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If you have a lot of responsibilities, finding the right way to balance your time can be difficult. But no matter how busy your life is, the right education can make all the difference to your future – and the sooner you start, the sooner you can begin to achieve your personal and professional goals.

If you’re trying to figure out how to balance work, family and education, try some of the following tips:

Try distance learning

With distance learning, such as an online school, you can eliminate dealing with a commute to school. Many online schools also offer very flexible scheduling, so you can take classes at times that work around your schedule. Even if you don’t have a computer or Internet connection at home, there are often options at local libraries!

Choose a school with flexible scheduling

Many schools offer evening or weekend classes, in addition to regular daily classes. This can be a great option if you’re a student who really likes being able to see and interact in person with instructors and classmates, but who is still trying to work around a regular daytime job.

Talk with friends and family

Having a supportive network that really understands your goals is invaluable. If you’ve got kids, having friends and family who are willing to watch them while you study or attend classes can really make a difference.

It can be tough balancing work, family and your new education. But you can do it – and the rewards are worth it!

You see the advertisements for online college courses everywhere, but what are they really about? Ever since schools made the early decision to organize online learning programs in a successful effort to propel their growth and widen their outreach to students, they have come up against many myths and stereotypes.

Some people think that online learning is inferior to classroom learning, that the online programs are little more than diploma mills, or that graduating with a degree from an online school won’t get you anywhere. In truth, however, according to student surveys, there is very high satisfaction among students who have earned an online degree.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common myths about online learning:

Myth: Earning an online degree is easier than earning a degree in the classroom.Many students find that the course material taught online is relevant and on track with the work their peers are completing in their educations at traditional institutions. The coursework for some classes will be more difficult than others, and you may come across some professors that you can communicate with better than others.

Because online learning requires an incredible amount of discipline and independence, some students may even find getting an online degree more difficult.

Myth: Online learning offers little personal attention and no communication with other students.
This is not the case. Most online classes enroll no more students than at a traditional university.

Many students find the tech support and counselors at various online schools to be excellent. They often call and e-mail regularly and are extremely willing to help with any questions or concerns.

Myth: An online degree isn’t as respectable as a traditional degree. While this may have once been the truth, online degrees are gaining prestige around the world.

Online schools provide a respectable outlet for working adults to earn a higher education. Like many other things, you will only get as much out of your online education as you put into it, so if you take advantage of the resources provided, you can get a valuable education that employers will respect.

However, online education may not be for everyone. First-time college students with no family responsibilities and no full-time jobs may feel the desire to leave home, become independent, attend school with peers and learn how to manage their own lives.

Myth: The credits you earn online won’t transfer to traditional colleges.A growing number of colleges and universities do accept transfer credits from online schools! Still, it’s always a good idea to do some research before you enroll in a program. Check with your state and any educational institution you might want to enroll in later to make sure that credits and certifications will transfer.

Myth: Employers won’t take an online degree seriously. A large percentage of alumnae from online programs have seen an increase in their marketability. They have been able to secure jobs that they desired or have received promotions in their present jobs.

Plus, many faculty members of online schools are executives at reputed companies when they are not mentoring students in the classrooms, lending even more credibility to their instruction!

Myth: You’ll never set foot on a college campus.
While concentrated time spent on a college campus can be a great way to learn, the advent of technology has made physical presence unnecessary! In fact, because attending class is not possible for every student, online learning is one of the best options available.
It can provide the flexibility of time and place while you receive a quality education. Additionally, online learning can be a great option for students with disabilities.

But many online programs offer blended campus learning as well, or might invite you to attend a campus-based graduation ceremony after completion of your program.

Take inventory.
Are you going to college for the first time or re-entering after an absence? Determine how many prior college credits you have, including non-credit courses and any life or work experience skills. Even if the subjects don’t seem applicable to a major, they might count as elective credits toward a degree.

Define your educational goals.
Ask yourself why you want to go back to school.
Do I want to change my career?
Am I enhancing my current career?
Do I need to finish that college degree from years ago?

By focusing on your motivation, you can best define your educational goals. Personality and career counseling tests are available to help pinpoint interests and help you decide on a career path. This is a basic test, but there are many services available that can help you focus on your specific talents.

Hint: Community colleges often offer these tests free or at a low cost but may limit these services to current students.

Another good resource is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. An in-depth overview of a wide range of professions is available, as well as employment outlooks for specific industries, salary averages and even job search tips.

If you are still undecided, don’t worry. You don’t have to know exactly what you’re looking to study when you contact a school. Many schools employ special advisors who will help you select coursework that will fit into various degree programs and schedules.

Once you have defined your educational goals, you can determine your program needs:

Certificate.
A certificate signifies the completion of a specialized number of courses, generally required for vocational or technical training. Many times, certificate courses can be completed very quickly. These usually are designed to enhance your current job skills or prepare you for a licensing test.

Associate Degree.
An Associate degree is generally the completion of a total of 60 semester credit hours. Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are often offered by technical schools and community and junior colleges.

Bachelor’s Degree.
A Bachelor’s degree generally comprises the completion of a total of 120 semester credit hours. A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is generally a degree in one of the arts or humanities, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) is a degree in one of the sciences.

Master’s Degree.
A Master’s degree is the completion of one to two years of full-time academic study beyond the Bachelor’s degree. Some programs are shorter than two years, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA), and can be used to enhance your professional skill set or qualify for promotions on the job.

Over the last decade, distance learning has leapt from the scripts of science fiction fantasies to become a growing trend in higher education. It has moved from correspondence classes that relied on video and mail-ordered text books to a virtual classroom that allows students to earn diplomas, undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees at any time, from anywhere in the world.

