OAP Tips for Success

When beginning any new adventure there is always much to be discovered about not just the destination but also the journey of how to get there! Take a look at the video to the right to hear some behind the scenes tips from CHHS to help you gain a more holistic understanding of how everything works. The video will touch on the following crucial topics :

- CHHS Advising process for OAP Students
- Transfer Credits, Grades, and Registration
- Honors Distinctions
- Graduation Processes
- Residency Information
- Student Accounts & Billing,
- Financial Aid
- Scholarship Opportunities
- Veterans Affairs

Note: In the video, student success advisor Phil says that OAP students have one advisor when they first begin their program and switch to a new advisor later. However, our current practice is to keep students with their initial advisors as long as possible, ideally through graduation, to provide continuity and build rapport.

OAP Tips for Success from UNCW CHHS on Vimeo.

What to expect from Week One?

In an Online Accelerated Program everything is --well, accelerated, including that first week of classes. During that first week as an OAP student you not only have academic considerations but also important administrative considerations as well. Take a look at the video below to learn what all you will need to consider your first week as an OAP student.

OAP Week 1 from UNCW CHHS on Vimeo.

Meeting Deadlines & Time Management Tips

Video credit: Time Management – Posted by UBCleap on YouTube.

In an Online Accelerated Program, time management is key to success. Courses run on a condensed 7-week schedule and unlike face to face classes, there is no regularly scheduled face time with the course itself nor the course instructors. This means no in-person reminders of when assignments are due or tests are scheduled. While you do have more flexibility, you also are left to your own self-regulation and time-management skills. As stated in the article, 4 Time Management Tips for Online Student, "...a lack of direct oversight can make it easy to fall behind... Throw in everyday distractions typical for an online student --full-time jobs, kids, social activities-- and the work can easily pile up. These time management tips from online learning veterans can help you stay ahead of the game:

Make a plan
Check-in daily
Look ahead
Speak up

Read the article to dive deeper into these tips and watch the video on time management created by the University of British Columbia to help you build better time management to help reduce stress levels, increase productivity and create more room for other opportunities.

Balancing Life & Online Classes

The beauty of online courses is the ability to schedule completing course work around your own busy work and personal life. However, balancing them all can still prove quite difficult. The tips listed below will help you balance your new commitments at school AND manage your work efficiently:

Communicate with your employer
Take advantage of downtime
Use your knowledge strategically
Make a schedule and stick to it
Don't spread yourself too thin
Reach out to your support system

To take a deeper look into these six tips, read the following blog post by Touro College:

6 Tips for Balancing a Full Time Workload with Online Classes