what is college coursework like

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Your Guide to Conquering College Coursework

Getting good grades in college can be a lot tougher than in high school. For many students, it requires building new skills and establishing new habits. Learning those skills now—before starting college—will help make your transition as easy and as successful as possible.

Mary Sharp Emerson

The transition from high school to college is a big one. Meeting new friends, living on your own, and creating your own schedule are just some of the new, exciting challenges that await you.   

In the excitement of starting a new life on campus, college coursework can sometimes become a second priority.

However, adjusting to college coursework is often the biggest challenge of all. Even the best students may be surprised at how difficult college courses are. The subject matter is more complex. The workload is larger. And instructors’ standards are higher.

Mastering college-level courses requires a new level of independence, advocacy, engagement, and time management.

You can prepare yourself to succeed before you even get to campus. Identifying the skills you need, and building those skills into established habits, will help make your transition to college academics, and college life, easier, less stressful, and more successful.

Be engaged in your college coursework

College courses require your full attention and active participation.

And the more you engage with your teachers, teaching assistants, and classmates both in and out of the classroom, the easier it will be for you to succeed in that class.

The importance of active listening

Active listening is one of the most critical parts of engaging in a course, according to Gina Neugebauer, assistant director of Harvard Summer School’s Secondary School Program.

“Professors and teaching assistants can tell if you’re actively listening. They notice if you’re taking notes and making eye contact. They also notice if you’re distracted by your phone or computer,” notes Neugebauer.

Active listening means not checking your social media accounts or texting friends during class.

It also means really giving the instructor and your classmates your full attention.

It sounds easy in theory but it takes practice. It can be tough to not think about all the work you have or your next party. But the more you work on actively listening, the easier it will be to not get distracted and miss important information in class.

Different ways to actively participate

Beyond active listening, there are many ways to participate in a course. And you can tailor your level of engagement to your personality and comfort level.

“It’s all about gauging what you’re comfortable with,” says Neugebauer.

“You may not be the person who raises their hand all the time but you actively respond to online discussion posts, for example. You may not feel comfortable talking in front of hundreds of students in a large lecture hall but you take advantage of TA office hours and email the instructor with questions.”

But don’t be afraid to push yourself if you aren’t someone who usually speaks up in class.

It’s ok to start small. Work on raising your hand in small seminars or discussion sections. As you gain confidence, you’ll find it gets easier to answer questions and share your opinions.

Build independence and advocate for yourself

In college, you are responsible for your own success. You will need to advocate for yourself and know when—and how—to ask for help. That requires a level of independence that you may not have needed in high school.

The good news is that instructors and teaching assistants want to help you.

“Instructors, on the whole, enjoy hearing from you. And they’d rather hear from you right from the start, rather than have you struggle on your own for three weeks,” says Neugebauer.

If you have a question about an assignment, send your instructor an email. Are you upset about a grade you got on a recent test? Visit your instructor or TA during office hours to discuss what went wrong and how you can improve.

But remember, says Neugebauer, professors are busy and you are only one of many students.

“Your email should include your full name, what course you’re taking, and a brief description of your question or concern. And you cannot expect an answer at 2 a.m. because that’s when you’re studying. When you reach out to an instructor, give them 24-48 hours to respond.”

And remember, always be respectful and non-confrontational.

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Don’t be afraid to seek help

If you have excelled in high school without extra help, you might be tempted to persevere on your own.

In college, Neugebauer points out, asking for help is the norm.

“Once you get into your undergraduate program, you’ll find that almost everyone has, at some point, asked a TA for extra tutoring, gone to a tutoring center, or a writing or math center for extra help. It’s part of the learning process of an undergraduate program,” Neugebauer says.

Colleges have a variety of support systems in place to help you succeed.

TA office hours are a great place to start if you find yourself struggling with a specific concept or assignment. Peer tutoring programs enable you to learn from students who have been through the course themselves. Academic coaches can help with more general study tips or exam-related stress.

The key is seeking out help proactively, before you get too far behind. As the courses become more difficult, catching up becomes increasingly difficult.

Build time management techniques

Balancing everything that comes with life on a college campus can be difficult for many incoming college students.

“The biggest challenge we see facing high school students who are trying to adapt to college life is overcommitment. Students want to engage in every activity, a full course load, and even sometimes a part-time job. They don’t schedule enough time for self-care, quiet time, doing laundry, and plenty of study time. All those things take time,” Neugebauer says.

Good study habits and time management are key to avoiding the stress that comes from getting overcommitted.

Neugebauer recommends getting into the habit of keeping an accurate and up-to-date calendar.

“The best thing I can recommend is a calendar, such as Google Calendar. Use it to schedule everything: your class, your lunch time, time at the gym. It may seem counterintuitive, but work on scheduling literally everything, even sleep.”

Be sure to include assignments, tests, and other deadlines, as well as office hours for your instructors, TAs, and academic coaches.

Use your calendar to block off dedicated study time. And once you schedule it, stick to it! Avoid the temptation to procrastinate or use that time to hang out, play video games, or scroll on your phone.

Your calendar should also include dedicated time for self-care.

Regular mealtimes, good exercise habits, and a full night’s sleep are not only critical for your physical and mental health. You’ll also be surprised at how much they contribute to your academic success.

Challenge yourself as you engage in college coursework

Getting outside your comfort zone is a critical part of preparing yourself for the exciting challenges that await you in college.

“Being uncomfortable allows for growth. It means saying to yourself, ‘this is new. I want to try it. I want to see how it feels.’ This is all about adapting to a new environment but also examining yourself as a person,” says Neugebauer.

Taking on a new challenge—regardless of the ultimate outcome—builds resilience, mental toughness, and confidence, all of which you will need to succeed in your college courses.

But, warns Neugebauer, it’s also important to know your limitations.

“That uncomfortable feeling should be manageable. It should be a challenge but not so challenging that you feel panicked and wake up in cold sweats every night. It should be something that gets you a little nervous but also excited about what you’re involved in every day.”

However you decide to challenge yourself, it’s never too early to start if college is in your future. The sooner you start identifying and mastering the skills you need in college, the better prepared you’ll be to succeed right from day one.

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About the Author

Digital Content Producer

Emerson is a Digital Content Producer at Harvard DCE. She is a graduate of Brandeis University and Yale University and started her career as an international affairs analyst. She is an avid triathlete and has completed three Ironman triathlons, as well as the Boston Marathon.

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How Do Online Classes Work? What to Know Before You Start

Whether you’re considering going back to school to start or to finish a degree, taking online courses is an option that allows you to maintain control of your schedule.

Before you decide what course format you want to pursue, you may be wondering exactly how online college classes work.

How are Online Classes Different Than Face-to-Face Classes?

You might be familiar with taking a college class in a face-to-face environment in a traditional college setting. The basic premise is still the same online; you’ll have a syllabus to introduce you to what the class — or course — is about and the learning outcomes you'll work toward.

The syllabus also shows you what materials are required for the course, the types of assignments to expect, grading information, the assignment schedule and academic policies.

Attending classes on campus may tie you to a traditional semester schedule, limiting opportunities to begin a degree program to once or twice per year. Online classes may differ, offering term start dates  year-round. At Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), for example, there are 8-week terms for undergraduate classes and 10-week terms for graduate, allowing ample opportunities for you to enroll throughout the calendar year.

What to Expect in an Online Class

A vast array of resource materials is available through a virtual library, and quite often with 24/7 chat assistance.

Every class also has an instructor you can reach out to with questions or if you need support. These instructors bring a wealth of experience relating to the course's subject matter, which means they can help you connect the dots between what you're learning and how it applies to the industry.

Are Online Classes On Your Own Time?

Online classes that follow an asynchronous learning  format do not meet at a defined time each week. Instead, you’ll have the flexibility to do coursework when it makes sense  for you within the framework of the course schedule. 

For instance, at SNHU, courses in online degree programs are broken out by week-long modules with due dates clearly defined each week. You may choose to complete all assignments for that week within a two-day period or chip away at work throughout the week. Depending on whether you're a night owl or an early bird, you can find the time of day that's most convenient and productive for you.

Robyn Roberts '23 , a semi-truck driving great-grandmother, said she completed a majority of her online bachelor's in business administration  degree while the road. "I pulled into rest areas and stopped and did discussion boards," she said.

What is the Online College Community Like?

And while the work will be done from wherever you are, you’re not alone if you choose a school that has supports in place to help you succeed. 

Online students at SNHU work with an admission counselor to ensure the degree program they choose is the right fit . Upon enrollment, an academic advisor is assigned to them to provide support throughout each course and assist with scheduling, resource advice and lend a hand whenever needed. Adjunct instructors are available throughout each SNHU course to clarify information, answer questions and facilitate learning.

If you'd like to get involved with extracurriculars , some schools have an online portal where you can connect with other students, join clubs and participate in activities. Events including SNHU's annual LEADS conference  also allow you to connect with others in the community while also focusing on your personal and professional development.

There are many opportunities to engage in experiential learning , too, at SNHU, no matter your degree program. Experiential learning is a type of learning that allows you to develop and apply your skills in real-world projects. If you're earning a healthcare-related degree at SNHU, for instance, you could participate in the Higher Education and Real World Training (HEaRT) Challenge. During a HEaRT Challenge , you'll learn about a problem an employer is facing and team up with your classmates to propose a solution.

While these supports may not be in place at every school you consider, it’s important to focus on what is meaningful for you — and ensure you select a degree program at a university that has what you need to work toward your goals.

Find Your Program

How many classes do you take in college.

How many classes you take depends mostly on you: whether you’ve already taken courses or not, how much time you can commit to school and which degree you hope to earn.

The number of credits it takes to graduate  from college depends on your program:

• An associate degree  is generally 60 credits in length, or about 20 classes.
• A bachelor’s degree  program typically requires 120 credit hours (or approximately 40 classes).
• A master’s degree could be anywhere from 30-40 credits, and sometimes up to 60 credits (from 10-20 classes), depending on the program you choose. For example, an MBA  — or Master of Business Administration — may take as few as 30 credits to complete, while a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing  could take 48 credits.

If this isn't your first time attending college, you may be able to transfer credits to your new program, altering your timeline and cost to completion. At SNHU, you could have up to 75% of your program finished by the time you start classes. Here are a few quick steps to take:

• Complete the free 5-minute  online application . There’s no obligation after filling it out.
• Get your transcripts requested — for free. Chat with an admission counselor, and we'll request your transcripts on your behalf.
• Receive your free evaluation. Soon after all your transcripts are in, you'll get your official evaluation. It will show you what was transferred in — and what classes you need to complete.

You may also be able to finish faster with prior learning credits  obtained through certain certifications, trainings and military education.

Part-time or Full-time Student: How Many Classes is Full Time?

This may vary at other schools, so it’s important to ask questions up front to understand what constitutes full and part-time — and how your financial aid award  might impact your options.

Is It Harder to Do Online School?

The best online classes have academic rigor and knowledgeable faculty with expertise in their fields. That winning combination, along with supportive resources and staff, creates a learning environment comparable to what you’d expect in a face-to-face class setting.

Some classes may feel easier than others for you based on your interest and comfort level with what’s required of you in a particular course. If writing is something you absolutely love and a class is writing-intensive, that course may be one you’ll feel really comfortable in. If a course seems like it may be challenging, it’s important to consider what resources are available to assist you in the areas you feel you need additional help.

For example, some schools offer 24/7 drop-in tutoring sessions as well as access to a writing center. Leveraging these resources can help you turn in your best work.

Knowing what supports are in place for you as a student can turn what might have been a difficult experience into a course you may thrive in.

If you're having trouble picturing yourself as an online student, you might wish to explore the advantages and challenges that come with a virtual setting and flexible schedule. That can help you determine whether online college courses are worth it  for you.

Success Tips for Online Classes

To do well, it’s important to assess the time you have available for coursework and plan accordingly, leaving yourself some flexibility to pivot as needed if challenges in other areas of your life come your way. Schoolwork may be something entirely new for you, and you could be uncertain about how to maximize your success in a course.

Here are two tips to help:

• Managing your time is essential for your success — and there are time management strategies  that can help you tremendously, including prepping well for a project, prioritizing tasks and developing a schedule and sticking to it.
• Practicing good study habits is another way to boost your learning. Think about how you learn; how you best engage with new information and what sticks and what doesn’t. Be sure to put yourself in an environment where you can best focus  and retain information. Ensuring you have ample time to complete your assignments is equally as important. You’ll have a hard time focusing if you’re short on time and feeling stressed  — and when you allow yourself the time you need, you’ll have an opportunity to reach out for help should you get stuck on any part of an assignment.

While your experiences or concerns may feel uniquely personal, rest assured that others have been where you are now and had the same desire to earn their degree.No matter where you’re planning to continue your education, the basic ingredients for college success are the same.

A degree can change your life. Find the SNHU online college degree  that can best help you meet your goals.

Pamme Boutselis ’15, ’17G is an award-winning writer and content producer, currently serving as a senior director of content and a communication adjunct at Southern New Hampshire University. She loves hearing and sharing stories. As a writer spanning a 25-year career, her work has been featured in print and online via news media, career and education-focused blogs, regional magazines, technology publications and more.

A bachelor’s and master’s in communication – earned as an adult learner – positively impacted her life and career, melding decades in diverse industries with professional and academic knowledge and experience. A serial volunteer, Boutselis has been a TEDx organizer since 2013 and a speaker coach. She’s been fortunate to work with dozens of nonprofits throughout the years. Learn more on LinkedIn .

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About southern new hampshire university.

SNHU is a nonprofit, accredited university with a mission to make high-quality education more accessible and affordable for everyone.

Founded in 1932, and online since 1995, we’ve helped countless students reach their goals with flexible, career-focused programs . Our 300-acre campus in Manchester, NH is home to over 3,000 students, and we serve over 135,000 students online. Visit our about SNHU  page to learn more about our mission, accreditations, leadership team, national recognitions and awards.

Quick Guide to College Course Types

Find the right college for you..

