Online graduate programs and time zone differences - Please help!

[speechfan222]

Hi everyone!

I've been thinking of random questions about online graduate programs. I am currently on the west coast and am interested in applying to a few schools on the east coast. I'm curious about the time difference and how that will affect logging into courses at particular times, submitting assignments, and completing exams by the due dates. I'm assuming I would need to submit everything three hours before the due dates since I'm three hours behind the east coast?

If anyone knows anything about this, let me know. I contacted a counselor from NYU - Steinhardt and he believes I would need to submit everything earlier, but he doesn't know for sure. I'm not sure how else to find out. Please let me know if anyone knows anything!

[Sandmaster]

I am going to assume the same thing. You would need to complete the required assignments by the deadline in their time zone. The reason I say this is that all of my experience turning in online assignments and online exams has always been stated at the timezone of the school. I have never had it be a traveling timezone, where it takes it off of your location.

[slporbust2016]

I did online post-baccs, and I'm a current online grad student. All deadlines at both universities are based on their time zone. 

Neither one of my programs has had things besides optional study sessions that were at a set time. For things that I have to schedule with professors, I just have to remember to think on their time. 

If you're looking at something like NYU's new program which requires attending their lectures, it will be a lot different than my program (UWEC) that just requires you meeting deadlines on time. 

[speechfan222]

5 hours ago, slporbust2016 said:

I did online post-baccs, and I'm a current online grad student. All deadlines at both universities are based on their time zone. 

Neither one of my programs has had things besides optional study sessions that were at a set time. For things that I have to schedule with professors, I just have to remember to think on their time. 

If you're looking at something like NYU's new program which requires attending their lectures, it will be a lot different than my program (UWEC) that just requires you meeting deadlines on time. 

Thanks for this information, it really helps. I contacted an advisor within the speech pathology program at NYU and he wasn't sure about the time zone differences, so I'm glad I have a little more information about that now.

What online masters program did you get accepted to? I'm just curious to see how popular each online program is and how big the cohorts are.

Are they online graduate courses somewhat similar to online undergrad courses? I took an online undergrad course and we were required to read assigned chapter(s) and post on discussion boards. We were able to take exams and quizzes at our own pace and have them completed by the due dates. I didn't know if it would be different with less reading and more writing papers in preparation for research or how they were structured. Just determining what to look forward to.

Keep in touch!

[slporbust2016]

I go to UWEC. I did my post-bacc classes at USU. They are very different programs. UWEC's undergrad classes are a lot more similar in format to their grad classes than USU's were. (I've had to take some for missing pre-reqs.)

Every school does these things differently. At this point, we're doing tons of project work and lots of reading with the occasional exam or quiz. Not so much papers, but more case studies, screen casts about topics, mock assessments, etc. Really lots of different things. We don't start clinicals until this summer. though, because it's a PT program so I'm not sure how much that will change things.

For exams, there's a window of 3-4 days that we have to take it during usually. . 

Good luck!

edit: There are 26 people in my cohort. That's a few more than the first couple of years. 

Edited October 27, 2016 by slporbust2016

[speechfan222]

How do you complete project work for an online class? I'm assuming to communicate with classmates and agree on a time to 'meet' online together? I'm curious how the different types of assignments work since you don't work with classmates face-to-face.

What are your stats if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious to see how competitive UWEC is. 

[slporbust2016]

Most of my group work is coordinated through google docs/email/FB, and we sometimes do google hangouts F2F meetings, too, depending on who's in the group and what their schedules are like. 

Here's the admission stats for my cohort:

 

• Number of completed applications received - 124
• Average overall GPA of admitted students - 3.52
• Average major (CSD courses) GPA of admitted students - 3.83
• Average GRE verbal score of admitted students - 155
• Average GRE quantitative score of admitted students - 150
• Average GRE writing score of admitted students - 4.0

My stats are higher than the average, but I didn't have the in-field experiences that many of my classmates have. UWEC has an interview process. It's not a hard interview, but I think they really want to get an idea of if people are a good fit for their program and if their program is a good fit for the individual. Their deadline for CSDCAS is in a couple of days, I think, because the program starts in the summer. 

[speechfan222]

Ahh thats good to know. I was just curious about group work and how it's completed within an online program.

Thanks for the stats. That helps a little too. Is the UWEC interview in person?

I'm still applying to programs hoping I get accepted. It seems like there are A LOT of people applying to speech pathology programs for the fall 2017 semester. It's crazy!

[slporbust2016]

No, the interview's a video chat since they know people aren't local. 

A lof of people apply every year. Just do your research, turn in the best possible packed that you can, and try not to stress too much about all of the numbers. 

 

[Jdubs9]

I'm enrolled in a West Coast program and am an East Coaster.  

Chat times have been difficult--9 or 10 p.m.  Luckily, chat is optional for many of the courses.  

 

Other than that, it's not too bad.  You get a little more time to procrastinate on exams and papers that your cohort mates in the west.

[speechfan222]

On ‎11‎/‎11‎/‎2016 at 2:28 PM, Jdubs9 said:

I'm enrolled in a West Coast program and am an East Coaster.  

Chat times have been difficult--9 or 10 p.m.  Luckily, chat is optional for many of the courses.  

 

Other than that, it's not too bad.  You get a little more time to procrastinate on exams and papers that your cohort mates in the west.

Which west coast program are you enrolled in? That's good to know, thanks. Right now, for me, assignments and exams would be due two hours before the due date. Seems like of confusing, but I'm sure I would get used to it after awhile. Thanks for the info!