Staying Connected With CollegePlus! Forums

connect

By Travis Dodson

I don’t feel like I ever chose CollegePlus!. I feel like it chose me. It was such an absolutely perfect fit for what I wanted in an education experience, that I can’t imagine doing it any other way. My primary education was completed mostly through homeschool, and, I’m not discounting my mom’s efforts here, but through the majority of high school I taught myself the subjects. I had other siblings she spent more time teaching and frankly, I enjoyed working at my own pace, and focusing on subjects that interested me. So when it came to higher education, I never even considered submitting myself to an institution’s liberal and rigid program. CollegePlus! was the only way that I would ever get a college education.

Expectations

I lied. I have imagined college another way; college with a campus, with buildings, and lawns and classrooms and professors and sports teams. Liberal worldviews, agenda-motivated professors, and dulled public education standards aside, I’m sure every homeschooled student has wondered if he or she is missing anything important found in the typical college experience.

Missing Out?

The truth is, you just might be. You see, on a university campus there’s identity and comradeship. Alumni boast of their school’s prowess for decades and some schools form friendly (or not-so-friendly) rivalries that seem to never end. Don’t we miss all this in CollegePlus!? The answer doesn’t have to be yes. There are a number of solutions that CollegePlus! has created to develop this sense of community and connect us distance-learners. One of them is the CollegePlus! forums. There’s a simple link at the top of any page on the website that says "Current Students & Alumni" that takes you there.

Log on!

Logging in with your username and password provided when you enroll brings you to the 5 main forums. CollegePlus! uses one forum to spread news and announcements, two are for exchanging study materials and advice, one is just for random conversations, and two others are for getting to know the fellow students.

Time for Coffee Break

If you’re interested in getting the most interaction out of your time, do what everyone else does and go straight to the "Coffee Break" Section. You’ll be greeted with a "serious" and "fun" topic road fork. I guess they got tired of separating the posts about Predestination vs. Free Will from the ones about dog name suggestions. As the last sentence suggests, you can talk about pretty much anything you want here. It’s a really fun way to learn about the other people doing CollegePlus!.

Be Part of the Group

Occasionally you’ll run into a conversation that will make you laugh out loud, or want to cry, or have you obsessively checking for new replies. But most of the time they just make you smile. Its cool to feel like you’re a part of an exclusive group.

Head Over to Study Hall

If you’re not feeling the camaraderie, try posting in the "Study Hall". After all, that’s something all CollegePlus! students have in common: their studies. Is your next coaching call not for another week? One of the other students may have some helpful advice. The Study Hall is broken down into a topic thread for each subject so you can get right to the content you need. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from those who have gone before you! It’s a great idea to check out each topic before you start a studying for your tests.

Local Happenings

Lastly there’s the "Local Community" forum. If there’s a local event going on in your area, you can learn about it there. If you don’t see any great plans for the students in your area, why not plan something yourself?

Connect, Communicate, and Converse

We already know that CollegePlus! has created an academic program far faster, cheaper, and flexible than anything else out there. Did you know that there are so many other cool people doing it too? Did you know that there are ways to connect, communicate, and converse with them? Give it a try today!

Click here to request free information about CollegePlus! and discover how you too can join the growing CollegePlus! student community.

you can Travis Dodson is working in graphic design and marketing while finishing his degree in Criminal Justice with CollegePlus!, and hopes to realize his dream career of policing soon. He spends his spare time modifying cars, exploring San Antonio with his friends, or practicing the Israeli martial art of Krav Maga.