Free Training, Courtesy Of The Internet!

The Internet is certainly a path that leads to a place of magic in so many
ways! You can apply for jobs, find information, interact with your friends and
of course apply for a college course online. However, as far as the latter is
concerned, you would have to pay to learn, as you if you decided to attend
college on a campus somewhere. If you employer is providing training for you
though, for whatever reason, they may actually provide it for you free of
charge online.

Computer based training has been around for years now, but it has only been in
the last few years that companies have tapped into the fact that they can also
make the Internet work for them too. Large companies now use this to set up
initiative and training programs that all branches or agents around the world
can tap into and use to ensure that all standards are being adhered to
throughout the company. It may be that individuals want a new skill or there
has been a new challenge set for all employees. New legislation may have been
brought in that everyone has to be aware of and there is no better way to bring
it into being within the company than introducing a free course and setting an
initiative for everyone to encourage them to take it.

It works both ways though because individuals can actually request specialist
training from their company. This is usually done via a request network that is
filtered through the training section of a company or the head office if the
company is not yet big enough to have a specialist training facility at its
disposal. Most companies are open to suggestions because they like to keep
employees happy and provide the facilities for them to advance the business.

Free online courses may focus on a certain area of the business or new general
skills that all employees should actually have to begin with but, for whatever
reason, have not actually developed them yet. There is a number of ways in
which these skills can be found wanting, but the most effective is perhaps the
emotional intelligence test. Many employers are offering assessments in terms
of emotional intelligence. The results may highlight areas of the psyche that
need further development, such as social collaboration skills and stress
management. These skills can be useful in the workplace, but they can also be
extremely effective in life in general.

Emotional intelligence can take care of the mind, but there should also be
tests to take care of your practical skills as well. For example, if you are in
administration or human resources, there may be a new form for software
available for you to get training on. Asking your employer to provide a course
online for free would infinitely make you more desirable in terms of
employability and would also go some way to making your indispensable within
your department.

If any free online courses are provided then employees are well advised to take
advantage of them. Very few employers actually offer access to training that
could build a bigger and better career for you in the future so you can
actually move onwards and upwards. Learning new skills can be an absolute
blessing in terms of you personal development, especially when you do not have
to pay for them yourself!

Is An Online Degree Right for You?

It is a well-known fact that online degrees are not for everyone. It takes a
lot of strong qualities to make a dedicated student, but it takes even more
qualities to make a dedicated online student. Placing your own destiny firmly
in your own hands can be a risk, especially if you are not fully aware of what
it entails. However, a little research can enlighten you, but also make the
prospect of studying alone even more daunting than it ever seemed before. This
will not put the majority of individuals that really want to take an online
course or program, but it is essential to be sure before you follow the online
education route. As a result, here is a list of the most desirable qualities
that any good online student will need in abundance!

Patience -- Every academic needs a degree of patience because knowledge never
comes easily. It has to be worked on, but this is even more prominent in those
choosing to complete their education online. What if you cannot find the one
text you need to complete an assignment? In a library, you can trawl through
the shelves in search, but after a couple of hours searching online then I
guarantee that you will almost certainly want to give up. It would be so
tempting to go into the kitchen or watch a DVD, but you cannot. You have to be
patient. It may also take a while longer to learn things than campus-based
students find it during the course of their education because you do not have
someone there to help you.

Initiative -- You need to be able to motivate yourself enough to work of your
own accord. There will be nobody watching over your should or reminding you of
upcoming deadlines. You have to remember them and work towards your degree or
qualification in your own time. There is no way to get around this fact. What
happens if something comes up and you are a few days behind schedule? Do you
just give up, or do you push on regardless?

Desire -- You have to want to word. You have to desire your ultimate goal of a
decent education. You have to want to earn yourself and your family a better
life. This may be hard to achieve if you are not too sure where you are going
in life, so it is best to have some sort of goal in mind before you begin.

Organisation- This is one of the most important qualities an online education
student could ever have. If you are not highly organised then you are likely to
forget deadlines, lose information and may never actually complete your degree.
This level of organization is imperative for online students because you have
to be able to organize your education around your life. If this seems
impossible then the online education offered may not be for you.

Determination -- Finally, you have to be determined to make it through to the
other side. The day your degree transcript drops on your mat will be the
happiest day of your life if you have been determined to reach your goal.
However, you will need to channel that determination because you have to use it
every day to keep going, even when you lose interest. It is not impossible to
complete an online degree with out an element of determination, but without it
the degree may take the rest of your natural life to finish!

Making The Right Choice: Choosing An Online Education Institution

It can be extremely confusing trying to choose an institution to complete a
degree. You have to weigh up the pros and cons of each individual institution
before actually looking at the courses if you choose to investigate the
institution or provider first. However, if you choose to look at online schools
as a result of personal circumstance or personal choice then it can actually
prove to be even more daunting because there are literally hundreds of online
institutions out there to choose from! Many of those are legitimate online
institutions with an impressive history behind them as well as a range of
courses that can only be described as impressive.

There is major demand at the moment for online education and training, and it
is no wonder considering the amount of people that online education opens up
the field for now. However, it can be worrying to look at all of the school
options and wonder which ones are legitimate and which ones are not. It is not
as easy to distinguish between the two unless you investigate their histories.
However, there are certain schools that you can depend on to be legitimate and
well worth the money that you would pay them to enable you to complete your
chosen qualification. Six of them are listed below to give you a head start in
the research stakes:

American Intercontinental University Online -- AIU has a reputation for being a
fast track university in that it allows students to complete a degree as quickly
or as slowly as he or she would want to. The courses are very comprehensive and
can actually give you a great amount of knowledge in a short time. This is
perfect for you if you want to get your career up and running as soon as
possible. The education content programs here are fantastic, as are the
business ones.

University of Phoenix -- The University of Phoenix is perhaps the most popular
online school out there at the moment. It specializes in tailoring programs to
suit the individual wants and needs of its students. It also gives students a
comprehensive base to work from as far as a career is concerned.

Strayer University Online -- Strayer is renowned for its flexibility because it
was purposely set up to accommodate working individuals and parents who may not
have as much time as anyone else to complete an academic qualification. Classes
are delivered over the Internet in real time so any individual can participate
as and when he or she likes. There is a very personal feeling surrounding this
particular university and that just adds to the appeal.

DeVry University Online -- Aimed at graduates looking to take a postgraduate
qualification, DeVry allows a degree of flexibility too because the majority of
students will in fact be working as well as completing the program offered. It
is one of the most successful online universities out there because it is very
understanding and can really help individuals get to grips with the course
materials.

Capella University -- Capella is aimed at both postgraduates and undergraduates
and can specializes in the more practical of degrees such as technology,
education and business. It is extremely flexible and known for its excellent
communication with students.

The Art Institute Online -- The name says it all! The Art Institute offers a
range of programs at a range of level for the more creative individuals amongst
us! Established professional and those wanting to embark upon a new career are
welcome!

The six listed above are basically only the tips of the iceberg. There are
literally hundreds more to choose from with equally good credentials. However,
regardless of the university that you choose to enrol at, you should always
make sure that they are who they say they are because the research you do will
give you peace of mind to last you through the years!

Getting Started: Applying For An Online Education

Anyone who has ever applied to go to college or university will tell you that
it can be a lengthy process. It can actually take weeks to fill in all the
forms, seek out the recommendations that you need and ensure that you have all
bases covered before you actually send it off. It can also be extremely
complex, and this is then also compounded by the fact that it will take quite a
while for the admissions department to read through it once it gets there! This
whole process can be really agonising as a result of the wait, but even more so
if you know that you have got something wrong on the application in the first
place!

The way in which you apply for an online degree is completely dependent on the
university of college in question because there are different methods of
application. With some, you can apply online but with others you would have to
fill in a paper copy but could then enrol online. Unfortunately, most
institutions do not actually give you the choice of both. If they did, it would
be completely up to you as to how you applied. However, be aware of he
logistical problems that you may have with both types of application.

