The Pros and Cons of an Online Degree Program

As a single mother of two children, returning to college seemed like a distant dream... until I saw the ads for the University of Phoenix Online. At first, there was a question of how I would pay for it, but when a representative with the school contacted me, I was told that I could apply for student loans to pay for the costs as if I was attending college at a traditional campus--I even qualified for Pell Grants and scholarships! That was all the encouragement I needed. Now I am just a couple of months away from an Associate Degree in Business.

It hasn't been easy. At times, it has been a hassle--probably no more so than any college experience--nevertheless, some of those hassles could have been easier to bear had I been forewarned and able to anticipate them.

For example: The hazards of using a computer for all things associated with class. You have heard stories of students who forgot to save their work and lost entire projects and term papers. Well, in this case there are instances where you might forget to post your assignments after you've completed them and end up facing late penalties. There may be times when technical difficulties make it difficult for you to post assignments on time and it could mean you're on the phone for hours with tech support. Then there are the attendance requirements: If you forget to post at least two days a week, you have missed attendance--and if this happens for three weeks during the course of the class, you are dropped from the class. This is actually pretty easy to do. It's happened to me twice.