I can almost guarantee that the majority of you answered with, “college.”  Were you one of those people that did?  Well, if so you think like the majority of Americans.  Whether you actually went off to college after you completed high school or not, college is still considered to be the next life step after high school.  While in college students learn not only about the field in which they wish to get a degree in, but they also learn about life and another important things. Right?

Maybe not…Colleges are now offering all sorts of strange degrees that seem not only easy, but pointless.  On top of that college costs are hurting students more than ever, and students are taking to partying a lot more too.

The infographic below reveals some pretty crazy numbers about college.  Find out for yourself and enlarge the infographic to see more.

• I never thought that I was an unorganized person until I started taking online classes.  Wow, did I find out quickly though.  With online classes I was responsible for keeping up with due dates with little reminder from the instructor.  I was also held accountable for keeping up with all of my notes and paperwork for reference.  This is typical for regular classes but I twas much more difficult without a professor handing out the sheets. -J. Stall, California
• It should have been obvious to me prior to enrolling in online classes, but I do not learn very well without the face to face instruction of typical college classes.  I need to see an instructor to really understand and get the content of lessons.  I got through my first semester of online classes, but after that I was done.  I signed up for seated classes from then on.  K. Lingly, Arkansas
• I struggled with online classes for a couple of reasons, but I think the biggest reason was the fact that I am an absolute social butterfly.  The interaction from my fellow students helps me to really grasp and understand what all is going on in class, and I found that communicating solely online was not enough to help me out.  -P. Ogden, Nebraska

Online school gives you the opportunity to get your education and still live your life.  Many people are choosing to go this route because of the freedom they have to learn on their own time and still finish up with a college education.  The people who finish with an online degree can even go on to do bigger and better things.  My close friend graduated and went on to start www.nonstopvid.com which is her own business.  These things are within your reach.  You might be wondering if online school is right for you and which are the best online schools.  This is a common question and there are a few things that will help you to decide the best online school for you.

• Do you want to attend a specific school?  Many colleges and universities all over the country offer certain programs in an online format.  So if you have your sights set on a particular school, then look to see if they offer online coursework in your area of study.
• Where is your program offered?  Again, not all programs and degrees are offered at all schools in an online education format.  Find schools that do offer the program you are looking for completely online.
• How long has the program been offered online.  Sometimes you can decide which school would be the best for you based on how long they have offered the degree programs.  The longer, the more experienced the personnel are likely to be.

After you have made the choice to go to school, there are other decisions too that come along with going to college.  One large question that many students are faced with is whether or not to attend traditional classes, take an online course load, or do a little of both.  Sometimes the scheduling plays the largest factor in this decision, but there are many pros and cons to both aspects.

If you are trying to decide which would be the best choice for you, take a look at the infographic below that helps to reveal some of the more common pros and cons.  You can also talk to current students and advisers to figure out what the best route for you would be.

• Communicate with instructors.  If you have plans to travel or be offline for a few days, even if they are days surrounding a holiday, make sure that your instructor is completely aware of that.  He or she can let you know if there should be anything required of you on those days in advance so you can prepare accordingly.
• Check in frequently.  If you are able to log in to your classes during the holidays, then do so.  By checking in often you will ensure that you will not miss any class discussion or assignment that might need to get done before your holiday is over.
• Stay on top of your coursework.  This seems obvious, but if you are able to get ahead of the game a little bit before Thanksgiving and other holidays, then you will be able to spend more days enjoying your family.  Doesn’t that sound like something you would want to do?  Some instructors will give you assignments early if you simply ask.  That way you can get it done before it’s due.

Just because you might be hectic and in a celebratory mood this season, online classes do not stop.  Make sure that you are doing all you can to stay on the right track to getting your education online.

