Author Archives: Dual Enrollment Coordinator

Tuition Deadline

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Heads up! If you registered for summer 2015 courses and haven’t submitted your tuition payment yet, you must do so by Monday, April 27 at 5 p.m. to avoid being dropped from your courses! If you have questions about payment, visit NOVA’s summer 2015 payment information. You can also call the NOVA Online Hotline at 703-323-3347 for assistance.Syllabus

Of course, there’s still plenty of time to register for summer if you haven’t done so already! NOVA Online’s first summer session starts May 18 and for many courses, additional sections are offered starting June 1, 15, or later. Check the full list of summer 2015 courses here.

Just remember, if you register for summer courses on or after Monday, April 27, your payment is due by 5 p.m. the next business day to hold your place in the course.

If you have questions about your financial aid, contact the student support center. Make sure your financial aid is in place to hold your classes.

This week at NOVA Online

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Photo of Search Key on ComputerAccess NOVAConnect to identify your fall priority registration date. Fall open registration for all students begins on May 5. Summer registration is currently open for all students. Check the schedule of classes in NOVA Connect and follow this tutorial to help you search for online classes through NOVA Online. Make sure you change the date to reflect the term you are looking to register for (summer ’15 or fall ’15).

Are you thinking about an online course through NOVA Online, but not sure if it is right for you? Review our Furthering your education with NOVA Online recording to see if online learning is a right fit for your current educational needs. You could also take the Smarter Measure assessment to see how your personal learning styles will work with online courses.

Wednesday – Conducting a Job Search – Virtual – 12:15 – 1pm. This 45 minute webinar will focus on basic strategies for conducting a job search. Topics covered will include creating a plan, identifying sources of job leads, and resume, cover letter, and interview basics. Registration is required.

Wednesday – NOVA Online Birthday Celebration – WO – 1-3pm. The Extended Learning Institute is turning 40! NOVA Online will be visiting all six campuses and invite students to join us in celebrating 40 years of online learning at NOVA! This week we will be at the Woodbridge campus. Come by and enjoy a cupcake to help us celebrate! Use #HappyBirthdayNOVA Online on Twitter to share your pictures!

Thursday – NOVA Online Book Club. Join NOVA Online’s Book Club! This semester we will read “How I Live Now” by Meg Rosoff. After you sign up, you will gain access to the book club’s discussion board. We will end the book club with a live viewing of the movie adaptation this Thursday! Sign up today and watch the movie with us! Register here.

Thursday – How to Prepare for Finals Webinar – 1:00 – 1:30 pm. This 30 min live session will focus on topics and strategies to help ease anxiety and help you study smart such as: early preparation, planning your approach and taking the exam. Sign up now and promote your success! Register here.

All Week – Money Smart Week – Do you know where your money is going each week? Do you have a financial plan? This week we will feature posts around making smart money choices. Do you have any questions about using financial aid? Use the Student Support Center to get your questions answered.

Resource of the Week – Review this list of the 50 best apps for surviving finals from OnlineUniversities.com. What study apps are your favorite? What helps get your through studying for finals? Share with us!

Start Strong at NOVA

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Welcome to NOVA Online! We are dedicated to helping you start strong. Whatever your educational goals, we can help you achieve them. If you are a first-time-to-college student, ages 17-24 (including high school/homeschool/GED graduates), you need to Start Strong at NOVA.

start strongThe new polices are part of an effort to strengthen the NOVA experience. Five of the new policies affect first-time-to-college students (ages 17-24). New students are required to attend a Student Orientation and meet with a First Year Advisor. As a new NOVA Online student, you can attend a campus Student Orientation, or you can work with NOVA Online virtually to get started.

As you are getting started, utilize your Student Success Planner to help guide your academic goals throughout your NOVA degree. You will also need to take the SmarterMeasure assessment early to help you gage your readiness for online learning.

The sixth policy requiring on-time registration impacts all students: new, current, transfer, international, military or any other type of student. All students must be registered for classes by 11:59 p.m. the day before the session’s start date. Once the session begins, registration is closed.

