Tips to Help Pass Online Courses

Taking college courses online tends to intimidate a lot of people, and I used to be one of them. There is a fear of not knowing what is ahead, or worrying about failing. Taking your college courses online is not as hard as you may think, as long as you have knowledge of computers. Taking steps to ensure your success can help you pass your online college courses.

Purchase Your Books a Couple of Weeks Prior to Classes:
 
Since I have been taking online courses I have noticed how many people are unprepared, waiting until after classes begin to purchase books. The ones that have procrastinated have gotten behind in class. Books are a necessity to online college courses, and having them the first day of class is a benifit. Contact your school and find out when you are able to get your class books. Get them as soon as you can. I do not recommend that you open any that are not returnable if opened unless you are sure that is the book required for your college course; you do not want to have wasted money on a book you do not need.

Things You Will Need for your Online Courses:
 
There are a lot of things that you will need for your online courses that you may or may not know about. I learned in a short time that you need a few things to help you study and pass your online courses. These are the things that I recommend having, and some common uses for the items:

• Highlighters: Keep the highlighters handy at all times. Use them to read and annotate your college course books, or to mark things that you want to remember. These have been the most used item on my list. It helps me remember the details, which will help you pass your online courses.
• Notebooks: One notebook for each subject makes it easy to take notes, and do your work for each class. It gives you a way to keep each class organized, without getting them confused.
• Three Ring Binders: I find it best to have at least one three ring binder to keep all of the printed papers in such as; syllabus, readings, copies of papers you have written, and class schedules. I have the binders that have the inserts on the front; this is where I put my weekly schedule.
• Pens: Pens are a necessity to take notes and do work.
• Pencils: I have found it more convenient to take notes, work math problems, and mark in my books with pencils so that I can erase any mistakes that I have made.
• Whiteout: Whiteout is great for the mistakes that we do make with pens, and I have found that I needed it quite a bit.
• Red Pen: Red pens are great for marking corrections that you want to make on your papers, or making special notes in your college course texts.
• Printer and Ink: Since you are taking all of your classes online, having a printer is necessary. It is easier to read certain things on paper rather than on a screen, and you want to have a copy of you syllabus and class schedule available for quick reference. It will also give you backups of all of your work in case something happens to your computer.
• Flash Drive: I have known of a few people to lose all of their work due to computer errors, using a flash drive can save all of your school work. Having your work readily available will help you pass your online courses.

I have found that all of these things help you pass your online college courses, but you may be able to find more things that are helpful in your situation. These things alone will not make your pass your courses, but they have all helped me quite a bit.

Make a Schedule of your Online College Course:
 
I have two schedules that I use to keep track of my online college courses; one for long-term projects, and one I take time to make weekly. The weekly one has been the one that has helped me the most. Each Friday I take the time to ensure I have finished all of my projects for the week, and schedule out my days for the following week. Using a schedule will help you pass your online courses by simply ensuring you turn in your work on time.

Take Time to Learn the Online Course Site:
 
Each online college course may have a different site that you go to each day to do your work. Take time during the first week to look on the site, and learn everything you can. This will give you a chance to ask your instructor questions about the site if you need to.

Syllabus:
 
The syllabus is very important when taking online college courses; it tells you everything that you need to do to pass the course. Each syllabus for each online college course is different.

Take advantage of the Professors Help:
 
Most of the professors will have times when you can contact them through chats, lectures online or even going to the school during their office hours. They may even offer free tutoring for their students. If any of this is offered, take advantage of it. The professors want you to pass your online college courses, so let them help you.

Turn in ALL Your Online College Course Work on Time:
 
You will not pass your online college course if you do not turn in your work on time. There are things that are more important than others, but all of it goes towards passing the course and your knowledge of the online college course.

Do Not Get Behind:
 
No matter if you are 18 or 80, if you are taking online college courses you should be responsible enough to do everything on time. If you allow yourself to get behind with one small project, you will have a hard time catching back up. Getting behind could prevent you from passing your online college course. To pass you need to stay on track with everything.

Read Your Text Books:
 
Being you will not go to classes, your book is your key to passing the online course. Even if there are certain chapters that you have not been assigned, take the time to read through them. The teacher may want you to take the initiative to learn things on your own, so learning your text book can help you pass your online college course.