When you went to school as a child and teen, you probably did not have to think about all sorts of responsibilities.  Now that you are an adult you have a job, a home, and a family that you take care of on a daily basis.  How can school fit in with all of that?  Thankfully there are school’s that understand and that is the reason they have introduced online program courses.  These courses allow for you to get your degree from classes that are entirely online.  You do not have to worry about schedule conflicts, driving to class, or being away from the family when you take an online program because you are able to do it from your home.

Paying for school is another big worry that you might have now.  Taking out a loan to finish school is not only scary, but it will just add to your current bills later down the road.  Talk to a counselor at school and find out more about things like grants and aid that can be offered to adults going back to school.  You might find out that you can finish your degree for very little money.

Be honest with yourself, do you want to get your college degree?  If the answer is yes, then go for it!  You can go to college and still live your life.

Neat Facts:

• There are more women in college than men.
• Less than 15% of college undergrads in the US are pursuing a degree in science or engineering, while more than 40% are in China.
• There are 18.5 million students enrolled in colleges and universities in the US.
• Of American engineers, women make up less than 10% of the total.

So often, money gets tight.  If that has happened to you, you probably had to quit going to college classes in order to work even more and bring home more money.  A full-time job and having to go to classes on a college campus can be one of the most difficult things to take on for a lot of people.  Thanks to many accredited and well-respected colleges and universities offering online classes, you do not have to pick which of the things you have to keep.  Have your job and your education too!

Another instance where someone may have to give up going to classes is when a baby comes along.  When a woman gets pregnant, she so desires to be an excellent mother and may not be able to travel to and from campus or afford childcare even when she has to go to classes.  Again, when you choose to finish your degree online, you do not have to be forced to give up school.  While you are home with your little one, you can be finishing up your degree.

The same goes for the instance when a student must quit learning when a parent falls ill.  Online education makes getting your degree a breeze because you do not have to go anywhere but to a computer.

Soldiers may want to consider the advantages of being more educated. With service like Cable TV and internet, an educated Soldier becomes a more valuable member of the Army. By pursuing his or her educational goals with the help of goarmyed, the soldier not only enhances his or her individual talents, but contributes more value to the nation as well.  GoArmyEd is a dynamic gateway online that automatically takes care of many traditionally paper-based processes soldiers once conducted with their Army Education Counselors.

Regionally accredited colleges and universities are just a click or two away for soldiers using goarmyed to align their educational goals with schools offering degree programs matching their skills and dreams.  The United States military encourages its soldiers to become more educated, to better serve the causes of freedom, democracy, and the American Way.  It also wants all of its soldiers to succeed in life, well past their military careers, and to take full advantage of any higher education opportunities for which they may be qualified.

On your way to work, you stop for a cup of coffee and some fruit.  You have just dropped the kids off at their daycare centers, or at your parents’ home for care while you are at work.  You arrive to your cushy office job just in time and settle in for a days’ work, yet you are clearly thinking and daydreaming about your new college class instead of what it before you during your working day.  This is normal!  Don’t feel bad.  You just need a little practice at balancing your online education with your professional life.  It comes with time.

One thing that can be helpful is to plan each day carefully in advance.  You have heard the old adage that “failing to plan is planning to fail.”  It is very true.  Each day, a person should intentionally do certain things at certain times, without veering from that if at all possible.  The same is true for balancing one’s business, family, and educational life. Kind of like cable internet bundles. All the great stuff in one package.

First, begin by calculating your course load and reading over all of your syllabi the instructors have given you.  Get an overview of when assignments and quizzes will be due, so that you can accurately apportion time to each task.  Make sure that you divide time in each weekday so that you do not overlap working hours with study hours, or neglect other responsibilities that you have.  Many people find it necessary to make adjustments to their social lives while they are enrolled in full time college courses.   This is alright, but don’t get carried away.  Burning out is a real possibility for people who dive in head first and stop having fun.

Once you get the hang of planning, you will find that your days are more manageable and pleasant, busy though they are.  Once you have completed your studies, it will all have been worth it.