Off- Off- Campus Classes

Your immediate post-high school plans might include a full-time job, caring for a child, or both, Or maybe you?re not sure whether college is right for you. distance learning can help you continue your education from the comfort of your own home.

?You don?t have to be an admitted student to take a course through continuing education,? said Al Powell, director of independent learning at Colorado State University. ?That?s a real advantage for someone who wants to get their toe in the water.?
There are three primary ways to take a college credit course ? or earn a degree ? without setting that soggy toe on campus: correspondence courses, telecourses and online classes. Correspondence students complete their assignments from textbooks, while telecourse students watch lectures on a PBS affiliate or videotape. Both mail or e-mail their work to the instructor. Students taking classes via the Internet can also chat with the teacher and other students. University of Colorado also offers some courses on CD-ROM.
Most online courses are term- or semester-based to allow for group projects, but they can also be ?self-paced.? CU allows students one year to complete self-paced courses, while CSU allows six months, with the option of taking an extra six months for an additional $25.
Prospective students can register for a distance or independent learning class on the Internet, by snail-mail or by e-mail.
When it comes to tuition fees, Colorado distance learning programs make no distinction between residents and
non-residents. Colorado residents pay slightly more per credit hour for distance courses, while non-residents can save hundreds of dollars over taking a course on campus.
Geoff Rubinstein, academic coordinator for independent learning at CU, said consistent e-mail and phone contact can
actually build a stronger teacher-student relationship than a typical classroom
experience.
? Sheryl Bass

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