How to balance Penn Foster studies with work and/or family - Essay Example

It is important to be able to balance school, work, and family commitments. In the United States and abroad online education has become a hot trend. Being an online student has many advantages including lower tuition costs, savings in commuting expenses, and the ability to study at your own convenience. In order to succeed as an online student, Penn Foster students have to learn the value of time management. The day has 24 hours that can be used to accommodate your online studies. A person that has a traditional 8-5 job schedule must utilize nights effectively to complete their study routine.

Online class entail reading books and articles, completing simulations, doing quizzes and exams, participating, and writing essays or term papers. Once the person reaches their homes they have to establish a routine. The student has to spend a few hours each day doing school work. Online students have to realize that an online school requires a seven day commitment. My recommendation is for online students to dedicate a minimum of two to three hours a day studying. This comes out to 14 to 21 hours a week.

Being an online student is like having a second part-time job. It is also important for the online student to comply with their family obligations. Fathers and mothers with children have to allocate quality family time with their kids. In the morning one of the parents has to take the kids to work and pick them up in the afternoon. It is important to talk and negotiate with your partner these responsibilities. If there is a need for help to deal with the care of the kids hiring a babysitter is a good alternative solution.

Another time slot that can help Penn Foster students with their studies is the early morning. Waking up at 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning to perform a few hours of study is a great way to keep up with your study workload. People have the highest levels of awareness and retention in the morning because they are fresh. Having a network of friends that can help out is also important. Sometimes being an online student becomes a little lonely. When this occurs a good idea is to pack the laptop and go to a local university.

Seen other people studying can help a person with their motivation. Due the importance that university studies have and the value of them in the job marketplace completing their studies should be of utter importance for Penn Foster students. Students that feel that their work is interrupting with their studies should seriously consider changing jobs and switching from a full time job to a part time job. Students that are married should consult and negotiate these decisions with their spouse. If a person has some savings in the bank they can utilize these savings to cover for their living expenses while studying.

Another way to finance your living expenses is to take out a federal student loan. The federal government loans up to $18,500 depending on your level and year of study. Graduate students qualify for higher loan amounts than undergraduate students. Being an online student has a lot of advantages over being a traditional student that attends a physical college campus. The online student has the freedom to take a day off from school and make up the difference the following day. There are no schedules to follow and hassles such as having to arrive early at a campus to find parking do not exist.

Due to the challenges associated with being an online student Penn Foster students have to be able to balance their studies, family life, and work. Since time management