· Many funding agencies use FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine the eligibility of a student for financial aid. So, first of all, complete FAFSA.
· Check the deadline for the respective academic year.
· Apply and check the status by making an account.
· You will receive a student aid report, check mistakes, make corrections and again submit it.
· The award letter will be issued by your college.
· Carefully review your award letter and select aid option according to your requirements
4. Choose the online college with good quality of the curriculum, faculty credentials, graduation rate, and technology for virtual learning
Quality of curriculum
Always explore the description of degree programs, course contents, and their attributes before applying. Evaluate if the program is dynamic to increase student’s knowledge or not. A proper online course should include live classrooms, discussion forums, video lectures, study material, virtual labs, online library, quizzes, exams, and assignments. Students learn more from different sources. Dynamic course contents ensure student learning instead of merely getting grades. Find out the difference between the curriculum for an online degree program and its on-campus traditional counterpart. You should choose the degree with the same credentials which are offering to on-campus students. Never compromise the quality of courses and always keep learning.
Check Faculty credentials of online college Faculty is the backbone of the college. You must check the faculty credentials of an online college before joining it. Is there the same faculty available for both online and its traditional counterpart? Do they have experienced teaching staff? Are they comfortable teaching online? Teaching through virtual classrooms is not easy for all faculty. There is a digital divide which makes it difficult for some faculty members to use new technology. Newer or younger teachers find it more convenient to teach through new technology. Younger faculty is more familiar with making multimedia presentations, take virtual classes, and communicating with students from the comfort of their homes. So, professional and younger faculty is preferred for online courses.
Graduation rate Always chooses the online college with a high graduation rate. Students who graduated from online colleges with vast alumni networks find more career options and get a job more easily. Good online colleges arrange workshops, lectures, interviews, and symposiums with their notable alumni to provide insight on career options. They can guide you to choose the right path towards your career. Experienced professionals will give the best advice and help grow your professionalism.
Technology Online colleges should offer quality education by effective use of technology. The success of an online degree program depends upon the smooth delivery of lessons, classes, and all sources. Online students do not deserve passive learning so proper use of technology and tools is important for active learning.
5. Check the Student services of online college
