Most of us in distance learning programs would have significantly less of an opportunity to get a degree or more than a handful of isolated courses if we had to resort to 19th century solutions – namely the traditional college campus and total surrender of our schedule and lifestyle to accommodate a finite course schedule and instructors. That might work well if you’re fresh out of high school, but not when you have a family, a mortgage, and a job.
Obviously, grants and scholarships ‘rule’ because you don’t have anything to repay, as you do with loans. And for many of us already in the workforce, there are a couple of new sources to help pay for your college degree.
Many companies have a tuition assistance program, basically reimbursing a portion of your tuition after completion of the semester with grades of ‘B’ or higher, from an approved program related to work. The amounts vary wildly with the company, but in most of them are around one or two thousand dollars per year.
A few of the very large, successful corporations have incredibly enlightened policies not unlike our military service academies – long-term commitment to remain with the company for x-number of years in exchange for a virtually full scholarship. While these are hard to come by, there are many more companies that will work with employees and colleges to make it happen than you might imagine – within reason.
To get a better idea, read Will Your Employer Pay Your Tuition? and follow-up with How to Convince Your Employer to Pay for Your Education.
If it’s job related, the chances are good that your current employer will work with you; and distance learners have the advantage that they will only occasionally need a few hours off to take proctored exams – usually less time off over the entire 4-year program than traditional students need in a single semester class.
The reality is that many companies have been burned repeatedly over the years by freeloaders and dilettantes, and they may balk until you’ve demonstrated you’re serious about getting your degree. If that’s the case, get some credits under your belt and talk to them again next year. Meanwhile, don’t slack off on-the-job or you’ll blow your chances for tuition assistance and any raises and promotions that might come along in the interim.
When you talk with your supervisor and/or manager about your college plans, you’ll get some major clues about what they expect of college graduates. (Pay attention and follow through on what they tell you; you’ll be way ahead of the game because most applicants don’t.)
