It’s not uncommon for online learners, just like other college students, to experience a few hiccups along the way because of misunderstandings about their program’s structure, expectations or other factors.
“There are incredible opportunities today for students to earn a degree at any age or life stage, thanks to online learning pathways,” says Evangeline Tsibris Cummings, senior assistant provost and director of UF Online at the University of Florida. “Great opportunity also comes with a lot of important questions that students should be asking themselves about what their motivations are to enroll online and how they are going to be successful.”
So before committing to an online degree program, try to avoid these five common mistakes, according to experts:
— Ignoring red flags.
— Being unprepared to use technology.
— Not researching course type.
— Underestimating program difficulty.
— Isolating yourself.
Ignoring Red Flags
Having no accreditation is one warning sign the program may not be legitimate. Check a program’s website for its accreditation credentials and verify they are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education.
[READ:How Employers View an Associate Degree]
Other red flags include a lack of student services, ambiguous program costs, pushy recruiters and overpromised outcomes.
“I would trust your gut,” Cummings says. “It’s not only when you are looking for an online program, it’s when you are buying a car or shopping. To the extent that something is unclear, you are feeling rushed to commit to a program, you are being asked for a lot of personal information, you are not getting your questions answered and if feels too good to be true, it just might be.”
She recommends reaching out to former graduates to get a sense of their experience in the program and current career path.
Being Unprepared to Use Technology
It’s important to assess your online readiness, including overall comfort with technology and level of self-motivation to stay on track with assignments and meet course deadlines, experts say.
Not only should online students be comfortable with basic tools, including Microsoft Word and learning management systems like Canvas, but they also need reliable internet, a webcam and access to a laptop, desktop computer or phone.
[Read: Discover 12 Current Online Learning Trends]
“An institution that offers a quality online program that’s going to be most effective for students is going to tell them what type of technology they need,” says Jennifer Mathes, CEO of the Online Learning Consortium, a company that focuses on advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences.
Some schools supply laptops or have the option for local online students to work in a computer lab on campus, if needed. Students without access to technology should check to see what resources their program offers.
Not Researching Course Type
Not every online class is taught the same way. To avoid surprises, prospective online students need to learn whether their courses will be asynchronous, synchronous or both. Synchronous learning requires students to attend class and listen to lectures at a certain time each week, while asynchronous learning is self-paced.
Students should also find out if the program requires occasional visits to campus and verify whether their professors have taught an online course, as in-person teaching skills do not always translate digitally.
“As online has become more mainstream, I think there’s overall some common definitions of online learning. But as we learned during the pandemic, flipping a classroom quickly to a remote online is really different than an intentionally designed online course and experience,” says Jessica DuPont, executive director of market development and the student experience at Oregon State University‘s Ecampus. “Understand how they’re defining online and what that means to you and if it will work.”
Underestimating Program Difficulty
Some students assume that because there’s no teacher standing in front of them, earning a degree or credential online is easier than doing so in person.
But in many cases, an online degree is more challenging for students because it requires more self-discipline and motivation to “take an active part in their learning,” Mathes says. And, like residential students, online students need to maintain academic integrity when completing assignments and taking exams.
[READ: 10 Affordable Online Colleges for Out-of-State Students.]
Online students often juggle other responsibilities with academics, including a job or parenting, leaving less time to complete assignments. So don’t be afraid to ask for help from peers or a professor if the coursework gets overwhelming, experts say.
“As educators over the years, we’ve learned so much about how to teach in an online learning environment that the different practices used can actually make it a little bit more difficult, even in terms of assessments, when you are an online student,” Mathes says. “Even if a teacher says you can have an open book, that test may be much more difficult with the open book. So you have to be careful with making an assumption like that because it just isn’t true.”
Isolating Yourself
Being an online learner can sometimes feel isolating. But many schools offer opportunities for online students to connect with their peers, such as virtual events throughout the year. Experts also advise students to visit campus, if they are local.
“Don’t self-limit your engagement with your university with the assumption that because you are online, you are never expected to be fully embraced,” Cummings says.
Make an effort to connect with peers in the classroom. For instance, offer to start a group chat, which students can refer to if they miss a class, want someone to study with or have questions about an assignment.
Additionally, don’t assume that professors won’t get to know their online students, Cummings says. Building relationships with professors can be vital for recommendation letters later on.
Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. NewsPaying for Online Educationcenter.
More from U.S. News
7 Time-Management Tips for Online College Students
7 Guidelines for College Student-Professor Interactions
What to Consider Before Paying for an Online Degree
5 Mistakes Online Students Make originally appeared on usnews.com
