It’s also important to understand what a school means when it describes nursing education as “online.” Nursing requires more than watching lectures and completing assignments from home. Students must develop practical skills, learn to apply clinical judgment, and complete required hands-on clinical experiences. When comparing online nursing programs, both accreditation and the actual learning format deserve a closer look.

Understanding Accreditation in Online Nursing Education

Accreditation is a quality-review process in which an independent accrediting organization evaluates an institution or academic program against established standards. However, there are different types of accreditation, and prospective students should understand which type applies to the schools and programs they are considering.

Institutional accreditation applies to a college or university as a whole. American National University of Virginia is institutionally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a recognized accrediting agency with a focus on distance education. Programmatic accreditation, by comparison, applies to an individual academic program or field of study and evaluates it according to standards specific to that discipline.

In nursing, specialized accrediting organizations evaluate nursing programs and their educational outcomes. American National University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is currently seeking programmatic accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Prospective students should understand that seeking accreditation is not the same as having been granted accreditation and should always verify a program’s current accreditation status as part of their research.

Accreditation and State Approval Are Not the Same Thing

Another important distinction when comparing nursing programs is the difference between accreditation and state approval. Because nursing is a licensed profession, state nursing authorities play an important role in determining whether nursing programs meet applicable requirements for educating students entering the profession.

American National University Virginia’s BSN and Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) programs have applicable state nursing approvals in Virginia and Tennessee. These approvals and institutional or programmatic accreditation serve different purposes, so one should not be viewed as a substitute for another. Prospective students should investigate all three areas: the institution’s accreditation, the nursing program’s accreditation status, and applicable state nursing approvals.

Students should also consider where they intend to practice after graduation. Nursing licensure requirements can vary by state, making it important to determine whether a program meets the educational requirements for licensure in the state where a student plans to work.

What Does “Online” Really Mean in Nursing Education?

The word “online” can describe very different educational experiences. Some programs rely primarily on asynchronous instruction, where students watch prerecorded lectures, work independently through course materials, participate in discussion boards, and complete assignments on their own schedules. Other online programs incorporate scheduled, real-time instruction that more closely resembles the interaction of a traditional classroom.

At American National University, nursing theory courses use live online instruction. Students attend scheduled classes remotely, allowing them to interact with faculty and classmates in real time without traveling to a campus for every class. For working adults, this model provides flexibility while maintaining a regular class schedule and direct access to instructors.

That distinction is worth considering when comparing online nursing programs. A student who thrives with independent learning may prefer an asynchronous format, while another student may benefit from the accountability and interaction of scheduled classes. Understanding your own learning preferences can be just as important as determining whether a program is offered online.

Why Live Online Classes Can Matter in Nursing

Nursing coursework can involve complex subjects such as pharmacology, patient assessment, disease processes, safety, and clinical decision-making. Concepts frequently build upon one another, so understanding foundational material can be important as students progress through their courses. Having regular access to an instructor can provide opportunities to address questions before moving on to more advanced material.

In a live online class, students can ask questions as they arise, participate in discussions, hear questions from classmates, and receive explanations from faculty in real time. These interactions can also expose students to perspectives or questions they may not have considered on their own. The result is an online learning environment that preserves an important part of the traditional classroom experience: direct interaction between students and instructors.

Online Nursing Still Requires Hands-On Learning

No matter how nursing theory is delivered, pre-licensure nursing education cannot take place entirely behind a computer screen. Nursing students need hands-on opportunities to develop skills and apply what they have learned. Clinical education provides supervised experiences in healthcare environments where students can begin connecting nursing theory with patient care.

Prospective students comparing online nursing programs should therefore look closely at the clinical component rather than focusing only on how classroom instruction is delivered. Ask where clinical experiences take place, how placements are coordinated, whether travel may be required, and how clinical education fits with the online portion of the program. Understanding these requirements before enrolling can help students determine whether a program realistically fits their schedules and circumstances.

