By: Jessie Daniels
Online BBA Program Coordinator
Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia
Many online students are non-traditional, meaning they aren’t right out of high school seeking a “traditional” college experience. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, non-traditional students are often blessed with the perspective, experience and knowledge to value their resources. Unfortunately, many universities still tailor their product to the traditional student, leaving the growing number of non-traditional students to figure it out for themselves. Although they’re prepared to do so, starting or coming back to school at a more mature life stage is difficult. I view my mission as coordinator for a degree completion program as one laden with great responsibility—helping these students succeed. Here are 5 tips I believe can help online and non-traditional students as they work toward the completion of their degrees.
1. Start thinking with the end in mind.
Do you wish to finish as fast as possible? Complete a degree from a prestigious university? Get a degree without going into debt? As we can see from these questions, the goal stays the same—to get a degree. However, the means of accomplishing this goal vary greatly based on your priorities. If you aren’t as concerned about finishing quickly, more options become available. If you desire a degree from a specific university, you may have to take classes on campus or pay more money. Prioritize what is most important to you and find the path that best suits your needs.
2. Take the long view.
Graduating in four years is a great goal to have; institutions even earn money for pushing students to do so. However, for many online or non-traditional students, this goal is unrealistic. A bachelor’s degree requires 120 hours, and to complete one in four years calls for 15 hours a semester. If you take summer classes, you can manage 12 hours a semester, but even that isn’t feasible for students with full-time jobs, children, and other life responsibilities. Take the long view and realize that even if you take one class at a time, you can still meet your goal. Slow and steady often wins the race.
3. Be realistic about your lifestyle, time, and resources.
While completing a degree is worth the effort, you must be realistic about your lifestyle. If you have 4 children under the age of 5, you might have a hard time focusing on your school work (or anything really!). If you get married and plan a honeymoon during the semester, you’ll need to consider how that will affect your classes. Always think about your plans and your options. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’ve failed, but that you’re are being smart enough to take the time to think realistically about your goals.
4. Plan ahead for times when you cannot plan ahead.
You can plan for many things, but what if your spouse becomes ill or you suddenly have to move? You need to think through your back-up plans. Always know the withdrawal date for each semester so you can prevent hurting your GPA. Become familiar with the Hardship Withdrawal policies, and keep documentation of all instances that may affect your academic progress. It is much harder to remedy situations after the fact, and the consequences often remain long after the semester ends. Be proactive and, even in the midst of crisis, be prepared to communicate your situation to your instructors, your advisors, and the administration if necessary.
5. Be accountable for your own path.
Advisors are wonderful assets, as they help guide students along the path to graduation. However, those advisors assist many students, and some are even faculty members with numerous other responsibilities. You need to help your advisor and help yourself by being knowledgeable. As an advisor myself, I don’t mind answering questions from students who are trying to understand everything they need to do. Most institutions’ websites clearly display their policies and requirements. If you find something confusing, ask someone. The same philosophy applies to classes: a syllabus is a contract for the course, so be sure to read it as such.
Bonus tip: Remember you are paying for an educational experience, not a product.
Today’s students are savvy consumers; they know the market and know what they want. They know that there are many educational options from which to choose. However, keep in mind that a degree is not just a piece of paper, but confirmation of an educational experience. Employers want to know what you’ve learned through your experiences, not just read your diploma. While completing your degree, you will learn how to succeed, how to deal with failure, how to communicate and work with others, and how to find your own resources. See each interaction as a learning experience. Doing this will help you through the hard times and help you process your learning in a more astute way so that your education can be a resource, not just a box you check off.
