Lisa Nichols, contributing author of The Secret and one of the great inspirational speakers of our time, believes the best way to stay motivated when continuing your education is to “begin with the end in mind.” Pushing forward through challenges is what makes accomplishment so gratifying. Every accomplishment leads to personal growth. Nichols believes that making the completion of your degree “non-negotiable” means that you will not settle for anything less.
Kaplan University’s online degree programs cater to the busy lifestyle of today’s working professional. The distance learning programs available at Kaplan University could help you further your career, potentially lead to advancement opportunities, and assist in creating a different lifestyle for you and your family.* Nichols relates her own life experiences as a single mother working full time in this inspirational video that address the challenges Kaplan University students may be facing. She encourages students to recognize how important pursuing a degree can be to their professional success. Perhaps one of the most powerful messages Nichols relays is to focus on the positive outcome continuing education can bring. She urges students to “stay motivated by not checking into how difficult it might be” but to “check in with how sweet it gets to be.”
*Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“I would say to a Kaplan [University] student, ‘You’ve really made a decision to take your life by the reigns, to give yourself a second, third, fourth, fifth chance. That this season is your season and that you’ve served everyone else and this gift is a gift for you.’ When you serve yourself you allow yourself to then begin to serve everyone else from your overflow. But one of the things I would mainly say is that when you’ve been good to you, this is a gift, when you’ve been good to you then you’ll serve with more gratitude to everyone else so hold on to this. Hold on to this moment; carve out time. There’s never enough time. There are a hundred people that are going to pull at you- carve out this space for you. Say, ‘You know what? I’ve nurtured everyone, I’ve served everyone, this is my moment. This is my time to shine. This journey with Kaplan [University] is super important to me and it’s non-negotiable.’
When you say ‘no matter what,’ graduating should be ‘no matter what.’ ‘No matter what’ means I’ve removed every other option off the table. Graduating and taking advantage of this opportunity is something that nothing else can happen but this; this is non-negotiable. When you move everything else off the table other than making it, the only thing left is making it and so I would say to the Kaplan [University] student, ‘you’ve already jumped in, now say ‘no matter what’.’
I think one of the ways to stay motivated is to begin with the end in mind. See yourself on graduation day, see yourself with a certificate saying, ‘I completed. I did it. It’s done.’ See yourself in the lifestyle that this accomplishment will award you to have. When you being with the end in mind and you get so viscerally and emotionally connected to the outcome. Steven Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, says, ‘Begin with the end in mind.’ See it, believe it, taste it, walk it, talk it, feel it and then go every day just getting to that feeling in reality. Have such a barometer to show you where you’re going and know what it looks like to be there and then become non-negotiable on it.
Stay motivated by not checking into how difficult it might be, check in with how sweet it gets to be. I believe that my life today is a result of hunkering down and seeing myself in a place where I wasn’t; seeing myself in a lifestyle th
Carol Platt was caught in the middle of the economic downturn with no backup plan. Searching for a stable job in an unstable economy proved to be difficult without a college degree. Her work history and past successes were overlooked. It had always been a dream of hers to complete her degree; after a failed first attempt, she was unsure of her ability to follow through. She began researching online education options and felt that Kaplan University stood out; she decided to complete her college degree online. Carol enrolled in Kaplan University’s School of Business and Management and earned her bachelor’s degree online, focusing on business with an emphasis in human resources.
The adult continuing education program at Kaplan University is designed for working professionals who seek to further their career or, like Carol, want to earn their university degree online.* Students can complete assignments on a schedule that fits their lives. It’s this type of flexibility that helps prepare Kaplan University online students for success. Even if you already have an established career, it’s never too late to consider online business school to further your knowledge and update your skills. Increase your marketability with one of Kaplan University’s online bachelor degree programs without taking time off of work to attend class.
* Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“I grew up in Graham, North Carolina. My parents both worked for the textile mills, both had fourth grade educations and my mom always wanted me to get an education. When I graduated from high school it was my dream to go to college. I failed the first class of my life which was my chemistry class. I was just overwhelmed so I left after about a year and half, got a job and kept trying to go back to school. For me it was personally devastating. It really bothered me. I felt like I was failing. I had one shot and I blew it.
