some lists and reviews of schools for schools. When you’re researching schools, look for schools that are regionally accredited. These schools are usually better than nationally accredited schools because their credits tend to transfer better. Build a list of schools that you are interested in.

Next, start searching for interviews from faculty and students. Finding out about those who have also possibly graduated from that school and major is also a good idea, to see where that degree may take you. You can also reach out to the school and request information to understand the school better. Look into their average cost of tuition, fees, and cost of books. Don’t forget the fees, they can drive up the price a little bit for some schools. See which schools fit you as a possible student, your budget, and your career goals. This is also when I would start looking into filing for the FAFSA. This is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Not everybody qualifies for help, but you might. It never hurts to apply.

After you’ve decided on a school (or two) apply to them. There is often an application fee, so expect that. They differ depending on the school, but this is general information you can find before you apply. After you apply, now is the time to mostly wait. If you haven’t finished filling your FAFSA, this is the time to do it. On your FAFSA you can list all of the schools that you applied to. After you’ve filed your FAFSA, start looking into scholarships you qualify for. There are tons of scholarships out there for various types of people and majors.

After you’ve either been accepted or denied by the collages you’ve applied to. It’s time to pick the one you’ll attend. Once you’ve chosen a college, the specific college will have steps you need to do to enroll. Generally, you’re given an enrollment or academic adviser to help you through this process. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions, that is what they are there for. At this point, you just follow their process to get you enrolled in classes and get ready for those classes. They can help you find out what books you need and where to buy them from. If you’re needing to take out loans, your school’s financial department should be able to help you figure out what loans are best for you. I found a lot of help in both my enrollment adviser and the financial department of my school.

Eventually, it’ll be time for you to start classes! If you’re scared, don’t be. It might take some time to adjust, but you can do it! I recommend having some type of planner, whether it is digital or physical. This will help you keep track of your classes and assignments. You can also make sure you’re blocking off time in your days to do your classwork. No matter what, you have to believe that you can do it. You have to put in the effort and the time. But, I believe that anybody can do what they put their mind to.

I chose to go to Southern New Hampshire University, and they’ve been great. They’ve been super helpful and have answered my questions (no matter how specific they have been) and they’ve been understanding of the fact that I live overseas. It’s been wonderful. If you decide that online school is the best for you, I wish you luck and hope you enjoy it!