Many online universities are seeing a spike in their enrolments and three on ten students are taking a course online. This trend is increasing, thanks to our technology and innovative methods in teaching. With many students looking for online programs to pursue their education needs, the selection factors have also becoming precise. We list 6 factors for the perfect selection –
- Accreditation – It is like a stamp of approval for higher education universities. This difference tells prospective students that the degree program in question has proven to meet certain academic standards. Accreditation is typically a good indicator that most graduates are prepared to enter the workforce.Most colleges often indicate their status on their website.
- Rates and Statistics – A prospective student shall always look out for various factors like graduation rates, average student loan debt, and specifically student loan default rates as they speak volumes about a school’s effectiveness. Low graduation rates are likely to show that the program in question has a weak academic support network for students or may be the students are dissatisfied.
- Reputation – Students can look into the university’s reputation by enrolment staff, employers who have hired graduates of the school or simply information on the internet. This feedback can come in the form of surveys, placement statistics, and personal communication. Additional way to gauge a university’s reputation is to follow them on social media and see what current and former students say.
- Transfer Credits – Students should always check the curriculum and college credit compatibility with other institutions before joining. This information is vital for students who anticipate transferring credits before graduation.
- Student Services – Prospective students should look for the school the support services which college offers beforehand. You can look for career counselling services, library services, among other services.
- Program Details – When selecting the college, it’s important to understand what program do you want to pursue as every college differs. A traditional college course offers online study, and is led by instructors, which requires you to attend at fixed time, while other schools offer courses that are asynchronous so your schedule can be more flexible.