You’re going to have a lot of new experiences in college with different types and styles of courses. You may take a gen-ed in a large lecture hall, or find yourself doing research for a major-specific class in a lab. Here’s an overview of the different college course types and delivery styles.

Orientation Classes

An orientation course is a short educational program that formally introduces first-year college students to the school. Orientation helps new students learn about their college campus and its rules and familiarizes them with the services and resources that the school offers. Orientation classes are designed to get new students excited and prepared for the start of their academic journey. For most colleges, attending orientation is required.

First-Year Seminars

Many colleges now offer first-year seminars designed to help new students make the college transition. These courses will prepare you for future classes by providing the tools and study habits necessary for success. First-year seminars can be one-to-three credit electives, a full semester course, or part of a longer orientation program. However, these seminars differ from standard orientations, which are more about introducing the school, campus, and staff.

General Education Classes/Core Courses

As the first part of any degree, general education classes or “gen-eds” are the courses a student must take before getting into major-specific studies. General education classes are required by a college’s core curriculum and may include basic math, science, and humanities classes. For example, a student majoring in biology may still need two semesters of English courses as part of their general education. Some general education classes/core courses can be satisfied prior to first-semester enrollment if the student meets certain AP® and IB test scores.

Major-Specific Classes

Major-specific classes are the classes required by your specific field of study. Your academic adviser can help you understand which courses are necessary for your major. It's important that you meet with your adviser at least once a semester to ensure that you remain on the path to satisfying these requirements.

Elective Classes

Unlike the process for general education and major-specific classes, students usually have a degree of freedom in choosing their elective classes. Even though elective credits may be a requirement for your major, your electives don’t necessarily have to be related to your field of study. Many students use elective classes as a way to explore educational interests outside of their major, such as an engineering student taking a dance class.

Lecture-Style Classes

Many gen-eds, electives, and lower-level major courses will be lecture-style classes. These are large classes held in a lecture hall, a theater-like room that may seat hundreds of students. The professor talks for the entire class while students take notes. Lecture classes are common in first-year courses. Students in these classes may also attend a related discussion class.

College Discussion Classes

Discussion classes (sometimes called sections) are often a required part of lecture classes. Discussions usually involve smaller groups of students led by a graduate student. You’ll do additional work, talk about the lecture, and have a chance to ask questions.

Laboratory Classes

Labs are usually part of a science lecture class. Students use what they’ve learned from the lectures to complete a laboratory assignment, such as creating a computer program or doing a physics experiment.

Studio-Style College Courses

Students who take hands-on classes such as art, theater, music, design, or photography will find themselves in a class environment that corresponds to what they are studying. A drawing class, for example, may be divided into two parts: a lesson class and a drawing studio.

Independent Study

For an independent-study class, a student and a professor design a study program for the student that is separate from regular courses . Independent study often requires a research project or a research review of readings on a central theme, as well as a series of papers or one major paper.

Online College Classes

Many traditional and online colleges offer classes to enrolled students over the internet. These online classes are usually conducted via a learning management system, a software or web application that students can use to submit assignments, see their syllabi, and even communicate with teachers and other students. Some courses may combine in-person class meetings with online course elements that are more self-paced and time-flexible.

What is a core subject in college?

Core academic subjects in college are the general education/core course requirements for each major, and they must be taken before starting major-specific studies. They can include basic classes in the humanities, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences, and they may not all be directly related to your actual major.

How long are college classes?

College courses can vary in length depending on the number of credits and how many days a week the class is held. Usually, some classes will run an hour and 15 minutes and meet twice a week. Some classes might be three hours long and meet once a week, while some may be as short as 50 minutes and meet three times a week. Lab classes and discussion classes will vary in length depending on the subject and number of credits they provide; they are usually between 2 and 4 hours long.

What are the basic classes in college called?

The basic classes in college are called general education or core course requirements.

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A Guide to the Education Section of the Common App

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Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographics, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details.

Our chancing engine factors in extracurricular activities, demographic, and other holistic details. We’ll let you know what your chances are at your dream schools — and how to improve your chances!

The Education section of the Common App is exactly what it sounds like: it’s where you tell your chosen colleges about your high school academic performance. From grades to class rank to what courses you took, colleges will want to get a detailed look at what–and how–you did in high school.

Four years of academic work creates a great deal of information to convey. As with other sections of the Common App, you’ll only have to actually enter this information once, and it will be copied to all the colleges to which you submit applications. Since basically every college requests the same or similar educational information, this can save you a lot of time and typing.

Before you begin filling out the Education section, you’ll want to gather the necessary data from your records and clarify any requirements that are unclear to you. In this post, we’ll go over the specific questions you’ll be asked and the information you’ll be expected to provide in the Education section of the Common App.

Are you unsure what a “weighted” GPA means? Wondering where and how to tell colleges that you graduated early from high school? Stressing out about listing your academic and career aspirations under the Future Plans section? Read on for more application guidance from CollegeVine on these topics and more.

Is your GPA high enough to get into your dream school? Calculate your admissions chances now.

Accessing the Education Section

First of all, to fill out the Common App’s Education section, you’ll need to get to it. In order to access the Education section of your Common App, you’ll need to log into your Common App, click on the Common App tab, and click on Education in the column on the left side. 

The Education section is divided into nine subsections; click on the title of each subsection to open it up. Each part of the Education section will guide you through questions covering different aspects of your educational history, from where you’ve gone to school to how you did in school.

Below, we’ll go through each part of the Education section, from “Current or Most Recent School” to “Future Plans,” with more detailed instructions on how to complete the questions you’ll find there. 

The provided screenshots are taken from a sample student Common App profile that we at CollegeVine have set up. Your own Common App profile may look slightly different, depending on what information you’ve already entered.

When you’re finished filling out a section of the Education section, hit the “Continue” button to move along to the next one. You can move directly to other parts of the Education section by clicking the appropriate header.

Current or Most Recent School Section

In this section, the Common App will collect information about the school you currently attend or have most recently attended.

Current or Recent School Lookup

Your first task is to tell the Common App what high school you attend now or most recently attended, as well as various facts about that high school. Fortunately, you don’t have to provide all this information from scratch; the Common App system includes a database of high schools that you’ll search through to find and choose yours.

When you open up the Current or Most Recent School section, you’ll see this:

Click on the Find School link. The box below will pop up:

Now you can search for your high school. On the top of the box you’re given a number of search options; you can search by school name, CEEB code (a number assigned to your school by the College Board ), or location. Fill out whichever of these fields works best for you, and you’ll see your results appear below.

Scroll through the list to find your high school and click on the circle in front of its name; then click the “Continue” button to add that school as your current or most recent high school. When you return to your Current or Most Recent School section, you’ll see that your school and its contact information have been added to your Common App. Below, you can see that our sample student has designed Bronx High School of Science as their current or most recent school.

If you made a mistake or need to change what school you’ve designated, simply click “Change” or “Remove” under the school’s information and use the search function again.

If you have been homeschooled and are a member of a larger homeschooling organization, you may be able to find that organization using the search function. If not, or if you were homeschooled outside of any such organization, scroll to the bottom of your search results and choose the option that says “Home schooled.” You’ll be prompted to enter some additional information manually.

What if you can’t find your school using the search screen? First, double-check the information you’ve entered; then, triple-check it. Try typing only the first word or two of your high school’s name and going through the list, or using a different search field than you initially tried.

The search function can be a bit finicky when it comes to searching by school name, so make sure you’re using your high school’s full formal name, not a nickname. For instance, our sample student would need to search for the full name “Bronx High School of Science,” or perhaps just “Bronx” or “Bronx High School.” Even if some people refer to this school simply as “Bronx Science,” searching for that school name will not bring up the correct result.

If you absolutely can’t find your high school in the database, scroll down to the bottom of the list of school results and select “I don’t see my high school on this list.” You’ll then need to enter your school’s information manually.

Other Questions

Once you’ve designated your current or most recent school, you’ll have to answer a list of questions about that school, seen in the following screenshot. Below the screenshot, we’ll go over how to respond to each of those questions.

One more note on completing this section: if you don’t have a school counselor, fill in these answers for whoever has “overseen your academic progress,” as the Common App puts it, and will fill out the School Report section of your Common App. This might be a school principal or another school official, or a parent if you were homeschooled; it depends on your situation. Ask your counselor or school official if you have any questions about how to identify them in this section.

• Date of entry: Choose the month and year that you started attending this school.

• Is this a boarding school?: Do some or all students sleep at your school? If so, answer yes; if not, answer no. If you answer yes, you’ll be asked whether you personally reside at the school; answer yes if you do, no if you don’t.

• Did you or will you graduate from this school?: Answer yes if you already graduated from this school or if you plan to graduate from this school. Answer no if you no longer attend this school but didn’t graduate from it, or if you don’t plan to graduate from this school. Once you answer this question, the Common App will ask you to specify the month and year you left or will leave this school.

• Counselor’s prefix: Choose between Dr., Mr., or Ms. in the drop-down menu based upon which prefix your counselor uses in official correspondence.

• Counselor’s first name, counselor’s middle initial, and counselor’s last name: Fill in your counselor’s full first and last names, and check your spelling. If you don’t know your counselor’s middle initial, that’s fine; just leave that field blank.

• Counselor’s job title: Fill in your counselor’s formal job title; if your school doesn’t have a counselor, fill in the job title of whichever school official you’re using for this section.

• Counselor’s email and counselor’s phone: Fill in your counselor’s requested contact information. If your counselor is outside the United States, make sure you include the correct country code in their phone number. Also include their phone extension if they have one. Your counselor is an important element of your application, so double-check that you have transcribed this contact information correctly.

Other School Section

In this section, you’ll enter information about any other schools you’ve attended for high school, aside from the one you’re currently attending or most recently attended. For instance, if you moved to a new city during high school, this is where you’ll put information about the school you attended before you moved. If you were homeschooled for part of high school but then attended a traditional school, you’ll list your homeschooling experience as an additional school here.

When you first open up the Other School section, you’ll see the following:

The question reads If you have attended any other schools, please indicate the number of schools . If you have not attended any other high schools, choose 0 from the dropdown menu; you won’t have to answer any other questions in this section.

If you have attended one or more other schools, choose the number of schools you’ve attended, excluding your current or most recent school—the one you talked about in the last section. For instance, if you attended a total of three different high schools including your most recent high school, you would choose 2 in this menu. You can add up to three additional high schools.

If you choose any number other than 0 for this question, you’ll need to add more information about the school(s) you attended. For each additional school, you’ll use the search function to search the Common App database, just as you did for your current or most recent school in the last section. You can refer back to that section for advice on looking up your school(s). If you were homeschooled or can’t find your school, you’ll need to enter its information manually, just as we described in the last section.

Once you’ve chosen a school, your screen should look something like the screenshot below. We’ve indicated that our sample student has attended Los Angeles School of Global Studies.

Notice that for this student, Los Angeles School of Global Studies has been labeled “School 2.” Bronx High School of Science, which our sample student designated as their current school, is School 1.  Additional schools that they had attended, if there are any, would be School 3 and School 4.

Below the school information, you’ll need to enter the dates between which you attended that school. Under School 2 from date , enter the month and year you started attending that school. Under School 2 to date , enter the month and year you stopped attending that school. Repeat this process for any additional schools you might have. 

College & Universities Section

In this section, you’ll provide information about any colleges or universities you have already attended. This section is relevant to you if you took any courses at a college or university while you were in high school through a “post-secondary option” or similar program. In this context, AP and IB courses do not count as college courses.

When you initially open up the Colleges & Universities section, it will look like this:

The first question reads as follows: If you have taken a college/university course, please indicate the number of colleges . If you have not taken any college courses in high school, choose “0” in the dropdown menu; there will be no further questions for you in this section.

If you have taken one or more college courses in high school, choose the number of colleges you attended using the drop-down menu, up to three colleges. (Remember, this is the number of colleges you were enrolled at, not the number of courses you took.) This will open up additional questions for you to answer.

Once you indicate that you attended one or more colleges while in high school, you should see the following list of questions for each college. Below the screenshot, we’ll go over the details of how to answer each of these questions.

• College 1 lookup: Here, you’ll look up the college you attended in a system very similar to that which you used to look up your high school(s). Our advice above about looking up your high school(s) applies here as well. If you’ve checked and rechecked your search terms and you still can’t find your college, choose “I do not see the college I’m looking for on this list,” and manually enter the college’s information when prompted.
• College 1 from date: Choose the month and year you started attending this college.
• College 1 to date: Choose the month and year you stopped attending this college.
• Degree earned: If you earned a degree from a college while attending high school, choose the degree you earned from a drop-down list. If, like most students, you did not earn a degree from a college while attending high school, you don’t need to answer this question.

You’ll need to repeat these steps for any additional colleges you attended while you were in high school.

Grades Section

In this section, you’ll provide information about your academic performance in high school- specifically, your grades as expressed by your class rank and GPA. When you click on Grades, you’ll see a screen like the one below:

We’ll go over each of the questions you need to answer below. It’s likely that you won’t know all of these answers offhand, but your school should be able to answer them for you. In general, if you don’t know the answer to one of these questions, or if you don’t know what the question means in the context of your high school’s particular policies, you should ask your counselor or equivalent school official.  

