Success Stories

Jason Jensen is an Army veteran, has 2 children, and works full time. Before going back to college to earn his bachelor’s degree, it had been nearly 20 years since he had last attended school. Learn how he used StraighterLine courses to complete electives online ...

As a single mother, Sheila had always stressed the importance of education to her two daughters. Here's how she went back to school and earned her degree with the help of StraighterLine. ...

Calvin Duker lives in Delaware, has 3 children, and works full time in the financial services industry...but that’s only part of his story. Calvin is also a 37 year old college student who is on track to become the first male in his family to earn his bachelor’s degree. And that’s a big deal. “Earning my bachelor’s degree is not only for me, it’s for my whole family,” says Calvin, adding, “I’m living proof that in spite of every obstacle, you can still get your degree.” Calvin first went to college right after graduating high school. He earned his associate’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management. He then started his career in an entry-level position in financial services industry. ...

What skills do great distance learners have? Just like classroom students, they are motivated and curious. Yet they need to pay attention to developing additional habits, because online courses pose certain unique demands. Here are some habits you can cultivate to boost your success when taking online college courses: Habit #1: Stick to a schedule. As a distance learner, you can turn on your computer and go to class any time you want. Although that is a great advantage, it can work against you too by leading to procrastination. (“I don’t have to study now, I’ll do it tomorrow.”) Successful online students stick to a schedule anyway. Some sit down to do coursework at the same time every evening. Others work for an hour before ...

Connor’s mom has cancer. It’s awful. It’s horrible. It’s unfair. And it’s terminal. Connor, however, feels like he has a choice. He can either give up and give into the deep sadness of the situation – or transform his grief into something meaningful, a gift for his mom. Connor chose the latter. Connor decided to complete his college degree as fast as he possibly could. Connor’s mom had always wanted to see him earn his bachelor’s degree, but he knew he had limited time. So he set a goal to give his mom his degree for Christmas, even though it was already summer, realizing that he’d need to find the time to complete his bachelor’s degree as quickly as possible. “My mom is dying – and as it gets closer to my mom� ...