I had the fortunate opportunity in my early twenties to travel abroad. Because I was on foreign land for the first time, I found myself overwhelmed and confused. Navigating my way around Kings Cross Railway Station in London was an adventurous experience. After a few mishaps, I learned how to plan ahead, mange my time and locate helpful resources to find my way around Europe. Navigating your way in the world of distance learning can be equally as overwhelming. In a recent student survey administered in 2006 by Blueprint Education, a non-profit distance learning provider, 86% of the students were taking a distance learning course for the first time. Learning how to navigate through a foreign country allowed me to feel successful, explore further inland and learn more than I could have imagined. By following these five successful tips, you can save a lot of time and money and explore an exciting new world.

1. Choose the right school: Selecting the right school is the most significant educational choice you have to make. Make sure the school you choose is accredited by one of the six premier American regional school accrediting commissions. If the school is not properly accredited, secondary and post-secondary schools may reject the credits you earned.




2. Manage your time: In a self paced, open enrollment, flexible learning environment, managing your time wisely is a key to success. Set specific goals and objectives for yourself and stick to them. Creating daily, weekly and monthly goals defined by specific objectives will help you reach deadlines.




3. Connect with your teacher: The ability to form a meaningful relationship with your teacher will allow you to have the opportunity to share your understanding of the course, stay motivated, and learn more. Although your classes are online, you can stay connected through message boards, email, and other electronic resources.




4. Know your resources: The most widely used search engine today is Google. There are a lot of online materials available to help you with your studies. General resources such as online dictionaries, encyclopedias, writing resources, atlases and maps are useful tools. Identifying these sites from the start will save you time and money and help you find success in your course.




5. Get all the credit you deserve: More students are taking online courses due to schedule conflicts, retaking a course to graduate on time, or getting a head start on life to graduate early. If you have credits from a previous school, make sure to have your transcript sent to your distance learning school of choice and ask the counselor to perform a course equivalency. As long as the school is accredited, the credits should be able to be transferred.

About Blueprint Education
Blueprint Education is a non-profit organization that has been helping students succeed since 1969. Services offered by Blueprint Education include distance learning, curriculum design, and alternative education. Blueprint Education's programs and courses meet the high quality standards of the NCA Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, CITA, and the NCAA. For more information call 1.800.426.4952 or visit their website at Blueprint Education