When Jenna left for boarding school I couldn’t even open the door and go in the room and I was almost 52. All of that coincided with the downturn of the market. I had almost $6 million dollars in contracts waiting to close and they all fell through—every single one of them. I thought, ‘now what? I don’t have a degree, there are no jobs.’ It doesn’t matter what I had done or how much success I had, the requirements are to have a degree. Not only that, I had to walk back in the door competing with people half my age and many of them had MBAs.
It was just a matter of figuring out how to do it—so that’s when I started to check into what were the institutions, what was the cost, how were they respected. Kaplan [University] had a degree in business with a specialty in human resources. As I started narrowing the options down, it made it into about the final three. I took those three finalists to my traditional education friends and I said, ‘I want to know what the most respected online degree would be if someone was coming into your office looking for a job.’
The IT Dean, the Computer Science Dean, felt like Kaplan [University] had the best online delivery program that was out there. The Academic Dean’s advice was that this is a respected degree that you’re not going to have people questioning whether you were competent when you came out. Everything that you take there will be accepted if you go on to a master’s [program] anywhere so that was a very good recommendation. When I sat down at graduation, 31 years later, and I’m looking up at the podium and it says, ‘Kaplan University: a Different School of Thought’ that was probably more me because I do think a little differently. I’m willing to work on things that innovate and I think that’s more of an opportunity for me and many students like me.~N
Kaplan University master’s degree graduate Onica Browne obtained her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on international business. In her case, this Kaplan University online program offered a unique learning experience to collaborate with students in other countries, enriching the learning process.
Kaplan University offers online degree programs including an MBA distance learning program designed to foster thought leadership, innovation, and corporate social responsibility on a global scale. Upon completion of the MBA program students could have the opportunity to pursue several career paths.* An MBA is one of the most sought after university degrees online as it can be applied in almost any realm of the business world and is often of interest to students looking to advance in their field.
Kaplan University’s online MBA program is designed for the working student. Our classes are flexible and the courses are designed to be closely related to what students will encounter in their career. More employers seek the knowledge and discipline that is relevant to completing graduate school. An MBA degree could help create value in an employer’s eyes and set you apart in today’s competitive business environment. We strive to set ourselves apart by continually developing and enhancing our curriculum to help prepare our students to succeed in their careers.
* Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“I had my undergraduate degree in international business for just about seven years and I have always wanted to get my master’s degree. When I looked at other universities and selected Kaplan [University] for my master’s degree, Kaplan [University] gave you the most ‘bang for your buck.’ I met professors that were actually in the industries that they taught. This was not purely an academic setting. Everything that we do in international business is all about relating to other people and everything we do at Kaplan [University] is about how you relate to other people and how that relation allows you to do better.
I met people who were from China, who were from Japan, who were from the Middle East; I met a gentleman who was a program developer for Microsoft based in Shanghai. I had one of my classmates in Iraq at the time and we would collaborate on different projects while she was in Iraq and I was in the United States.
That’s the beauty of Kaplan [University]. We share and we learn from each other and then you can go back to work the next day and apply the same information that you learned in class. I work for the US Small Business Administration. Because I have my Master’s Degree from Kaplan [University] I actually was able to obtain the job that I have right now where I’m helping small businesses. Without my master’s degree from Kaplan [University] I would not have even been considered for the position so my degree is allowing me to touch people outside of me and allowing them to touch people outside of them so it’s almost like paying it forward.”
When beginning her journey at Kaplan University, Michell Sturgis was unsure how the demands of working full time and college course work would impact her life. Kaplan University’s flexible learning schedule and online degree programs allowed her to complete her assignments at her own pace while still being able to spend quality time with her daughter. Michell took the next step forward from her associate’s degree to earning her bachelor’s degree online.
Like many other Kaplan University students, Michell trusted the Kaplan name. With Kaplan University comes the knowledge that we’re an accredited online university* and that our business and management degrees are well- received in corporations all over the country. Our online courses cater to working adults with responsibilities that extend beyond the typical 9 to 5.
If working while attending college is your reality, our online School of Business and Management sets us apart from other online colleges. We offer extensive resources to our students to aid in their academic success. Attending business school online can seem daunting, but current Kaplan University students will tell you that professors are readily available through e-mail, instant messaging, phone calls, and office hours. If earning an online bachelor’s degree is part of your plan, come see what Kaplan University’s many online learning programs have to offer.