Some Internet applications have to be filled out at one time and an individuals
cannot fill in parts of it, save it and then go back to complete it at another
time. However, with a paper application, you have the worry that it will get
lost in the post, or that you will have missed out a section and yet have no
way to check either way! Always keep a copy of the application form for
yourself regardless of your method of application!

Of course, simply filling in the application form is the easy part, it is all
of the other details and issues concerned with applying that often provide more
concern than anything else. The first issue is that of accreditation and making
sure that your application will be judged on merit, and not just the fact that
you are willing to pay money to get into the university to begin with!
Unfortunately this is an issue with all online universities in general.
Although they have to be certain about your identity, you should also be
completely sure of theirs before you actually apply.

There are several actual steps associated with online degree applications. The
first is making sure that all areas of the application form are filled out and
the second is making sure that all of the necessary information is included in
them in the first place. If you do need help filling out the application form,
then there are careers services that will help and give you advice if need be.
You could also call the university or college itself if you have any questions
to ask because they would most probably be able to clarify any points you have
to make as well as answer any queries.

The most important thing with an online or paper application for an online
school though, is making sure that you meet the deadline. A lot of universities
will, simply discard you application if it is so much as a day later than it
should be so it is completely necessary to ensure that it gets to the right
people on time!

Emotional Intelligence: The Online Training For The Future Of Business

Emotional intelligence is the way forward for business, or so it seems
considering every individual major national and global company seems to be
jumping on the bandwagon. More important than education at the moment, the
concept of emotional intelligence has been around since Charles Darwin first
invented and commented on the term in 1872. However, it was not until Daniel
Goleman published several articles on its uses in business that the concept of
online emotional intelligence surveys caught on. Today, if you work for a large
company the likelihood is that you will be confronted with an emotional
intelligence survey and consequent training at some stage.

Emotional intelligence is completely different to intellectual intelligence in
that I relates to your own self-awareness. To be emotionally intelligence, you
should be firmly in control of your emotions as a result of your own
self-awareness as well as being sensitive enough to pick up on the moods of
others. Intellectually intelligence relates directly to your academic and
technical thoughts and abilities. As a result, they are completely the opposite.

To be emotionally intelligent, you do not have to be intellectually
intelligent. In fact, research has found that individuals with exceptionally
high intellectual intelligence levels are far more socially inept than
individuals of average intelligence and thus have a low emotional intelligence
score. However, the results are calculated on an individual basis via a survey.

Businesses have started to use emotional intelligence surveys to identify
training needs and the weak links in a team in the hope that identifying them
and reacting accordingly will actually make the workplace more harmonious and
productive. Although it does not always work like that, the survey does go some
way to helping! However, this only applies if all individuals answer honestly
instead of answering in the manner that they believe the company wants them to
answer.

Everybody can benefit from emotional intelligence surveys and training. The
training associated with the survey can really highlight problematic areas and
attempt to solve them through team building days and training courses. The way
we all relate to people can reflect on the individual business and attract
consumers as well as repel them. This obviously has a major impact on the
individual business and can make or break it, which is why all employees should
be assessed on a regular basis.

The surveys are often conducted online and the results are returned online. As
a result, more and more businesses are actually formulating online computer
based training events that can enable an employee to connect with his or her
co-workers. Online training is easier to administer, keeps costs down and can
enable employees to track their progress to ensure that they are actually
benefiting from training. They can also then feedback on the nature of the
training so that their opinions can help to formulate the next training tasks.

In terms of employees stressing about an emotional intelligence survey or
assessment, it is possible to actually improve a score and so the first few
results should pose no immediate concern, as long as the results do improve on
a consistent basis.

Emotional intelligence training is the ultimate in online training activities
and the various types available are now amongst the most popular surveys and
training programs requested every year. Of all the people that undergo some
sort of training, the highest percentage actually participate in emotional
intelligence based training. As a result, every individual should attempt to
learn a little bit about it all in preparation.

The Online Education And Making It Work For You

The online education is a fantastic concept that has allowed the advent of the
Internet to take education to the masses. This is fantastic in the fact that
people that never expected to receive a degree can now get one regardless of
social background, individual circumstance and income. The system has become a
lot fairer as a result because those individuals that do have the talent and
the ability can now get their lives and careers on track as a result. However,
there are a lot of issues and elements of the online education that are
involved and may actually hinder personal development and cause a lot of
stress. Time management is one of the main problems, although personal
circumstance and accessibility may be others. It is all about making it work
for you.

Making an online education work for you is fundamentally essential if an
individual actually wants to benefit and use the degree in life to obtain a
better station or more comfortable platform for his or her family to live on.
There are many ways and means of making it work for an individual but that is
completely up to the individual his or herself. It is all about finding the
right balance for you!

If you need to fit studying around an already existing job then it can be
difficult to find the time, especially when it is put against individual
circumstances such as managing a family, looking after elderly relatives or
fitting it in alongside two other jobs. In order to complete an online
education, you do have to be committed in the first place but this will
actually test it to the limits. Finding the time to fit it in may be a pain but
it would have to be scheduled. For example, you could actually go to the library
on your way to work three mornings a week, or on the way home. As previously
stated, it is all about finding the right balance for the individual and this
can easily be done as soon as a routine is established.

The secret to making an online degree or education work is all about wanting to
do it. If you do not want or need to do it then the likelihood is that you will
quickly become bored and finish it before it has even got started. This would
have been a waste of money. The majority of individuals who do take online
courses do want to complete them and often need to in order to advance their 
career. This is the secret for making the degree work for you. It may be worth 
writing down the reasons why you are doing it in a notebook to look at whenever 
you are feeling complacent and on the verge of not bothering any more. It could 
work as a little motivational tool without you feeling the need to go to someone 
and talk.

One of the major things involved with an online course is the ability to work
on your own. This is necessary as a result of the nature of the course, thus
meaning you have to make it work for you. Nobody else will do that for you. You
have to do it yourself. You must have motivation and drive because you will
otherwise end up wasting time and money on something that was beyond you.
Personal determination will see you through as long as you give it every chance
to do so!

The Employer And Your Online Degree

There is only one reason why individuals opt to take online degrees and it is
not because they just want something to do. Individuals opting to take a degree
online will only do so if they want to better themselves or change career and
have something preventing them from going back to a campus school full time.
They may have family to look after, they may have to work full time as well as
studying, or they may have a busy life that they cannot cut back on to go back
to school. Whatever the reason, an online degree can help individuals get to
where they want to go. However, it can only do so if an employer does not
question the fact that they have an online degree.

Online education is still a hot topic amongst employers for a number of
reasons. Many employers welcome online educational qualifications because they
recognise the fact that the individuals that do train online have vital
qualities that the competition may not have and that they are also trained to
the same level as anyone completing a campus course. However, there are still
some traditionalist employers out there who will still question the fact that
the individuals did not sit in a classroom for three or four years. For some
reason, those employers do not perceive an online degree as of value.

However, these employers are few and far between now purely and simply because
the online degree graduates are filling jobs that may never have otherwise been
filled. They are responding to the demand and helping the country to run much
more smoothly than it has done in a long time. In truth, online college degrees
and technical qualifications have revolutionized the way that the world of
education and the world of industry work. Although attitudes are changing,
nobody taking an online degree should expect not to be challenged when it is
presented in a resume or in a job interview because it will most likely still
be a topic of discussion.

Attending a campus institution makes the degree easily identifiable and easy to
track in terms of what the candidate has indeed completed and what was left
outstanding. Online degrees are not as easy to trace and can prove to be quite
difficult to substantiate too. However, they both tend to have the same amount
of work involved with the latter providing far more useful personal qualities
that the latter in terms of working off one's own initiative and time
management skills. Whilst that is not to discredit campus graduates, these are
qualities that can be pointed out in an interview to try and help a candidate's
claim to a job!

