Deciding When (and How) to Finish a College Degree

The rise of online education has made college more attainable for Americans, as many online programs offer flexible scheduling with low tuition. Once you’ve earned your degree, your future employers won’t ask how you completed your coursework — a degree earned online is exactly the same as a degree earned by taking traditional on-campus classes.

If you left college to take a job, raise a family, or simply because you couldn’t devote enough time to your studies, this is a great time to think about going back. On average, a person with an associate degree earns $7,000 more per year than a high school graduate; a bachelor’s degree can bring an increase of $26,000 or more.

At most colleges and universities, online degree programs are exactly the same as in-person programs. Online offerings from accredited institutions can still qualify for federal and private student loans, and they’re sometimes less expensive than traditional programs.

You’ll view lectures, interact with professors, coordinate with classmates, and take tests via your home computer. You’ll enjoy a comfortable, convenient learning environment. Most importantly, you’ll have options — more colleges are offering online degree programs than ever before, and you can consider out-of-state courses in addition to local options.

Finishing Your Degree While Working a Job

Online programs also offer excellent opportunities for students who work full- or part-time jobs. If you dropped out of college to start your career, you don’t necessarily need to choose between your work or your education — remote learning can provide the flexibility you need to handle all of your responsibilities.

While researching online programs, take these steps:

• Find out whether your employer offers tuition reimbursement. Most employers want their workers to acquire new skills, and some will pay for a portion of their employees' tuition. If your job offers this benefit, make sure you take advantage.
• Ask whether you can move to part-time employment. If you’re worried that you won’t have enough time to complete your coursework while working full time, talk to your company’s human resources department. By moving to part-time hours, you can manage your workload (and stress) without losing your entire income.
• Understand the requirements of your degree program. Some colleges allow students to view lectures or take tests on their own time, while others have strict requirements for attendance (even in online-only classes). Look for an institution that will work with your schedule.
• Finally, evaluate your capabilities realistically. Will you be able to devote 20 or more hours per week to your degree while working a full-time job? If not, you may need to take fewer credit hours per semester or make arrangements with your employer. Does your family have a strong financial support system? If so, you might increase your chances of completing your degree by quitting your job or taking a leave of absence.

As long as you’re prepared to put in hard work, you can complete a degree program while working — but you’ll need to make careful considerations to improve your chances of success.

Continuing a Degree Program with Online Courses

If you’re ready to go back to school, use online resources to collect information about degree programs that appeal to you. Look at tuition cost, school reputation, and graduation rates.

One important step: Make sure that you can transfer any credits you’ve completed to the new program. The easiest (and most accurate) way to check is to get your transcripts from colleges you’ve attended, then contact the university and ask. Don’t skip this process — according to one report from the National Center for Education Statistics, about 39 percent of students failed to transfer their credits to their new college at an average loss of 27 credits.

Find out how the program’s online coursework functions. Understand the course requirements and expectations; make sure that you’ll be able to spend enough time studying. Most students should research at least 3-4 colleges before submitting applications, but depending on your area of study, you may want to research more. With the right approach — and a positive mindset — you can finish your degree from home and start an exciting new phase of your career.