Kourtney Sumner loves helping people. In her role as director of online admissions, she sees prospective students in all walks of life. Some are high schoolers walking in with their parents, wanting to learn about pursuing an associate’s degree while still in high school. Others are older adults, exploring scholarships for online students. Still others are working adults who would like to pursue online education without putting a pause on their career and personal life. No matter who it is, Sumner welcomes them all with open arms, ready to assist! Over the years, she has fielded all sorts of questions, but some questions are asked more than others. So let’s dive in and hear from Sumner about which questions she answers the most including college credit transfers.
1. How do I transfer credits?
Many students ask about their college credit transfer. Did you know that there are now multiple ways to transfer credits? Grace College Online wants to make the college credit transfer process doable, so this can now be done through college credits or through life experience! What counts as life experience, you ask? Some examples include: volunteering in the community, certifications, competency in a specific area, CPR training, and more! Your learning portfolio is important to us, and we want to make sure your life experiences and education is not wasted! For more specific information about your college credit transfer, visit our page!
2. How do I save money?
One of the biggest questions on everyone’s mind is: will I be able to afford this? We know that decision to pursue education is a financial one, and we want to support you however we can. The most important first step is to file the FAFSA on time. Filling out this form can save you lots of money! Next, see what scholarships for online students are available to you on our financial aid page or by speaking with your admissions counselor (we now have a priority scholarship available!) Another great way to save money is to speak with your employer. If you are pursuing education in your field, your company may already have a professional development policy in place to help you with your education financially. Many communities even have local scholarships for online students.
3. What programs do you offer?
One of our favorite things to talk about is our programs! Grace College Online offers associate’s through master’s degrees. We offer various programs at each level for you to explore! We are proud of our degree options and want to help you find the perfect fit for you. We also love to share about our newest program – the transition to teaching program! The program an exciting opportunity for those who have a bachelor’s degree and wish to switch careers into the world of education! The first cohort starts July of 2023.
4. Will I still be able to interact with my professors?
A little-known fact about our online faculty is that many of them are also professors here at our residential programs in Winona Lake. This means that you are getting an experience that is similar to the one you would get in a traditional class at Grace. What we love about our programs is that the smaller class sizes allow faculty to interact regularly with students to provide the best experience possible. Our faculty members will care for you and help you complete your degree while still balancing all of your other important responsibilities.
5. Are these programs suitable for homeschool students?
We are very homeschool friendly! Trust is important to us, so we want to get to know you and your parents to help ensure your transition is a smooth one. The Associate’s Degree in High School program is designed specifically for students to earn their associate’s degree while in high school. A lot of our homeschool students love this option because it allows them to stay at home a couple of years and complete their associate’s degree before diving into a traditional college setting full time. This helps ease the transition of college, while also saving you money along the way! A lot of our homeschool families value our faith-based education. Not only will you be challenged in courses such as Faith, Science, and Reason; First-Year Foundations; and Christianity and Critical Thinking, but you will also enjoy learning alongside Christian faculty and classmates!
6. Is it truly accredited even though it’s 100% online?
The short answer is most definitely! The more detailed answer is we are fully HLC accredited. The Grace Online programs are an extension of a traditional campus, which means that we strive to make our online quality and atmosphere a reflection of our traditional campus. You’ll hear words like “community” and “faith-based” a lot around here, because they matter to us! In the same way, our academic quality is backed by a real campus. You can find specific accreditation information for each program by exploring our programs page.
If you have more questions, we would love to answer them! Visit our admissions page to learn more. Whether it’s figuring out the best program for you, seeking out scholarships for online students, college credit transfer options, or connecting with professors, we have your back.
Regardless of where you are in the admissions process, we know that life doesn’t stop just because you’re in school. Grace strives to be the most affordable, accessible way for you to earn a faith-based education. In a world where you can start anywhere, we hope you start with Grace.
