The mere thought of “college” can instill fear into the hearts of so many- and with good reason. It’s a big decision, to say the least. All of the coursework and studying required, scrambling to get out of work a bit early to make it to your 6 o’clock class on time, and finding a babysitter that can stay up past 9 o’clock on a school night all require enough forethought and planning to carry you through on your commitment. But is all of this work really necessary to successfully complete your degree program? Not if you enroll in an online continuing education program from a fully accredited college.

Have you noticed how the World Wide Web has made everything so much easier? It’s brought the world into your home, as you can now shop, make money and pay bills without stepping foot onto your sidewalk. With the flexible course schedules that so many colleges offer nowadays, you don’t even have to commit a day of the week (never mind a time of day) to attend your online class. Asynchronous course schedules allow you to download the assignment and lecture for the week at your leisure, complete your work and submit it on time for the appropriate credit due.

It’s been said that those with an associate degree earn upwards of 20% more in their lifetime than those without, and individuals with a bachelor degree can earn more than 30% more than folks with no college degree at all. With these stats in mind, you just need to pick your course of study to be on your way to earning a substantially higher income.

The best place to begin searching for your ideal online degree program is with your personal interests. For example, if you absolutely despise balancing your checkbook, a career in finance might not be wise investment in either the time or money. If you love to watch the medical shows on the cable channels, attaining a degree in health and medicine might come a bit easier to you than a course load filled with computer and IT terminology. Remember- when you go to work everyday doing something you love, it doesn’t seem like work at all.

After you’ve chosen your new career path, deciding on an associate, bachelor, master, or doctorate is a bit easier. For starters, an associate degree is the quickest to obtain and will place you within another pay scale. You can always start with this type of program and continue forward to your bachelor, then masters and doctorate if you choose. One step is much easier to envision than 10, so start slow, get adjusted and enjoy your online college years.