How colleges and universities embrace technology

Digital technologies have changed the way that college students and prospective students do everything from applying to school and enrolling in courses, to participating in class and taking exams.

If you are a prospective student yourself and you would like to know what the term "digital school" actually means, it is important to have a basic understanding of how new distance technologies and platforms have changed the ways that the modern day student learns.

Here are some of the major ways that colleges and universities have adapted with new technologies.

Colleges Now Offer Online Academic Counseling

Counseling is extremely important for students who need help choosing a major or as a declared major selecting the right courses to stay on path as they earn their degree.

Many colleges do not have flexible scheduling options to meet with a counselor face-to-face, but technology has made it possible to make online academic counseling appointments and to use conference software programs to discuss everything on a digital platform. Now there’s greater flexibility for students who work and have other obligations.

Apply and Enroll Online

Applying to school can now be done from the comfort of your own home. No more paper applications or submitting documents via fax or the mail.

Now, you can fill out the Federal Application for Financial Student Aid through the official site and select your school code. You can also visit the admissions department of your school online and provide your information. The financial aid department and the admissions department will communicate with one another and you will be advised when you can enroll by using the student services website. What is great is that technology has made everything integrated so admission and enrollment is quick and easy.

Traditional and Online Colleges Have Online Class Options

It is not only the national online colleges that offer online course options now that distance education platforms have matured. Now, students have the option to enroll in courses with a community college, a state university, or a purely online school when they want to study and attend school online.

The platform still gives students the tools they need to see lectures, message fellow students, ask instructors questions and take quizzes or exams. Students can earn their bachelor’s degree online or even take masters courses.

Offering Mobile Access to Student Texts

Mobile smart devices have changed the way that students get their information and stay entertained. Tablets, smartphones and other mobile-ready devices can be used for more than just making calls and playing downloaded games.

Colleges have been tapping into the power of mobile apps by giving students access to textbooks through digital download. These digital books cost less by giving students access for only the term or the semester.

Technological advances have not only changed the way students get their education, they have also created new challenges for professors in almost all settings. The need for student and instructor training for digital platforms has never been greater.

Be sure that you are prepared for a digital school atmosphere, even if you are attending on-campus classes.

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