How to Prepare for Your Online Program
Beginning an online degree program is a significant investment of time and energy. It is critical that you begin planning now for the journey to ensure you complete your degree on time and on budget. Here are some tips to consider before you begin classes:
- Carve Out Time – One of the most significant benefits of choosing an online option to earn your degree is that it typically melds better with your other life priorities than a traditional daytime college schedule. With that said, an online degree is something you need to plan your schedule around to ensure you will be successful. Are there any specific nights you will need to be available for live class sessions or advisor meetings? On what days do your regular assignment due dates fall? Do you need childcare during certain times of the week so you can focus? Is there any current commitment you need to give up while you complete your degree? These are all excellent questions to ask and identify solutions to before you sign up for that first course.
- Identify Your Support Structure – Who around you knows about your plans to earn your degree? Who is going to encourage you and support you when you struggle? Who will provide childcare or meet other needs to keep your stress level down while you focus on school? It is best to bring those individuals into the conversation now so you know that your strong support structure will sustain you throughout your degree program. This support structure can be any combination of family, friends, and coworkers. Many online degrees require challenges of time and commitment that will not arise until deep into the process, and you want to be ready to take on those challenges.
- Find Space to Study – The convenience of online degree programs is that they can be completed from anywhere, but where you choose to study matters. You want to find the environment where you will be most productive. Some individuals can simply block out the world anywhere they are and focus on the task at hand. But most people need a dedicated space to study away from where they relax. Is there a space in your home to make a designated study space? Do you need to seek out a study room at the local library? Can you stay late in the office for a few hours and set work aside to complete your studies? Have this plan in place and inform your support structure before you attend your first course.
- Know Your Motivation – The last tip on this list is the most critical: Know your purpose and motivation behind beginning your degree program and commit to it. Write it down somewhere and share it with your support structure. When you hit a rough course and just cannot understand the material, you will need to remind yourself why you began this journey. When you miss out on a family or social event because a paper is due, you will need to remind yourself of the end goal that completing the degree will bring. Many people who fail to complete a college degree do so not because they are incapable of understanding the material but because they lose sight of their goals when times are trying.
Best of luck on this journey, and take time to celebrate at graduation, knowing you laid a solid foundation for success! Learn more about Huntington University’s online programs at huntington.edu/Online.