Do not be Mistaken, Online Courses are not EASY!

 
Before I began to take online courses I was under the impression that online courses may be easier than going to classes, I was sorely mistaken. Online courses are for individuals that are self-motivated, organized, and can schedule there time wisely. If these statements do not describe you, do not try to take online courses. You will also have to have quite a bit of computer knowledge. If you do not know a lot about computers, do not take an online college course.

All of these tips would have helped me a lot if I would have found them prior to starting classes, so I am hoping they may be able to help someone else pass their online college courses. Take the time to get everything that is required for your course, schedule your time, ask for help and learn exactly what is required for your online college course. If you can do this, you will pass your online college course.

Myths About Online College Courses

Myths about online college courses

I am a single mom, I work full time, and I have gone to school full time since August of 2012, and will graduate December 2014. I had heard so many things about taking online college courses prior to starting that I was under the influence that it would be different. These are a few myths about taking online college courses, and I know that these are myths from personal experiences.

Online College Courses are easier than Campus Courses:

This is not true at all. The course is under the same curriculum as the campus courses, but you do not have the professor in the class explaining things to you. If you can learn well on your own, you will do well. Never think that the online course will be easier.

You never have to go to Campus:

This may be true if you are using an exclusively online school, but local colleges do have you come to campus on occasions. Some of the classes will require you to go to the campus for tests. This will not happen often, but be prepared in case this is your circumstances. There may also be courses that have to be completed online, or even a hybrid course where you have to go online and to the school.

Online Courses are completely at your own pace:

This is one of the biggest misconceptions that I had, and quite a few other people do as well. Each course has a set syllabus, and deadlines for the work that needs to be finished. Since I have begun taking online college courses I have had projects that were due each week. The tests, papers, homework, and any other projects always have precise due dates. On some occasions you can move ahead a little in the online college course, but if you miss work you will receive a zero for that.

You do not need to have a lot of computer knowledge to take online college courses:

This is just wrong to tell people. I actually have quite a bit of computer knowledge, but when I first began taking online college courses I was confused. I still have moment that I am questioning what I am supposed to do. I am not confused about the work, but how to work some of the programs that I have to use. Do research into what you will be doing. If you are going to a local school they will usually be happy to help you navigate the sites.

You do not need a webcam for online college courses:

This is actually true, but you can experience more if you do have one. There are programs and meeting sites that some of the professors will use. If you have a webcam you will be able to have face to face meetings. For some people this may not be important, but it may be beneficial to a lot of students.

You only have to check in to your online college course once or twice a week:

NO, absolutely false. The first week I was taking my online college courses I was online 6-8 hours a day, every day. I take three courses online, but each one of them goes by completely different programs. After the first week I got organized and learned each class's standards. Now that I have learned, I am still online each day checking each class. There are things that change on courses or you may have forgotten something. Either way, checking each day helps to ensure you complete all of your work. I now spend an average of four hours a day working on my online college courses. I do take weekends off!

I just have to do my work; I do not have to participate in any discussions or forums:

The classes I take require you to post on the forums or watch the lectures online. Being active in their courses is the way they track the attendance. You have to show participation in each class. Some classes will even drop you if you do not participate in the first couple of weeks, and will fail you if you do not participate after that.

I can copy work from other students, or websites if I take online college courses:

If you do, you will get caught. Most professors use plagiarism software to catch this, and it is now required by the school for them to use on each assignment. If you want to do well, do your own work

These myths are things that I heard prior to starting taking online college courses. I have shared my experience about showing these myths not to be true. I love taking online college courses, but the first week scared me. The biggest tip I can give anyone who is interested in taking online courses would be to learn time management. Use a calendar to mark your deadlines, plan time each day to work on each course, and never get behind. If you are interested in furthering your career online, do it. If you have problems, ask for help.

Tip from a single mom

Do not let anything hold you back. Get your education. I have kept myself from making excuses because I can do it. This has been a great experience, and I would not change it for the world. If you want to be a successful single parent, then go for your dreams and do not hold back. A little struggle will come with great return!