An employer is well within his or her right to check up on an educational
background and may indeed be wary of individuals with online qualifications
from universities and colleges that are less well known because of the amount
of faking agencies out there. If an individual attended a local online
university instead of the University of Phoenix or Capella University then an
employer will be sceptical until everything actually checks out. It may even
put them off hiring you. This is just because of the healthy suspicion that
still lingers over the online degree, and with good reason. However, the larger
online universities are well-known enough by now to need no explanation. The one
question a potential employer will always ask though is why the candidate chose
to take an online degree instead of a campus course. This is a question that
you always need to be ready for and have a good answer prepared.

No matter how well you try to prepare for an interview, you can never count on
which way an employer will go or indeed what view of an online degree he or she
will take so you need to have answers prepared for every eventuality. Trying to
predict the reaction will often land you in more trouble in terms of answers
and justifications than assuming the worst. Always assuming the worst is the
best advice that you could take because you are then prepared for anything. If
you are confident and put faith in your degree, providing evidence to
substantiate the fact that it is real, it should no longer hold you back!

The Army And Online Education

The armed forces are extremely important to every country. In order to survive
and prosper, we need brave and courageous individuals that are prepared to
fight for their country and preserve our way of life. However, although they
appear to be heroes, we often neglect them in terms of their own futures when
they do retire from the army in the years to come. Some army training
facilities incorporate an education for individuals signing up, but the
majority of them do not. This is where online education often comes in handy!

Online education has opened up an equal possibility for everyone to learn what
he or she wants and when he or she wants. It has enabled a high percentage of
individuals that thought they would never get the same opportunities as
everyone else to learn the same subjects and skills that everyone attending
university does every day. Education is far more accessible and that actually
included individuals in the army. Online opportunities are vast for the
military personnel that do want to advance themselves and yet do not have the
time because they have an amazingly vital function to serve for this country.
They have as much right as anyone else to an education, if not more so, and
thus it is about time that they had the opportunity to prove that they are as
worthy of a college degree as everyone else!

The majority of online schools do accept applications from military personnel
and some actually prioritise them to ensure that there are enough places on any
given course for them to be able to do it when they like. Distance learning in
the form of an online education is perfect for the military because it gives
them chance to do the work as and when they like instead of having to stick to
a set routine, which the majority of them are actually unable to do. The
military actually encourages its personnel who do want to get a degree to
pursue that dream if they can because it helps to lay the foundations of a
post-military career and may also make them more complete individuals if they
can apply their education in various situations that they may be faced with.

It was found that online learning opportunities were popular with army
personnel some time ago and, as a result, the military has actually established
its own online educational institution that allows individuals to take a degree
or other course if they so wish. AMU (American Military University) has proved
to be incredibly popular in the years since it has been established. It is no
wonder when you look at the sheer range of courses that it now offers military
students! No matter what an individual's needs and interests, there is a course
that can cater for them out there. In fact AMU's course offerings include
literally everything from space studies to general studies and English
literature, as well as everything else in between. It is impossible for an
individual not to find what he or she is looking for. There are also various
levels available. You could choose from an associate degree, a bachelor degree
and a Masters degree too!

The great thing about AMU is that the fees structure is extremely flexible and
can actually enable many recruits to afford an education out of their pay. The 
general arrangement is a pay as you go arrangement so most military personnel
simply pay for what they do every semester rather than having all manner of 
fees charged to them. It is an excellent way to learn because they are not then
financially stretched, which would add a degree of stress to the proceedings
that they cannot afford to be burdened with on top of their military duties.

All in all, online education has revolutionized the way that the military can
interact with educational institutions and this can only help our servicemen
and women. After all, who would begrudge them the ability to look after their
families?

Studying for Your Online Practical Course

It may come as a surprise to some individuals that you can actually study
online for a practical degree just as well as an academic qualification.
Critics of the system do not like the fact that online colleges offer practical
courses and degrees because they believe that it devalues the professions, such
as engineering and plumbing, that need practical experience as well as
theoretical knowledge. However, online courses can offer just as much value, if
not more than attendance based courses for a variety of reasons.

The first reason that an online course can be of more value than an actual
attendance course is because the theory side of the professional qualification
is given far more time and consideration by the students. If an individual is
looking forward to doing the practical then he or she may not concentrate in
class, but by being forced to learn the theory and complete various assignments
on it before being even allowed to touch the practical side of things then they
are much more likely to actually take the information in and thus be able to
use it in a professional situation.

The second is that the individual can do it in his or her own time rather than
sticking to a class schedule. Although this may be viewed as a disadvantage by
some individuals within the profession in question, it is not in this case
because it gives the individual time to take all of the information in and
think logically about it. He or she would have to get the theory process in
order to be able to use it in a real life situation and giving him or her time
to study it is the only way that this is entirely possible.

Practical degrees can take a variety of forms as well so if you are looking to
study for a practical degree then you can choose the best one for you. It may
be that the course materials are sent to you and you simply communicate online.
It may be that you have to fully work online in a class-based environment with
other students. It may be that you have to complete assignments online but the
course materials are left for you to work through in your own time. Finally, it
may be a semester based set up where you work online as you would if you were
actually attending a university or college. If any of those options sound more
appealing to you than others then that is what you should look for in terms of
course content and makeup.

Practical online degrees do have to have a placement as well to ensure that
they are indeed valuable for an individual to complete. As it is an online
degree then the likelihood is that you will be able to choose your own
placement in and around your local area. However, some online degree providers
do insist that you should attend their own placement areas. For example, an
online college offering a nursing degree may have links with certain hospitals
local to them. If they do then you will have to travel to complete the
placement, and this is not optional. If you want to complete the degree then
you will have to go at some stage, but when may be up to you. If this is
inconvenient or not possible then you could look elsewhere for a degree, but it
is something that you should know about in advance before applying.

Online practical courses and degrees do have a distinct value in the workplace.
They can help bring staffing levels up if they happen to be low in a certain
professions, which would also improve the workings of the country no end.
However, make sure that you have selected the right practical course for you
before applying. They vary greatly and will not suit everyone, so be aware of
that in advance!

Your Life Schedule And Online Education

A life schedule is an amazing tool to have at your disposal. It does not
require any financial outlay or any special effort because you create your own
based on the circumstances of your life at any give time. A life schedule is a
very important tool for any individual trying to manage several elements of
their life and feel that they do not have enough hours in the day. If you find
yourself constantly juggling a family, employment and any number of elements,
you can create one to try and organize your life. In fact, it works like any
other timetable. You can have day to day planning, but with a difference. You
put completion dates of tasks on there as well. You could, for example, put
your children reaching the age of eighteen on there, or your planned
retirement. You just have to make sure that it displays the goals because you
are actually planning for peace and quiet and time to yourself.

Online education can most definitely fit into any given life schedule and
enhance it because it symbolises doing something for yourself. An online
education can give your future a lift in more ways than one. It can open you up
to career progression and thus a pay raise as well as improving your own skills
and ensuring that you fulfil your potential. You can add this into your life
schedule and plan it around your existing commitments by using the daily
planner and then put your graduation date into it as a target completion.

Getting an online education can enhance your prospects infinitely as well as
giving you time away from life in general to recuperate. Completing an online
degree can be a lot of work, but can give you something else to work for and
can exercise a brain that has lay dormant for years because of the hectic
nature of being a mother or father, or doing the same thing day in day out in a
job that you neither love nor hate. You realise that it is just there as a
source of income and you just go because you need to earn to live.

