Five years ago I had no plans to go to college ever again, and I thought I would just work part-time until my children were mostly grown. Those plans changed when I got divorced and needed a full-time job. Thankfully I was blessed with some great opportunities and found a career path that I love—working in libraries. The only problem? If I want to move forward in my career, I need a master’s degree in library science. I love school but my life is much more complex than it used to be—I own a home, I have a full-time job, and my kids are well established in their neighborhood school (plus being divorced complicates moving anywhere else). Enter an online degree program to save me! I am about halfway through earning a master’s degree online, and while the work has been hard, it has also been extremely fulfilling. Every year, online education becomes more readily available, and it can be a great option for you if you want to go back to school and can’t physically move to a new location. I would like to share some things I have learned about getting a degree online, both from my own experiences and those of family and friends. Obviously I don’t know everything about continuing education and I urge you to do even more research—I also highly recommend perusing Aspiring Mormon Women for some excellent advice about education and careers.

Choose your program carefully

There are many kinds of online degree programs, some more legitimate than others. It can be hard to tell where to start when it comes to making a decision about which one to choose. One place to start is by looking for recommendations or accreditation from a governing body associated with your field. For example, the American Library Association offers accreditation for library schools, and their website is a good place to start when looking for a program. Many established universities now offer online programs along with their on-campus programs, so look up schools close to your home to see what they can offer you. “Distance” education doesn’t have to come from somewhere across the country. Thoroughly investigate the school’s website and other materials, and compare several schools to each other. If a particular program differs greatly from others in its price or the amount of time needed to complete a degree, this is often a red flag. Don’t waste your time and money on a program that won’t teach you the things you need to know or that will award you a worthless degree. Make sure you read independent reviews of programs in addition to materials provided by the school itself.

Also, make sure you choose a school that is a right fit for your personality, life circumstances, and goals. There are many types of online programs—some are completely online, some require travel to campus for occasional in-person instruction, some require you to take certain classes in sequence or to attend lectures at specific times, some will have you work with the same cohort throughout the program, etc. To get a good sense of the program, find reviews online or ask around see if anyone you know is familiar with the school. Take a look at the degree requirements and other information on the school’s website. What kinds of classes do they offer? What kind of financial support and advising is there? Do they offer internships or other opportunities for practical application of what you learn? Taking the time to choose the right program for your needs is an important first step to ensure a successful degree experience.

Prepare yourself

If you are going to get your degree online, you will obviously have to make sure you have the right equipment first. If you’ve been using the free wifi at Starbucks or limping along on dial-up, it’s time for an upgrade to a high-speed internet connection and a reliable computer. You may also need to brush up your tech skills—some online degree programs will offer tutorials for you or you can look for resources in your local community like classes offered by a local library or community center. Maybe even ask around your ward to see if someone would be willing to help you learn things like setting up video chat or creating a blog.

Along with getting yourself prepared technologically, going back to school takes a lot of mental preparation. My family, and I, both sometimes forget that online college is real college, and requires real work. When I am taking a class, I spend at least five hours a week just on watching lectures, doing readings, and completing assignments. One wise friend counseled me to “forget about balance”—which sounds a little weird in our world where we pressure ourselves to do it all. But, as I have figured out, I can’t do my best at school and do too many other things at once. I’ve tried to hold on to vital self-care tasks, but I’ve stepped back from a lot of other things I used to spend time on. I’ve learned to say “no” more often. I just remind myself that this school season is only a few years in my life and that I will have more free time in the future. Many of my friends and ward members know I am working on a degree and I love feeling their support when they ask about how my classes are going.

Stay connected and have fun

Another great piece of advice that I received from someone was to log in to my online class every day, even if I didn’t have a lot of time to do work on assignments. Making the transition to online learning was a bit rough for me; I completed my undergraduate degree and first master’s degree before computers were really integrated into learning and wasn’t used to doing assignments online. When class is online, it can sometimes be hard to feel connected to the other students, the material, and the instructor. I’ve gotten in the habit of logging in to my current class each night except Sundays; as much as possible I give myself one day off a week. Logging in frequently helps me stay current with my class and get a little done each day. I also quickly discovered that my current life prevents me from continuing my previous study habits gained when I was an undergrad. I almost never have two or three hours to complete the readings all at once—I have to do them in little bite-sized chunks over the course of a week.

Going back to school when your life is already full can be a challenge and it has certainly been difficult at times for me. I spent several hours on my birthday huddled over my computer finishing a major research paper that was due the next day (I really should not have procrastinated writing it like I did). At the same time, school has been absolutely fun and completely fulfilling. That research paper was the fruit of hours of time spent in archives reading notes from a library board and a ladies’ club in the early twentieth century as they worked to help create a public library for their community. I felt a sense of kinship with these women who founded a club where they could get together each week to discuss literature and educate themselves. My circumstances are very different from theirs in many ways, but the desire to learn and improve my life is the same. I’m grateful for computers and the internet that provide me with the tools I need to further my education.