• Graduating class size: Enter the number of students in your graduating class. Be aware that this number may change from time to time as students’ plans change.
• Class rank reporting: This question covers both how your school ranks students, and what your actual rank is within your class. First, you’ll choose from the initial drop-down menu to indicate whether your high school ranks students exactly or by decile, quintile, or quartile. (Your counselor can explain what this means.) If, as with some high schools, your school has decided not to keep track of class rankings, you’ll choose None. If your school does rank students, you’ll have to answer two additional questions.
• Class rank: If your high school ranks students, you’ll either type in your numerical rank or choose your decile, quintile, or quartile rank from a drop-down menu.
• Rank weighting: If your high school ranks students, you’ll need to choose whether your rank is weighted or unweighted from the drop-down menu. Weighted rank uses weighted GPAs; unweighted rank uses unweighted GPAs. We’ll go over what that means below.
• GPA scale: Choose the number of points in your school’s GPA scale from the drop-down list. This numerical answer might be anywhere from 4 to 100, depending on your school’s grading system.
• Cumulative GPA: Enter your cumulative GPA—that is, your GPA taking into account all the high-school courses you’ve taken—just as it appears in your school’s records. (Your GPA is basically an average of the grades you’ve received on your report cards.)
• GPA weighting: Choose whether your GPA is weighted or unweighted from the drop-down menu. Essentially, a weighted GPA is one in which the number of points awarded for an A grade in the course varies, usually according to how difficult the particular course is. For instance, a high school might use a scale of zero to four for most of its courses, but a scale of zero to five for its honors, AP, or IB courses. If you don’t know your GPA on a 4.0 scale, use our GPA converter to find it .

Be aware that the colleges you’re applying to will have access to your full transcript as well as the information you enter here. They’ll see not only your GPA, but your individual grades, any outliers, and your grade trend across your high-school career. Many colleges will actually recalculate your GPA based on their own criteria, so the information you enter here may not be evaluated exactly as you might think it will be. 

How does class rank and GPA affect your chances? Use our admissions calculator to see your chances of admission for free. Sign up now to see your chances.

Current or Most Recent Year Courses Section

This section is where you’ll provide detailed information about the courses you’re currently taking, or, if you are no longer in high school, the courses you took during your most recent year of high school. For most students, this will simply mean entering the classes you’re taking during your senior year. Before you start filling out this section, you’ll probably want to have a copy of your schedule on hand.

First of all, you’ll need to report how many courses you’re taking this academic year. The question reads as follows: Please list all courses you are taking this academic year. If you are not currently enrolled, please list courses from your most recent academic year. How many courses would you like to report?

Choose the number of courses you’re taking or took for the year from the drop-down menu. The number you report here will determine what questions you are prompted to answer next.

Once you’ve provided the number of courses you’re taking, you’ll enter information for each of these courses so that admissions officers can evaluate your academic course load. As an example, here’s a screenshot from our sample student’s Common App profile. Note that the sample student has responded that they are only taking one course this academic year; you’ll almost certainly be taking more than that.

For the question Please select the course scheduling system your institution is using, you’ll be invited to choose between the options of “semester,” “trimester,” and “quarter” in the drop-down menu. This question refers to how the school year is split up at your school—into two, three, or four periods, respectively, for which a new set of grades are added to your transcript. If you’re unsure, ask your counselor which system applies to your school.

Next, you’ll be asked to enter information for each course. Under Course 1 title , type the full name of your first course. (This may be different from what you call the course on an everyday basis—you may refer to “Algebra II and Trigonometry” as simply “Trig,” but colleges will want to see the full course title.)

Under Course 1 level, if applicable , click to choose a designation that applies to your first course, if any. For instance, if your World History course is an honors course in your school’s system, you would click “Honors” here. Ask your teacher or counselor if you’re not sure about a particular course. If your course has none of these designations, don’t click anything for this question.

Under Course 1 schedule , select whichever option from the drop-down menu applies to that particular course. (The options you see here will vary depending on how you answered the question about your school’s course scheduling system.) Again, ask your teacher or counselor if you’re not sure.

You’ll repeat these steps for each of however many courses you indicated you’re taking this year or took in your most recent year. They’ll be listed as Course 2, Course 3, and so on. 

Course rigor is an important factor for getting accepted to a top school. See how course rigor affects your chances of admission with CollegeVine’s chancing calculator.

Honors Section

In this section, you’ll list and describe up to five academic honors that you’ve received. Since choosing and detailing those honors can be complicated in and of itself, we at CollegeVine have chosen to write a separate post on this issue. Head over to our post on “Reporting Honors and Awards on the Common App” to learn what you should report in this section and how you should report it, from Honor Roll to summer programs to National Merit scholarships . 

Community-Based Organizations Section

In this section, you’ll answer questions about any community-based organizations which may have helped you with the college application process without charging a fee. These organizations might include Questbridge, Upward Bound, the Boys and Girls Club, or others.

If you’ve been aided by a community-based organization like these, you likely know it already. If you’re not sure whether an organization that has helped you qualifies under this section, an employee or leader of that organization may be able to clarify its status for you, or your school counselor may be able to help.

When you open this section, you’ll initially see the following:

The question reads, Indicate the number of community programs or organizations that have provided you with free assistance in your application process . If no such program or organization has provided you with free assistance in the college application process, you’ll choose 0 from the drop-down menu, and you won’t need to answer any more questions in this section.

If you’ve been provided with free assistance by one or more organizations like this, choose the number of organizations that have assisted you from the drop-down menu. You can enter up to three organizations. You’ll then need to provide additional information about the organization(s) that you worked with.

If you indicate that you have been assisted by one or more community-based organizations, additional questions will appear for you to answer. That screen should look like the screenshot below. After the screenshot, we’ll provide more details on how to answer each of these questions.

Organization 1: Choose the name of the organization that has assisted you from the drop-down list. If your organization is not listed, choose “Other.” (Hint: the list is alphabetical, and “Other” is listed under the organizations that start with O.) If you choose “Other”, an additional field will appear where you’ll type the name of your organization.

The rest of the questions in this section refer to the individual counselor, advisor, or mentor who worked directly with you in this organization. If you’re not sure whose information you should use for this section, ask whoever you have contact with in the organization, and then speak to that person directly to make sure they are comfortable having their information released.

• Counselor/Advisor/Mentor Prefix: Choose Dr., Mr., or Ms. from the drop-down menu based on what prefix your mentor uses in official correspondence.
• First name, middle initial, and last name: Enter your mentor’s full name. If you don’t know their middle initial, that’s okay—just leave that field blank.
• Email and Phone: Enter your mentor’s contact information. If you have multiple phone numbers and/or email addresses for your mentor, ask them which ones they would prefer you to use. If your mentor is outside the United States, make sure you include the correct country code for their phone number.

You’ll answer the same questions for any additional organizations that you’ve indicated have helped you in your application. 

Future Plans Section

Finally, we come to the Future Plans section, where you’ll answer two simple questions about your educational and career aspirations. When you open this section, you’ll see the following:

The first question reads Career interest . Here, you’ll choose from a drop-down menu of possible careers. Our sample student has indicated that they’re indicated in becoming an accountant or actuary, but you’ll have many other options. If you don’t see your intended career path in the list, you can either choose the closest available option or choose “Other.” If you haven’t yet decided on a career path, don’t worry- just choose “Undecided.”

The second question reads Highest degree you intend to earn. Here, you’ll choose from a list of possible academic degrees. Our sample student has indicated that they intend to earn a master’s degree, such as an MA or MS. Again, if your intended degree category doesn’t appear in this list, choose “Other,” and if you aren’t sure, choose “Undecided.”

Being asked to specify your future plans so early on in the application process can be a little overwhelming, but you absolutely don’t need to stress out about the questions in this section. Your answers here don’t commit you to anything. Just answer the questions as best you can, and don’t be afraid to choose “Other” or “Undecided” if those answers suit you best.

Concluding the Education Section of the Common App

When you finish the Education section of the Common App, you’re sure to breathe a sigh of relief. You’ve entered a great deal of information, and that information is extremely important to how colleges evaluate your application.

Remember, however, that your Education section doesn’t present a complete portrayal of you as a student and a person. If you’re not totally satisfied with your grades, you still have a chance to wow admissions committees with the other parts of your application, from your activities to your test scores to your essays. You can’t change your grades after the fact, but when you don’t feel like your grades represent you accurately, your full application offers many other opportunities to show yourself in the best possible light.

Be sure to check out some of CollegeVine’s blog posts on other aspects of the Common App, including:

• A User’s Guide to the Common App
• How to Receive a Common App Fee Waiver
• Reporting Honors and Awards in the Common App
• How to Fill Out the Common App Activities Section
• Why Does the Common Application Ask Where my Parents Went to College?

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write a Coursework

Coursework projects do not resemble essays, research papers, or dissertations. They are the combination of all three. Students spend less time writing coursework than on making a term paper, but this type of work requires more time and efforts than an ordinary essay - it is made of several essays. Thanks to our guide, each student can discover how to write coursework. If you are running out of time or lack experience to complete the specific coursework, we recommend using our coursework writing services to hire professional academic writers.

What is Coursework and Why Does It Matter?

Coursework definition: General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) coursework is a typical academic assignment, given in the course of study to evaluate the student’s knowledge, skills, and identify the final grade. Many students face this type of writing in the US colleges. One of the examples is a coursework UTD (The University of Texas at Dallas) - the requirements of this institution are strict, and many students fail to submit their papers and pass the corresponding courses.

Such type of assignment helps to have the ‘detective’ hat on: a student observes, examines, and evaluates the chosen topic using credible, up-to-date, and relevant sources. Working under controlled conditions is important. Participating in every school class will help to prepare good coursework by the end of the term. Take a look at the examples of what students of various profiles may face:

• English Composition - English coursework is an extended essay in most cases. A student has a right to pick the topic. The tutors provide their students with the list of recommended titles to choose from, sources to observe & analyze, and a format (e.g., a comparison between different relevant articles)
• Sciences - coursework for science is a complicated assignment. Such type of work appears in the form of a scientific paper to test what a writer investigates and reports independently.
• Geography - geography coursework is about collecting, reporting, and explaining information to reply to a certain geographical question or offer solutions to the problem. One idea is to explore the usage of a shopping mall or analyze the recent tornado. No matter whether you have to prepare a coursework Columbia or such paper for other educational institutions, keep in mind these differences!

Types of Coursework Explained

English Language coursework is the most common type of this assignment. At advanced GCE level, the student will be expected to write a couple of essays, totaling 3,000 words. Every assignment is 20 marks maximum.

An analytical essay : Evaluate, compare, & contrast 3 different sources of data interconnected by a common theme; written /spoken / multimedia content. Discuss different uses for targeting various audiences. Learn more on our blog.

Original essay with a supportive commentary : A student will have to come up with a single piece of media writing in the observed modes (written, spoken, or multimodal). Add a supporting piece with details about the aspects of English language. English Language & Literature coursework is a bit different. The basic requirements are the same, and the parts are:

An analytical study : Sharing an analysis of the chosen piece and its relation to the related content. It will show how well the writer understands the original piece. Tutors grade such works based on the:

• Use of the proper terminology and the coherence of the written words;
• Understanding & evaluation of the way a structure, form, and language create the written & spoken word;
• Opportunity to observe relationships between various pieces of writing.

Creative writing & commentary : Produce a creative piece that imitates the style of the assessed text. Share comments to backup your understanding. The goal is to show the knowledge, prove the competence, and use appropriate language skills in communicating with the target audience. You will also need a relevant coursework resume (review) in both cases. Keep on reading to learn how to write coursework of A level.

How to Write a Coursework: Guide for Students

Several factors may lead to the coursework being disqualified. It is a serious matter! The risk factors include:

• Plagiarism - it is the worst thing that could happen to any type of academic assignment. Lots of relevant information is available on the world wide web today, and the tutors are strict about the issue of plagiarism. Write everything in your own words! If you decide to insert the quotes from the sources, apply the suggested citation format and develop a list of references. Sign the declaration claiming it is your original project. If you're unsure about how to approach this, seeking professional help by choosing to write my coursework can be a wise decision.
• Word count - do not ignore the specific requirements concerning the length of the coursework. Specify if the footnotes, appendices, & references are included in the word count.
• Topics - go through the list of available themes. If there is an examination planned on the specific topic, try to pick another idea for the coursework.
• Tutor’s assistance - do not ignore the help of your instructor, ask them to provide guidance on what to write. Ask the questions to learn more details, but keep in mind they can go through the 1st draft once and just offer some general recommendations.

Choosing a Topic for Your Project

Dedicate enough time to this extra important question. Select the field of your interest if it is possible to relate it to the course. That is the golden rule of choosing a coursework topic - keep in mind the rest of the hints:

• Analyze the offered list of topics or develop yours
• Pick a topic from the area of your expertise related to the studied subject
• Select the topic you are interested in
• Choose the topic you’ve started to observe in the past
• Check how much relevant, up-to-date information is available on the Internet about each of the topics
• Pick what you can measure, change, & control (they call it a ‘fair test’)
• Use the ideas of previous researchers and students
• Do not choose a topic with a vast scope - you risk struggling to research it correctly

10 Good Coursework Topics

• Non-traditional Forms of Poetry with TC Tolbert
• Documentary Foundations: Usage of Oral Histories with Beth Alvarado
• Traditional Forms of Poetry
• Hermit Crabs: Type of Fiction
• Writing the Autobiographical Poem
• Creative Non-Fiction on the Examples of New Journalists
• Authors without Borders
• Writing the Sticky Stuff
• Socially Engaged Literary Arts
• Common Vocabulary

Research & Data Collection

Research is an integral part of coursework. Have you written research papers before? If yes, you will find it easier to select proper primary & secondary sources and gather the necessary information (evidence to support the main point - thesis). Depending on the required paper format, cite & reference the following sources:

• Books & e-Books

Base the project on a specific hypothesis. The research must start with minimum one hypothesis. The research stage for some topics may consist of visiting websites to collect information. Leave another time for collecting the data as it is the heart of the research. Three methods of data collection are known:

• Direct personal investigation : The one an author does individually (using literature and findings from previous studies);
• Interview/Questionnaire : The researcher should gather the data from the respondents asking questions regarding required data;
• Discussion with community leaders : Community leaders are approached to fetch information for the necessary data.

In case a student works on a scientific experiment, they should pay attention to planning the analysis with the help of rigorous scientific methods (keeping in mind the Health & Safety precautions you take). Review background information and theories. Take notes to express what you expect to occur to compare & contrast it to what happened in real life. In the write-up stage, one has to evaluate and present the findings.

