What You Need to Know about Distance Learning

If you are new to online education and are wondering if you should pursue a degree over the internet, you might have a lot of questions. Online education is relatively new, and even if you already have a degree from a traditional college, you may be wondering about online degrees. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions that people have about Oregon online education.

Can I Get Financial Aid for My Online Education?

Absolutely! The financial aid process is the same at online schools as it is at traditional colleges. You can apply for financial aid from the government using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can also apply for scholarships. Your employer might also have a tuition assistance program that could help you out.

Will an Online Education Help My Career?

An online education will help your career just like a regular degree will. Although there are still a few employers that are partial to traditional degrees, distance learning is becoming more common and is becoming more and more acceptable. There are very few cases in which a degree won't be helpful. Your degree might make you overqualified for most fast food jobs, but if you are shooting for a career that pays more than minimum wage, your online degree will help you a lot.

Do I Need Any Special Skills to Get an Online Degree?

If you are thinking about getting an online degree, you should be comfortable with computers. You might be asked to participate in online chats and post to bulletin boards. You may have to install the school's special software. Since most of your work will be done on the computer, you should be able to read well, comprehend what you are reading, and be able to express yourself in writing. It also helps if you are self-motivated, as you will be interacting with individuals that you will not meet in person.

How Can I Tell if My School is Accredited?

Getting a degree takes a lot of time and hard work. You don't want to put in all that time and money, only to find out later that your degree is worthless because the school you attended was not accredited. You can check accreditation by visiting the United States Department of Education web site. They can help you find out whether the school that you are interested in is accredited or not. Other red flags that you might want to look out for are programs that promise degrees in no time, programs that offer degrees based on life experience, or schools that governmental educational agencies are not familiar with. You can also google the name of the school that you are thinking about attending in order to see what other people think about it.