Some people believe that distance education programs have no
requirements for admission or that there are no prerequisites for an
on-line degree program. Although this might be true in a very few
cases, application procedures for enrollment into a distance
education program are usually the same as those for an on-site
program. In fact, if the institution offering the distance education
program also offers campus-based programs, the requirements for
applying will be exactly the same for both.
For admission to distance education programs, many institutions
require satisfactory scores on admissions tests such as the
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), the Graduate Record Examination
(GRE), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and/or the
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Application forms,
similar to the ones you would fill out for an on-site program, are
often required, along with transcripts showing your past educational
performance. Letters of recommendation, application essays,
statements of purpose, plus some other requirements, which vary from
program to program, are often mandatory.
Many programs, before they accept applicants, require them to
complete surveys and exercises in computer literacy. Consider
spending some time practicing or refreshing any skills that you will
need.
Once you are accepted into a program, it is important to find out
what the arrangements are for receiving course materials and what
the requirements are for promotion to the next level. Depending on
the number of credits you transfer into the distance education
program, you should be aware that, in general, completion of the
program will take at least as long as completion of a program at a
land-based site. |
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