Guide to Online Education > Online Education In-Depth > Meet Real Online Students > Angela, M.A. in Liberal Studies
She has had to be very disciplined. One would think that in a city like New York, the cultural and entertainment opportunities would be the biggest threats to her concentration.
Name: Angela Lipman
Age: 18
Career Goal: To work in print journalism
First College Class: A summer course taken at the age of 11
School: Excelsior College
Target: M.A. Liberal Studies, April 2007
But, she shares at least one thing in common with most teenagers. "The major distraction is television," she says.
With courses ending every three weeks, there is no time to procrastinate. To make sure it all gets done she puts schoolwork first.
"Every morning I start up the computer. It’s not the first thing I do," she admits. "I watch the news; I eat breakfast." But then she gets down to business. As with anything, starting is often the hardest part. "I just get to the site."
"I try to work on it [coursework] every day," she explains. "I prefer doing the readings to actually posting."
"[The] biggest challenge is writing papers in what, to me, is a short period of time," she confides. Still, even with the compressed schedule she appreciates the benefits of an online education. "I don’t have to leave home to go to school."
Angela considered attending a brick and mortar school after receiving her bachelor’s degree. She applied to Hunter College, but was not accepted.
If distance education had not been an option, she says she would have tried to find another college close to home where she could have earned her master’s degree.
Though she will complete her third degree this spring, her plans for the future include more school. She plans to take courses, at other colleges, "that I’m interested in but haven’t gotten around to." It is important to her to complete her degrees before she enters the labor force. Ultimately she feels that her unique background will prepare her for a possible career in print journalism.
The eLearning veteran has this piece of advice to those just starting out, "be persistent."
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