Writing a Coursework Outline

The writing process follows the research. Do not start it without preparing an action plan and scheduling the work - a paper pin for English coursework is based on an extended essay . An outline will look different for the science coursework projects. The goal of creating a plan is to prevent a writer from being disorganized and waffling.

Let us explain coursework outline on the specific example - a project on the global pursuit of lower costs and the role of human rights.

Start with the brief introduction explaining why it might be a topic of interest for many people. Mention those vast corporations like Wal-Mart abuse human rights by choosing and using child labor in the factories.

Provide an overview of the problem . Define human rights and costs. Pick the definitions from the official dictionaries and cite them properly when inserting in the text. Try to explain the terms in your own words.

Develop a body of the coursework , start with the case for & against ethical business practices. Using evidence and examples, list the arguments supporting ethical business practices and another side of the coin. Include a business case for ethical practices after the opening body paragraph.

Move to discussing ethical responsibilities ; explain why business organizations should care about the ethical aspects of their activities. After three sections of the body, one can conclude the paper. It can be a good idea to share a fact or statistics stressing the importance of research problem in the essay conclusion. End up with the reference list that may look this way:

• Klein N (2000) No Logo (Flamingo, London)
• Marcousé I, Gillespie A, Martin B, Surridge M and Wall N (2003) Business Studies 2e (Hodder Arnold, Oxon)
• Royal Dutch Shell (2006) 4th Quarter Financial Report at (site example)

Additional Elements

Supporting materials and pictures are a must! The sciences & geography projects require tables, charts, graphs, and other types of images to illustrate the complicated topic. Not only should you add the pictures - it is essential to interpret and reference each of them. A separate part of the coursework where the student list and explains every visual element is Appendix , and it is an optional part. The presence of appendix increases the chances to earn an A+.

How to Write an Introduction for Coursework?

Most of the students underestimate the role of introduction & conclusion when it comes to writing an essay. An eye-catchy introduction is a key to success. The primary purposes of a coursework introduction are:

• To grab the reader’s attention
• To introduce the topic
• To explain the research importance
• To come up with a compelling thesis statement

The opening paragraph shows the depth of the writer’s acquaintance with the topic. Look at the expert tips below. They will help to learn how to write a coursework introduction to make the tutor want to read your entire paper.

What Is an Introduction?

The introduction of GCSE coursework is the opening paragraph that aims to interpret the central questions and purposes of the entire paper. It should have several elements to be effective. Those are:

• A hook sentence
• Background information
• Problem significance
• Solid thesis statement

Advice from our Experienced Writer

How to write an introduction to coursework? The quality of this part predetermines paper’s success. Look at some common mistakes writers do while working on the coursework introduction - try to prevent them!

Ignoring the prompt. Many students tend to neglect the tutor’s instructions. It is critical to read the prompt several times, highlight the main points, research question, rules, and grading rubric details.

Missing a plan. The prompt does not always say to develop a coursework outline. Without a plan for every separate section, it is impossible to write a flawless piece step-by-step. No matter whether you have to write a term paper, research paper, dissertation, or C3 coursework, get ready with the detailed plan. Once you understand how to write an introduction, it will be easier to develop the rest of the paper.

For those who need a helping hand in ensuring their work meets all the standards and deadlines, don't hesitate to buy coursework from trusted professionals.

Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

From Associate to Doctorate: A Complete Guide to College Degree Levels

TheBestSchools.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.

Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

• Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
• Provide specific, corrective feedback.
• Identify critical information that writers may have missed.

Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for TheBestSchools.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

Are you ready to discover your college program?

Considering a college degree? First, you’ll have to understand the types of degrees and college degree levels.

Different degrees prepare you for different career paths. For example, you can’t become a psychologist with just a bachelor’s degree — you’d need a master’s or doctorate in psychology. And you usually can’t become an engineer without at least a bachelor’s degree.

Typically, as your university degree level rises, your earning potential increases, and the unemployment rate decreases. That’s one more reason it’s important to understand the different types of degrees.

What Types of Degrees Are There in College?

There are many types of degrees you can earn in college. College degree levels can be broken down into two categories: undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees.

Here are the college degrees in order, from lowest ranking to highest:

• Associate degree (undergraduate)
• Bachelor’s degree (undergraduate)
• Master’s degree (graduate)
• Doctoral degree (graduate)

While a doctorate is the highest education level, some fields may stop at a master’s. The phrase “terminal degree” refers to the highest degree in a field.

A professional degree is a type of graduate degree — often a doctorate — that prepares you for a professional career in fields like law and medicine.

Popular Online Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Associate Degree

• Typical Program Length: 1-2 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 60

Most associate degrees prepare you to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. These programs can be found at community and technical colleges and typically last 1-2 years.

An associate degree can also serve as the foundation for a bachelor’s program. You may even be able to transfer some of the credits you earned for your associate degree toward a four-year degree.

Some associate degrees require you to complete an internship or practicum in addition to taking classes. This is particularly common among healthcare and tech degrees.

To apply for an associate degree program , you’ll need a high school diploma or equivalent, like a GED certificate. Some schools may require you to submit standardized test scores, such as the ACT or the SAT, as well.

Featured Associate Programs

What can you do with an associate degree.

An associate degree prepares you for vocational, allied health, and support roles. For example, you can become a medical assistant , paralegal , or vet tech with an associate degree.

The highest-paying careers with an associate degree pay over $80,000 per year. See the table below for salary information on other popular associate degree jobs.

Source: BLS

Types of Associate Degrees

Colleges can offer three kinds of associate degrees:

• Associate of Arts (AA)
• Associate of Science (AS)
• Associate of Applied Science (AAS)

Arts, humanities, and creative fields typically offer an AA, whereas social sciences and natural sciences fields often award an AS. Many applied and vocational programs offer an AAS degree.

The type of degree matters if you’re planning to transfer into a bachelor’s program. Colleges normally offer fewer transfer credits for an AAS degree.

Popular Associate Degrees

• Business Administration
• Business Management
• Computer Science
• Criminal Justice
• Cybersecurity
• Early Childhood Education
• Graphic Design
• Healthcare Management
• Information Technology
• Medical Assisting
• Medical Billing and Coding
• Pre-Nursing
• Social Work

Bachelor’s Degree

• Typical Program Length: 4 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 120

A bachelor’s degree prepares you for many career paths. You’ll generally spend four years earning a bachelor’s degree at a college or university. You’ll take general education classes and courses in your major . You can also choose a minor.

Some colleges offer accelerated bachelor’s programs , which take less time — often 2-3 years. Degree-completion programs can also speed up the timeline by awarding you credit for previous college coursework.

You can earn your bachelor’s degree online as well. An online degree from an accredited college meets the same standards as that of an in-person degree.

You’ll need a high school diploma for admission and may also need to submit SAT or ACT scores.

Featured Bachelor’s Programs

What can you do with a bachelor’s degree.

In diverse industries like business, tech, and education, a bachelor’s degree can prepare you for many entry-level careers. Some of the highest-paying jobs with a bachelor’s degree include roles in finance, management, and tech.

Graduates with a four-year degree can also benefit from high demand in many lucrative fields, like software development and engineering. The table below introduces some popular jobs with a bachelor’s degree.

Types of Bachelor’s Degrees

You can earn a bachelor’s degree in many fields. Some of the most common types of bachelor’s degrees you’ll see include:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Science (BS)
• Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA)
• Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
• Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

The two most popular degrees are a BA and a BS. These degrees cover all arts and sciences majors and some education and engineering degrees.

Popular Bachelor’s Degrees

• Civil Engineering
• Communication
• Computer Programming
• Health Informatics
• Health Sciences
• Human Resources
• Mathematics
• Organizational Psychology
• Political Science
• Public Policy
• Supply Chain and Logistics

Master’s Degree

• Typical Program Length: 1-3 years
• Typical Number of Credits: 30

A master’s degree can help you gain specialized skills and qualify for higher-paying roles. As a graduate student, you’ll work closely with experts in your field to explore advanced topics.

While a master’s degree typically takes two years, some universities offer accelerated one-year master’s programs. You can also enroll in a bachelor’s-to-master’s program to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in less time.

Most master’s programs require a minimum of 30 credits. Admission and graduation requirements vary depending on the program. For example, many arts and sciences master’s programs require GRE scores , while business programs typically require GMAT scores .

Featured Master’s Programs

What can you do with a master’s degree.

With a master’s degree, you can qualify for management-level careers and specialized roles in industries like healthcare, research, and social services. The highest-paying master’s degrees include MBAs and nurse practitioner degrees.

Learn more about the earning potential and demand for popular master’s degree jobs below.

Types of Master’s Degrees

Here are some of the most common types of master’s degrees you can earn:

• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Science (MS)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
• Master of Laws (LL.M.)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Public Health (MPH)
• Master of Public Policy (MPP)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Master of Social Work (MSW)

An MA and an MS are among the most popular master’s degrees. Humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences fields typically award an MA or an MS. Other popular options include an MBA and an M.Ed.

Popular Master’s Degrees

• Creative Writing
• Data Science
• Engineering
• Healthcare Administration
• Library and Information Science
• Network Security
• Public Health
• Supply Chain Management

Doctoral Degrees

• Typical Program Length: 2-10 years
• Typical Number of Credits: Varies

A doctorate represents the highest degree you can get in academia. There are a few types of doctoral degrees you can get.

Professional doctorates train you for a professional career. For example, law school and med school are two common professional paths. A Ph.D., on the other hand — by far one of the most common types of doctorates — emphasizes theory and research.

In a doctoral program, you’ll take graduate-level seminars and courses, take comprehensive exams, conduct original research, and defend a dissertation in front of a faculty committee.

Most applied doctorates take 3-5 years, while a Ph.D. typically requires 4-6 years of coursework. In certain fields, you can earn your doctorate online.

Some doctoral programs require a master’s degree for admission, whereas others admit applicants with just a bachelor’s degree. You may need to submit standardized test scores depending on the program.

Featured Doctoral Programs

What can you do with a doctorate.

If you want to become a physician , professor , or lawyer, you’ll need a doctorate. In many fields, a doctorate translates into higher salaries. Lawyers, pharmacists , and physicists all report median salaries of over $125,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The following table shows the earning potential and demand for popular doctoral degree jobs.

Types of Doctoral Degrees

A doctorate is the highest education level, but there are still several types of doctoral degrees. Here are some of the most common you can get:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
• Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
• Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
• Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
• Juris Doctor (JD)

A Ph.D. is the most popular doctorate. You can earn a Ph.D. in many arts and sciences fields. Other doctorates take their names from the career path associated with the degree.

Popular Doctoral Degrees

• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Administration
• Educational Leadership
• Human Services
• Legal Studies
• Organizational Leadership
• Public Administration

Frequently Asked Questions About College Degree Levels

What are the four types of college degrees.

The four types of college degrees are associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees. Colleges classify associate and bachelor’s degrees as undergraduate degrees and master’s and doctoral degrees as graduate degrees.

Within those categories, you can earn many types of degrees. For instance, at the bachelor’s level, you could earn a bachelor of arts (BA), a bachelor of science (BS), or a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree.

What is a four-year college degree called?

A four-year college degree is called a bachelor’s degree. Another term for this degree type is a baccalaureate degree.

Many careers require a bachelor’s degree for entry-level roles. For example, most careers in business require you to hold a bachelor’s degree. Many roles in tech, education, the public sector, and engineering also require you to have a four-year degree.

Some career paths require a specific major. In many states, you’ll need a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) to become a registered nurse . In other fields, your specific major matters less than the quality of your skills.

What is the highest degree?

The highest degree is a doctorate, also called a doctoral degree. In terms of university degree levels, both master’s and bachelor’s degrees rank below doctorates.

You can earn a doctorate in a wide array of fields, including the social sciences, business, the humanities, education, engineering, and healthcare.

In some fields, however, a master’s degree represents the terminal, or highest, degree. For instance, a master of fine arts (MFA) is the terminal degree for creative writing.

What is the hardest college degree?

Most would agree that the hardest college degree is a doctorate. As the highest education level, a doctorate requires significant expertise in the field.

Many Ph.D. programs take six years or more and require you to write a book-length dissertation based on original research.

Because a doctorate represents the top of the university degree levels, it’s a relatively uncommon degree. Only around 2% of U.S. adults held a doctorate in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau .

What is the quickest degree?

The fastest degree you can get is either a one-year associate degree or a one-year master’s degree. While other types of degrees typically take a minimum of two years, you can earn a master’s degree in one year with an accelerated or fast-track program.

You can sometimes add a master’s degree to your bachelor’s through a 4+1 program, also known as a bachelor’s-to-master’s program. In this case, some of your coursework counts toward both your undergraduate and graduate degrees, meaning you’ll spend an additional year in college to leave with a master’s degree.

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General Education

In the digital age, people are always searching for new ways to use online resources to their advantage. One increasingly popular resource is online education. Now you can take college classes online, which can help you save time and money.

But in the grand scheme of educational opportunities, online college classes are still relatively new, so you might not know what they are or how they work. In this article, we’re going to dig into the important info about online college courses to help you navigate the various opportunities for online education that are out there. We’ll talk about:

• What online college courses are
• What online courses are like for students, how they work, and how they compare to in-person college courses
• The pros and cons of taking online courses, and
• 4 free online college courses you can take right now

By the end of the article, you’ll know everything you need to know about taking college classes online, so let’s get started!

What Are Online College Courses?

People have been taking college classes from afar for decades. These classes used to be called “correspondence courses,” though now we refer to educational opportunities that don’t have an in-person component as “distance education.” 

Today, online college classes are a form of distance education that allows students to use the Internet to learn the same material and study the same subjects that they would be able to study if enrolled in a traditional, in-person college course. 

The key differences between taking a class in-person and taking one online is that in an online college course, you typically won’t have to be physically present in a classroom. You’ll also access course material exclusively online and will have much more flexibility to complete the course on your own terms. Finally, you’ll most likely pay less tuition for an online college course , which is a huge plus!

Online college courses are usually offered as a part of an online degree program at an accredited college or university. But there are several educational programs out there that will allow you to take individual college courses online without having to enroll in a degree program (we’ll talk about this more later). 

