Choose an accredited program appropriate to your goals. If there is a specific career in which you are interested, make certain your distance learning program will prepare you properly for it. If you plan to get an advanced degree after getting a bachelor's then make sure you will earn the prerequisites through the program. If you are planning to go into medical school, make certain the programs you are most interested in will accept a degree earned from your distance learning bachelor's program. If you want to work as a lab tech, make sure your distance degree is approved by the lab in which you'd like to work.
Opt for a distance learning option that fits your lifestyle and schedule. If you are comfortable working on a computer and emailing, then most online degree programs will be simple enough to navigate. If not, perhaps a correspondence program would be a better fit. Some schools provide some technical assistance to new students. With a biology program you will want to see how the laboratory work is handled via distance learning, as labs are a crucial part of a degree in biology.
Schedule your school work carefully. Time management is a key skill for success in distance learning, and using tools such as daily planners are important helps in staying on course. The biggest problem for distance learners is falling behind and not being able to catch up. Some courses such as advanced math or science courses are particularly difficult to get caught up in once you fall behind.
Know how to get assistance and seek it out at the first sign of problems, whether it's a technical problem or a question about an assignment. Just because you're a distance learner doesn't mean you have to figure everything out on your own. For hands-on assignments such as labs or experiments, make certain you understand the procedures and have a number to call or an email if you encounter a problem.
Complete all required work, keep track of all assignments and have copies of your work just in case. Stay in close contact with your adviser to make sure you are on track for your graduation date.