If any of that sounds familiar then you really should take a look at your
online education options. There are so many courses out there that can serve a
purpose, and it does not have to be a degree, as is commonly thought. There are
so many individual online courses out there that only last for a month or so if
you only want a short-term break and to do something for yourself. For example,
you could try beginners' creative writing or take a course in some sort of
computer related subject. You could learn how to make the most of email or
learn code. Whatever the topic, and however long the course lasts for, you can
plan it into your life schedule as your me time. It gives you an excuse to get
away from everything else life has to throw at you and that can never be a bad
thing.

Online education can allow you to shrug off the stresses and strains of modern
day life and do something or yourself. It is worth it for that alone. Some of
the course may actually be free or available at a minimal cost. They do get
more expensive when you choose academic subjects or choose courses that last
for more than a couple of months. However, if you are choosing something that
may take years to complete, make sure that the dedication is there before you
start! Your life schedule does not allow dropping out! You must complete every
task that you put on it, so bear that in mind!

The World Of Accreditation And Online Universities

Accreditation is an important part of the online university and college world
because, to put it bluntly, there is no point in spending a lot of time and
effort on a project, and that could include an online education, if you were to
find out afterwards that it is useless. Unfortunately, there are many fake
online schools out there that will put you through the effort of working but
ultimately only wants to take you money and run. I am sure that you have heard
of the sites that you can actually buy a degree at, well universities that are
not accredited are a bit like that but unfortunately do not have any morals.
They will ask you to submit work, complete tests and the like and so will give
you a good dose of heartache at the same time.

It is important to check out a university's accredited status before you begin
to think about applying, let alone actually apply, because you may have to send
a fee or deposit with the application. Accredited status should be placed on the
university homepage and the "about us" page that any university that operates
online should have. It should be easily recognisable as a seal of
accreditation. If it is not then you may have to search a little bit more on
the website. However, rule number one is that if there is no accreditation at
all on the online college website then walk away. If none are displayed than
the likelihood is that they do not have accredited status to begin with.

However, any seal of accreditation can be easily investigated to ensure that it
is genuine. A simple Google search should reveal as to whether or not the
company that have given an online university accreditation actually exists and
indeed its own credentials. It is important that you trace it back to who has
actually set it up, when it was established and whether or not it is affiliated
with another academic body or not. For example, the University of Phoenix,
displays its accreditation for all to see. If you then researched the source,
you would find that it is actually part of the Texas schooling system and the
Texas educational system as well. This should give you peace of mind to know
that all of your efforts will not be in vain if you do choose to attend this
university instead of another one further down the line.

Accreditation should mean a lot to the average individual that does choose to
take an online course because it could mean the difference between a bright
future and a bitter one because you did not take the time to check it out in
the first place and also the fact that a lot of you hard earned money has
disappeared, leaving you with absolutely nothing to show for it. The golden
rule is to never ever choose a school that has a fake accreditation because
employers could dig up that information and it could prevent you from getting
the job that you have always wanted. This is by no means fair on you but
unfortunately is the brutal truth. Accreditation is everything in the world of
online education. Without it, all you are left with is a piece of paper.

The Tools That Every Online Education Student Will Need

A student does not have it easy these days. The standard of education is
actually increasing and an individual is expected to have even more equipment
as his or her disposal than ever before. This applies to online education
students just as much as campus students, if not more so. There is an entire
list of equipment that individuals will need to ensure that they actually get
through their course and perform all of the tasks and functions that they are
supposed to do before set deadlines. Many individuals do not believe that the
initial set up is important financially because they concentrate on the fees
and other similar costs. However, this is not the case and the sooner an
individual student realises it, the sooner they can begin to budget for the
tools that they will need to purchase.

Unfortunately, all of the tools listed below are important and non-negotiable.
They can also be extremely important in ensuring your success!

Internet -- An online education student will always need the Internet, this
goes largely without saying. However, it does matter what type of Internet
connection that the individual user has. Dial up is often unreliable and
extremely slow, which will probably not be of use if you are uploading big
files when it comes to submitting work. However, it can also work out to be
extremely expensive, which is important when it comes to actually spending time
on the Internet to research material needed to complete assignments, papers and
tests. It is an important method of communication and may be the only way that
you can actually access all of the information needed to complete your course,
so make sure that you have a LAN connection or similar!

Computer -- This goes without saying really. You cannot connect to the Internet
without a computer; neither can you do your work without one. A laptop is often
far more apt for an individual looking to complete their studies online because
you can take it almost anywhere. If you cannot get any work done at home then
you will be able to take it to a coffee shop or a library and complete your
work there just as well, if not better, than you could at home. There is no
data transfer required. You just have to pick it up and go!

Course texts and other materials -- You must have the required texts and
information to be able to complete all of the assignments given to you, but it
may actually take far more of your money than you believe. Books are extremely
expensive, even the downloadable versions. You would also need to pay for
access to other resources online that may prove to be of value to you. However,
Leaving it until the last minute to get hold of any material risks not getting
it at all. It is therefore important that you purchase it before you start.
This may affect your initial outlay but it will ensure that you everything you
need at your fingertips.

The materials costs also includes purchasing access to online libraries and
similar places that can provide you with old texts and documents that you may
not be able to find in your local library. If your local library were far from
comprehensive then you would be well advised to actually purchase an online
book-lending package. Some universities and colleges will ship books to you
under rental terms. Again, this will cost you but it will give you every chance
you need to complete your degree to the highest standard possible.

Of course, there are many more expenses than those listed on here. You would
have to investigate every single avenue open to you to ensure that you have
taken all possible costs into account. They will soon mount up and will often
leave you feeling depressed, but there is absolutely no way that you can afford
to neglect any of them if you do want to obtain your degree through fair means
and hard work!

The Quest Of The People: Finding The Right Degree For You

Finding the right degree for you is an art. It can take an awful lot of
research, self-assessment and general soul searching to determine exactly which
of the millions of degree courses on offer out there are for you. Before you
decide on the course itself, you would be best advised to decide exactly how
you wish to complete your degree. You can complete it online or by actually
attending a campus. However, even if you have already decided what type of
course you wish to do, it is doubtful that you will find your choice narrowed
down very much at all, or even at all in some cases. In fact, if you decide to
complete a degree online, you will often find that a wealth of choices open up
before you!

If you know what path you want to take in life then it only makes it slightly
easier to choose a course. If you have no idea at all where you want to go then
you will need to decide on a rough area that you wish to concentrate on. If you
do not have an idea then the likelihood is that you will get so lost in the
options that you would be tempted to give up. When you have a rough idea then
there are some areas you can concentrate on to try and find the right degree
course for you.

No two courses offer the same working pattern or the came course content. As a
result, the most important thing is to decide what it is that you want from
your online education. Is it particular skills in terms of personal
accomplishment or practical skills that can be used to form the basis of a
career in the near future. There may be skills that you could learn from a
degree that are in demand at the moment, and this would of course enhance your
career prospects. Another major factor is whether you would think that you may
enjoy one course more than another and the reasons behind that. Choosing the
right degree course is all about finding your own level and working from that.

You can also look absolutely anywhere in the world for the perfect degree
course for you. Choosing an online degree means that you are not constrained in
terms of geographical limits and transport costs. It costs nothing to walk
within your house and log on to the computer. Time zones do not matter either
because you can work to your own time and fit the degree in around your other
commitments. Unfortunately, this means that you have many more courses and
degree programs to choose from than you first thought.

Another thing that it may also be wise to consider when trying to find the
perfect degree for you is the individual college rules and regulations. Ask how
flexible they are and how much support they ofer because both are a major points
to consider if you have to fit your study in around a family or a full time job.
If you are not going to have the time to sit down during the day then you may
need a program that offers you time to breathe if you need it at any time. You
need to assess how many hours you can schedule every eek and how that would fit
in with the course in question.