If you are not enrolled in a class on the start date of the session you will not be able to enroll without permission from the division dean. If you miss on-time registration you can still register for later start date. NOVA Online has several start dates each semester, for students interested in starting a class later in the semester. Check out NOVA Online Critical Course Deadlines for more information. For more information about on-time registration view this video.

This week at NOVA Online

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ThinkstockPhotos-179335356Summer registration is currently open for all students and fall priority registration opens this week. Access NOVAConnect to identify your fall priority registration date. Fall open registration for all students begins on May 5. Check the schedule of classes in NOVA Connect and follow this tutorial to help you search for online classes through NOVA Online. Make sure you change the date to reflect the term you are looking to register for (summer ’15 or fall ’15).

Are you thinking about an online course through NOVA Online, but not sure if it is right for you? Review our Furthering your education with NOVA Online recording to see if online learning is a right fit for your current educational needs. You could also take the Smarter Measure assessment to see how your personal learning styles will work with online courses.

All Week- Pedometer Challenge. Participate in the NOVA Online Pedometer Challenge through our Health and Wellness Interest Group! Compete and share experiences with other students by tracking your average daily steps for a month as well as create personal health and wellness goals. Request to join the Google Community to connect with fellow NOVA Online students. Any questions – email NOVA OnlineStuLife@nvcc.edu.

All Week- NOVA Online Book Club. Join NOVA Online’s Book Club! This semester we will read “How I Live Now” by Meg Rosoff. After you sign up, you will gain access to the book club’s discussion board. We will end the book club with a live viewing of the movie adaptation! So, don’t wait and sign up today! Register here.

Wednesday – Spring Fling & NOVA Online Birthday Celebration – MA – 11-2pm. The Extended Learning Institute is turning 40! NOVA Online will be visiting all six campuses and invite students to join us in celebrating 40 years of online learning at NOVA! This week we will be at Manassas and joining the Spring Fling Festivities! Stop by and learn more about NOVA Online!

Resource of the Week – Stress Management and Coping Skills Support Group – Access Hope is offering free group counseling services for students at the Alexandria campus. The group is open to all NOVA students. Contact Ms. Grace Gray at ggray@thewomenscenter.org for more information.

This week at NOVA Online!

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ThinkstockPhotos-77739879Summer Registration opens for all students on Tuesday, March 31. Check the schedule of classes in NOVA Connect and follow this tutorial to help you search for online classes through NOVA Online. If you register before April 26 payment is due by 5pm on Monday, April 27, or your classes may be dropped. If you register after April 27, your tuition will be due by 5pm the next business day. Don’t wait to register!

All Week- Pedometer Challenge. Participate in the NOVA Online Pedometer Challenge through our Health and Wellness Group! Compete and share experiences with other students by tracking your average daily steps for a month as well as create personal health and wellness goals. First 50 students who sign up get a FREE NOVA Online Pedometer. Challenge starts begins April 6th! Register here.

All Week- NOVA Online Book Club. Join NOVA Online’s Book Club! This semester we will read “How I Live Now” by Meg Rosoff. After you sign up, you will gain access to the book club’s discussion board. We will end the book club with a live viewing of the movie adaptation! So, don’t wait and sign up today! Register here.

Wednesday – NOVA Online Birthday Celebration. 1-3pm. The Extended Learning Institute is turning 40! NOVA Online will be visiting all six campuses and invite students to join us in celebrating 40 years of online learning at NOVA! This week we will be at Annandale! Festivities will include birthday treats, party games, and learn more about options with online learning at NOVA!

Resource of the Week – Do you have upcoming final exams and  papers due? Need to organize your ideas? Check out Idea Sketch. This app will help you brainstorm and organize your thoughts to help you prepare outlines for final papers, and help you study for exams. Available in the apple store and Google play.

