| Are you considering an online degree program? | | | | spending less time on your job is (so you can |
| You might be curious what the cost of attending | | | | study and go to school) or perhaps even more |
| Walden University is because you know it's a top | | | | non-tangible costs. Perhaps you may have less |
| school consider this. Well consider this. Every | | | | time to spend with your family and friends, less |
| academic program has both hidden and straight | | | | time for recreation, etc. While it may be difficult |
| forward costs. If you want to make the right | | | | to put an exact "dollar" value on somethings, they |
| career and financial decision for your future, you | | | | say what "nothing in life is free". This is just |
| must understand the difference. Here are three | | | | another way of saying that everything costs |
| key strategies to help you in a rock solid online | | | | something and you should be aware of the costs |
| education "game plan". | | | | Step 3 - Determine the Technology costs. The |
| Step 1 - Find out the most obvious cost - the | | | | good thing about attending a top online school like |
| cost of Tuition and Fees. According to one of the | | | | Walden University is that you get to use the |
| annual online university rankings that occur each | | | | latest technology. While you may already have a |
| year. As an example, my research revealed that | | | | computer (hay, you wouldn't be reading this if you |
| the average masters degree program at Walden | | | | didn't have access to one!), you are very likely |
| costs about $400 per semester hour. This often | | | | going to need some other advanced software |
| includes book fees. Undergraduate and PHD | | | | too. Some examples are online education-enabling |
| programs cost more. | | | | platforms and software tools such as Blackboard, |
| Step 2 - Find out what the "Opportunity Costs" | | | | WebCT, Angel, Moodle, Sakai and Macro media |
| are. In basic economics, an "opportunity cost" is | | | | Breeze and more. |
| defined as the value of the next-best choice | | | | Would you like a better understanding of the |
| available to someone who is picking between | | | | other important costs associated with getting |
| several mutually exclusive choices. As an example, | | | | your degree online? |
| let's say you need to decide what the cost of | | | | |