The content of a course is just as important as the skills it will teach you
and the flexibility that it will offer you. If it does not include elements
that you know you will like then there is no point continuing with your
research on that course. Taking an online degree has to be as much about
enjoyment as anything else because you alone have to motivate yourself to work
every day. Nobody else will be there to do that for you! When put together with
all of the other elements in this article, you should actually be able to find
the perfect course for you! Remember that you will be dedicated to this degree
for a long time so you should make sure that you have the perfect one rather
than settling for second best!

The Personal Benefits Of Short Online Courses

When you read about online education, the majority of people will almost
certainly think of degrees and other similar course. The ones meant for
academic advancement are the most popular online courses out there, so that is
why very few individuals think about other courses. However, it would be
foolish to limit online education to degrees and similar qualifications when
there is such a demand for art courses and hobby courses as well at the moment.
All personal advancement courses are in demand, but very few people know about
the others out there. This article will provide you with a quick introduction
to what is available and where you can find out more!

Short online courses can be comprised of various subject matters, but all serve
a purpose. They give you an introduction to a hobby or pastime that you have
heard about and always wanted to try and yet never got around to. They can
provide a welcome distraction to the mundane nature of modern life and thus
give you a new hobby to develop and nurture. There are very few true hobbies
anymore because the last generation did not seem to have time for them.
However, this generation is making time for them because of the hectic nature
of modern life. The stresses and strains take their toll and so it is
imperative that an individual escapes them to form a new passion to pour their
energies into.

Short online courses can last anywhere from a month to six months and can cover
almost any topic or pastime. You could learn a new skill or take part in a
literature group. You could learn how to crochet or perform basic plumbing. You
could even educate yourself about how to fix computers. There is literally no
limit to what short courses can teach you, although the majority are concerned
with the arts or with computer skills. They are currently in demand, but that
is subject to change depending on what the fashion happens to be at any given
time. There are more and more courses cropping up at various institutions every
day!

If you do want a new hobby then you should look at a variety of online schools
and colleges to fulfil your desires. Those billed as universities rarely offer
short courses, but colleges and schools do. The difference is that they can
give something to the community. As a result, they will have a separate section
for the shorter courses so that they are easy to find.

Colleges will offer the widest range of courses online, but they do not have to
be specialist online colleges. Many colleges that operate from a campus will
offer online short courses to supplement the offline ones. They work together
in perfect harmony as a result.

An individual wanting to take a short course would still have to apply as if he
or she were taking a degree instead, but the chances of acceptance are 100% as
long as you have the course fee. The only chance that your application will be
turned down is if the course is already full for that particular start date, or
if there is a waiting list for the course to fill the place. If this is the case
then you will usually be placed on that list too. However, because of the global
nature of the Internet, you can look elsewhere for the course too, and the
places at another college may not be full!

Short courses are definitely the way forward today. You can learn a new skill
and get enjoyment out of something whilst you are learning. Why not make the
most of the education opportunities that you have through the Internet and
learn about something that you have always wanted to do? Your happiness is in
your own hands, and you can make the most of that with a laptop and Internet
connection!

The Online Nursing Degree: Medicine Revolutionized!

The nursing profession is in crisis all over the world. There are nowhere near
as many nurses as hospitals all around the globes need more nurses than
education can currently provide them with. Both university and hospital based
training programs are training as many nurses as possible, but it is still not
enough. Although nursing levels are still extremely low, the online nursing
degree has recently helped to make a significant improvement because it opens
up the world of nursing to a whole new audience. In fact, it would be fair to
say that the online nursing degree has revolutionized medicine.

The online nursing degree is no different to an actual class-based nursing
degree. The content is exactly the same, and even the practical side of it is
well taken care of, but the fact that online learning opens the field up for
individuals that would not otherwise have been able to go to university has
improved the numbers of qualified nurses all over the world. Single mothers,
those forced to work to put themselves through school on a limited budget,
individuals from low income families, and those unable to leave home for a
variety of other reasons can now train to be a nurse if they so wish without
the hassle of trying to get onto a campus-based course and attend every day.

The Internet is far more accessible to potential nursing students than
university or college actually is and provides all of the necessary resources.
They can research assignments, complete computer-based training and find
placements in their local areas in order to put their knowledge into practice.
Although this concept is far newer to the world of online education than other
academic subjects, it seems to be working well thus fair and solves problems
for the world of medicine and for the potential students wanting to get
involved.

Students can choose from a range of nursing types in order to get a
qualification that suits them. The courses offered will all appeal to different
sections of the population, but the choice is there for an individual to make up
his or her own mind. Of course, the career path that an individual would wish to
take may play a huge part in making that choice but there is often career
guidance available so that the individual does not have to make that decision
alone.

A potential nursing student may want to examine the possibility of enrolling in
one of the following online universities, all of which are extremely highly
regarded in the world of medicine and are renowned for training some wonderful
nurses:

Walden University -- Walden actually offers one of the best interactive nursing
training experiences around because it has a well developed program that
combines the best features of theoretical nursing with an interactive forum
that has been proven to help students develop in their own time. Able to
communicate with their peers, many potential nurses feel inspired and actually
work better as a result. Walden has students from all over the world enrolled
in its program and caters for all of their individual needs, which may be why
so the drop out rate is so small. The course itself is hard work because it is
so intensive, but it does place an emphasis on practical skills and ongoing
training if an individual has his or her eye on promotion in the future.

Chatham Online -- Unlike the previous online university, which takes students
with no prior knowledge and training, Chatham only offers a course to
individuals with nine months or more experience that are looking to develop
their abilities with a view to obtaining promotion or a high status. It
specializes in ensuring that registered nurses are efficient and effective,
thus providing the best possible health care for patients and taking better
working practices back to their place of work with them.

Loyola University -- Loyola online nursing degrees are, again, completely
different from those offered by other universities. Nurses who have qualified
but hold degrees from outside the medical disciplines are encouraged to apply
so any gaps ion knowledge are bridged for a better health care system and more
efficient nursing practices.

Of course, any individual looking for a nursing training course or degree
should examine all of the given options, but the three above are worth
examining because they give an individual an idea of just what he or she should
be looking for in an online nursing degree.

Study Time: Revising For An Online Degree Final

Everybody knows how midterms and final exams work in the world of campus-based
studying, but very few individuals looking to take an online educational or
training course may be slightly perplexed as to how the system actually works.
Very few course descriptions will specify exactly how the assessment process
actually works in detail. In fact, many just state exam or coursework as the
method of assessment. To clear up any confusion and to help you to prepare for
an online course exam, this article will act as a guide.

Firstly, it is important to establish the method of assessment. There should
always be some method of final assessment if a degree or course is to have any
credibility whatsoever, and this also applies to online courses and classes.
Some may actually use a final term paper as assessment, which will be set to
complete by a specified deadline via email or an online workroom, if the
individual university that you are enrolled in actually has an online workroom.
However, if there are midterms or final exams, then you will need to find out
the method in which the tests will be carried out.

There are two main ways that online degree or course finals are conducted. The
first is take-home assessment and the second is a specific time limit exam
within the workroom itself. A take-home assessment is usually designed to be
used in conjunction with texts related to the course but an exam in a workroom
may not be. This is largely dependent on the nature of the course and the
examiner. However both will have a time limit attached to them, with the
take-home typically being 24 hours and the workroom exam being anywhere between
one and three hours long.

Regardless of the nature of the exam or test that you sit, it is essential to
prepare. The first thing that any individual facing an online examination
should do is ensure that he or she has the correct equipment available to use.
This will include the necessary PC or laptop and Internet access that can be
relied upon not to go down. This may mean testing your home computer and
Internet connection as well as making alternative arrangements at a local
library or friend's house as a back up. When you have that in place, you can
move on to the revision aspect of the exam.

You should know the assessment date when you enrol on any course. If you are
not told then you will need to ask within days of beginning the class. Once in
possession of the date, you should plan to begin your study timetable at least
two weeks before. As you will be working at home, there are more distractions
so you will need at least this amount of time to prepare properly. You should
have all of the necessary resources you need at your fingertips by the time you
commence study.