*Kaplan University is regionally accredited. See our website for details.
† Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
“When I decided to come back to school and pursue my bachelor’s degree I did have a fear of how I was going to fit the studies into my schedule. It had been quite a while since I graduated with my associate’s degree. I was already working full time when I started here at Kaplan [University], and I’m also a parent. I have a 7-year-old daughter and it was really helpful that they were really flexible and they offered classes during the day and the evening.
Kaplan [University] started offering online classes for my degree which really ended up being helpful to me because I didn’t have to be here on campus all of the time and I could get work done at night after I got my daughter to bed. I chose to study business management because I want to one day have my own business. Now that I have graduated from Kaplan [University], I am still working full time. I work as a case manager at a shelter for domestic violence. My business degree has contributed to my current job because I am able to move into different areas at my workplace and move more into the administrative side of things instead of the direct care and that was one of my goals.
Since graduating from Kaplan University my life has changed. For one, I am more confident when it comes to applying for jobs. It has also changed in my home life with my daughter; she is very proud of me—that her mom is successful and that is important to me.”
Kaplan University nursing alum Debra Eppley was already working in the nursing field when she started her RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing completion program (RN-to-BSN program). Kaplan University’s flexibility and support offered her the opportunity to complete her degree online while continuing to work. Once she completed her Bachelor of Science Nursing online, she was able to make a career move that not only increased her salary, but also her level of job satisfaction.
Kaplan University makes taking online nursing classes a streamlined process. Every day nurses choose Kaplan University for their online master’s degree programs. The distance learning curriculum makes a nursing degree obtainable for working professionals. Nursing as a career is a rewarding occupation that could allow for a wide range of employment opportunities beyond the hospital doors.* The Kaplan University School of Nursing offers online nursing degrees such as an the RN-to- BSN completion program, the RN-to-MSN option, and nurse practitioner certificate programs† to help get you where you want to be. Nursing programs at Kaplan University, including the MSN programs online, are designed for nurses that are already in the field. It’s this unique approach that sets Kaplan University apart.
*Kaplan University's programs are designed to prepare graduates to pursue employment in their field of study, or in related fields. However, the University does not guarantee that graduates will be placed in any particular job, eligible for job advancement opportunities, or employed at all. Additional training or certification may be required.
† At this time, the nurse practitioner certificates are available only in the following states: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Vermont.
“I got out of high school and started working. I had a family very young. About the time I was 28 I decided I needed to go to school. I went and got my associate’s degree in nursing at that time. I had worked in labor and delivery, and that’s my niche. I like it–I like babies, I like seeing families with their babies. Then I thought, I love floor nursing but there was something else I wanted to do.
We are in Coshocton, Ohio, which is very near to the heart of Amish country. I just needed to step out and do something else for myself. What I thought I would like to do required a bachelor’s degree and so I started looking down that road. I had kind of shopped around on the net looking for every last online class. You’re looking at price, you’re looking at length, you’re looking at what kind of clinical requirements are there–especially for me in nursing. I just started weeding and narrowing it down and I kept coming back to Kaplan University because it seemed to fit what I wanted to do at that time.
I enrolled to start my bachelor’s degree. There were times when I thought I was going to quit–family life is too much, work is too much, school is too much. I thought, no wasn’t an option. But of course that thought of having that extra two year degree bumps that salary up immensely. I was also thinking, ‘I’m going to have four kids I have to put through college, because now I’m encouraging them to go to college so I need to find a way to help them pay for that, too.
Financially going back to school was a huge plus. This January the head of OB at the time decided to leave her position, and it was open. They posted the job and I debated long and hard because I thought, ‘It’s too soon,’ ‘I can’t be there yet,’ and after much coaxing from a few of my coworkers, my husband, and my mother, I went ahead and I applied for the job and they hired me.
I started the end of March; I am now the OB coordinator, so I manage the whole OB department. It’s just a huge feeling of pride. My Kaplan [University] experience was fantastic. They just want to see you succeed and they want to help you get there. You have a job, you have a
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