When you successfully complete an in-person course through a traditional college or university, you usually receive transferable credits or hours toward completion of a degree. But what exactly do you get out of an online college course in terms of credit or certification?  

If you complete an online course through an accredited four-year college or university, you’ll be eligible to receive transferable college credit. If you take a course through a less traditional program, you might receive a certificate upon completing the course. The type of credit or certificate you receive from taking online courses varies between courses and programs. 

That’s why it’s important to know your goals before enrolling in an online course. For example, if you’re trying to earn a bachelor’s degree, you’ll want to take classes that will earn you transferable college credits. If you’re already in the workforce and looking to learn new skills, however, a certificate program might be a better fit. Doing a little research to make sure classes fit with your goals will help you make the most out of your online educational experience. 

The 2 Formats of Online Courses

There are also two main formats for online college courses: synchronous learning and asynchronous learning .

In synchronous learning , all class participants are expected to be “present” at the same time, by way of videoconferencing or live streaming, for example. Synchronous learning might also be referred to as “paced learning,” since the university or course instructor determines when class participants will begin the course and complete the course. 

Asynchronous learning , on the other hand, allows class participants to access course material flexibly on their own time instead . This model is similar to the “self-paced” learning model, which allows students to enroll and begin the course at their convenience and complete the course based on their personal skill level and time commitment.

Knowing the difference between these two class formats will help you pick courses that best match your learning needs. 

What Is a MOOC? 

Free online courses typically fall into a particular category of online classes called MOOCs, or  “massive open online courses.” They’re designed for large-scale participation and complete open enrollment. MOOCs are typically designed to be open to the public, not just enrolled students. 

MOOCs are different from online courses you’d take through a traditional university because they are open-access. Learners often don’t have to apply for admission or enroll at a university to take MOOCs. Sometimes they have free tuition! But it’s important to know that these courses are usually the ones that either only offer a certificate for completion rather than college credit. 

One quick note: if a MOOC sounds like exactly the type of class you’re looking for, you can find a list of great MOOC courses at the end of this article. 

Why Do These Differences Matter? 

Knowing these distinctions between the different types of online college courses is important because the method and style of online courses will affect the experience you have in the course. As you look into online college courses, it’s important to be on the lookout for terms like “synchronous,” “asynchronous,” “paced,” “self-paced,” and “MOOC” so you can decide if a particular course will meet your needs!

Next, we’re going to dive more deeply into what taking an online course is like by explaining four key aspects of what students can expect to experience in an online college course!

4 Things You Need To Know About What Online College Courses Are Like

We told you a little bit about the different types of online college courses that are out there, but what will things be like once you’ve enrolled in an online college course? In online classes, students interact with teachers/professors, fellow students, and course materials by logging into a Learning Management System (LMS), or online portal, which functions as a virtual classroom. 

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. We’re going to break down four key aspects of online college classes that are typically part of the student experience. Knowing these four things about how online courses work can help you decide if taking online courses is right for you!

#1: You’ll Spend Time in a Virtual Classroom

You might not think of online courses as having a classroom, but they do! It’s just a virtual classroom housed within a Learning Management Systems (LMS) . An example of an LMS that some people are familiar with is Blackboard, but the LMSs used by colleges and universities can vary. It’ll be your job to become familiar with the LMS that hosts your online courses. But don’t worry--many colleges and universities provide IT support and tutorial pages for new students who need help navigating their online classroom. 

In practice, accessing your virtual “classroom” through an LMS will probably feel like logging into a website . There will usually be a course homepage that will display any new announcements posted by your instructor, notify you of new assignments and upcoming deadlines, and let you know if an assignment has been graded. 

Besides the course homepage, a virtual classroom often provides various options for virtual communications with your instructor and classmates, like blog posts, discussion boards, or video conferencing. There are also links to content folders where you can access most course materials, including the course syllabus, course schedule, lessons, learning modules, course readings, PowerPoints, lecture notes, and/or video lectures. 

You’ll also most likely take assessments, like quizzes and exams, in the virtual classroom. There will also be portals where you can upload assignments, essays, and projects. 

You’re probably gathering that the virtual classroom is the activity hub for online college classes , much like the physical classroom in traditional, in-person courses. Whatever your virtual classroom ends up being like, one of the first things you’ll want to do once you enroll in an online course is explore your virtual classroom and get familiar with how it works! 

#2: There Might Be Attendance Requirements 

In self-paced online courses and MOOCs, there usually aren’t attendance requirements since there aren’t formal class meetings. But it depends on the course! Some courses might use some synchronous methods, like live video lectures, where everyone has to attend at the same time. You’ll have to read the course description before enrolling to find out those details. (You can also email your professor prior to the first day of the course to ask if there are any attendance requirements in the course.) 

But just because most online courses don’t have attendance requirements doesn’t mean you won’t be required to participate. Unless it’s a totally self-paced course or a MOOC, professors in online courses will probably put some measures in place to ensure that you’re logging in and engaging with class material on a weekly (or sometimes daily!) basis. 

Here’s an example of a common participation requirement in online courses. Some online courses require students to write a weekly blog or discussion board post , then they’ll require the rest of the class to respond to each others’ ideas, which will count for a grade. Assignments like these ensure you’re “in class” several times a week and keeping up with the course material. 

One more example of how “attendance” can be enforced in an online course: Learning Management Systems give professors the ability to put “timers” on quizzes, exams, and other assignments . So, they might post an announcement letting the class know that the first exam will be available at noon on Monday, and the exam will become un available on Tuesday at noon. That gives you a 24 hour window to take your test. 

And trust us: you really don’t want to miss taking the exam during the designated time frame. If you do, you’ll probably have to email your professor, explain why you missed the exam, and politely request a second chance. 

Finally, the ways professors promote participation in online courses can vary greatly--some types of courses might require you to have virtual interactions with your peers multiple times a week, while others might not require you “show up” at all. This is why it’s important for you to gather as much info about the course expectations as you can before you enroll!

#3: You’ll Turn Your Assignments in Online 

A lot of the course assignments and exams in online courses are very similar to what you’d encounter in an in-person course, except that they’re online. In order to take quizzes and exams and submit assignments, you will almost always have to log into your LMS. 

But what are the different types of assignments you can expect to encounter in an online college course? Here’s a helpful list: 

• Virtual quizzes (sometimes these are timed, sometimes they aren’t), proctored by the LMS
• Virtual exams (sometimes timed, sometimes not), proctored by the LMS
• Essays or papers, which you will usually upload as a Microsoft Word document or PDF 
• Multimedia projects like video essays, PowerPoint presentations, or podcasts
• Group projects or papers, which you will collaborate on virtually with classmates
• Virtual presentations, given remotely through video chat or conferencing software built into the LMS
• Other weekly assignments, like discussion board posts or blog posts, which you will access through the LMS

These are just some examples of possible assignments you might encounter in an online course. The thing to keep in mind is that most of the time, you’re going to be accessing and submitting your assignments through a Learning Management System. 

That means in order to succeed in an online class, you have to have reliable access to the Internet! This is such an essential component of online courses that many professors will even post a clause in their syllabus stating that not having Internet access is not an excuse for failing to turn an assignment in on time. That means you need to plan ahead in case you have technical difficulties. 

#4: Online Classes Aren’t Easier Than In-Person Classes 

The workload in online classes can vary greatly depending on the discipline, the length of the course, and whether it uses a synchronous or asynchronous model. However, one myth we can confidently debunk is the idea that online classes are easier than in-person classes. Many online learners have reported that they spend between 15-20 hours per week on work for a single online course, which is about the same amount of time as an in-person course . 

While it’s nice to work on your own schedule, you’ll still spend a lot of time in the virtual classroom. For example, if there are video lectures, you’ll need to watch them. You’ll still need to complete course readings and spend time studying course material for quizzes and exams. Oh! And those assignments aren’t easier than those you’d take in a regular classroom setting, either. 

In fact, some components of online courses can feel more time-consuming than their counterparts in in-person courses , like engaging in class discussion. Sitting through a fifty minute class on campus and speaking during a real-time discussion might go faster for you than writing multiple discussion board posts each week and leaving comments on other peoples’ posts. 

Rest assured, though: there are hacks for online courses that you can use to maximize your time. For example, some online learners like to multitask while they listen to video lectures from home. They can fold laundry, run at the gym, or cook dinner while they listen to the lecture playing in the background. Ultimately, you can make the online course format work to your advantage!

The 3 Pros (and 3 Cons) of Taking Online College Courses

We’ve covered a lot of info about what online college courses can be like, but choosing how you want to handle your education is a big decision. That’s why it’s a good idea to weigh the advantages and disadvantages before you dive in. 

To help you out, we’ve summed up six pros and cons of taking online college courses below.

Pro 1: Online College Classes Often Have More Flexibility

Ultimately, online courses usually give you more flexibility than in-person courses do . You don’t have to drive to campus, pay for parking, or show up at the same time multiple days a week. Instead, online courses usually allow you the freedom to study, work on assignments, and participate in class discussions and activities when (and where!) it’s convenient for you. In some cases, you’ll even be able to take exams and complete the course in a timeframe that you decide on. 

Con 1: You May Have to Be More Proactive

One potential downside of online courses is that you have to be more proactive if you want to connect with your professor or classmates. In a virtual classroom, it’s harder to meet people and form study groups, and you can’t really ask your professor a few quick questions after class. 

To fix this, you might consider starting a group chat with your classmates where everyone can share study materials, ask questions, or just commiserate . Making time to reach out to your professor can be equally beneficial. If your professor offers virtual office hours, take advantage of that time by setting up an appointment for a chat. And, unless they specify otherwise, you can always email your professor to ask questions or discuss concerns--but make sure you check the syllabus to see if it can answer your question first!

Pro 2: You Can Work Courses in Around Your Schedule

Another fantastic thing about online courses is that it’s less likely you’ll encounter scheduling conflicts . Something many students enrolled in in-person programs experience is the frustration of needing to take a specific course that’s only offered when they’re at work, taking another class, or in the evenings. Online courses remove this obstacle, giving you the opportunity to knock out the courses you need when you need to take them. 

This is definitely a huge plus for people with significant work or family obligations. With online courses, you know they won’t keep you from meeting your other obligations.

Con 2: There’s Less External Accountability

Something that can be challenging for online learners is the lack of external accountability. When you take an online course, you aren’t going to have face-to-face reminders about assignments (or those guilt trips that make you study harder). Online classes require you to self-motivated and comfortable learning on your own.

Instead, it’s your responsibility to check in and make sure you’re keeping up with the course material. You’ll have to log into the LMS for course updates, deadlines, new assignments, and to check your grades. Checking your notifications through the LMS and email every day is a must. You’ll need to make a solid plan for managing your time and keeping track of course requirements in order to succeed. 

Pro 3: You Can (Probably) Save Some Money

Online courses often cost less per credit hour than in-person courses at many colleges and universities . But even at colleges and universities that have the same tuition rate for online and in-person courses, you’ll likely be paying fewer fees for online courses. 

There are other less obvious ways you can save by taking online courses . For instance, it’s unlikely you’ll need physical copies of papers, assignments, and course materials for online courses, so you can save on the cost of printing. You might also be able to purchase or rent an eBook for the course, which is cheaper than buying a physical textbook. Some professors even post the course readings digitally for free! 

Con 3: Accreditation Is a Tricky Thing to Navigate

While online courses can often be more affordable than in-person courses, you need to make sure you’re getting good returns on your investment. This is where accreditation comes in. Accreditation is a process of validation through which institutions of higher education are evaluated based on the standards and quality of education they offer.

It’s critical you research online programs and courses to make sure that they’re regionally and nationally accredited. Many employers will not recognize degrees earned from colleges and universities that are not accredited. Plus, accredited colleges and universities often won’t accept transfer credits from unaccredited institutions. 

This sounds daunting, but you can check to make sure that an institution is accredited and that the private agencies that provide its accreditation are reputable through the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Postsecondary Institutions and Programs . And make sure you check with your university to make sure that they’ll accept your transfer credits! 

The Top 4 Free Online College Courses to Take Right Now

To help you get a feel for online college courses, we’ve put together a list of five free online college courses and evaluated them! 

We like to think of this list of free online college classes as an opportunity for you to “try before you buy.” It’s always important to do your research, read up on the options, and gather as much info as you can before you invest your valuable time in an educational opportunity. 

Here’s one other thing to keep in mind about free online college courses: while they’ll provide you with learning materials that are on par with what you’ll see in online courses at traditional universities, they’re all going to be self-paced and might not earn you transferable college credits. But they’re a great, low-cost way for you to see if online classes are right for you. 

#1: Introduction to Sociology at University of the People

We’re listing a course you can take at University of the People first because this school doesn’t just offer free online college courses--it offers free online degree programs. If you’re interested in getting a tuition-free degree online through a non-profit, accredited university, University of the People might be the school for you. 

University of the People offers a wide variety of courses across multiple disciplines. For instance, Introduction to Sociology (SOC 1502) is a general education requirement for all Health Sciences degrees at University of the People. It’s a three-hour online course, and you don’t need to have any prerequisites to enroll. The university offers small class sizes of around 25 students in an online learning environment that can be accessed anywhere in the world. You’ll receive instruction from real professors in the course and to experience collaborative learning with your peers, which is pretty great for a free online course .  

There is a caveat about the course being “tuition-free,” though: while you don’t pay tuition to take the course, you do have to pay an Assessment Fee of $100 for every exam that you take . If you decided to get a bachelor’s degree through University of the People, you’d be looking at paying $3,960 in estimated total fees for the entire degree. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities to receive fee waivers or scholarships to cover the cost of assessment fees, too!

One other thing to be aware of is that University of the People doesn’t have the same prestige as traditional universities do. Employers can be wary when they see a degree from University of the People on a résumé. However, people are becoming increasingly open to online-only schools (which this article from the New York Times talks about). If you want to learn more about public perceptions of University of the People, you might do your own research before you enroll.