The combination of online theory and in-person clinical education is an important distinction. Online nursing education can reduce the need to travel to a campus for classroom instruction, but it does not eliminate the hands-on experiences required to prepare for nursing practice.

What Should You Compare Before Applying?

When researching accredited online nursing programs, don’t stop when you see the words “accredited” and “online.” Find out which organization accredits the institution and whether the accreditor is recognized. Check the accreditation status of the nursing program itself, including whether accreditation has been granted or is still being pursued, and verify applicable state nursing approvals and licensure considerations.

Then look closely at the educational experience. Determine whether online classes are live or primarily asynchronous, how often students can interact directly with instructors, and how clinical experiences are incorporated into the curriculum. Two programs described as “online nursing programs” may provide very different learning experiences once you look beyond the label.

Look Beyond the Word “Online”

Online nursing education can provide greater flexibility for students balancing college with work, family, and other responsibilities. At American National University, live online nursing classes combine the convenience of distance education with scheduled instruction and real-time faculty interaction. Hands-on clinical experiences complement that online coursework by providing opportunities to connect nursing knowledge with patient care.

Choosing a nursing program is an important decision, and accreditation is only one part of the research process. Understanding accreditation and approval status, instructional format, faculty interaction, clinical requirements, and licensure considerations can provide a much clearer picture of what a program actually offers. When comparing accredited online nursing programs, the goal should be to find an educational experience that fits both your current responsibilities and your future nursing goals.

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Military service can provide years of training, technical knowledge, leadership experience, and specialized skills. When veterans and service members transition to college, an important question is whether some of that learning can count toward a degree. In many cases, it may. Through a process known as credit for prior learning (CPL), colleges and universities can evaluate learning that took place outside a traditional college classroom including learning acquired through military training and experience.

The topic has received renewed attention following a September 2026 report from the American Council on Education (ACE) examining how colleges can better use CPL to support military learners. The report highlights an important idea for veterans considering college: your education may not necessarily have to start from the beginning.

What Is Credit for Prior Learning?

Credit for prior learning is a process colleges use to evaluate knowledge and skills gained outside traditional college coursework to determine whether that learning is equivalent to college-level learning. For veterans and active-duty service members, that can include military courses, occupational training, and other experiences completed during military service. ACE has evaluated military training and occupations for decades and provides college credit recommendations through its Military Guide.

Military experience does not automatically translate into college credit. Ultimately, the college or university determines whether prior learning meets its academic requirements and how any approved credit applies to a student’s particular degree program. That distinction is important. The goal of CPL isn’t simply to award credit for having served. It is to recognize college-level learning that has already occurred.

How Can Military Training Become College Credit?

One of the primary tools used to document military learning is the Joint Services Transcript (JST). The JST provides an official record of military courses, occupations, and other learning experiences and incorporates ACE credit recommendations for evaluated military training. ACE’s Military Guide helps colleges understand those recommendations and determine how military learning may correspond with their own courses and degree requirements.

For example, a service member may have completed extensive training in areas such as information technology, management, leadership, electronics, health care, or other technical fields. If that training demonstrates learning comparable to the requirements of a college course, an institution may determine that applicable academic credit can be awarded. The exact amount and type of credit will vary based on the individual’s military experience, the institution’s policies, and the degree program the student chooses.

Credit for Prior Learning at American National University

American National University recognizes that learning doesn’t happen only in a college classroom. The University considers several forms of prior learning when evaluating undergraduate students for potential credit, including military training and experience in accordance with ACE guidelines. Other forms of prior learning may also be evaluated through methods such as CLEP examinations, test-out examinations, documented work experience, and prior learning assessment portfolios.

For military students, American National University reviews previous education and training to determine whether appropriate credit can be applied toward the student’s chosen program. Credit isn’t automatically awarded simply because training or experience appears on a military record. The learning must be evaluated to determine whether it meets applicable academic and program requirements. That’s why completing the prior credit evaluation process early is important. Veterans and service members should provide their official transcripts and military training records so their previous learning can be reviewed before they progress too far into their program.

