The dream of completing your college education or furthering your studies is no longer elusive. The World Wide Web boom has brought education to your key board. Many established and renowned universities are offering degrees in varied disciplines through online courses. Studies done by the Distance Education and Training Council in Washington and other regulatory institutions indicate that over 2.25 million people are registered for online courses at universities in the US.

Before registering for a course you need to spend some time thinking. Do I want to do a course that will further my career or learn something that I have an abiding interest in? Will I be devoted and complete the course work in time? Take a look at your schedules and find out where you will slot in time for study.

Online courses offer great conveniences, flexibility, and a world class education brought to your computer. While choosing a college consider the following:

• What are the basic qualifications you need to be eligible for a course are there any tests you need to take.

• Is the college reliable? Does it have the required accreditations?

• How large are the classes? When the class strength is smaller then each student will receive more time from the instructors. On the other hand a large enrollment indicates success of the course. So you need to carefully weigh all the different aspects.

• Research blogs and other online messaging centers to find out about the opinion and experiences of students who have satisfactorily complete courses or are disgruntled. Read surveys and analysis about online education. Ask the college for referrals. Examine alumni success. Find out what percentage of students successfully complete the program and how many work professionally in the field of study.

• Study the online curriculum as well as suggested time-frame carefully. Find out how many students have been able to complete the course work within the given time. Determine whether the coursework meets your educational needs and career goals. Check how current the course work is and whether the textbooks and study materials are relevant.

• Ask if the university has a 24/7 customer service program and whether you will be eligible for any technical help regarding the software or programs you will need to use. Many universities assign a personal advisor to students one who will answer questions willingly and take care all nitty gritties like enrollment procedures, course work submissions and so on right until graduation.

• Check out the credentials for the faculty, their qualifications and training to conduct an online class room with ease. Otherwise it may be a question of the “blind leading the blind.”

• Read the offer document carefully and ensure that the course is 100% online. Some universities are known to use mail, videotapes, and on-campus programs as part of “online course” work. Ask how long the online program has been in place and are there any rough spots they have encountered. Read carefully the institution’s ethical standard document, most reputed schools have a policy readily available for review.

• Check thoroughly the institutions financial history and current position. Make sure you are not registering with a fly-by-night operator.

• Find out what the accreditations of the university are. In the US accreditations come from Middle States, New England, North Central, Northwest, and Southern Western. They have a membership program as well as a system wherein each others accreditations are acknowledged.

• Most important ask about fees and financial aid. Find out what the tuitions fees are and whether any other costs like lab fees, technology fees and so on are to be paid. You will also have to cost expenses towards maintaining your computer and its peripherals like scanners, printers, and fax modem, as well as Internet costs and provider fees.

With the gaining popularity of the Internet over the past 25 years, thousands of online schools have cropped up across the US and Canada – some good and some not so much. And, while there are a lot of excellent online colleges and universities that are fully accredited and qualified to provide quality undergraduate and degree programs, there are also quite a few diploma mills that will issue unimpressive credentials not worth a second glance. The choices can be overwhelming, so let’s start with some basic guidelines to choosing the right online school.

First and foremost, whether you are researching online colleges and universities, or traditional, campus-based colleges, you should be sure to verify that your school is accredited by an agency recognized by either the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or both. Schools that are accredited by these agencies must pass the same rigorous criteria as campus-based schools, and their educational worth is assured if they carry these credentials.

There are also regional accrediting agencies that can add value to your diploma or degree from an online school. Even though online studies can theoretically be accessed from any state, the school you choose will necessarily have a physical base that is housed in a particular state, and there are several agencies that are authorized to accredit online colleges and universities by region. These regional accrediting agencies would include the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwestern Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement.

Next, take a long and careful look at the specific online degree programs that are being offered. As an example, you will qualify to enroll in an online master degree program only if you have completed your undergraduate degrees (Associate degrees and Bachelor degrees). Inquire as to the number of credit hours you will be required to commit in order to complete your chosen level of degree.

Then, find out how and when your online classes will be accessible. For instance, if the class if taught through online classes, you will most likely be required to be at your computer at a certain hour several times a week to participate in a real-time, live class. Or, will you be able to access class assignments anytime, 24 hours a day at your convenience? Are there strict time restrictions on completing assignments; or does the online course provide for a flexible learning path? These are all important considerations when selecting the right online school.
Lastly, be sure to find out if there will be any on-site visit requirements anytime during the term of your online education, and where and when these visits are expected to take place. While most online courses can be completed without ever leaving the comfort of your own home, there are some that require the students’ physical attendance for exams or practical demonstrations where you must be present to prove acquired skills (such as some of the online medical courses). Those who are unable to travel or conform to a rigid timetable will be wise to take note of these types of requirements when choosing an online course of study.

With these guidelines in mind, you should have no trouble locating excellent online schools that will completely meet or exceed your educational goals. Remember, the admissions departments of any reputable school will be happy to discuss their accreditation, credentials, tuition, financial assistance, diploma and degree programs, and any other topic that can help you decide which online school, college or university will be the best choice for you. You can start now by contacting a few promising schools on our website today and requesting in-depth information. These steps will help you develop the confidence you need to make an informed decision for a brighter future.