Here at eLearners.com we're dedicated to teaching you how to succeed in college online. This means matching you with the perfect program for you. So, we've assembled our best tips to help you reach confidently toward your goals while pursuing your online degree.
1) First Things First - make sure the program you enter has solid accreditation
Accreditation is a process conducted by an outside authority to ensure that a school and degree program meet certain standards of quality and rigor. You can study how to do well in college as much as you want, but if you're not with an accredited school, you're short changing yourself and your education.
Legitimate online degree programs are accredited by agencies recognized by either the Department of Education or the nonprofit Council for Higher Education Accreditation, known as CHEA.
Online learners in particular need to make sure their degree program has accreditation, says Judith Eaton, president of CHEA. Institutional accreditation applies to the entire university, while programmatic or "specialized" accreditation focuses on particular degrees, departments or schools – including those offered as online programs. (a)
2) Time Management Is Crucial
Given that 70% of college students work while enrolled, managing your time matters. Let's take a few tips from the Harvard Business Review (c) as an overall guide.how to be successful and how to study in college
Prioritize and Sequence your work.
In other words, get an overall picture of what you need to do within a chosen time frame and break it down intomanageable chunks starting with what's most important.
Strategize the Order of tasks.
Start with the job that requires the most concentration, as it will likely wane over the course of time. Then give it your undivided attention for as long as possible. Shifting focus can waste energy.
Protect Your Time and Space.
Give yourself an environment that allows focus. Turn off the phone and TV. Close the door. Tell your roommate and buddies you're out of bounds. Then be out of bounds. Batman cave yourself. This is how to get good grades!
3) Follow Through - Complete Each Goal Along the Way
The final goal for most online students is likely a degree. But there are many smaller goals during enrollment. It's easy to get lost in those woods along the way. The best method to get there is to just keep going with completing each task and goal as you continue forward. Consider it a timeline or checklist of your achievements as you step up each stair to success.
A Harvard Business Review article entitled "Your problem Isn't motivation" gets right to this. Stop thinking about what you need to do, the article advises. Don’t allow for the debate and just get the job done. Decide on your goal and ignore all the distracting thoughts that come along while you work at it. Keep your eye on the prize and execute on it. This is commitment and leads to accomplishment. Look at it as a contract you have with yourself. Each little agreement can eventually lead to that final finish line.
So Do You Know How to Do Well in College?
Here at eLearners.com we hope these tips help to inspire you on your path to a degree. There are many more resources on our site as well as free and fast matches to the perfect degree program for you. Just click around to take that first step today.