Tips for Choosing a School

I’ve decided to take a break from the educational side of my postings and give you a little straight talk. Most of you, I’m coming to realize, are not really interested in the background that I have been giving you. In fact, as I have shared the content with friends and colleagues they seem to say: great information, but most people are simply not interested in all this stuff. They just want to know the quickest and easiest ways to get a college degree. So, the Online College Adviser is about to switch gears.

First of all, I have to say that I can’t do this in good conscience without warning you about something. Most people don’t go out there and make a major investment or purchase a big ticket item without doing any research. Most people wouldn’t even think about buying a new car without spending at least some time browsing the internet, talking to friends or coworkers, taking at least a few cars out for test drives. Am I right? Of course I’m right. That’s why I’m going to say right now that the same holds true for education, especially online education. You need to be willing to put the time in up front to make sure that you are going to be spending not only your hard-earned money but also your valuable TIME getting a degree that will truly help you move forward in your life and your career.

Remember this important fact: Not all degrees are created equal.

My last post talked all about accreditation. This is very important when it comes to choosing a degree, just like checking a car’s safety ratings or checking into the car maker’s past performance to know whether you are getting a quality vehicle or a lemon that’s going to cost to lots in repairs down the line. Believe it or not, choosing a school and a degree program is very similar to choosing a car. And the school’s reputation is a big deal, especially in certain fields. By and large, a degree from a regionally accredited school is held in higher regard and is better trusted than those from nationally accredited schools. So why pay the same or even more for a degree that might actually hinder you in the future? It just doesn’t make sense.

Now, I said that I would try to keep things simple, so here are some tips to keep in mind as you prepare to choose your school.

1. Check the accreditation. Not to beat a dead horse, but I would say that this is the most important thing to know when you’re choosing your school or program.

2. Check the reputation. Does the school keep its promises to students? Are you going to be able to get the classes you need when you need them? Do students graduate in a timely manner? Are there academic advisers and other student support services to help you through the degree?

3. Availability of financial aid. Does the school have federally funded aid available in the way of student grants or loans? Are there scholarships available? Are there private loans available? Is there an option to set up a payment plan and spread the payments out over time? You have to figure out how to pay for this degree. (More about this in another post.)

4. Accessibility of courses. By this I mean, will you be able to actually fit the classes into your schedule? Do you live close enough to the college or university so that you will be able to commute and attend classes physically? If you plan to take courses online, do you have a reliable high-speed internet connection and a fairly new computer that can handle the online course delivery software? Do the online courses require you to log on at a specific time, or can you log in as your schedule permits as long as you are meeting the assignment deadlines?

5. Personal fit. Can you arrange for childcare or make adjustments to your work schedule to be able to accommodate this new pursuit into your schedule? The online classes and degrees tend to offer maximum flexibility, but for some people the in-class experience is vital to their learning. You have to make sure that the program you choose fits both your learning style and your life style.

One thing I am going to start to do is to highlight one of the resources on my page. I was leaving it open-ended before so that you could look around and see what is of interest for you. People come to this site looking for certificate programs, associate degree programs, bachelor and master’s degree programs, and I don’t want to steer anyone away from potentially helpful information. But since the initial feedback I’ve been getting is that people are feeling lost and overwhelmed, hopefully this will help you as well.

So, the link spotlight of this post is www.EducationDegreeSource.com. You'll find it on the Online College Adviser's resource website. They have a really nice breakdown of different types of degrees. Their website also organizes things into different areas of study. Lastly their resource section is really informative. There is a good FAQ section and lots of important tips to consider.

The Online College Adviser is always on the lookout for good resources about going back to school, whether it is an online college program or a more traditional one. If you have found something that is particularly helpful, please leave a comment and let me know about it.

Onward and upward!

Look for my next post: All About College Degrees