The most important thing to do in terms of studying is formulating a timetable.
A timetable can really help you to do the required amount of revision before the
test. You should set aside at least an hour a day for the first week and then up
to two hours a day for the second week. This is flexible, but any more and your
brain will refuse to absorb all of the information. You could use the Internet
to confirm facts and join discussion groups to help you absorb information and
vary the nature of the revision. However, it is important that you actually
stick to the amount of revision even if you cannot stick to the originally
planned times. With no lecturer to recall or ask for help, you cannot afford to
do less than an hour a day if you want to pass the test.

Studying for an online exam can really take concentration so you may choose to
go to a library or somewhere else quiet so that you can fully concentrate on
the task in hand. There is no way of getting away from the fact that an online
course is just as important as a campus degree and the same due care and
attention should be paid to the course material. The whole point of an
education is to better yourself, so there is no point if you do not show this
dedication to your development.

Personal Choice: The Range Of Online Degrees

Back in the early part of the nineteenth century, there was literally a choice
of twenty degree types offered all around the world and they were in accepted
subjects. They were extremely traditional and pigeonholed the majority who took
them in terms of getting a job later on in life. However, this is most
definitely not the case today. University education has seriously evolved in
the hundred years since and now there is a degree for almost everything out
there! This is great for the youth of today when they come to choose their path
in life, and also for the older individuals that want to make a change of
career. However, it is not just campus colleges that offer a wide range of
topics and subjects. Online universities and colleges often offer just as big a
range, and one that is usually also more extensive!

You have literally thousand of choice at your fingertips when you log on in
search of a great university degree. Tapping the title of a college course into
a search engine will return online results as well, and you can then go on to
compare the results in order to find a degree or course that you specifically
want. However, focussing on online courses for just one moment, there is no way
that you will be able to decide in a few minutes which course it is that you
want to apply for! The range of degrees available is so huge that it will take
many hours of deliberation in order to determine the best possible option for
you.

You should look at the courses on offer via a search filter. For example, if
you want to study law, use a search engine to find online law degrees and then
compare the results you get back. Only when you have compared all of the
courses and short-listed a few should you begin to look at the institution and
then factor that into the equation. The choice is so big that you will take
weeks over your decision if you compare courses and institutions before making
a shortlist!

Always go in with a good idea of what it is that you wish to study. If you have
that then the sheer range of choices will not distract you. You should be
focussed and determined to find the right one for you! Take nursing for
example, there are courses for those already registered as a nurse, those
looking to study nursing for the first time, those looking for a degree in
nursing, those looking for rudimentary qualifications and so on! There are
courses catering for all of these needs, but it is essential that you apply for
the right one. Only you know what your personal needs are, but there is most
definitely a course online out there that can answer your call!

The range of options is truly mid boggling and that is just within one
university or college online. The other way to look for a course is to take the
one or two online universities that you have heard good recommendations for and
look for a course within their prospectus. It is possible to do it this way
because it will give you peace of mind that you are choosing a credible
university and you will not have a piece of paper that means nothing at the end
of a few years of hard work! And an expensive piece of paper at that!

It is all down to personal choice. You should decide the course type and
content that you want to look for and Internet search facilities make it
completely possible to do it that way. You should be going into looking at the
range of college degrees online with a good idea of what you want or else you
will get lost in all of the information and the promotional talk. Just make
sure that you examine your options carefully before deciding!

Only The Best: Online vs. Offline Degrees

Every person on the face of the earth has different capabilities and skills,
which is why a huge range of techniques is used in the classroom to try and
encourage people to learn. However, who is to say that the thinking behind this
theory cannot be applied to ways of learning as well as methods? In fact, it has
been applied to ways of learning with the invention of online universities and
colleges. Instead of forcing an individual to sit in class every day and learn,
any individual can now sit at home and learn however he or she wants and
whenever he or she wants. As far as personal choice is concerned, online
education wins hands down, but when you look at the benefits and advantages of
offline education you see that the contest between the two is not quite as
clear cut!

Many traditionalists will dismiss online degrees and college courses as a waste
of time because they only accept the dregs of society who could not get into
another educational program. There are published essays and articles published
to that effect. Indeed that is not the case. In fact, online education leaves
education open to those who could have gone if they were given the opportunity.
They are no more or less intelligent than individuals attending a campus
university, and there has actually been research to prove that online
universities could actually be better for an individual' health than those
individual students have to attend every day!

Drexel University studied online and offline students during the course of
their research and actually compared them. The results were extremely
interesting because individuals taking online degrees actually appeared to be
far happier than those attending on campus degree courses. In fact, the
lifestyles of the two sets of people were very different and suggested that an
online degree is better for the mental well being of students. The workload is
roughly the same, but online students did not appear to stretch themselves too
far, leaving equal time for all of their commitments and juggling well. On the
other hand, campus students were finding it difficult to cope with the demands
of going to university. The tutors may be there to remind students of
deadlines, but it was discovered that they were putting too much pressure on
the individual student and actually dictating priorities in some cases instead
of giving an individual the chance to determine his or her own priorities.

Drexel found that there was more enjoyment in taking an online degree than a
campus one and, as a result, individuals were learning more, stressing less and
generally enjoying themselves rather than panicking themselves into a frenzy!
Offline students rarely change their lifestyle to accommodate the educational
addition, whereas campus students alter their priorities and lifestyle
completely in order to allow their degree to take over their lives.

That is not to say though that campus degrees do not have their advantages over
online degrees because they do. Firstly, the full college experience is not
always readily available if you complete a degree online. It can be a nightmare
trying to fit your degree into your life, let alone visit the college itself,
and if it operates solely online then you cannot attend in person anyway. The
experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity. However, if there are other
things going on in your life then it may be an expendable one. The one problem
that this may cause online students is in terms of assignment help. It may not
be possible for individuals to communicate with one another to offer or ask for
help when necessary. In fact, an offline student would be dependent on a forum
or other type of communication network in which others may not respond. If that
were the case, then it would be up to the individual student to try and find the
answers themselves! That is not to say that one is better than the other, but
going back to the first paragraph, one will suit you more than the other!

Online Education And The Arts

Anyone who has ever taken a closer look at the majority of courses offered by
online universities will agree that the majority of courses are aimed at those
wanting to go into the fields of nursing, business, law or education. The
market seems to be flooded with different degrees concerning those subjects,
but very little else. You have to know where to look if you want to find other
degrees, especially those concerning the arts, but they are out there if you
look hard enough. In fact, there is one specific online university that offers
arts based degrees and the choice is comprehensive because that university
happens to only offer specialist arts course. The university is the Arts
Institute Online.

Offering a whole range of degrees covering every aspect of the arts, the Art
Institute Online has a fantastic reputation amongst the online learning
community. Although it is an extension of a campus based university system,
this allows it to offer comprehensive courses that are tailored to an online
audience and yet actually teach individuals everything they need to know about
their chosen area of study. The idea is to give an individual access to the
classroom day and night so they can choose a specific time to study that fits
perfectly into their hectic schedule.

In order to apply, you can fill in an online form, which is similar to the one
that a campus student might fill in. However, you have to prove that you can
use a computer comfortably and have the discipline to stick to the regime that
they set in place. They have requirements, just as any other university does,
but they are more stringent than the majority of online universities. You are
required to log in at least five times a week and are obliged to read the
lecture notes, complete set assignments and make comments on the forums during
that period. You have to be online for at least twelve hours a week for every
course that you actually take and this means that they will monitor your
movements within the classroom. A benefit of this, though, is that you still
interact with the students so you have a semblance of a campus social life, but
with a twist!

