The year 2009 was a turning point in my life. I had never graduated from college and because of that, I couldn’t get myself any decent job. I did odd jobs instead - painting, gardening, waitressing, and bartending - you name it, I’ve done it. In late 2007, I got a job as a dispatch driver. During that year, I built good connections with the boss who eventually passed on more office work to me. When the dispatch clerk left due to marriage and pregnancy, I took over. This was definitely something wonderful for me because it was an office job with fixed income and fixed hours; I got a paycheck every month. I was happy that I had finally gotten myself a permanent job.

Because of this job, I had access to a computer and the internet. While checking business-related emails I came across an article about colleges offering distance learning, and I thought to myself - what have I got to lose by applying? Wouldn’t it be better to get a degree while I have the chance? I worked toward this new goal for the entire year of 2008, and finally enrolled online for a specific business administration course that was chosen based on advice from people I worked with (including my boss), and also because Yahoo listed it within an article called The Eight Most Popular Online Degrees. I personally felt that business administration would definitely be a boost to my career.

I worked nine hours a day at my job and studied for another two to three hours each night. The school that I enrolled in provided online tutoring sessions, giving me access to tutorial notes, assignment materials, and students who had insight into the subject I was studying. During these studies, I also found other sites that provided amazing help with my degree. I loved the fact that they were not only affordable but were accessible 24 hours a day.

Online tutorials provided a strong and reliable framework for my degree. Studying was easy, and I could access my notes and assignments anytime. Time is a factor for me, so the online tutoring lessons really helped with my quest to obtain a degree. I did not have to attend classes on a fixed schedule – something I could not commit to, especially with a job. I couldn’t afford to lose my job because I needed the money to pay for the online classes. Juggling work and school is no joke, but online tutoring made it all possible.

To those who say that online degrees aren't worth the same as conventional degrees, I can offer my own personal experience to refute that misconception. The college from which I received my degree required exams to be taken at their campus, eliminating all doubts about the integrity of the learning process. More importantly, after taking my final exams and graduating with a degree in business administration in 2009, I was offered a job as a business administration executive at a marketing and public relations firm. The year 2009 was definitely a good year for me, thanks entirely to my online degree.