#2: Analytics in Python Provided by Columbia University ( ColumbiaX )

Columbia University , an Ivy League university located in New York City, offers massive open online courses (MOOCs) and programs through a platform called edX . ColumbiaX provides around 30 free MOOCs in a variety of subjects during a given enrollment period. All ColumbiaX courses can either be audited, meaning you won’t receive credit, or verified via certificate for a small fee. 

We looked into ColumbiaX’s “Analytics in Python” MOOC , which has nothing to do with snakes and everything to do with computer programming! Python is a programming language that is focused on programs that deal with data. ColumbiaX’s website lists “Analytics in Python” as an intermediate level course, though no prior programming experience is necessary. 

“Analytics in Python” is a twelve-week course, and ColumbiaX estimates that coursework requires about eight to ten hours a week. The course is tuition-free, but there’s $300 fee for graded exams, assignments, and a certificate. ColumbiaX’s website provides a breakdown of what topics will be covered during each week of the course, and it lets you know who the course instructor is ahead of time. 

#3: Introduction to Business, Saylor Academy

Saylor Academy is a non-profit initiative that lets learners choose from over 100 self-paced, tuition-free, open online college courses. Introduction to Business (BUS 101) is a freshman-level course that most business majors are required to take at traditional universities and is one of the many courses that Saylor offers. If you’re interested in getting some entry-level courses out of the way for free, Saylor might be an option for you. 

One great thing about Saylor is that you can get a really clear picture of what to expect from their online courses simply by browsing the course pages on their website. In the case of their Intro to Business course, you can view the course syllabus, information on all units of study, and see what study guides are provided for each unit. You can also view a list of all other optional course activities, like quizzes and writing activities. All you have to do to gain full access to these materials is to create an account and log in.

When completing courses at Saylor, you have the option to earn tuition-free college credit through one of their College Credit Transfer Partners . These are universities that have an agreement with Saylor to accept transfer credits from the Saylor program. The partner schools include accredited universities like Bellevue University, University of Maryland University College, and Excelsior College, as well as other schools listed here .

Transfer credit partnerships with accredited colleges and universities are so important because Saylor itself is not an accredited school. It is rare that accredited colleges and universities will accept transfer credits from an unaccredited institution. If you aren’t interested in transferring into a degree program at one of the partner schools on Saylor’s list, Saylor recommends that you contact your school to see if they accept transfer credits from Saylor. So in this case, a little legwork can save a lot of heartache later. 

Saylor’s online courses are fully self-paced and asynchronous, except for the final exam. To earn college credit for the course, the course webpage specifies that you’ll need to pay a $25 exam proctoring fee and have access to a computer with a webcam. You’ll need the webcam because completion of the final exam requires that a proctor be present. If you choose to opt for the certificate of completion instead, you’ll find that it’s free and no exam proctor is required!

#4: CLEP Biology, Modern States Educational Alliance

Modern States Educational Alliance is a non-profit organization committed to making high quality college education accessible to everyone. This organization has partnered with edX to provide over 30 free college courses that include features like online lectures, quizzes, and tests. Modern States’ courses are free, and they provide textbooks and course materials free-of-charge online as well.

Here’s how courses work with Modern States: students take any number of free courses of their choosing, then they take and pass an AP or CLEP exam in order to receive the college credit. This means that Modern States online courses are specifically designed to prepare students to pass AP exams and CLEP tests .

Over 2,000 colleges and universities accept AP and CLEP test scores for college credit , so if you want to knock out a year of college courses for free online then transfer to a four-year university, you might give Modern States a try. To view a full list of colleges and universities that accept AP and CLEP credit, check out this page on Modern States’ website . 

You can search Modern States’ online Course Catalog and browse the courses offered according to whether they’re AP or CLEP courses. You can also browse the course catalog by subject. For instance, if you want to take the Modern States course that’s designed to help you pass the Biology CLEP exam, all you have to do is sign up for a free account on Modern States’ website and enroll in the course for free. Once you enroll, you’ll have immediate access to the course webpage and all course materials. 

While the classes themselves are free, the AP and CLEP exams are not . According to the College Board , 2019-2020 AP exams cost $94 each, and CLEP tests cost $87 each. If you decide to take enough courses to complete a full year of college credit, you’ll be looking at paying anywhere from $850 to $940 in total exam fees. While that might seem like a steep price, it’s still significantly less than paying a full year of college tuition out of pocket ! 

There's more to picking an online class than Googling one (though Google's a great tool, too). 

3 Tips for Finding Online Classes 

By now, you probably know whether you’re interested in taking online classes. But finding the right classes for you--in the right subjects, and with the right benefits--can be tricky. 

Here are three great tips for finding online classes that are right for you. 

Tip 1: Check With Your University First 

If you’re working toward a degree from a traditional institution, you’ll definitely want to take classes that will earn you college credit. But transferring credit from one school to another can be tricky. 

Luckily, you have options. There’s a good chance that if you’re attending a bigger school, they’ll have their own online courses. Check and see if your university offers online courses since it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll earn credit once you finish the class.

But if your university doesn’t have online college programs--or doesn’t offer the courses you need online--don’t worry. You have options! Once you find a class that fits your needs, it’s time to visit the registrar to see if it’s eligible for transfer credit. Universities tend to evaluate transfer credits on a case-by-case basis, so it never hurts to check. 

Pro tip: universities are more likely to accept transfer credits from other accredited, four-year schools...so look for online classes offered by institutions that meet that criteria.

Tip 2: Save Time Searching for Classes

In the previous section, we talked about specific classes you can take online right now, for free. But each of those organizations offers tons of classes in many different subjects! Just because we didn’t specifically mention their courses in engineering doesn't mean they don’t offer them. Searching each program’s website for classes you’re interested in will probably turn up more results than you realize! 

Here’s a handy list of the organizations we’ve mentioned above (and a few we didn’t) to get you started:

• University of the People
• Saylor Academy
• Modern States Educational Alliance
• OpenCourseWare

Tip 3: Know What You Need 

Like we mentioned earlier, each class and program is unique. Some are self-paced, while others take a more hands-on approach. Additionally, each course offers different benefits upon completion. Some offer transferable credits, others grant certificates, and some classes might do a mix of the two.

The last thing you want to do is take a class that’s a bad fit for you...or finish a class only to realize you’re not getting the right kind of credit. So before you look for classes in the first place, take a minute to evaluate your goals. Do you need college credit, or is a certificate better for you? Would you rather take a self-paced class that fits around your schedule, or do you prefer classes with more accountability?

When you know exactly what you need, you’ll be able to find the perfect online class for you!

What's Next?

One of the toughest parts of college is getting in. Learn more about how to create an amazing college application (and find resources where you can get help whipping your current application into shape).

Of course, one of the most important parts of your college application are your placement test scores. Check out this expert guide to getting a perfect score on the ACT . (Don’t worry SAT-takers... we have a guide for you, too !)

If you’re thinking about taking online courses to save money, you might be surprised at how affordable traditional colleges can be. The first step is to calculate the real cost of college. Then you can start looking for affordable schools and applying for scholarships . You might find that you can actually get a traditional degree for free !

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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What is Coursework at University?

In University by Think Student Editor October 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

Compared to the rest of the British education system, university can seem so very different. Lessons are now lectures or seminars, you have complete independence, and you even have the option to live on campus. Plus, there are so many other differences on top of this. This might make you wonder if the components of studying at university are different as well, especially in terms of how the course works. One of the components that’s important to look at in this way is coursework and how it differs at university.

In short, at university coursework is similar to at previous levels of education, where coursework is a form of assessment without exams that helps to make up your grade. At university, this is because successfully completing coursework helps you to pass modules, allowing you to get your qualification. This coursework can come in many different forms and the types you do will depend on your course and your university. However, some of the main types are essays, reports and projects, including research projects such as dissertations.

Continue reading to learn more about what coursework is at university. This article will take you through how coursework works at university and what some of the main types of university coursework are.

Table of Contents

Is there coursework at university?

When thinking about coursework, we tend to be more familiar with the term when it’s associated with school or college. In this case, coursework is a form of internally assessed assignment that will make up a part of your grade.

As a form of assessment, it will often be essential to help you to get your qualification, whether that’s for a GCSE/ National 5 qualification, an A-Level/ Higher or Advanced Higher or a more vocational qualification, such as a BTEC or a T-Level. For more information about what coursework is like at this stage, check out this guide by NI Direct.

As university can feel so different from school or college, you may be wondering whether or not there even is coursework at university and whether it works in the same way.

Simply put, yes, there is coursework at university . In fact, some universities state that most modules will have some form of coursework involved in them.

Students take a range of modules to make up their degree programmes. This means that students are very likely to do at least a bit of coursework in a few of their modules across the course of their studies. You can learn more about this by checking out this page on the University of St Andrews website.

What do you do in coursework at university?

At university there is so much more variation in what you can study and how you study it. From the different classifications of degree, even just within the undergraduate level, from foundation degrees to all the different kinds of bachelor’s degree, such as the BA, BSc or LLB, to all of the other kinds of qualification that you can do at university.

Due to all of this variation, there should be no surprise that in each of these different kinds of courses, students will be taught in different ways. Moreover, there isn’t any actual standardisation across universities, meaning that even on very similar courses, students can be taught with completely different methods.

As a result of this, the coursework that you do at university will completely depend on your course and your university. However, there are some common types of coursework that are done.

Some of these main ones are essays, reports and projects . For more information about what different types of coursework at university might be, you can check out this page by the University of Leeds.

You can learn more about these in their respective sections below.

Is an essay a type of coursework at university?

An essay is an academic piece of writing where students will have to make an argument in response to a certain question. In secondary school and college, you may have come across essays in the form of exam questions, where they would be valued in terms of their marks. For example, you may have had to do a “10-marker”, a “20-marker” and so on.

Alternatively, you may have come across them as part of your own coursework or NEAs, particularly in humanities subjects, where the knowledge and argument you present would be more detailed and in-depth. For university study, essays as a form of coursework, are more similar to the latter as they will need to be well-researched and in-depth .

However, university is at a higher level that school and college . As a result, university essays will need to be as well with students needing to carry out some independent research and reading before they can start the essay rather than relying just on what they have been taught.

You can learn more about essays as a form of coursework at university on this page by the University of Nottingham.

Is a report a type of coursework at university?

Reports and lab reports are a type of coursework that you will probably not have directly come across in previous study, although you may have done something a bit similar. Unlike an essay, a report is purely factual and objective, where the main aim is to present findings and to analyse the data collected, rather than to make an argument.

While they are particularly present in the sciences and social science subjects, reports are a form of coursework that can be used across a large variety of different subjects. Due to this, there are many different types of report and which one you may have to undertake as a part of your coursework will depend on your degree.

For more information about this, look at this page on the University of York’s website.

One of the main types of report is a lab report. This is a type of report done by sciences students after an experiment has been done. You can learn more about them by checking out this guide by the University of Nottingham.

Is a project a type of coursework at university?

For university study, a project as a form of coursework can refer to a few different modes of study. First of all, when talking about a project, we might be referring to a research project.

A research project is an extended essay that students complete by undertaking and then presenting their own research and comparing this to the preexisting ideas. This kind of research project will typically be big and may even be an entire module.

In cases like this, the research project will most likely be in the form of a dissertation or even a thesis if done at doctorate level. You can learn more about this type of project by looking at this page on the University of Sheffield’s website and for more on dissertations, look at the following section.

However, projects can also be in the form of group projects that can vary a bit more across universities. For example, at Imperial College London, students undertake a multidisciplinary group project to try and come up with solutions to the biggest social challenges. You can learn more about this on this page on their website.

Also, the University of Edinburgh Business School runs group consultancy projects at both undergraduate and master’s degree levels. For more information about this, check out this page on their website.

Is a dissertation a type of coursework at university?

At university in the UK, a dissertation is a type of research project that can be taken by students for either a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree. As an extended essay, students will need to produce an answer to a specific question of somewhere between 5,000 and 50,000 words depending on the university and whether it is a bachelor’s or master’s degree that you’re doing.

There are different kinds of dissertation and depending on which kind students do will depend on how they go about writing it. For an empirical dissertation, students will need to carry out research and collect data first hand to use as part of their dissertation. Whereas for a non-empirical dissertation, students will have to research into data and information that is pre-existing.

You can learn more about what a dissertation is by looking at this Think Student article .

As previously mentioned, one of the main types of coursework at university are projects, including research projects. This means that yes, dissertations are a type of coursework at university as they are types of research project.

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What is Coursework

First of all, you need to understand what is coursework and how to write it. When one is writing a coursework, they have to do profound research that will reveal their knowledge base. A coursework may consist of design studies, field work, projects, long essays, and other kinds of work. Depending on the particular course, it can be performed in a number of ways. You need to write a coursework not only to show what you know about a particular subject and enlarge your knowledge base but also to prepare yourself to deal with the work you will need to perform in the future.

The Oxford Dictionary defines coursework as the type of practical or written work performed by a student and assessed by their professor. Hopefully, it makes the coursework meaning clearer for you.

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Why coursework is necessary and who assigns it.

Now when you know what is coursework, you also have to understand why it is needed. Usually, a student's mentor or teacher assigns coursework as it is a part of the course structure. Writing a coursework is important since it helps the student reflect on what they have learned from the given course. Realizing the coursework meaning, one can understand the material better and see how their knowledge can be applied in various situations. This type of work also reveals the student's way of thinking and helps them learn how to express their thoughts. Coursework has an utterly diverse nature. A student's instructor can ask them to perform it in a written way and work on an essay, term paper, or thesis (this form of coursework is the most widespread). A coursework can also be done in a more creative way; for example, a student may be asked to create a sculpture. At times, taking a test is preferred by the instructor. In some cases, several types of coursework can be combined into one. Choosing a specific type or a combination of types depends on the course. Whatever the kind of coursework is, it always requires being evaluated. The student's mark will be based on their understanding of the topic, creativity, as well as on the innovative aspect of their work.

