How to Find Time for an Online Degree

Getting an online college degree seemed like such a great idea at first. Facts show how a college degree can increase earning power and employment opportunities along with increasing your personal skill level. Studying at your own pace and in the comfort of your own home sounds so appealing, doesn’t it?

Well I found out how tough it was to squeeze in an extra 10-20 hours a week for studying. I didn’t figure for working overtime, my kids’ commitments, social functions, or just plain ole leisure time interfering so much with my study time.

Online college degrees are not easy to obtain and most people drop out before graduation. The lack of time management and social planning skills contribute to the lack of success for many students. The sales representative selling the student a degree mentions the time factor but avoids details about the difficulty of managing job, family, friends and college work.

I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in four and half years despite the many challenges and I’m going to share three secrets with you that led to my success. Creating a time log, being able to say “no” to outside influences and using online college resources are my three top notch tips to a successful online college experience.

Creating a daily time log allows you to identify non-productive time blocks you could use for school tasks. Simply use a time log sheet from Microsoft Word to fill in the time log. The time log illustrates what you are really doing with your time. You probably have more free time than you realize. If you can skim two hours a day towards your school work, the chances of you succeeding towards an online college degree increase significantly.

It’s Monday night and a friend calls to ask you to slip out for couple quick drinks while taking in some of the Monday Night Football game. If you planned your week properly, there should be time for pleasure. If the paper is due, you must say “no” to your friends enticing invitation. Sounds easy, but it’s not. Curtailing your family life, social life, and leisure time are facts while pursuing an online college degree. You must be able to say “no” when necessary. Failure to decline certain social and family functions can lead to failure in the cyber classroom.

The good news is many online schools provide plenty of online or offline resources for students to hone their skills. The schools offer help in the subjects of writing, reading and math. Writing remains the most critical skill for online students. Writing replaces verbal exchanges and solid writing skills go a long way towards success. Reducing time spent re-writing assignments saves valuable personal time.

So, to wrap up how to find time to study for an online college degree, let’s review the three tips for success. Finding 15-20 hours a week is possible if you create a time log for a week and remain objective about how the time is spent. Yes sacrificing some Internet surfing or video games may be necessary to gain the required extra time. Saying “no” to certain social, civic, or family invitations sounds harsh but allows wiggle room to finish weekly assignments. Make it goal to finish earlier in the week to enjoy more time with family and friends.