Online coursework is becoming a popular choice for students in today's busy society. Entering an online program gives you the flexibility to study whenever and wherever you want provided you have access to the internet. As with any course of study, however, there will always be a time commitment, and you must be driven in the pursuit of your long-term goals.

Taking an online course is more concentrated for the student than is traditional classroom enrollment. In order to succeed in your online coursework, you must:

see your College advisor before registering for an online course to ensure that it meets the needs of your major course of study;

be a self-motivated person who utilizes time management techniques and is not prone to procrastination;

have a personal computer which can access the internet;

be proficient in computer, internet, email, and standard software usage*;

be prepared to spend as much time as necessary each day retrieving information, completing coursework, responding to the instructor, and transmitting assignments to ensure that coursework is completed in accordance with the instructor's syllabus for the online course; and

be able to purchase necessary books and materials online with a valid credit card.

Online courses cost more than standard courses on campus because most online courses are offered by off-site host institutions.  Therefore, students who enroll are subject to the costs, requirements, rules, and policies of the host institution.

Certain institutions in the technical college system are part of a consortium which guarantees transfer of credit for online courses from the host institution (where the instructor is located) to the site institution. Students wishing to use financial aid for online courses must be sure that the course for which they are registering is offered by the consortium and they should check with the WTC Financial Aid office to ensure that financial aid will be properly distributed for online and on-campus classes.

* Proficient use of a personal computer, internet, email and standard software are prerequisites for taking an online course.  Some courses require the download of specific software to perform necessary tasks, which means that use of a library or computer lab computer will not serve the purpose. Email is the main source of communication between instructor and student, and often attachments will accompany emails or be required of the student to send completed assignments to the instructor. Therefore, the student must have a valid email address and computer capacity that can accommodate the amount of information that will be transferred for the duration of the course.

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