The Arts Institute Online offers bachelor degrees, associate degrees and
diplomas, depending on the subject that you are interested in. There are
fourteen courses to choose from in total, including advertising, fashion,
interior design, graphic design and media arts and animation. In truth,
whatever your interest in the arts, you can find a course to suit you. The
teaching methods at the Arts Institute Online are formidable and amongst the
best in the world of online education because they expect so much from their
students. As a result, they get the best possible students and enhance their
reputation even further with every passing year.

The Arts Institute Online is most definitely one of the premier online colleges
out there and is worth considering if you plan to do an arts based online
degree. However, if you do not feel that you can stick to their stringent
requirements then you should consider one of the other options available to you
out there. Although the arts usually take a back seat to education and business,
amongst others, they are still kept alive and well! A little research will
reveal a variety of courses so that you can choose the best one for you!

Managing Your Online Education Expectations

Every single student that applies for a class or course online has certain
expectations going into the course and they are often extremely high.
Unfortunately for most individuals, they will be disappointed. It is a fact
that the majority of individuals go in believing that they will actually enjoy
every aspect of their course and it will prove to be some sort of revelation.
The truth is that there is very little in a degree to inspire until an
individual actually completes the course and is awarded the degree or
certificate that could change his or her life. This is no different with an
online education and, in fact, the disillusionment may be more pronounced
because of the struggle that individuals may face with an online course that
they would not necessarily face with another course.

Online education expectations are often incredibly high, as previously stated,
in terms of what an individual can get from it as well as the manageability of
the content itself. However, although an individual will ultimately be proven
right about what he or she can get from it, this will not be the case for
manageability. Most online education courses are anything but manageable for
those who decide to take them. The level f work would be the same as any other
degree or qualification course, but an individual is expected to manage it on
his or her won instead of having a tutor or lecturer there to remind him or her
about assignments and deadlines. Time management is extremely important, but the
nature of these individuals' lives often make it impossible to manage without
feeling the stresses and strains of the burden.

It is important to be realistic with your expectations concerning an online
education course, but many are completely unrealistic. If you read any of the
individual accounts that are online from students that have already taken and
may have even passed an online education course, many will speak in glowing
terms but you should also read between the lines.

Their accounts of their expectations will ultimately be fulfilled in terms of
the long-term benefits. However, in the short term they may say they found it
difficult to cope with the workload, the lack of time that they actually had to
complete it, an unsupportive employer and so on. This last point may not be an
issue if you are doing it to advance yourself within your current workplace,
but there will otherwise be some sort of resentment bubbling under the surface
and that can indeed make your life a misery for a little while. If you expect
it and prepare for it then it should not bother you too much, and if the
resentment does not come then so much the better!

In terms of your own expectations, the best attitude to have is not to go in
with any at all. If you do not expect anything then you may be pleasantly
surprised. It can be difficult to fit an online education in with personal
commitments, such as a family to look after or a job to go to everyday whilst
trying to study. It does take a lot of effort, but if you do not expect it to
be easy or expect that you will just be able to do it without the balance of
your life being upset as a result, then you will probably find that you do get
a sense of satisfaction from it! Similarly, if you expect the worst then you
will probably be pleasantly surprised! Managing your expectations can be
difficult, but do not let them get the better of you!

Making Your Education Work For You: Using The Internet To Your Best Advantage

Online degree educations and technical skills courses are notoriously difficult
to complete without a bit of a fight. Most individuals have to fight to stay on
top of their workload and can face problems as a result of not having direct
supervision in the form of a lecturer and/or personal tutor. As a result, most
online students are encouraged to search out the relevant information all on
their own and only contact a supervisor as and when absolutely necessary.
Although this can be difficult to achieve, there is a lot to be learned from
it. The personal qualities are of immense value, but the possible future gains
via a comprehensive education could end up being more important.

In terms of personal qualities, a student would have to work off his or her own
initiative, and that requires the development of determination and
self-sufficiency. However, in terms of the educational value of an online
course, an individual will find that his or her research skills become advanced
quite quickly. He or she will soon learn exactly what resources to look for and
where to go for them. This is where an online student can use the Internet to
his or her best advantage.

The Internet is an encyclopaedia of knowledge. There are so many online
resources out there that it is difficult to know where to begin. The best place
to start researching would actually be the resources offered by the online
university or college that you have enrolled in. Most of them will have an
online library that can be tapped into with an assigned username and password.
There will often be a list of recommended reading that accompanies each course
so it would be a good idea to start there.

However, if the recommended reading does not encompass everything you need to
know then there are other online library websites that can be used for research
purposes. JSTOR and the Gutenberg Library are just two that can provide a wealth
of informative articles that may relate to your course. They are easy to search
and you can actually choose to print the material out. Some, including JSTOR,
may charge for certain articles but they are worth the small fee and far more
accessible than the actual texts. You should ask your online education tutor if
he or she could recommend some useful websites.

Another way to use the Internet to your advantage is to join a class forum, if
there is one offered for your course. Many Internet class forums allow
individuals to discuss assignments and other issues that are course related so
that you do not fee totally alienated because you do not attend class. The
forums can help you to socialize and complete assignments on time. If there is
one for your classes then the tutor may also use it to communicate with
students. This will make him or her more accessible too so you should
definitely use it.

As well as having prime functions for communication and research, the Internet
can provide a forum for submitting your work and applying for different
classes. In truth, if you do not use the Internet for anything else then you
should use it for looking ahead and planning out just what classes you will
complete over a set period of time. This allows you to set targets for yourself
and stick to them!

All in all, the Internet is an essential resource for an online student.
Besides the obvious, it can actually serve as your bible during the course of
your degree or training. Without it, there would be little point continuing. A
hectic lifestyle may not allow you to complete a program of education in any
other way so you should always capitalize on any opportunity to make the most
of it. Research, communicate and plan for a better education and thus a better
life!

Getting An Online Education And The Importance Of Time Management

If you are considering applying for an online degree or training course then
the importance of time management cannot be emphasized enough. You would
effectively be studying on your own initiative for the duration of your course
and thus it is absolutely essential that provisions are made to ensure that you
have the optimum environment and schedule to accommodate a new endeavour.

It can take years to complete an online degree if you are not committed enough
to stick to deadlines and actually work your way through it as many students
work their way through college courses every year. Although an online degree or
training course will give you the degree of freedom that you need to fit it
around the rest of your life, it is important that your investment should not
be wasted just because other things get in the way. Once you have committed
yourself to an online degree then you should be committed enough to manage your
time effectively and make sure that you pass first time.

Time management is not only important where paper, essay and dissertation
submissions are concerned. It is important that all work gets completed within
the recommended time so that your learning potential is optimised and the
degree is completed as quickly as possible so an individual can actually use
that degree to enhance his or her career prospects as soon as possible.
However, personal factors and the nature of an individual lifestyle can
actually make a huge difference when it comes to planning time management and
actually sticking to it.

Life often makes it impossible to stick to a schedule or timetable so the first
thing that an online education student should do is work out the degree of
flexibility that he or she has. If, for example, a student has an online study
course that requires a number of papers or essays to be submitted at the same
time then his or her personal circumstances may make it impossible to complete
the tasks close to the due date so they are best written a few weeks before in
rough if at all possible. This would be a perfect solution for the time
management issues of single mothers, those will full time jobs and those
working multiple jobs that are trying to make ends meet, amongst others. If you
happen to be in any of these situations then a floating timetable may be a good
idea.

A floating timetable designates blocks of time every day or every week to
encourage individuals to do a certain amount of studying every day, but the
floating timetable does not actually define when that will be. You can
therefore do an hour's work in the morning or evening, depending on when is
best for you. The second great thing about a floating timetable is that you can
actually designate extra time for tasks that are taking longer than expected or
communicating with the lecturer or assessor to ensure that a full working
knowledge of the relevant topic is achieved. If you have a limited time to find
information then it is essential to manage time so that you know that you will
get a reply in time to finish relevant assignments.

