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Online college courses are getting more popular, and they can count towards degrees or for transfers to other colleges or universities in the same way as campus-based classes do. But they shouldn't be regarded as an easy option: you've really got to be self-motivated and above all, self-disciplined if you're going to get through your correspondence course successfully - there won't be any instructor pushing you to complete assignments!
A big advantage is that you get to study at your own rate and at the time and place you choose. This is a boon to people in the work force who want to begin or continue with their college education, and even to teachers who need additional certification or want to do more study in the subjects they teach.
Distance learning degrees, bachelors or masters, can be a valuable addition to your resume, but you should take care in selecting the college or university providing the correspondence course, some are worthless. And don't forget there is a wide range of accredited online university and college courses and degrees available, not just in purely academic subjects: nursing, accounting, business, computer, technical, web design and law enforcement are just some of your options for an online distance education course.
The best thing is that you get individual instruction by a tutor on a one to one basis. As a rule, you'll study at home, and you'll get materials and your evaluations via the mail or sometimes courier. Nowadays more and more college education is being done online, although all forms of communication are used.
Basically, you'll be doing the same work as if you were on campus, except that the personal interaction with your correspondence course lecturers and tutors takes place at a distance. Expect written assignments and testing, and you'll almost always need internet access, although fax, telephone and snail mail may be used. Many people take correspondence courses from nearby colleges so that they can make use of college facilities, for example, libraries.
That depends on the type of person you are and your circumstances:
If possible, and this is another good reason to take a correspondence course from a nearby college, you should arrange to meet with a course director to see if the class is right for you. Otherwise don't be afraid of contacting them by email or letter asking questions about anything of concern; if they don't provide you with the answers you need, then maybe this is a warning!
Registration can be actually in person where the college is nearby or by post; in all cases you'll need to provide some fees upfront, so be prepared. Your instructor will then contact you and give you practical details, or you may be given a website address or sent printed material in the mail. This will include details of the syllabus and text-books and other materials you'll have to get for the course.
Apart from assignment work, there will always be tests of some kind you have to take. These may take various forms, and some - either written or online - you may be able to take on your own at home or elsewhere.
In other cases, though, you may have to take examinatons at the college itself or in another controlled environment. Some colleges require you to take a test in the presence of a "proctor". This is a person who makes sure that the test is administered in accordance with the course rules.
This is always the danger with correspondence courses. The trick is to stay ahead of the game. If you see that you’re having trouble keeping up with the class, don't feel embarrassed, get in contact with your course tutor before you get too far behind, he or she may be able to make suggestions to help you improve your work flow.
If the worse comes to the worse, it may be possible to withdraw from the class and take it again later.
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