A post in 3 parts by Jaemi Sawyer, Guest Blogger. Jaemi is a Marketing Manager in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area. She is currently a student at Franklin Pierce University eCollege.

My goal when I first started this online college adventure was to finish as fast as I could. I just wanted that degree in my hand. Well, I am finding out that, just like “real” college, planning for online college may be a little clearer in hindsight.

There are three things I wish I had known when I started my online bachelor’s degree program:

1. The subject you get your degree in is important. I am currently in a job search and my General Studies degree is going to be worth less than the 24k I paid for it. Every position I am looking at wants a bachelor’s degree with a specific major. It doesn’t matter that I have 8 years’ experience; in this job market, employers want to see the diploma that says, “You went to [insert school here] and have your degree in [insert major here].” I joked before about getting my B.S. in B.S.; well, it appears that that is how a lot of employers really see a General Studies degree.
2. It is important to know how much you can handle. I signed up for all 20-plus classes at one time, including classes over the summer and Christmas break, so I have not had more than two weeks off from classes in the past year and a half.
3. It is okay to take a break. In my eyes, finishing my degree so quickly will be worth it, because I will meet my personal goal of graduating before I turn 31. But I wish I had known it was okay to take a break between classes.

I know that an online degree was the best choice for my schedule and my goal, but I will not deny the fact that I did not take it seriously at first, or do my research. I wish I did; perhaps I would be on a different online track now if I had.