Distance learning has evolved from a less than reputable way to complete a college education to being the system of choice to attend college for more than a million people. The Distance Education and Training Council predicts that distance education will grow 30 percent annually over the next few years.

Perhaps no school understands the potential of distance learning better than the University of Phoenix. As the largest private university in the U.S. with 145,000 students and more than 63,500 of which are online students, the University of Phoenix has seen an 80 percent growth in enrollment between 2001 and 2002.

"It is my belief that as the growth of online technology continues, the number of students earning degrees online will continue until the preferred method for continued education is just a click away," said James Chitwood, Vice President and Director of the Milwaukee-based University of Phoenix campus.

The unprecedented growth in distance learning can be attributed to a number of factors ranging from advances in telecommunications technology to increased numbers of adult learners lured back to the classroom by the flexibility that distance learning offers to education costs spiraling out of control. Whatever is driving the growth of distance learning, it is showing no signs of slowing in the near future.

According to the second annual Alfred P. Sloan Foundation report on online education in the U. S., there is no statistical evidence that online enrollment has reached a plateau. In fact, enrollment in distance education increased 24 percent between 2003 and 2004. Of the 90 percent of colleges and universities offering distance education programs, the majority report that students are at least as satisfied with their online courses as those taking face-to-face courses. That is due in large part to the technology involved in distance learning.

Technology Makes Worldwide Learning a Reality Technology has continued to affect the way we do things. Education is no different. In the past, it was technologically impossible to participate in classroom lectures without physically being in the classroom. Now students can participate in real-time classroom lectures from any location through teleconference technology. They can schedule virtual meetings with their advisors through private chat rooms and they can exchange homework and other files through online posting boards and file cabinets. Distance learning has made it possible to enjoy a truly academic experience without the academic building.

The Federal Communication Commission reported that roughly 32 million people utilized broadband lines to connect to the Internet at the end of June 2004. This is a 38 percent jump in the number of users in 2003. Broadband is becoming more widely used as consumers want faster access to the Internet for research, shopping, watching movies, downloading music and gathering information. The popularity of broadband Internet service has resulted in more Americans being equipped to take advantage of distance education.

One of the selling points of distance learning is that it "removes barriers of distance and time so students can study at their own pace and at any time," said John Evans, Regional Director of RDI Resources in Vancouver, Canada.

Adult Students Higher Percentage of Distance Learners The flexibility and convenience of distance learning might explain why adult learners are the large majority of distance education participants. The promise of flexibility attracted former distance student Cari Heelan.

"I took my class online because it worked around my work schedule," said Heelan. "I also got a different perspective by having classmates from different states. It was a social experience as well as academic."

The Census Bureau and the U. S. Department of Education report that adult learners are the fastest growing educational demographic, growing 35 percent from 1970 to 2000. Today, more than 60 percent of all college students are 25 and older.

The 2004 Learning Circuits E-Learning Readiness Survey found that 57.1 percent of all distance learners use an asynchronous (self-paced) courseware. The ability to read textbooks, take tests or complete homework when their schedule permits makes distance education more appealing to those short on time or juggling many responsibilities, such as family and work. Another added plus is a more time-relevant program for those who use distance education to enhance current skills.

A four-year degree takes a long time to earn and could be irrelevant or outdated by graduation. Distance education combines the two features likely to attract those who want a degree but would not otherwise go to school — convenience and speed. Also factored into the equation is the growing cost of higher education.

Skyrocketing Costs Direct Students to Distance Learning A 2003 report prepared by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce found that "parents and students are losing patience with college ’sticker shock’ and are frustrated with a lack of accountability from college officials about rising costs."

"There’s no market constraint to keep them from raising tuition," said Ronald Ehrenberg, Director of the Cornell Higher Education Research Institute. With salaries decreasing along with the amount of federal aid available to working families, students are seeking alternatives to the four-year college experience. Distance education looks more and more appealing to those seeking a degree to advance in their careers without breaking the bank or spending years to do it. Distance learning provides the same quality education without the disruption in life.

While distance learning is not for everyone, it is certainly worth exploring. If you want to achieve your dream of completing your degree, consider distance education. You can earn and learn at the same time.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there were 2.9 million degree-seeking students age 35 and older in 2001. Nearly 1 million U.S. students enrolled in courses that took place completely online in 2004, twice as many as two years earlier, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported. These students returned to school in search of career advancement or new skills to make a career change, or to fulfill lifelong goals of earning degrees.

Online Degree programs have been the driving force in enrollment increases, and for good reason. Distance education offers new levels of convenience and flexibility to earning a degree. Not only can you be a student without ever sitting in a physical classroom, but you can take your virtual classroom everywhere you go.

With a computer and an Internet connection, you can interact with classmates from around the country, discuss homework assignments with professors, submit papers or tests and participate in group study sessions. Distance learning gives you the same level of education without the rigid structure used in traditional schools.

Whether you are just getting started in your Degree program, looking to complete your degree or earn an advanced degree, distance education might be the perfect solution for you. Many career schools, technical schools and traditional public and private schools offer Associate, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree programs online. Online degrees are available in many career fields like Business, Criminal Justice, Healthcare, Information Technology, Marketing and a host of others.

Offering far more than just an education, online Degree programs provide options for non-traditional students and those who never considered degree programs before.

"It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to have access to distance learning," said Marilyn King, Montana State University - Bozeman’s Assistant Superintendent for Instruction.

If you are tired of thinking about going back to school to get your degree because it would require quitting your job or relocating, now is the time to give distance education a try.