Getting an Associate Degree OnlineI. General informationA.

Getting an Associate Degree Online
    An associate degree can take your education and career to new heights in a short amount of time. (1) The associate degree is designed to be a two-year program in most subjects and, depending on your area of study, it may be needed before a bachelor’s or master’s can be earned. Some careers only require an associate degree and for others it is optional.
    Getting an associate degree is a smart decision for your future (2) It will open doors for better jobs and guarantee you a higher salary than just having a high school diploma. And thanks to the growing field of online education, you can get your associate degree in the comfort and privacy of your own home. It’s a convenient and helpful option, especially if you want to work full-time or part-time while attending school. But before enrolling in an online degree program to get your associate degree, there are a few things you’ll need to do.
    First, the obvious choice: pick where you want to study. (3) U.S. News & World Report has a helpful database that allows you to search online degree programs by the level of degrees awarded, including associate degrees. Comb through the database and supplement that with web searches to winnow down the list of potential associate degree programs.
    If you want to get an associate degree from home, (4) you’ll need to do some research about the online degree program that interests you. You’ll need to check on tuition, and though the price per hour or course might be the same for a bachelor’s degree, you can obtain an associate degree in half the time, resulting in a significant financial savings. (5) It’s also a good idea to verify the school’s reputation by contacting the Better Business Bureau to see if any current or former students have lobbied complaints against the institution. If the online degree program has a lot of negative feedback, it might be a good idea to keep looking until you find a program that’s been commended more.
    (6) Getting your associate degree from an online program also means you’ll need to verify that the school has been accredited. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education can help you determine if the institution is a credible one, and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation is a similarly helpful tool.
    Finally, look at the details of the program. (7) How often will you be required to log in each week to attend class? What’s the course load like? It’s also a good idea to contact the professors or do some online research to see what kinds of jobs are available to people who hold the associate degree you plan on getting. Knowing where the education will take you is one of the most important aspects of getting your associate degree at home. Once you know that, there’s nothing holding you back.
    One of the advantages of enrolling in an online degree program to obtain an associate degree, as opposed to a bachelor’s degree, is that the shorter time to completion of the degree means you’ll spend less on classes and tuition. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t eligible for financial aid, or that you shouldn’t do all you can to apply for scholarships and grants to help defray the cost of your education. Applying for financial aid for your associate degree is just like applying for aid for a traditional four-year degree, too.
    First things first: (8) Check with your online institution to see what kind, if any, of scholarships or grants they offer to students on the associate degree track. For instance, University of Phoenix participates in multiple federal financial aid programs, including Stafford Students Loans and the Pell Grant. However, not all online institutions participate in every federal aid program, so before committing to one school, do your research on several and figure out what aid programs they offer to students.    (9) Additionally, if you’re employed, check with your human resources department to see if your employer participates in a tuition reimbursement program. Some companies provide aid for employees who pursue degrees related to their job, so if you’re looking to get an associate degree to bolster your training for your current job, your company might help you get there.
    But the big thing to do is apply, apply, apply. Fill out the FAFSA—the Free Application for Federal Student Aid—to begin the process of determining how much federal aid you might be eligible to receive. The U.S. Department of Education begins accepting FAFSA forms from hopeful students on January 1 of every year, and though you’re allowed to re-submit a "renewal" FAFSA at the beginning of every year, the form needs to be updated with the previous year’s tax information in order to expedite the process. (10) It’s also vital to note that the federal submission deadline and those for individual states don’t always line up. In other words, depending on where your online degree program is based, you might be required to process and submit your federal aid application earlier than anticipated. Be sure to check with your school’s financial advisors to determine deadlines for aid applications. Your advisors will also be able to tell you about any non-federal grants available through the school, which vary among institutions but are still helpful tools to help you obtain an associate degree.
    It can seem like a tricky process, but with the right preparation and follow-up, applying for — and receiving — financial aid for your associate degree is simpler than you might think. It’s always worth seeing if you’re eligible for financial assistance.