How to Perform the Most Important Types of Coursework?

Even understanding the coursework meaning, students have mixed feelings on it. Some of them like to do research, learn new information, and write about the results, while for others, it seems to be an unnecessary task, or even a burden. Whichever opinion is true for you, being a student, you will still have to write a coursework at some point. For this reason, you need to know how to do it successfully. Below you see the list of rules and guidelines that will make this task easier for you.

Read these steps carefully and make sure you follow them as they will help you get started.

Coursework that requires writing:

• Carry out superficial research on the topic of your coursework.
• Settle on your topic.
• Work on the structure of your coursework.
• Make a summary or an abstract and confirm it with your instructor.
• Conduct profound research to find all the information you need.
• While writing, keep on researching the topic more.
• When you are done, check your coursework for plagiarism.
• Make a reference list.

To make sure that your coursework features a good content that is clear and easy-to-understand for your reader, work on the structure of your work. Check out if you maintain its consistency, use relevant information, complete your topic, and make it look concise.<

Coursework that requires to create a model, sculpture, or artwork:

• Find a design or concept you like.
• See how it can be applied to the area of your study.
• Think about what you want to create and decide on the scale of this object.
• Decide what kind of materials you need to finalize your work.
• Find everything you need for creating your artwork.
• Make sure that you have a mental image of the result and make a rough sketch of it.
• Begin working!

Key points you should consider:

• Originality - You need to be sure that your topic or idea is original. It is an extremely important point you have to keep in mind from the very beginning of your work. Numerous researches are being done by numerous people, so you have to make yours stand out.
• Need - Your coursework should be able to answer certain questions or find solutions. For that, it has to identify the key problems and help the reader understand them clearly.
• Uniqueness - Both your topic and your content have to be unique. Make sure to avoid plagiarism and never copy information from other sources. Conduct surveys or prepare questionnaires to add originality to the content of your coursework.
• Your input - This aspect is very important. When working on your coursework, you need to reflect on your topic a lot and understand how you can apply it. If you do it, the purpose of writing a coursework is served. For this reason, do your best to make as much input in your work as possible.
• Outcomes & future applications - Even if you have worked hard and put a lot of effort into writing your coursework, it can turn out to be a failure in case you do not show useful outcomes. Therefore, you need to provide a well-made analysis of the information you used. Make a well-structured conclusion for your topic and talk about the way it can be researched further.

If you keep all these points in mind and follow the guidelines, you will certainly write a good coursework.

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What Do Online Classes Look Like? A Beginner's Guide

By Carrie Mesrobian on 04/12/2021

Over the past 20 years or so, online classes have shifted from what some may have considered a novelty to becoming a mainstream aspect of modern education. Nowadays, it’s hard not to see bits and pieces of an online class experience pop up in media—whether it’s amusing videos of participants navigating technical difficulties or memes lampooning common struggles students face in the classroom today.

But if you’re considering making a return to school to earn a degree, you probably have some questions about what that experience actually looks like—it can’t all be on-camera struggles with pets, after all. You’ve come to the right place. This article will give you an inside look at what online courses look like on the easy-to-navigate Blackboard Ultra platform used by Rasmussen University and answer some of the most common questions and curiosities you may have about an online student experience .

What does the online course platform look like at Rasmussen University?

Looking for a quick introduction to what your online courses may look like at Rasmussen University? This introductory video for students is a great starting point.

Now that you’ve taken a virtual tour of sorts, let’s address some of the most common questions students have about online courses and how they work.

How does an instructor take attendance for online classes?

Online classes offer flexibility for students who might otherwise have difficulty getting to a physical space at specific times. With online classes, students typically log on a couple of times per week to view assignments, watch videos, listen to lectures, read class materials and message instructors with any questions. Students generally receive credit for completing assignments and participating in online class discussion forums.

Where can I find my course syllabus and assignments?

When you log into your courses at Rasmussen University, you will have easy access to all of your courses, due dates, announcements, messages, course lessons and course materials. This is called the Activity Stream, and it gives you a snapshot of all the latest news for each class. You can add a personal touch to your account profile by uploading your photo, which will help identify you to your classmates and the instructor. Clicking on the individual class link gives you full access to each the specific syllabus, course materials, class roster and calendar for that class. Usually, online classes are organized into weekly modules, with each week featuring assignments and activities focused on an objective.

What do online class assignments look like?

Online class assignments are much like traditional assignments in that you will be asked to process information and synthesize your thoughts about it. The main difference is that in an online class, you can do the work whenever you want during the week (keeping any deadlines in mind, of course). Online class assignments can take a variety of forms: handouts you can download, online journals that can be graded and materials your instructor asks that you listen to, read or watch. Once you’ve reviewed the materials, the instructor can ask you to respond to individually or in a group discussion forum. Some assignments can be started and saved as drafts, to complete at another time. Your instructor might also give timed assignments, which show a clock icon indicating how much time you have to complete the work.

Why do instructors assign online class discussions?

Though online classrooms are a modern invention, the synthesis of information among a group remains an important part of learning. Class discussions allow students to share opinions, pose questions and process through material with others. Having the opportunity to see how others react to new information has been a key part of education since ancient times. Observing others wrestle with concepts is often a very enlightening experience that can provide additional insight and perspective you may not have considered.

These discussions also provide an avenue for instructors to identify topics students may be struggling with, which helps them refine or supplement their approaches.

How does an instructor share important announcements and deadlines?

Instructors at Rasmussen University will communicate with students in a variety of ways. Blackboard Ultra allows instructors to post announcements that you’ll see in your Activity Stream as well as in your message inbox. You can also set up an email associated with your Blackboard Ultra account to receive notifications about any messages you’ve received from your instructor or classmates.

Can I use my mobile phone or other devices to access my online classes?

At Rasmussen University, you’ll be able to log into courses with your laptop, tablet or mobile phone. This helps students stay organized with due dates, group assignment messages and grade updates no matter where they’re checking in from. Online classes accessible by mobile phone are just another way to offer Rasmussen University students flexibility and convenience as they learn.

That said, it’s important to note that not all mobile devices will be compatible with all course materials. Rasmussen University does require students to have a fully-functional Windows computer or a Mac computer capable of running a Windows virtual machine.

How do I check on my grades?

One benefit to online classes is that your grades are available at a glance as soon as your instructor posts them, along with any other comments or feedback they offer you on a project, assignment, group discussion or test. This helps you get a sense, in real time, of what you need to work on and what you’ve mastered, which can help cut down on any end-of-term surprises and panic—you’ll have a clear picture of where your grade stands at any given time during a course.

What happens if I have technical issues?

While we hope everyone can advance through their online coursework without a hitch, it’s unrealistic for that to always be the case. Technical issues may pop up from time to time—and that’s okay. Whether you’re having issues logging in, browser trouble or difficulties getting an assignment submitted, know that Rasmussen University has you covered. The Classroom IT Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help students navigate any technical bumps in the road they may encounter.

Move forward with confidence

Now that you know more about what an online course would look like and how they work, you should be feeling more confident about taking the next step. While it’s certainly a big move to pursue higher education, you’ll have plenty of support along the way. Check out our article “ 9 Surprising Student Resources You Didn’t Know Rasmussen University Offered ” to learn more about the tools and services you’ll have at your fingertips.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what's the acceptance rate of the foster school of business.

I'm seriously thinking about applying to the Foster School of Business. I know admission can be competitive, but what exactly is the acceptance rate? And if you got in, what do you think helped your application stand out?

The Foster School of Business at the University of Washington has a selective admission process. Although the precise acceptance rate can fluctuate each year, it typically hovers around 30-50%. That being said, this shouldn't discourage you from applying if it's a school you're genuinely interested in. All applicants are evaluated thoroughly and holistically.

As for what can make an application stand out, it's important to show your strengths in three main areas: academics, extracurricular involvement, and personal qualities. High grades are crucial, particularly in relevant coursework like mathematics and economics. You'll also want to impress the admissions officers with your test scores if you choose to submit them.

Extracurricular involvement is highly valued at Foster. Keep in mind, though, that quality is certainly more important than quantity, so displaying consistent leadership and engagement in a few activities would be more advantageous than participating lightly in many.

The personal statement also plays a pivotal role. This is where you express your motivations for wanting to study business, highlight your unique experiences, and reveal your character. Avoid cliche topics and take this chance to underline why you'd be a valuable addition to the Business School.

Lastly, your demonstrated interest could play a role. Attending open house events, participating in webinars, connecting with alumni, and reaching out to admissions teams could convey your interest in and commitment to the university.

Good luck with your applications! Remember, every year is different, so just because some years are highly competitive does not mean that will always be the case.

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Kim Daniels in the Office of the University Registrar manages the system, with input and assistance from school/program level staff across all participating areas. We are invested in promoting course evaluations at WashU. We encourage participation in the process and constructive use of eval feedback by instructors, departments, schools, and at the university level.

How does 12-team College Football Playoff work? Explaining expanded CFP format in 2024

College football will see plenty of changes in 2024 — and chief among them is the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams after 10 years in a four-team model.

The new CFP allows for eight more teams to have a shot at winning a national championship following conference championship weekend, as the old format saw only the four highest-ranked teams at the end of the season compete in two semifinal games.

REQUIRED READING: Power ranking college football teams based on their championship odds

The format for how teams are seeded in the 12-team playoff, as well as where they play, is also different than in past years. Here's an explanation of how the new 12-team CFP works ahead of the 2024 season:

How many teams are in the College Football Playoff?

The new CFP format will feature 12 teams for the first time in college football history. Prior to that, the playoff allowed four teams in, from its inception in 2014 through the 2023 college football season. The precursor to the playoff, the Bowl Championship Series (1998-2013), allowed only the top two teams in the final BCS standings to play in the championship game.

What teams make the CFP in 2024?

The 12-team CFP will comprise the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven at-large teams.

Of note: With the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference, this guarantees at least one Group of Five champion will make the playoff under the current format. Only one such team made the playoff in the four-team era: Cincinnati, which went 13-0 in the 2021 regular season and claimed the No. 4 spot as champions of the American Athletic Conference.

REQUIRED READING: The 10 best non-conference college football games this season

How are teams seeded in the 12-team CFP?

The top four of the five highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4, earning first-round byes and advancing straight to the quarterfinals. The fifth conference champion will be seeded in the same position it was ranked inside the top 12 (or at No. 12 overall, if it finished outside the top 12 rankings). The remaining teams will be ranked beginning at No. 5 all the way through No. 12.

This format means the final CFP rankings of the season won't necessarily align with the final seeding. For example, last year's final CFP rankings saw Oklahoma finish No. 12; but because a Group of Five team didn't rank ahead of the Sooners, they would have been excluded from a 12-team playoff in favor of Conference USA's Liberty, which was the highest-ranked Group of Five champion, at No. 23.

College Football Playoff format

The format puts a premium on winning conference championships, as the first four seeds earn byes. It also means that Notre Dame and other independents that don't play a conference championship game will never have a first-round bye under the current format; the highest they can rank is No. 5.

The top four seeds go straight to the quarterfinals, while the remaining eight teams play in the first round at the higher seed's home field (or another designated location). This marks the first time there will be home-field advantage in a win-or-go-home scenario in college football.

Seed No. 5 will host No. 12, seed No. 6 will host No. 11, seed No. 7 will host No. 10 and seed No. 8 will host No. 9.

Following the conclusion of the first-round games, the No. 1 team will play the winner of the 8-9 game; No. 2 will play the winner of the 7-10 game; No. 3 will play the winner of the 6-11 game; and No. 4 will host the winner of the 5-12 game.

The four quarterfinal games will be hosted at one of four of the New Year's Six bowls, with the playoff committee assigning bowls based on seeding and historical ties to conferences. For example, if an SEC team ranked No. 1, it would be given the Sugar Bowl; if the Big Ten was in the top spot, it would receive the Rose Bowl.

The semifinals will comprise the remaining two New Year's Six games, with the highest seeds getting preferential placement in bowls. From there, the winners of the semifinals will advance to play each other in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Other notes regarding the CFP format, courtesy of the College Football Playoff:

• No modifications will be made to avoid rematches between teams that may have played during the regular season or are from the same conference.
• The bracket will remain in effect throughout the playoff (i.e., no re-seeding).

The College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams this season. Hear from @ESPN 's @KirkHerbstreit and learn how the bracket will play out from the CFP First Round through the 2025 CFP #NationalChampionship , slated for Monday, January 20 at Atlanta's @MBStadium . #CFBPlayoff 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/Fd1tbkwy4f — College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) July 22, 2024

College Football Playoff 2024-25 dates

Here are the dates for the 2025 College Football Playoff (for the 2024 college football season). It consists of three rounds before the national championship:

• First round: Friday, Dec. 20-Saturday, Dec. 21
• Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Dec. 31-Wednesday, Jan. 1
• Semifinals: Thursday, Jan. 9-Friday, Jan. 10
• National championship: Monday, Jan. 20

College Football Playoff locations

First round:

• Dec. 20-21: On campus of higher-seeded teams (or other designated location)

Quarterfinals:

• Tuesday, Dec. 31: Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.)
• Wednesday, Jan. 1: Peach Bowl (Atlanta)
• Wednesday, Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
• Wednesday, Jan. 1: Sugar Bowl (New Orleans)

Semifinals:

• Thursday, Jan. 9: Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Fla.)
• Friday, Jan. 10: Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas)

CFP championship:

• Monday, Jan. 20: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

12-team CFP bracket in 2023

Here is how the 2024 College Football Playoff ( for the 2023 college football season ) would have shaken out after conference championship week last year:

First round

• No. 5 Florida State vs. No. 12 Liberty
• No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Ole Miss
• No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Penn State
• No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 9 Missouri

Quarterfinals

• No. 1 Michigan vs. winner of Oregon-Missouri
• No. 2 Washington vs. winner of Ohio State-Penn State
• No. 3 Texas vs. winner of Georgia-Ole Miss
• No. 4 Alabama vs. winner of Florida State-Liberty

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Most community college students plan to get 4-year degrees. Few actually do

Dylan Peers McCoy

Ever since he was a kid, Tyre’k Swanigan dreamed of going to Indiana University. But after he graduated from high school, he decided to start at community college. He figured he could keep his full-time job and transfer to IU later to earn his bachelor’s degree.

