Jungle Blogiversity

Let’s face it, for the most part many students, regardless of how intelligent they are, have difficulty with writing papers. Sometimes the difficulty is with the flow, getting the idea across to the reader, the format, grammar, punctuation and so forth. Hours are spent working on assigned term papers, abstracts and various research proses. Frustration heightens and then the student begins to procrastinate. Before they know it, the night before the paper is due is upon them and the only thing completed is the title page. Does this sound familiar?

Top OWLS (Online Writing Labs)

Most online universities offer OWLS to their students free of charge. Unfortunately, many students do not take advantage of this resource as they are not quite sure what to expect. As the saying goes, “You won’t know if you don’t ask,” holds very true in this situation. You could have an abundance of information available at your fingertips.

There are changes occurring in the nursing profession. Employers and State Boards of Nursing are bumping up the educational requirements with the hope of mandating the entry level RN to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN). Almost every online university out there offers a BSN program with most not requiring a clinical rotation. Many employers that are requiring their current Associate Degree RN’s to go back to school to obtain their BSN’s are even offering tuition assistance in some form or other incentives. Obtaining an advanced nursing degree has never been easier or more convenient.

Certifications

In addition to offering advanced nursing degrees, there are many other types of programs available to nurses. For instance; for those nurses that are interested in staff development or becoming educators within health care facilities, many universities offer the Health Care Education Certification for BSN nurses. Other certifications include; nursing informatics, Critical Care Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Geriatric Nursing and many other specialties. Most of these programs only require between 9 and 16 hours of additional college credit depending on the curriculum of the specific university.

As you begin your online learning experience you will find that at the beginning of each of your courses the instructor will ask that you prepare and submit a 1-2 page autobiography so that you can get acquainted with your peers. In addition there will be an extensive list of other housekeeping items to complete prior to getting into the nitty gritty of the course. In an effort to save yourself time and to make sure that you are consistent presenting yourself appropriately, I suggest that you create an exceptional autobiography that can be saved and used for each of your courses.

With the economy in its current state and the instability of businesses and companies around the country, many potential students and current students find it difficult choosing the right degree to pursue. Let’s face it, regardless of what your educational level is, there is no promise that your current position will be there for you tomorrow. With that being said, students are taking a wiser approach to education and employment plans today.

Communicating via email or other online correspondence can be very convenient for the online student, however; what is often overlooked is the “tone” in which you are communicating with another individual or instructor. You are probably asking yourself, “Is this lady off her rocker or what?” “How can a voice-free form of communication have a tone?” Well, online communication not only has a “tone” but it is also very easy to communicate a negative none unintentionally.

Online universities are popping up left and right. In fact, today you will see more advertising and marketing of online universities than brick and mortar schools. It is absolutely fantastic that potential students have such a selection to choose from but what do they base their decision on? Let’s face it; the cost of college is one of the expensive investments that a person will make during their lifetime. They surely need to make sure that their chosen school is all that it says that it is.

The price of college can be overwhelming for the young adult or middle aged adult. In many instances it is the cost of tuition that deters people from pursuing their college education. With the interest rates on Federal Student Loans increasing, most potential students will shy away from a college education rather than being deeply in debt in their 30’s and 40’s. Is there an answer to this? You bet.

Summer is right around the corner for most of us depending on where you live. Parties, vacations, beach fun and relaxation await each of us. Oh, but what about college courses. If you are lucky enough to be pursuing your college degree via an online program you may be required to take courses continuously without a break. Yes, that means courses over the summer. Don’t be down, as you are lucky to be part of thousands that have chosen the most versatile method of education. You can take your courses with you wherever you need to go, and for the most part, schedule time spent on your courses at your discretion.

One of the best times in life is your college years. It’s a time of socializing, independence and goal setting. Your experiences and education will help to mold the professional that you become. But so many people ask, “How will I get to socialize if I decide to proceed with an online degree?” “After all, at a brick and mortar school, there are specific activities arranged for students.” “I will be missing out.”

Over the past few years I have had numerous conversations with friends and colleagues related to online education. They all agree that a Bachelor’s degree or graduate degree would really be to their advantage. They also agree that online learning would be the only way for them to obtain their degrees because of working full-time, families and numerous other responsibilities. So, I ask, what is stopping them? One would think that tuition fees would be the reason for most but it wasn’t. This group of individuals was afraid to take the next step because they felt that their computer skills were not up to par.

So you have made the decision to further your education online. You know that a Master’s Degree related to your current occupation will pave your way to the top. But, how will you finance that graduate degree? Fortunately, today, many employers offer educational assistance for those employees that have the desire to return to school to achieve a degree that is related to their current profession or an executive position in the company that they currently work for. In most instances, tuition reimbursement is part of an employee’s benefit package. If that is not the case in your place of employment, don’t give up. There are still ways of approaching the boss for tuition assistance.

The phrase team work is tossed around daily regardless of the type of profession that you are in. A collaborative approach to anything by a few different people brings depth to a project or presentation. From a manufacturing position to the office of the President of the United States, a team approach is utilized. Team work, or a team approach, is also a great way of bringing together different points of view or ideas to solve a problem.

Make no mistake, online learning is the only way to obtain your degree these days. The versatility and opportunities far outweigh anything that a traditional brick and mortar school can offer except for that long hike in between classes. As you pursue your degree on your PC or laptop you will find it very addicting. Networking with students from all over the world, having resources at your fingertips 24/7, and just having the drive and desire to be the best student that you can be will keep you, voluntarily, at that keyboard. What you have to keep in mind, however; is the fact that you will still need to follow a well-balanced diet and engage in regular exercise.