While I realize that a lot of you already have degrees, I just wanted to share my experiences so far with taking college classes through an online environment.
More and more colleges are using the Internet as a means of offering full degree programs. I can't commend them enough for this. If these classes weren't available online, I would most likely never get beyond my associate's degree because I simply don't have the time or energy to travel to and from a physical campus each day. The online courses are generally more expensive per credit hour than attending on campus, but the trade off is that you can access your coursework anywhere you have access to the Internet. I can complete my entire degree without ever leaving my house. It's truly amazing.
So far, I'm still in my first course which is more of an introductory course to taking classes online, working in teams and collaborating across cyberspace with other students. Once I complete this class, my core classes begin. My long-term goal is a Bachelor's of Science in Software Engineering. My short-term goal is just to make it through this week's coursework.
I won't lie to you. It's taken some time to adjust my schedule, and I'm still trying to develop a good system to get all my work done on time. But I'm getting there. After last weekend's power fiasco, I'm now attempting to download all my coursework for that week ahead of time so at least I can get some work done on the laptop in the event of a power outage. This also allows me get classwork done during the commute on the days that Heatherdawn is driving, which is a great time saver. Working during the commute also means when I do finally get home after work, that I can relax and enjoy the rest of the evening versus having to immediately head upstairs to the office and spend the next hour or so completing that day's coursework.
I've only been going for about four weeks now, and so far it still seems like work. I'm not exactly overly enthusiastic about it, but as long as the work load doesn't change all that much, I think I'll actually be able to keep this up. Achieving my Bachelor's would be a great accomplishment for me since I've been putting it off for over ten years now. It means a possible bump in pay, and more job opportunities as well, since many of the contracting positions are only open to those with a four-year degree or more. And the fact the my company is covering for 100 percent tuition doesn't hurt either. Without that, I would not be doing this to be honest, as a single credit hour runs anywhere from $450-$550. That's an average of $1,500 per class which is a bit too pricey for my budget. In the long run though, me having my degree, means I'm much more marketable for the company so it's a worthwhile investment for them.
I'm currently enrolled in the University of Phoenix (UoP), online campus, in case anyone is interested. The classes are accelerated, at only 5 weeks long, but that also means finishing your degree a little quicker than some other schools. With UoP you can start classes any Tuesday which makes it very nice because you're not locked into a set schedule based on quarters or trimesters, and most classes are available at any time.
Two other schools that I'm aware of are Strayer University and DeVry University that are also strictly online. But a lot of colleges nowadays have some sort of online program available. Just check around if you're interested in a particular school.
That's about it. Wish me luck 'causse I'm going to need it to keep this up for the long haul. So far I'm taking it one week at a time and I'm hoping that will be enough to get me through it. I envy those of you who have already done this but who knows... maybe two years from now, I'll be able to join you!
