new students

It’s mid-August, and I can already smell school in the air: newly sharpened No.2 pencils, plastic-covered bundles of paper, and, let’s not forget, freshly wiped computer screens.

While we know online courses can start at any time of the year, we thought we’d get into the back-to-school spirit now and share our tips on preparing for that monumental first day of online class.

Here are a handful of helpful preparation tips for new and returning online students:

• Read the syllabus: If the class syllabus (which will become a very good friend) is available to you before your online course begins, make sure to take advantage of your educator’s generosity. You can get a heads up on deadlines and better manage your workload.
• Contact your online instructor: It’s never too early to reach out and introduce yourself. Teachers are essential to successful learning in both traditional and online education.