One of the most important aspects of completing a degree at home is choosing the right school and degree. Make sure that the school you choose is accredited so that you receive the full benefit of your hard work. Choose a school that offers a degree plan for the career you want to have or programs that interest you. Choose a degree that you can use in real life. Many online degrees offer concrete degree plans for specific career paths.
Each school uses a slightly different system for classes and programs. Some schools require using a school e-mail account, some have a special delivery system for assignments, and others may have set chat times or video conferences. Know the platform for your school before starting classes so that you can maximize your learning potential. Take a few days before classes start to learn how to navigate the platform.
Online classes sometimes have a reputation as easy or blow-off classes. This is not usually the case -- online classes are just as difficult as, and sometimes more difficult than, traditional classes. Take only as many classes as you can handle in a semester. Online classes often have seemingly random deadlines, and it can be difficult to keep track of several classes' worth of assignments because of the fluid nature of the classes.
Engaging in communication is a very important part of earning a degree at home. Without communication in the classes, not only will you learn less, you will also often receive a lower grade. Class participation is very important in online courses, and many courses take the number and quality of your communications as a indication of how serious you are about the topic. Communicate as much as possible with the professor and other students to receive the best grade and education.