At first, Swanigan, now 23, did well. Then, he said he heard from an IU recruiter that some of his community college credits might not count toward his degree.

College is hard enough — try doing it while raising kids

“I was like, why am I wasting my time at a two-year community college when I know that I need at least a bachelor’s to do anything that I want to do?” said Swanigan, who wants to work in a leadership role at a school.

Swanigan eventually withdrew from the community college. And he’s not alone.

Community college is often touted as an affordable start for students who want to earn bachelor’s degrees. Yet only 13% of community college students actually go on to earn degrees from four-year institutions within eight years, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Education in 2023. Indiana has one of the lowest community college transfer success rates in the nation.

“It's ridiculous,” said Swanigan, who attended Ivy Tech Community College in Indianapolis. “It pisses me off honestly, because I was at Ivy Tech, right? And this is me. Like, this number — I’m a part of that.”

With their open enrollment policies and low tuition, community colleges offer crucial access to higher education. They educate 41% of all U.S. undergraduates, according to the Community College Research Center . And when those students enroll, 83% plan to transfer to four-year schools, according to the Center for Community College Student Engagement.

But that transfer process can be fraught with challenges, including structural barriers that force students to spend time and money taking extra classes.

“Most students leave empty-handed,” said Huriya Jabbar, a professor of education policy at the University of Southern California. “There are bureaucratic hurdles. There are really opaque transfer policies. There's not enough information about … which courses will transfer.”

How the deck is stacked against transfer students

Jabbar co-wrote a book, which will be published in September, about community college transfer students . Her research focused on Texas, where policies vary by institution and major.

“When a student enters community college, they need to know not just what major — area of study — but which university they plan to transfer to,” Jabbar said, “because what they do at the community college to transfer will vary.”

The new kids on campus? Toddlers, courtesy of Head Start

College advisers are supposed to help students prepare to transfer, making sure they have the right credits for the degree they’re pursuing, and facilitating a smooth transition to a four-year school. But in Texas, Jabbar found that these advisers had large caseloads, which limited their ability to help students. Advisers also struggled to keep up with changes in degree requirements at different institutions, Jabbar said. Sometimes they gave students information that was outdated or wrong.

According to Jabbar, one common problem transfer students face is being forced to take extra classes. That happens when four-year schools don’t give students credit for all the classes they took in community college, or the courses are counted as electives instead of major requirements.

When students lose credits, it’s time-consuming and expensive, said Lorenzo Baber, director of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Office of Community College Research and Leadership.

“That's money,” he said. “That's a couple thousand dollars, which matters.”

Two-thirds of community college students take classes part time . And they often juggle jobs, caregiving and other obligations that can disrupt their education.

Because of that, Baber said, improving transfer success is not just up to higher education institutions. It requires investments in social supports ranging from child care to broadband access to health care. Someone might be forced to leave school, for example, to provide for a sick family member who has limited health care access.

“You could have the best designed programs,” Baber said, “but that gets rendered meaningless if somebody needs to stop out because they need to take a job to pay the bills of their household.”

A transfer policy that could help

Research suggests statewide policies to make transferring easier can help students earn bachelor's degrees and avoid taking unnecessary classes .

In Indiana, where Tyre’k Swanigan lives, community colleges and universities are trying to improve.

Changing Face Of College

In 'never too late,' finally, a guide for adults going to college.

About a decade ago, Indiana lawmakers required public colleges and universities to create transfer pathways for students who complete associate degrees. If an Indiana student earns an associate degree in nursing, for example, they can transfer to a public, four-year university without losing credits, said Mary Jane Michalak, a vice president at Ivy Tech Community College, where Swanigan started.

"Whenever possible we direct students into those pathways,” Michalak said, “because by state law then those credits are supposed to transfer seamlessly as long as it's within the same program."

Other states have created similar transfer policies. In 2010, California created a special associate degree that’s supposed to make it easier for students to transfer. In 2021-22, almost half of the community college students who transferred to four-year colleges in California had those diplomas .

Some Indiana universities and community colleges have partnered up to help make transferring easier for students, an approach that institutions in other states have used . This year, Ivy Tech announced a new dual admission agreement with Indiana University Indianapolis .

But Indiana doesn’t yet know if the state’s efforts to improve transfer success are working. That’s because the federal data published in 2023 — which found that only about 7% of Indiana community college students earn four-year degrees — follows students for eight years. The people it tracked started back in 2014, the year before the state's new transfer pathways kicked in.

Tyre’k Swanigan started college in 2019, and even with the state changes, it hasn’t been easy.

Swanigan almost went back to school this summer. But tuition was expensive. He started a new job. And he was pulling himself out of a difficult relationship.

“The longer I wait and life happens and issues come up,” Swanigan said, “the harder it is to get back into school.”

Five years after Swanigan started college, he’s still determined to earn his bachelor’s degree — eventually.

Washington Monthly

Our 2024 College Rankings Are Out: See How Your School Did

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While much of the media convulses over politics on our nation’s most elite campuses, the  Washington Monthly  today releases innovative new rankings that shine a spotlight on a different class of schools, ones that produce the greatest share of four-year degrees and actually serve everyday Americans: regional public universities. 

These are the schools with “State” in the name, unknown to much of the country but revered in their communities.  U.S. News & World Report  lists only three regional public schools among its top 100 national universities; 16 make it into the  Washington Monthly ’s top 100, including Fresno State (#22), Florida Atlantic University (#41), and Montclair State (#57). Whereas news in the past year has focused on Gaza protests and DEI drama at elite universities, the  Monthly ’s   rankings focus on schools that help non-wealthy students get ahead in life while serving their country and communities.

Since 2005, the  Washington Monthly  has presented an alternative set of benchmarks for what “excellence” is in higher education, ones that measure what colleges do for their country, instead of for themselves. Rather than reward institutions for their wealth, fame, and exclusivity, the  Monthly  evaluates them on their commitment to three goals: social mobility, research, and public service.

That methodology leads to notable differences from the  U.S. News  rankings among  national universities :

• Florida International University, #16 on the  Monthly  list, is #124 in the  U.S. News  rankings.
• Utah State University, #54 on the  Monthly  list, is #269 in the  U.S. News  rankings.
• Tulane University, #429 on the  Monthly  list, is #73 in the  U.S. News  rankings.
• Baylor University, #363 in the  Monthly  list, is #93 in the  U.S. News  rankings.

Regional universities also dominate the upper echelons, and elite schools the lowest, in an innovative new ranking the  Monthly  is unveiling, “ America’s Best and Worst Colleges for Master’s Degrees . ” This new list—the first ever to compare median debt to median income five years after graduation for popular master’s programs—reveals that some of the best-known universities in the country are offering grad students the worst deals. A master’s degree in nursing from Yale, for instance, will leave you $118,849 in debt, on average, whereas you’ll borrow only $23,302 for the same degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and earn slightly more five years later ($133,871 versus $128,563 for Yalies). Information like this can’t be found on  U.S. News ’s popular “Best Graduate Schools” guide, because that ranking mostly ignores how much programs cost or how much debt students tend to graduate with, relying instead on an insider survey measuring prestige.

The magazine also debuts another first-of-its-kind ranking, “ America’s Best and Worst Colleges for Women in STEM ,” which rates undergraduate STEM programs by the percentage of their graduates who are women. Some of the nation’s most selective universities produce huge percentages of female scientists and engineers, which undermines the ready-made excuses other schools give for their low percentages, including that women lack interest or ability.

The  Monthly ’s college guide features a “ Best Bang for the Buck ” ranking of colleges in each region, rewarding schools that help students from all economic backgrounds attain degrees that will serve them well in life without breaking the bank. Schools like those in the Cal State system (Los Angeles, Dominguez Hills, Stanislaus), Berea College, and Governors State University top these rankings despite being ignored or underappreciated by other magazines’ lists.

On other  Washington Monthly  rankings this year, regional publics also dominate. Elizabeth City State, a historically Black university in North Carolina, is #4 among the  best bachelor’s universities , and SUNY Geneseo is the   top master’s school .

The 2024 college guide also includes feature stories that investigate:

• How  regional colleges provide states with exceptional return on taxpayer dollars . Whereas graduates of flagship universities often leave for jobs in distant cities, those of regional universities typically settle down and build careers within the state. Yet regionals receive far less government funding.
• Why the  teaching is better at regional universities  than at highly selective schools, and how to make all college professors better at their most important job.
• How  elite colleges, such as Northwestern University, leverage their brand name  to sign up students for master’s degrees with astronomical debt and low career earnings—and why the federal government does nothing to stop it.
• How  Northern Arizona University’s visionary new president has earned national acclaim  for promoting social mobility over the pursuit of prestige.
• How to  turn “remedial education” from a dead end to a launchpad of success.

“Washington’s obsession with elite colleges is warping our politics by aggravating the large and growing political divide between those with a college education and those without,” warns  Washington Monthly  editor in chief Paul Glastris. “In the past year, higher ed has dealt with tone-deaf college presidents, threats from Project 2025, the defunding of DEI offices, and the unpredictable politics of student loan forgiveness. But as the  Washington Monthly ’s 2024 college guide and rankings  show, there are hundreds of great schools out there, many of them regional public universities, that are achieving the real purpose of college: helping students of modest means earn affordable degrees that lead to good incomes and encouraging them to be informed and active citizens of our democracy.”  

The  Washington Monthly  is a nonprofit devoted to ahead-of-the-curve coverage of politics, government, and public affairs. Its college guide, first published in 2005, has won the Education Writers Association Award for data journalism. Founded in 1969, the  Monthly  has trained and published many of the biggest names in journalism, including Jon Meacham, Nicholas Lemann, Katherine Boo, and Nicholas Confessore.

Enjoy the issue!

Washington Monthly  Editors

INTRODUCTION

A Different Kind of College Ranking America needs a new definition of higher education excellence, one that measures what colleges do for their country, instead of for themselves. By Paul Glastris and Rob Wolfe

FEATURES & RANKINGS

Those Colleges With “State” in Their Name New research shows that regional universities deliver the greatest return for our tax dollars. So of course we starve them of funds. By Zach Marcus

The College President Who Broke Ranks José Luis Cruz Rivera is putting Northern Arizona University on the map by doing the opposite of what U.S. News & World Report wants. By Jamal Watson

Why Professors Can’t Teach For as long as universities have existed, academics have struggled to impart their knowledge to students. The failing is fixable—if Washington demands it. By Jonathan Zimmerman

Escape from Higher Ed’s Bermuda Triangle Two decades ago, reformers introduced effective new ways to help college students lost in the vortex of “remedial” education classes. But progress stalled. Time to finish the revolution. By Anne Kim

America’s Best and Worst Colleges for Women in STEM America needs more scientists and engineers. Some colleges are closing the gap by helping more women earn STEM degrees. Others have no excuse for failing. B y Laura Colarusso

America’s Best and Worst Colleges for Master’s Degrees Some programs help graduates earn a good living without saddling them with crushing debt. Others do the opposite. Our new rankings will help you tell the difference. By Marc Novicoff

How Predatory Master’s Programs Get Away With It Like other elite colleges, Northwestern University leverages its brand name to sign up students for grad degrees with astronomical debt and low career earnings. And the federal government does nothing to stop it. By Marc Novicoff

America’s Best Bang for the Buck Colleges Our one-of-a-kind list of schools that help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices. By Robert Kelchen

National University Rankings

Liberal Arts College Rankings

Bachelor’s College Rankings

Master’s University Rankings

A Note on Methodology: Four-Year Colleges and Universities 

Can the 1980s Explain 2024? The yuppies embodied the winning side of America’s deepening economic divide. Bruce Springsteen spoke for those left behind. Two new books consider what liberals can learn from the decade. By Nicholas Lemann

A New Look at the Feminist Earthquake Clara Bingham’s masterful “The Movement” shows how women’s liberation transformed America and why our understanding of 1963-1973 needs to include more voices. By Sara Bhatia

The Origin of Specious Emerging from a well-funded conservative academic network, judicial “originalism”— the faddish theory that the thinking of the dead can be understood and should bind the living—is now the Supreme Court’s main tool for overturning precedent and furthering its anti-democratic goals. Three new books explain how that theory can be toppled. By Garrett Epps

• SI SWIMSUIT
• SI SPORTSBOOK
• MEN'S BASKETBALL

Where are Kentucky basketball fans ranked among all college basketball fan bases?

Andrew stefaniak | 3 hours ago.

• Kentucky Wildcats

There is no better fan base than Kentucky basketball fans. No one does it quite like Big Blue Nation when it comes to supporting their team. Knowing the state of Kentucky doesn't have any NBA, MLB, or NFL teams, pretty much everyone grows up cheering for Kentucky basketball. This is why college basketball analyst Andy Katz ranked Kentucky as the top fan base in college basketball ahead of all the other Blue Bloods like Kansas, North Carolina, and Duke.

Katz had this to say about why he ranked Big Blue Nation as the top fan base, "Even with long-time coach John Calipari leaving to steer the ship at Arkansas in April, the Wildcats’ fan base showed out at coach Mark Pope’s introductory press conference — nearly selling out Rupp Arena. If the Kentucky faithful can fill Rupp to a brim on a random off-season Sunday with no basketball in sight, imagine what it’s like throughout the season."

Everyone who was in the building for Coach Pope's introductory press conference knows how special Big Blue Nation is. Rupp Arena was filled for an event where there was short notice. No other fan base could have done what Kentucky did on that Saturday.

This special fan base is what makes Kentucky such a historic program and why elite players coming out of high school, or the transfer portal want to play for the Wildcats.

Basketball in Kentucky is special, and Big Blue Nation shows why every time the Wildcats play in Lexington or on the road, these fans travel in bunches.

ANDREW STEFANIAK