Getting ready for your next semester

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Fall registration will be here before you know it. We want to make sure you are on the right track with your degree plan (or program of study), your academic plan (or program of study) is up-to-date in NOVAConnect, and you are ready to register for your courses.RegistrationFall open registration for all students is May 5. Know your Priority registration date to register early, follow this tutorial to find your priority registration date for fall (based on credits).

Summer Registration opens on Tuesday, March 31.

To help you plan for your next semester, we encourage you to participate in the Getting Ready for your Next Semester webinar.

During this webinar, a NOVA Online Counselor will discuss the following topics:

  • Program identification.
  • Course selection.
  • College resources.
  • Schedule planning and registration.
  • Payment tips.

There will be a chance to ask any questions you have about the registration process. Advanced registration is required. Join us live, or request a recording!

If you have questions about Financial Aid, you can contact them at 855.323.3199 or visit the Financial Aid Support Center for more contact information.

#1 Tip for Students New to Online Classes

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Today’s blog is provided by student blogger Rebecca! She has been taking NOVA Online classes for two semesters and has some tips for new NOVA Online students.

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m scrambling to finish a paper by the 5pm deadline. I am just about to submit my paper at 4:55pm but I decide to proofread it one more time. By the time I finish it is a couple minutes after 5pm. Okay, I’ll go submit it now. It’s only two minutes, right? WRONG! As I click on the assignment I am startled to discover that the submission page has disappeared off of blackboard!

Yes, this did actually happened to me last semester. Luckily I emailed the professor and was able to turn in my assignment, although I did lose a lot of points. Don’t let this happen to you!

Online classes are great because they let you have flexibility in your schedule. However without a physical class everyday to remind you what is due, it’s easy to get behind if you don’t pace yourself. My #1 tip for students new to online classes is keep track of your course deadlines and your professor’s policy on deadlines.

Here are five things to look for on your syllabus:

  1. What day of the week and time are assignments due? The day and time of deadlines may vary for different courses. In my experience most classes have Sunday deadlines but the times may vary. For example, last semester one of my courses had a Sunday 5pm deadline, another had a Sunday 11:59pm deadline and another had a Monday 6am deadline. It’s helpful to write deadlines on a calendar (especially if you are taking multiple courses, so you don’t get caught off guard by a busy week)
  2. Are there any midweek deadlines? Once in awhile there may be a group project or discussion board posting with a midweek deadline, leaving time later in the week for comments.
  3. Are there strict deadlines? Some professors have strict weekly deadlines while others will accept all work right up until the course end date.
  4. Do exams have to be taken during a certain window? Are exams only available for a limited time? Can you take them early or late?
  5. Does your instructor accept late work? Some instructors will let you turn in work a day or two late if you email them and explain the situation. Other instructors will accept late work but take points off. Others are very strict about deadlines and will not accept work even a minute late.

We’ve all been there: You have a busy week and struggle to find the time. You have last minute computer problems. These things can and will happen. Avoid a stressful situation by learning about your course deadlines and professor’s policy before they do!532484521What do you wish you had known before taking your first NOVA Online class? Is this your first class? What questions do you have about getting started?

Feel free to leave a comment with any advice you have for students new to online learning or any questions you have about getting started!

Zero textbook costs with NOVA Online Digital Open courses

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NOVA’s OER-Based Associate Degree Project is a comprehensive approach to addressing concerns over access, affordability and student success. The Extended Learning Institute (NOVA Online) offers nearly 40 courses that do not require students to purchase textbooks. Instead these courses, designated as Digital Open sections, use free open educational resources (OER) and library materials. NOVA students can earn a General Studies Certificate, or full Associate Degree, without having to purchase textbooks.

We developed our OER-Based Associate Degree Project to be delivered online, so that any student at any NOVA campus could have the opportunity to take these courses. Building digital content and resources into an online course helps to better engage the learner and is more conducive to learning online. This leads to better knowledge retention, better course outcomes, improved information literacy skills, and preparation to function more effectively in technology adapted careers.