Why Does CPL Matter for Veterans?

Receiving college credit for military learning can potentially eliminate the need to repeat material a veteran has already mastered. If applicable military learning satisfies requirements within a degree program, a student may have fewer courses left to complete. Depending on the individual evaluation, that could affect the time and tuition required to earn the degree while allowing the student to move more quickly into new subject areas.

CPL can also acknowledge something veterans already know: military service involves significant education and training. Technical instruction, leadership development, occupational specialties, and other military experiences can produce learning that may be relevant in a college setting. ACE’s September 2026 report emphasizes the role colleges can play in making that transition easier by creating clear processes for evaluating and applying military learning.

What Should Veterans Do Before Enrolling?

If you’re considering college after military service, don’t assume you need to begin with a blank academic record. Gather documentation of your previous education and training and ask for it to be evaluated. At American National University, that means working with your Academic Advisor and completing the required prior credit evaluation process. Be prepared to provide official transcripts and documentation of military training and experience. Depending on your background, it may also be worthwhile to discuss other forms of prior learning, including professional certifications, examinations, and relevant work experience.

Most importantly, ask how approved credit will apply specifically to your degree program. Receiving credit is helpful, but understanding whether that credit fulfills a particular course or degree requirement gives you a clearer picture of the education you still need to complete.

Don’t Start Over Until You Know What You’ve Already Earned

Transitioning from military service to college can represent the beginning of a new chapter, but it doesn’t mean leaving everything you’ve already learned behind. Your military training and experience may represent college-level learning that can be evaluated toward your degree at American National University. Before registering for courses, take the time to have that experience reviewed.

You’ve already invested time in developing valuable skills and knowledge. Finding out whether that learning can count toward your college degree is a smart first step toward determining what comes next.

The post Using Military Service for College Credit appeared first on American National University.

Online education has made earning a college degree more accessible for working adults. But not all online classes work the same way. Some online programs are primarily self-paced. Students log in when it’s convenient, watch recorded lectures, complete assignments, and work through course material largely on their own. That flexibility can be appealing but for students who learn best through conversation, structure, and regular interaction with an instructor, it may also feel isolating.

At American National University, online learning takes a different approach. Many classes include live, scheduled instruction through Zoom, giving students the convenience of attending remotely while maintaining the interaction and structure of a traditional classroom. For busy adults, that combination can offer an important balance between flexibility and accountability.

Online Doesn’t Have to Mean Learning Alone

One of the biggest misconceptions about online education is that it always means working independently through recorded lectures and assignments. Live online classes recreate many elements of the classroom experience in a virtual environment. At a scheduled time, students and their instructor meet through Zoom. Students can listen to lectures, participate in discussions, ask questions, and interact with classmates without traveling to a campus.

Instead of submitting a question and waiting for an email response, a student who doesn’t understand a concept may be able to ask about it during class. An instructor can explain it differently, provide another example, or answer follow-up questions in real time. That immediate interaction can make online education feel much more personal.

Structure Can Be an Advantage for Working Adults

At first glance, a completely self-paced program might sound ideal for someone balancing college with a full-time job, children, and other responsibilities. You can simply fit in school whenever you have time. But sometimes, finding that time is the hardest part. When coursework is always waiting for “later,” work deadlines, family responsibilities, errands, and everyday life can easily take priority.

A scheduled class creates dedicated time for school. For some students, knowing that class meets at a particular time each week provides valuable structure. It creates a routine and keeps students connected to their coursework, instructor, and classmates. That doesn’t eliminate the need to study or complete assignments outside class. Instead, it provides regular checkpoints throughout the course that can help students stay engaged and on track.

Real-Time Access to Your Instructor

Recorded lectures can be paused, rewound, and watched whenever it’s convenient; advantages that make asynchronous learning a good fit for some students. What a recording can’t do is answer a question.

