Students who don’t do the proper research prior to earning a bachelor’s degree online may waste time and money.
“It’s always a good idea to know what to expect before you commit,” says Cindy Troutman, program manager of online program services at Western Kentucky University.
“I think knowing what to expect and how long it will take is really key, as far as being successful and not falling into the trap of feeling disappointed because maybe it is taking longer than you thought.”
Prospective students should consider the following when figuring out how long it will take to earn an online bachelor’s degree.
1. Figure out if any college credit can be applied toward the degree: Students will need to go through a transfer credit evaluation to determine if any previous college coursework will be accepted at the new institution, says Christine Shakespeare, assistant vice president of continuing and professional education at Pace University.
And there may be a limit on the amount of credits that can be applied, she says.
Learn [how to transfer academic credits to online programs.]
At WKU, prospective students can complete advising prior to enrollment to see what’s needed to complete a degree, Troutman says. That allows students to compare schools and find the right fit for them, without spending money on application fees.
Students may also want to see if they have earned any Advanced Placement or dual enrollment credits from high school that can be applied, Shakespeare says.
And adults should see if they can earn college credit for prior learning, such as from work or military experience, she says.
2. Determine what courses need to be completed for the degree program: Curricula for degree programs can often be found on a program’s website, Shakespeare says.
Sometimes curricula can appear very thin, she says, but it may not account for needed prerequisite or corequisite courses. And what those courses are may not be obvious on the program’s website.
Prospective students should also consider if previous college coursework aligns with what’s required in the new degree program, she says.
“Because if they had to start all over with a new discipline, then that may take longer,” she says.
Pennsylvania nurse manager Tim Powell, who recently earned a bachelor’s degree at Drexel University Online, consulted the school’s academic and enrollment advisers to figure out what classes he needed to take .
Advisers at the school walked him through the whole structure of the nursing program and he was assigned an adviser to work with throughout the program to determine what classes he needed to take each term.
[Find out what questions to ask about student services in online programs.]
3. Decide on how many courses to take per term: Adults may want to consider the time they’ll spend studying and completing assignments for each course before deciding on how many classes to take per term.
Powell says he spent at least 12 to 14 hours per week completing coursework. He typically took two classes each fall, winter and spring quarter. Quarter terms are typically shorter than the usual academic semester. That’s something that appealed to Powell.
“It’s a little more intense. It’s a little more concentrated just because it’s shorter, but overall I think it was a way that I could still achieve the degree in less time.”
Students considering using financial aid should see how much eligibility they have and map out their degree plan accordingly, says Troutman, of WKU.
4. Consider the time limit: Seventy-six out of 287 ranked online bachelor’s degree programs said they require students to graduate in a certain amount of time, according to U.S. News data.
Undergraduate students at WKU have seven years to complete their degree upon admission, Troutman says. But the dean of the student’s college may grant an extension, if needed, she says.
And at Pace, students may need to retake classes in certain disciplines if it’s been too long, usually more than 10 years, says Shakespeare. One example is accounting, where rules and regulations often change. She suggests prospective students consult the undergraduate catalog of the schools they are interested in, as that’s where all the academic rules are.
Students may also want to look into the availability of classes. Powell, the nurse manager in Pennsylvania, liked that Drexel offered a large selection of classes each quarter — he didn’t have to wait a term to take a particular class.
[Discover how to tell if an online program is accredited.]
He started the program with an associate degree and earned his bachelor’s degree in about two years. The new credential helped the 50-year-old obtain his current position, he says.
“Your time can be just as costly as the tuition itself,” he says. “So if you are not going to do well in the class, you lost money. You could have been working a second job or something. So yeah, I highly recommend the whole planning of it, with the assistance of the college itself.”
Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.
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Determine How Long It Will Take to Earn an Undergrad Degree Online originally appeared on usnews.com