What happens if I'll be away on business/vacation during part of the six weeks?
No problem! You can study each lesson at your leisure, and complete each assignment when it is convenient for you. That's the beauty of taking an online course . . . they're designed to fit your schedule.

What if I cannot complete the course in six weeks?
You can retake the course as many times as you'd like, without charge. Your course runs continuously. When this course ends, a new group will begin with lesson one, six days later. So you'll be starting all over from scratch. The lessons can easily be saved to your computer's hard disk for you to refer to as many times as you wish. This will enable you to complete the course work at your convenience, without starting over with a new group of students.

What happens if I have a question?
Helping you get the answers you need, when you need them, is a goal of Growth Strategies. If you are not in a hurry, we still recommend the discussion board, as it is an opportunity for all to participate and learn from the dialogue. But if you need help, our instructors are usually online 10-12 hours each day, including Saturdays. Look for the "I'm Online" icon at the bottom of the classroom navigation bar. If it is lit, you know your instructor is available. Even when it is not lit, your instructor may be available, but not online at the moment. You have a number of ways to conduct a one-on-one or a group meeting with your instructor. Often, even when it is not lit, your instructor may be available to take your call. To reach your instructor, call 651-639-8447.

How is taking an online course different from reading a computer book?
We use a variety of techniques to deliver your course material, including reading text. But the similarities between books and our courses end there. In particular:

• State of the art online learning technologies are used throughout your course including: online meetings, audio, video, slide presentations, interactive blackboards, discussion boards and telephone conferences.
• Knowledge is best acquired by coupling hands-on experience with information and expert advice. Each of your lessons come complete with meaningful assignments that have been crafted to give practical hands-on experience with the material covered in the lesson.
• Our courses are designed to exploit the interactive nature of the Internet. During the course, you will remain in constant contact with Gary and your classmates. Although most books are great at force-feeding you information, none can give you the practical experience and level of interaction delivered by an online course.
• Because of the frenzied rate of change in the information age, keeping current is becoming exceedingly difficult. Since books are written many months before they are published, much of the material is out-of-date by the time the book hits the store shelves. The dynamic nature of the Internet makes it easy for us to frequently update the material, so that your online course is as timely, topical, and up-to-date as today's newspaper.

How is taking an online course different from face-to-face instruction?
In today's fast-paced world, many of us find it difficult to take time away from work and family to visit a campus. One of the primary advantages of your online course is that you can "attend class" in the comfort and convenience of your home or office. All you have to do is log into your online classroom when you are ready to participate in lessons and assignments. Online courses fit into your schedule. You can take them before breakfast, during lunch, late at night, or at any other time you find convenient . . . the choice is yours!

Online courses are not for everybody. Although you will remain in constant contact with your instructor and classmates, learning over the Internet is essentially a solitary activity. If you crave face-to-face interaction or cannot take the responsibility to complete your lessons in a timely manner, you will probably fare better in a traditional classroom environment.

Can I take the course from a Mac, AOL, PC, laptop, mainframe, home or office?
Yes! Any computer that can access the Internet is all you'll need, although a PC with a state-of-the art browser and word processor is highly recommended. Some non-essential shareware recommendations used in our courses may be available only in a Windows format. If you intend to take the course from work, it might be wise to check with your IS department to make sure your organization does not have a firewall that would block access to the classroom.

I missed the registration deadline. Can I squeeze in if I am a few days late?
Sure, no problem, as long as you understand that you may have to burn the candle at both ends for a few days to catch up with the rest your classmates. But should you fall behind, you can simply wait for the next semester to retake the class a second time.

Can I take the course in less than the six weeks?
An online course lends itself to student-centered learning. Our lessons are made available on a pre-set pace of two lessons per week. You'll not be able to work ahead of the your classmates.  You can always work backward, but not forward.

When will I have to be available?
Never. Your course is 100% self paced and is not likely ever to have an official meeting. The classroom is open 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. You can complete your lessons and assignments and ask questions, at your own schedule. Your instructor may call optional course meetings, as the need arises to discuss an important topic. But regularly scheduled meetings are not part of the game plan, as many of your classmates will be from time zones very different from your own.

How much time do I set aside for each lesson?
Each lesson is designed to be completed in approximately 1-2 hours, but you can spend as much time as you like or just skim through portions of the material, if it does not apply to your situation.

What do you mean by recent browser?
You will get optimum enjoyment from your course if you are using version 5.0 or later of Internet Explorer. Older browsers will work fine on most lessons. However, we occasionally utilize features that are only contained in the most recent versions of Internet browsers. If you should encounter the need to upgrade, we provide hyperlinks to sites that will enable you to download the latest browsers free of charge.

What computer skills will I need?
Your course is not high tech, but an online course is not the place to learn novice computer skills. You'll need to have basic knowledge of operating in a Windows environment, including skills of downloading and installing updates to your software. In addition, you will need to know how to access the Internet and navigate comfortably through a variety of Internet experiences. Much of software on your computer has a free online tutorial that will get you up to speed. Access the tutorial database