In order to acquire an online degree, a lot more effort than simply taking classes to graduate is required. From application through graduation, online students must be ready to negotiate with an array of student service offices in order to meet their requirement.

As soon as a student apply to earn an online degree, he or she must connect to a slew of offices ranging from admissions and financial aid to the registrar office as well as academic advising. The online students' first experience communicating with these offices can predict the kind of service experience they could anticipate during their studies.

Citing a continuous expansion in online students as well as programs, campuses are now broadening spectrum and scope of existing student support services. For instance, SUNY-Buffalo State is putting a virtual concierge into effect to centrally network student support services via a single point of digital contact.

In case a student need financial help assistance, a writing tutor, academic advisement and a transcript, offer help either with the learning management system or a consultation at the counselling center, they will get in touch with the virtual concierge routing, ticketing, intake as well as appointment scheduling with the apt office. According to a recently-adopted policy by SUNY-Buffalo State, those professors who teach online or hybrid classes need to provide virtual office hours.

That said, a virtual office and virtual concierge are comparatively new conceptions and until digital unification of services become a pattern, majority of online students must be ready to find and make the best of the support services all by themselves, US News reported.

Check out four crucial tips on how to find and use support services:

Assembling the list: The best way to describe support services would be to think of them as multiple separate shops in one huge shopping mall - each shop has its personal identity, policies, practices, and hours of operation, website and phone number.

Knowing the technicalities: It is extremely important to get basic information such as name, alternate contact details, and the hours the individual is available while working with someone to solve an issue. It's equally important to keep in mind the difference in time zone.

Leaving a message: Its common for the support staff to assist online students as well as residential students, thus phone calls may not be answered all the time and may go to voicemail, especially during peak hours. This is because several students seek help specifically at the beginning and end of semesters.

Being courteous and determined: It is important for online students to demonstrate poise and grit. Several of the service offices as well as staff have been on the job even before online students started attending the university.

Online education has clearly has come a long way with more than 21 million students opting for at least one online course, Blackboard Blog reported.

Online students seeking help must adopt the most efficient method to leverage the full benefit of the services accessible to them.