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An education is certainly one of the most important tools for a successful future.
Sometimes the average tuition can be too costly.
However, this morning we're going to tell you about Florida International University
or FIU, which offers online and brick and mortar campus classes and degrees at half
the national average cost.
FIU is a highly accredited university in the U.S., and with me this morning, Christina
Chong, FIU Online Success Coach, and Jennifer Latham, an FIU online student.
Good morning.
Thank you for having me.
No, thanks for being here.
You know, I was reading here, Christina, this is pretty amazing.
You are the fourth largest public university, I did not know that, and I lived around that
area for I think 20 years by enrollment, and 54,000 students.
That's so impressive.
Let's talk about that online application and admission.
Easy?
How does it work?
Yeah.
So, our fully online programs now have been up and running for four years, and it's the
same process as it is for an on-campus student.
So, you submit your application, you make sure you meet the requirements, you give in
all the documentation, and then you're in.
Jennifer, is that what you did?
Yeah.
It was fully online.
I mean, I'm a fully online student, but I figured I would at least have to drive down
there, turn in paperwork.
None of that.
I just filled out the forms online, submitted everything, and I was done.
Ready to go.
What I like also, I was reading here, Success Coach Model.
You offer that to all students that enroll?
So, every student that's a fully online student enrolled in any of those classes has a Success
Coach assigned to them.
And what do they do?
What that means is you have somebody that's going to support you and be with you throughout
your entire time, from the moment you start all the way until the point that you graduate.
Wow, I didn't have that.
How has that helped you, Jennifer?
It's just an extra push.
It's knowing that there's somebody else in your corner that they're there to support
you.
It gives you reassurance that you can do this.
They offer you skills, advice to make sure that you are successful in your school career.
You want to add something?
Yeah.
So we also have a number of resources for our fully online students.
We have free online tutoring, we have career services, we have librarian services.
So, we don't want you to feel that if you're not on campus you miss out.
We still want you to feel just as connected as an on-campus student would feel.
Because when you go on campus, and I know you have a great campus, you know you feel
like you really do that have that help and the tools and the services.
So, when you do online, you have the same thing, too.
How have you used those tools, Jennifer?
Just knowing that they're there, you know, it's more for peace of mind because it is
a little bit scary to jump out of the comfort zone of what college should look like.
You know, so when you're going online you feel like you're alone, but you really aren't,
you know.
You use them for group projects, you know, you have interaction with your classmates,
there's discussions that you participate in with your teachers as well as the other students
in your classes.
You don't feel lost?
No, I mean there's always somebody there kind of helping you, holding your hand, guiding
you through the process.
And let's talk about the non-traditional student.
I know you went back to school because you did not finish.
Is that correct?
Correct.
Tell me about what happened.
I have been trying to get my Bachelor's for 13 years.
13 years?
13 years.
I had my son when I was very young, and unfortunately at that point I had to stop.
I had to work full-time, make sure that I was taking care of his needs.
And then when I did get married, my husband was in my Army.
So, we moved to Oklahoma, so there was a blip there.
Then, when he got deployed, I was pregnant with my second child.
Oh boy.
So, it was just too much, and I chose family and making sure that my kids were happy over
education.
But now.
We're home, we're back, we're settled, and it's my turn.
It's my time.
You know, everyone in my family has a higher education.
My parents have Master's.
I want mine, too.
It's my turn.
This is it.
And that's a song, by the way, by Diana Ross.
And this online program is really helping you achieve that.
Yes.
Absolutely.
That's what I love hearing.
And even me, I've even though about going back to get my Master's, and I'm always using
the time factor.
But I can't do it, too.
Anybody can do it, right?
Yeah.
I mean, we have students that are in other cities, other states, other countries.
I have a student in Africa, two in Chile.
They're worlds away and they're still connected to the university.
They still have this opportunity to get their Master's.
There are so many of our students that work full-time, they have kids, they're taking
care of their parents.
But you can do it.
You can still do it.
And we also have to really note here that it's not just online.
I mean, FIU, the campus has grown tremendously.
It is huge.
And I do want to tout the fact, I mean you're really on the map, that it is the #1 granting
institution for undergrad and graduate degrees for hispanics.
It's come a long way.
Yeah.
At the end of the day, we want to engage with our students.
We want to educate them and we want to empower them to accomplish the goals that they have.
If her goal is to get her Master's, it's possible.
In about four years, you might be having a little Samantha, who is my daughter, who says
she wants to go to FIU.
So there you go.
There you have it.
Wonderful.
For our viewers out there who'd like more information on FIU, what's the website?
FIUOnline.com Thank you so much.
I appreciate your time, and you're going to do it.
I'm doing it.
What's the degree in?
Interdisciplinary Studies.
Good job.
Alright.
Thank you so much.
You come back and you tell us when you finish.
You got it.
Absolutely.
And for more information on FIU, again the website FIUOnline.com, or go to our website,
TheBalancingAct.com.
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