by Nicole Baptist

Created on: October 30, 2007

I am speaking from experience and I must say that the old cliche' rings true "if I knew then what I know now" comes to mind when I think about my online college experience. For some working adults, the prospect of going back to school in an effort to enhance their marketability to further their careers seems exciting and achievable until you begin to consider the demands of having a family or the work load you carry with your current employer. Others adults are trying to provide themselves better opportunities in life and yet still others want to obtain their degrees for personal satisfaction. Whatever your reason for returning to post-secondary education, the common obstacle is time and money I was at that cross-roads in my life and I can tell you that it was difficult to jump in head first and even more confusing when you find that there are a number of online colleges to choose from and all promise to help you reach your goal; however, they never tell you that you may have to do a lot more work than just what is required in the classroom setting nor do they tell how the classroom structure may become an obstacle within itself. I am not trying to dissuade you from getting your education but I do want you to be aware of some of the situations that may cross your path as you head down the road towards getting your college degree via the internet. I am going to do this in a four part segment, so are you ready? Here we go!

Many online educational institutions have wonderful enrollment counselors that know exactly what to say to make you interested in their school but make sure that you ask questions and I mean practical questions that will provide you the information that you need to make the best choice for you. I was so caught up in how wonderful the program was that I did not ask the most important questionshow long will it take (and not the standard brochure answer), how much will it costs and how many loans am I going to need to cover the tuition, are the classes as flexible as you claim they are? Please ask questions and if your enrollment counselor (this is usually the first person that you speak with) is not telling you the truth, you will know. They often divert the conversation back to you and how you are going to benefit from the education that you will receive. From my own experience, I was in a place in my life where I wanted to succeed and I knew that getting a college education was a step in the right direction for a better future for my family

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