Many students pick to enroll in online college degree program mainly for 2 reasons. First of it is for convenience. Online education can be completed in your own spare time and as such is suitable for students who are currently working or otherwise do not have much time set aside each day for college. The next reason is usually for the reduced cost incurred. Even the best online colleges charge a fraction of what regular colleges charge their students. However, potential students should also understand that with freedom comes responsibility. A student must have the drive and the motivation to complete a set amount of hours a week or they will find that even the best online college in the world cannot help them in their pursuit of knowledge.
Some students will also enroll into online education for a change in career, for when they find themselves heading into a dead end with their current career path. For example, a person involved in accounting finds that, after some soul searching, that his true calling is to serve the community and he decides to pursue a career in criminal justice or nursing.
Criminal Justice
A career in criminal justice looks promising, although shows like CSI does glamorize the job a little, it is still interesting enough. After doing some research, careers in criminal justice are actually achievable when you have an associate’s degree in criminal justice. However, with such a basic qualification, you will have to start at the very bottom of the entry level positions in police forces or sheriff’s departments. With a bachelor or a master’s degree however, you can apply for positions such as detectives, government agencies such as Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Another hurdle careers in criminal justice is your personality as all potential candidates undergo a compulsory physical and mental evaluation before being approved for a career in this sector. This is understandable as you will be interacting every day, with potentially, criminals and you will have to maintain your composure under the most adverse of situation. This is also why an excellent people person and excellent communication skill is of utmost importance.
Next, there is the risk factor involved in most criminal justice position. The amount of risk really depends on whether you are looking for the first line of defense positions or more analytical positions such as investigators, social services and paralegal work.
Finally, careers in criminal justice usually pay relatively weakly when you first join and do not have experience. An entry level position will pay between $30,000 – $45,000 a year while after a few years, you will be looking at $65,000 per year as a police officer and upwards of $120,000 as a crime scene investigator.
Nursing
Nursing is a stable profession that will never have difficulty finding a job anywhere in the world. It is estimated that the United States alone need about 2 million nurses by the year 2020 and of that only less than 800,000 will be available.
With online nursing school programs, it is hoped that many more will take advantage of this opportunity and take the steps necessary to become a registered nurse. As with all online education courses, flexibility in course completion and materials are high but students must take all necessary steps to ensure that they actually put in the effort into their education.
Online nursing schools differ from a normal online education degree program in that the learning materials and non-clinical parts of the program is done online while there is also a compulsory clinical component to the degree. Generally it is arranged to be held near the student’s city to prevent any inconvenience.
When you enroll with an online nursing school, you can choose between a few types of nursing degree such as Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). An APN can specialize as a nurse practitioner (NP), certified nurse specialist (CNS), certified registered nurse anesthesiologist (CRNA) or certified nurse midwife.
However, you must also factor in the course duration when deciding which specialization you want to dive into. Generally, it takes about 2 years to attain a degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse while it takes up to 8 years of study to achieve the Advance Practical Nurse level.
Upon graduation, nurses have the flexibility to work in a variety of environments including hospitals, clinics, schools and health facilities, private practices as well as volunteers both onshore and off shore. The shortage of nurses is also reflected in their general salary, where a new Licensed Practical Nurse can earn up to $65,000 per year.
With the 2 in-depth examples above, we have established that a change in career is very possible with the right degree and a degree program is available from the best colleges online for much less than what they charge for a traditional program.
You should also find out if the online college that you are going to apply for is accredited by any nationally recognized agency, as that will certainly make it easier for you to obtain federal financial aid from the US Government. The other due diligence you should do is to ensure that the degree offered by the online college have accreditation from professional associations such as the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA).
It is still a huge investment in time and effort but the students who took the plunged and switched careers mostly responded very well to the change and are happier with their life than ever before. By obtaining grants and scholarships, the cost factor of obtaining a degree from the best colleges online are minimal except your own time and the benefits are life changing. It is no wonder that so many students are taking advantage of online education to further their education or for a change in career.





























