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Information for the Press and Media

For Immediate Release

Beyond the Books: What Every Non-Traditional Student Must Have Before Going Back to School

Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) July 17, 2007 — August is just around the corner with another school year about to begin. As millions of kids return to school, thousands of parents are considering doing the same and are considering taking classes online. According to new research by eLearners.com, six out of ten Americans say that if they had to go back to school at some point, they'd be interested in doing it online.

Right now more than 1.6 million students are currently enrolled in programs that are 100 percent online. "An online degree is perfect for busy parents trying to balance work, family and leisure," said Andrew Gansler, CEO of eLearners.com. "By going to school online they don't have to miss out on dinner with their family because they are driving to class and they can be home to tuck their kids in at night."

eLearners.com connects prospective students with online learning providers and offers a wealth of information about making the transition back to school, including the Guide to Online Education and the Debt-Free College Guide. eLearners.com also offers advice about what every student must have before going back to school.

Support from Loved Ones — To do your best academically, you need to have the backing of those closest to you. Make sure to talk about the impact of going to school and how things might be different around the house: increased chores for kids; rotating meal preparation responsibilities; guaranteed quiet time to study in the evenings, etc.

Employer's "Buy-In" — Believe it or not, you will also want to have backing from your employer as well. Don't assume you are free to use your work laptop to respond to a discussion question for your class. How will your manager react if you spend your lunch hour catching up on a paper with an approaching deadline?

A Plan — The general rule of thumb is that a three credit college course will require, on average, ten to twelve hours per week. If studying online, the hype of "Online education 24/7 — on your time, at your schedule!" is exciting, but you must consider the actual consequences of squeezing school-related duties into your life. Will you still have time for a five o'clock racquetball match or your monthly Book Club get-together? Closely examine your schedule and responsibilities and identify what you are willing to sacrifice in the short-term to achieve a long-term goal.

A "Home Classroom" — A separate space for your class will help you concentrate and stay organized. This area should be designated only for academic work and test taking. Keep it clutter-free and comfortable. A room designated for studying will help you focus and stay on task.

Financial Aid — In 2004, 35 percent of undergraduate students borrowed money for college. eLearners.com offers the "Debt-Free College Guide", a state-by-state listing of ways to escape the crushing burden of student loans. The guide is the most comprehensive database for loan forgiveness programs on the Internet. The guide provides a complete database, with more than 500 financing options including grants, scholarships, tax incentives and loan forgiveness programs.

"As parents consider returning to school they often turn to eLearners.com to help answer their questions about online learning," continued Gansler. "The Internet offers a new world in education and we are proud to offer people accredited options and in-depth resources."

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About EducationDynamics

EducationDynamics, LLC, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is a leading interactive marketing and information services company focused on helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Home to some of the most visible education Web sites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, and StudyAbroad.com, EducationDynamics is one of the leading providers of qualified leads for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered products and services to manage a school's relationship with students across their entire life cycle from inquiry through enrollment to retention. For more information on EducationDynamics, please visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.

About eLearners.com®

The eLearners.com Web site is one of several high visibility, high-quality prospecting tools offered by EducationDynamics, LLC. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners® provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities, the eLearners.com Web site offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit www.elearners.com.

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