We have seen immediate benefits of the OER-Based Associate Degree project, measuring cost-savings to students in excess of $800,000. And because every student in a Digital Open course section has access to all required course materials from day one, more students are able to successfully complete course requirements. Digital Open course sections offered at NOVA Online are identified in the online schedule of classes so that students can find which sections use free digital and open content, with no textbook purchase required.

Click the playlist in the upper right corner of the video, and view – NOVA’s OER-Based Associate Degree Project.

Digital Open Courses

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Have you started thinking about your schedule for next semester? Are you interested in taking a class that doesn’t require you to purchase any textbooks or course materials? A Digital Open NOVA Online class might be right for you! This week, March 9-13 is National Open Education Week, check in with the blog, and follow  or @openeducationwk on Twitter for more.Mobility conceptNOVA Online offers several online courses that do not require students to purchase textbooks or other course materials. Digital Open courses use free online material and Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of expensive textbooks. You can try one or two Digital Open courses, or even complete an entire AS degree track. Instead of requiring traditional textbooks, all readings and materials used in the courses will be available to students free of charge online as OER, or through NOVA’s library resources.

Are you ready try one of NOVA Online’s Digital Open courses? Just look for the notification in the notes section in the online schedule of classes stating: This is a digital open course. No textbook purchase required.

Save time and money with a Digital Open course at NOVA Online! For more information about registering for one of NOVA Online’s Digital Open courses, contact the NOVA Online Counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu or 703.323.2425.

Procrastination and Stress: How are they Related?

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According to author Eric Jaffe, from the Association for Psychological Science, procrastinators have higher levels of stress and lower levels of well-being1.  Procrastination is defined as the voluntary delay of a task for which an individual knows they will suffer. While it is said that everyone “procrastinate[s], not everyone is a procrastinator.”1

Mounting assignments and exams to study for can cause the most ambitious student to become a procrastinator.  Students are a leading culprit of procrastination.  This can be contributed to the number of responsibilities on a college student’s plate – work responsibilities, family responsibilities, and personal responsibilities may all cause a college student to procrastinate on their school responsibilities.  Many times, procrastination is the “result of putting off their work to pursue more pleasurable activities”1.  If a person has a “poor concept of time”, this is sure to exacerbate ones willingness to procrastinate1.

Jaffe further indicates procrastinators earn lower grades than other students and procrastinators report higher cumulative amounts of stress and illness1. As one may imagine, the work produced and the well-being of procrastinators is known to suffer due to their intentional delay. Individuals who procrastinate have heightened levels of anxiety1. WebMD states that some stress can be good because it can keep us alert and motivated2. But too much stress can make us sick. A person “constantly under stress can have physical symptoms, such as headaches, an upset stomach, high blood pressure, chest pain, and problems with sex and sleep”2. “Stress is also known to lead to emotional problems, depression, panic attacks, or other forms of anxiety and worry.”2

So, how do you avoid procrastinating?  See a list of suggested tips below:

  1. Plan your time. Use a day planner or an electronic calendar to schedule time to complete tasks you know you are likely to put off.
  2. Set a daily or weekly goal or to-do list for yourself. Make it your goal to complete these items by the end of the day or week.
  3. Reward yourself. If you complete a task early, treat yourself to a special sweet treat or outing.
  4. Stressed? You will not be able to think clearly if you are stresses about other things. Dr. Gamal Aboshadi, teaches PED 116 at NOVA Online and at the Annandale Campus. Take a moment to review a short video he created on stress relief/breathing techniques.
  5. Take the Overcoming Procrastination: Causes And Cures quiz on Student Lingo to see if you are a procrastinator.

Do you need help managing your stress and staying organized? Reach out to your NOVA Online Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.5076. Your Success Coach can help you map out your semester and provide tips to help you have a successful semester.

1. Jaffe, E. (2013, April 13). Why Wait? The Science Behind Procrastination. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/publications/observer/2013/april-13/why-wait-the-science-behind-procrastination.html

2. Goldberg, J. (2014, October 13). How Stress Affects Your Health. Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.webmd.com/depression/stress-anxiety-depression