In a live class, instructors can respond to what is happening in the moment. If students are struggling with a topic, the instructor can spend more time explaining it. Students can ask for clarification, participate in discussion, and learn from questions raised by classmates. That interaction is especially valuable in courses where concepts build upon one another. Addressing confusion early can help prevent a student from moving forward without fully understanding foundational material. It also allows students and instructors to get to know one another in ways that can be more difficult in a completely asynchronous environment.

Accountability Without the Commute

Traditional classroom learning provides structure and interaction, but getting to campus can create challenges for working adults. Commuting takes time, and attending college may be difficult for students who don’t live near the institution offering the program they want.

Live online learning offers another option. American National University students can participate in scheduled classes from home while still interacting with an instructor and classmates. There is no drive to campus, search for parking, or additional commuting time before and after class. For a working adult, eliminating the commute can make it easier to fit education into an already busy schedule without giving up live classroom interaction.

Which Type of Online Learning Is Right for You?

There isn’t one online learning format that’s best for everyone. A self-paced or primarily asynchronous program may be a great choice for highly independent learners who prefer to determine when and how they complete their coursework. Other students may find they are more successful when they have scheduled classes, regular interaction, and opportunities to ask questions in real time.

When comparing online colleges, don’t stop at asking, “Is the program online?” Ask what online actually means.

Will you attend live classes or primarily watch recordings? How often will you interact with your instructor? Can you ask questions in real time? Will you get to know your classmates? How much of your learning will happen independently?

Understanding those differences can help you choose an online program that fits not only your schedule, but also the way you learn. At American National University, live online classes are designed to provide working adults with something valuable: the convenience of learning from home with the structure, interaction, and instructor access of a live classroom.

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Born and raised in central Florida, Precious Wilson has built a career defined by adaptability, growth and a willingness to embrace new opportunities. After 11 years working in dentistry, Precious was recently promoted to practice manager, inspiring her to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration Management at American National University to strengthen the managerial skills needed for her new role. Having recently completed the university’s Paralegal associate degree program, Precious brings a diverse professional and academic background to her education, with an interest in both the medical and legal fields. As a mother of two and a professional who describes herself as a “jack of all trades,” Precious continues to demonstrate that she can adapt, learn and take on whatever comes next—qualities that earned her recognition as a Term Trailblazer for Term 262!

Precious has earned her Term Trailblazer recognition during her tenure in our Business Management Administration program, however, she already knew of American National University because she completed her associate degree in Paralegal studies in February of this year. “I was researching, I ran across a few schools, and they all sounded good. But when I came up [American National University], I was like ‘well, their program is designed around the American Bar Association, so they hit different for me’!” She explained. She took a lot of different aspects into her considerations, like the admissions process and the amount of transfer credits she could utilize. And American National University checked every box for her. “I immediately applied and from there on, I just had a great experience. At the time, I had Ms. Linda — she was my go-to person! She was very, very good, I really miss her, she was very hands on with us…

“I will say my experience so far with American National University has been really great. I continue to come, so I’m definitely getting some good feedback from the university!”

Throughout both of her degree programs, Precious has had incredible experiences with her professors. In regard to both Dominika Falsey and Wendy Notz, “they are so smart and knowledgeable. They really, genuinely, care about what you are learning and what information they can give you and guide you. I will commend not even just those two, but a lot of my professors,” she recalled. “I really like how they try to make sure we know anything possible that can help us further in our careers.”

Now that she has been promoted to practice manager at her workplace, Precious is seeing real skills she’s learning being applied to her career. “Lots of leadership. I am definitely trying to match their leadership and how to lead the team,” she explained. She’s also learned “communication. I mean, I have already worked for the company for years now, that’s why they didn’t hesitate to put me into the role. But I think the biggest thing I am going to have to carry on my shoulders is communication, for sure, and leadership, because I’m leading a team plus doctors,” she laughed. “And then, being emotionally in-tune with myself to know that I am going to be dealing with a lot of personalities. So I have to know how to listen and absorb a lot of things from different people.”