Time management is extremely important for all students, but especially when
you are working towards a degree that does not allow you to be supervised and
motivated every day. You have to perform those tasks for yourself, but
establishing floating timetables can may well be the only way that you can make
sure that all necessary work is completed on time every time.

Get The Advantage: Overcoming The Negative Aspects Of An Online Education

Any individual that has researched online education or training will no doubt
be well aware of the possible disadvantages that choosing an online degree or
training course holds over choosing to learn in an academic or technical
institution. The majority of resources available will highlight the problems so
everyone considering an online course will be aware of them before they enrol.
However, the one thing that these resources fail to mention is the fact that
the negative aspects of an online course can easily be avoided if you know how!

Some of the negative elements associated with taking an online degree need to
be dealt with before enrolling on the course, some during online education and
the remaining problems may only present themselves afterwards so you must be
prepared. If you deal with them as they come then you will have no problems at
all!

The first potential problem is the credibility of taking an online course. This
actually refers to degrees from online schools rather than more technical or
practical training courses that are often set up to train individual workers by
the company that employs them. In order to avoid any problems associated with
online degrees, the relevant checks should be carried out before enrolling in a
program. The credibility of the online university should always be examined
because there are too many schools that bear accredited status but have been
given that status by a sister company. These universities and school are not
valid and potential employers would discard any qualification given out by them.

However, there are online schools that are validly accredited, such as the
University of Phoenix. Any good school will be happy to reveal the source of
its accreditation, and this should actually be displayed on the homepage or the
"about us" page. Having knowledge of the source would be an excellent idea for
future job interviews and resume because this will give any qualification an
impressive legitimacy.

A problem that you may be faced with during the course of your degree is the
level of discipline that is required in order to complete all of the
assignments and tasks that are a part of the course. You can prepare for this
in advance by setting up a timetable that fits in well with your day-to-day
routine. A schedule can be altered to fit circumstances at any given time but
planning what you are doing well in advance would give you an edge over the
lure of procrastination that you will most definitely face at some stage!

If you need a helping hand to ensure that you get all work associated with an
online degree completed, then find a place to go when you find that you cannot
work in the home. Some individuals may head to a local library, others a coffee
shop, but every individual online student should choose the place that most
inspires them to work. Of course, it is completely up to you to find that
place. You could try several places before settling on the one that suits you
best.

The final problem that you are guaranteed to face at some time or other is
employer attitudes to online degrees. Although attitudes are changing, more
conservative and traditional employers will unfortunately question you as to
why you took an online degree instead of attending a campus-based course. Every
online student should have a rehearsed answer that sounds natural and credible.
Explaining personal circumstances is not enough. You should also justify the
school of your choosing. This is where having knowledge of where the school was
accredited and who by comes in useful. Your argument for completing an online
course should also be backed up by a brief description of the classes taken and
the skills and traits that you have picked up as a result, because these skills
can be of use to potential employers.

Of course, there are other problems that will be associated with your online
education, but this represents the three most pressing problems that you will
have to deal with. Be prepared for them, as well as any others that come your
way and you will almost certainly be able to turn any negatives into positives,
and that is a trick necessary when completing an online education!

Brightening Horizons: Studying Abroad Online

Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime experience. Enjoying the culture of a
different university is something that every student wishes for but cannot
always obtain because it is so expensive to leave home, let alone move to a
completely different country. There is also the possibility of homesickness and
venturing into the unknown, and both ca unhinge even the most stable of
individuals. These are the reasons why many individual students are put off
studying abroad. However, there is now a way in which many individuals can
study at a different, often more prestigious and yet foreign university without
leaving the comfort of their living rooms.

Studying abroad online is becoming popular amongst online students and has
steadily increased over the past five years or so. Online education gives an
individual student so many more options to consider that it is simply
mind-boggling to think that he or she could be at home in Colorado or new
jersey and yet be studying for a degree at the University of Liverpool (John
Moore) in the United Kingdom. It may seem strange but yet it is completely true.

There are so many advantages to studying at a different university or college
away from an individual's home country. The first is that the range of choice
as far as courses are concerned is massively expanded. For example, a course
may be offered at a university in the UK that is not offered in the United
States. It would be a huge financial strain to send an individual student to
the UK for an education, but yet would be much more affordable if the course be
completed online.

This instance is especially applicable for individual specialist schools that
offer unique course content and often pave the way into a certain field. In
truth then, an online university or college course could actually provide a
route into a specialist job role that very few others compete for and can thus
infinitely enhance the career prospects of many individuals.

Another reason why study abroad online can be of benefit to an individual is
that he or she would then have a working knowledge of another education system
and can take the best parts of the regime and practices and put them to use in
everyday life, which again can help to enhance an individual's career
prospects. For example, the university system in the United Kingdom has a
fundamentally different structure to US universities and it relies heavily on
an end of year test as well as several 3000-word essays throughout the year.
This will enhance the memory and make a student more complete in terms of
educational practices.

Although studying abroad is usually expensive in terms of course fees, doing a
study abroad course online can really save an individual money. With no housing
fees and no transport costs, the money required to complete such a course is
actually halved. As a result, you would get the experience for half the price
and yet probably earn more after college as a result. Some online systems will
actually offer study abroad options as well as home country options and yet
have them all count towards the degree credit. Although this is extremely rare,
it is available at some paired institutions.

Before deciding to take on a study abroad course online, make sure that you
have weighed up all of the options. Getting used to a new educational system
can be hard work, so make sure that you are fully aware of the pros and cons of
the situation before signing up!

A Guide To Your Online Education In Law

Law is one of the most popular degree topics today and with very good reason.
In the modern world, there are many types of law practice that are aired
regularly. Criminal law is in more demand than ever, changes to laws in the
last fifty years or so have made property lawyers in serious demand, divorce
lawyers also get a lot of work put their way, and then of course there is the
suing culture that we all live in is to blame for many of the liability and
personal injury law firms that exist. With so many opportunities and many jobs
going at any given point in time, then it is no wonder why a good percentage of
students want to advance in the world of law. However, not all of them get the
opportunity.

That should actually read that they did not get the opportunity before online
education was invented. Law is an extremely popular subject and is offered by a
high percentage of the online schools, colleges and universities out there at
the moment. Even online colleges have a limited number of places every semester
and there are usually very few to spare. Very few people drop out either,
because it is so prestigious and an individual will need a law degree to make
it into a firm after graduation. You should therefore make sure that you
training is as much fun as possible because you will be stuck with it for a few
years!

It is essential that you investigate all options before tying yourself to one
specific online law course. The sheer range of courses online will be mind
blowing and you will soon see distinct difference between the content and the
structure of one course to another. No two courses are the same so it would be
foolish to decide on one before vetting the rest.

However, it is not just course content that you should look at. In law, as I am
sure you will realise if you want to go into the field, reputation is
everything. It counts for far more than past results, and this applies to the
place you studied at too. It will rarely make a difference if you trained
online, but it will if you do not go to an accredited school and one with a
reputation for turning out excellent law candidates.

Once you have looked at the reputation of online law schools then you will be
able to narrow your list down, but not nearly enough to make a decision on that
alone. It may be wise to look at who the different courses are aimed at because
some specialize in a certain law, age group or social group. Some may only
offer courses designed to give those with a knowledge of law already a boost so
that their careers can advance, whereas others will take an individual with no
knowledge of law and educate him or her to the highest level. You should make a
shortlist of the ones that offer the kind of education that you need and compare
that to the reputation list. This will leave you with a few potential schools
and make it easier to decide from there. This whole process could take months
of research and planning but it will be worth it for your career in the end so
you should take the time and make the effort.

If you have made the decision to take law at an online university then you have
made a big step forward, and one towards changing the rest of your life, and
that can only be a good thing. You always reap what you sow and if you put in
the effort to find the best possible school and course for you then good things
will happen! Just remember that you have to put the effort in when doing to work
online as well!

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