On-line Universities and Degrees - Find the Right One for You
By: Katie Robbins

The first step to finding the right online university is to decidewhat degree you want. Do you want an undergraduate or graduate degree?Are you interested in a certificate program for work related study? Ifyou are returning to school for work, you may want to get feedback fromyour employer for this decision. List your long and short term careergoals to help you decide which degree will help you reach your goalsbest. Once you have decided on a major, you can start to researchdifferent schools.

Find out the requirements for admission intothe program. Each university has its own set of regulations. Allschools will want to see your transcripts from high school or college.Some will ask for test scores as well. Make sure you can meet theminimum requirements for admission before you apply. Gathering thenecessary documentation before beginning the application process willsave time later.

Distance education programs have different oncampus requirements. Some require that you come to campus a few timeseach semester, while others allow you to complete the entire program athome. Programs offered completely online are more difficult to find,depending on the degree you are seeking. Make sure you can commit tothe schedule required by the university. A program that requires you totravel to campus one or more times should be within driving distance ofyour home.

Find out if the school you will be attending isregionally accredited. Accreditation only matters when you needfinancial aid or plan to transfer the credits you receive to anotheruniversity. Some accept credits from schools that are regionallyaccredited, but others do not. Check with the college you plan onattending later to make sure the credits will transfer. If you aregetting your complete degree from the same school, accreditation maynot be important.

Another time accreditation may matter is if youare completing a degree that will require a state license. Degrees innursing, social work and education require licensing. Check with yourstate to make sure they will accept your degree for licensing. Somestates won't accept degrees from schools not recognized by the USDepartment of Education. Check with your school, state or Department ofeducation to find out if the college is recognized.

If you havecredits you want to transfer from another school, make sure the onlineuniversity you are considering will accept your credits. Have yourofficial transcripts sent to the school for an admissions counselor toreview. Ask about any restrictions the school has for transferringcredits. Most colleges won't accept more than fifty percent of thedegree requirements in transfer credits. Some have a limit on the timeyou can transfer credits, usually ten years.

Ask if theuniversity offers credit for job or life experience. If you haveextensive experience in the business world, some schools will give yousome college credits for this. You may be required to showdocumentation of your experience or be given an exam. The requirementsand number of credits offered varies by school, so be sure to ask.These credits can shorten the amount of time you need to spend inschool and can help get your degree faster.

Katie Robbins is theowner of degreeclick.com, a web resource where she regularly publishesinformative articles about online education. Some of the topics shecovers include online universities, education master degrees and health care degrees.

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