Are You Ready?
Do you have a good computer at home, with a good internet connection?
You need a good computer and internet connection at home. What is good? Good question. Personal computers are changing so fast, it seems that you have to purchase a new one every couple of years just to keep up. However, in general, you need a computer that will allow you to do several things at once. For example, you need to be able to have an internet browser open (looking at a website), and have Microsoft Word open (working on your latest homework assignment), and have Windows Media Player open (downloading the latest video clip your professor just posted for you to watch).
In regard to your internet connection, you will need to have a good reliable connection at home. All of your work will be done over the internet. That means that you will use the internet to do everything... communicate with the professor, turn in assignments, talk with others in the class, research, everything... will be done online. The faster the connection, the less time you will spend waiting for things to download and upload. You could get by with paying $20/mo. for a standard 56K dialup connection. Or you could pay from $30-60/mo. for a faster Cable or DSL connection and be much happier.
Does that mean you need the latest and greatest computer, plus a super-fast expensive internet connection? No. But if you want to make your life easier and reduce the frustration of waiting for information to download from the internet while trying to do several other things, you will invest in a good computer and shell out $30-40 a month for a good cable or DSL internet connection. This is your college education we are talking about, right? You won't regret it. And by the way, here is a summary of the minimum computer requirements that you will want to have.
Are you willing to study at night and on the weekends?
The UT Online program was designed for people who already have full-time jobs and family committments. You might be able to work on school work during the day at your job, but then again you might not have that freedom. That means that you probably won't be able to work on school work until nighttime and especially on the weekends. Are you willing to spend that extra time working on your college education and forego hitting the sack early? Remember, you won't be alone. Everyone else in the class, including your professor, will be working at night and on the weekends too.
Are you self-motivated, and can you work alone on projects and assignments?
If you aren't self-motivated that doesn't mean that you won't succeed in UT Online. But if you have the ability to keep yourself on-task and complete work by the posted deadlines, you will have a much easier time excelling in the program. Working alone from home, usually at night and on the weekends, can be a challenge for some people who thrive on interpersonal face-to-face communication with others. Remaining active in the course and not feeling separated or distant from the others in the class will be skills that you will learn as you move through the program.
Are you comfortable communicating with others by email and chatting?
Most, if not all, of your communication with others will be online. That means that you will use email, chatting, and discussion boards to talk to other students in the class, and the professor. You might have a need to call other students or the professor to seek help with something, but for the most part you will communicate electronically. This can be an interesting experience at first if you are not comfortable with it. But once you begin conversing with others electronically, you will discover the convenience and flexibility that is inherent in electronic communication.
Learning online can be a tremendously rewarding experience for you, if you know what to expect up front. If you feel like you are ready to take control of your education and get that degree that you have always wanted, then visit our Admissions page to find out how to apply for UT Online.