“[This is] why I chose [American National University]. In this day and age, life is so different. Life is so demanding. I really like the fact that this works around perfectly with my life – being able to do school in the after hours.”

Precious explained that American National University allowed her to continue her life uninterrupted and earn her education without missing a beat. “Even though we have set time frames – discussions done Wednesday, homework done by Saturday – it’s still achievable,” she said. “I can work during the day, the kids [are] at school, and in and out, I do homework in between the day if I have the time. But the good thing is that my job has always been flexible, and as well as [American National University]. Everything works out perfectly with my schedule.”

Her future goals include possibly entertaining going to law school to be an attorney or going higher into management. However, she always loves making good and effective change in others’ lives. “As long as there is growth. I love to learn. I don’t ever think you can ever know too much – it’s impossible!”

Would she recommend American National University to others? “Yes. I do that all the time! I try to say, ‘hey, if you’re looking for a school that fits your schedule and your needs, come to [American National University. Whether it’s family or friends, I always tell them about the school.”

Her advice to new students would be “be proactive in class and your schedule.” She says that knowing what you want out of your degree is the first step – and then being dedicated is the next. “You just gotta stay focused!”

The post Learning to Grow appeared first on American National University.

With nearly 30 years of experience in the medical field, Alisha Todd has spent much of her career caring for others and building a foundation for her own professional growth. After moving from Michigan to Tennessee in 2012, she continued her career in health care. Now, while working full time, Alisha is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at American National University, determined to take the next step in her career while balancing work, school and life at home. Her dedication and perseverance earned her recognition as a Term Trailblazer for Term 260!

When Alisha started looking for her future nursing program, she initially had her eyes set on another nursing school. She even went for a tour, however she “just couldn’t figure out how to make their schedule work with mine… Their schedule just wouldn’t allow me to work, and I have to be able to work.” She goes on to say this other institution only had their pre-requisites online, while the core nursing courses were in person. They had some flexibility, “but not enough I needed,” she explained. She joined American National University’s program for the workable schedule and for all of her classes being taught online. She found an advertisement for our nursing program and that brought her to us.

“Most of my professors have been really great, I can’t really say too much bad about anybody. Dr. De Silva is really cool! He’s a lot of fun,” Alisha explained when thinking on her courses. Dr. Carlos De Silva is the professor who nominated Alisha for her Term Trailblazer recognition. “It’s nice to have professors more than once! Especially when you really like the professor,” she said, reflecting on her time in Dr. De Silva’s classes.

Not only is Alisha finding success in working with her professors, but the ease of her schoolwork and classroom attendance is great through American National University’s systems. “I think Canvas is really well put together and easy to navigate. The video classes are great… For me, it’s worked well!

I like that the school is just a straight tuition based and you don’t have to worry about trying to go get your books, making sure you have the right books when you’re at the bookstore, or paying for the books separate [from tuition price]. It’s nice to have everything all rolled into a nice package so I don’t have to worry about it!”

Her future goals include working in cardiology because of where she has worked in the medical field previously. “I’d kinda like to get my nurse practitioner after,” she said of her future education plans.

Would Alisha recommend American National University to others looking to earn their higher education goals? “Absolutely! Anybody that’s needs to work — definitely [American National University] will work much better than any other college with your work schedule!” When reflecting on her choices of nursing school Alisha remarks that American National University is “cheaper than” the competitors she looked into. And, even then, she was only going to get her associate with the other university, but she found us and “I can get my bachelor’s degree – so [American National University] allowed me to get my BSN. I would definitely recommend [the school] to anybody who wanted to do it.”

Her advice to new students includes “make sure you attend class” to not miss out on key in-class assignments, and “make sure you get your posts in before Wednesday – just do the work!”

“[American National University] is really all-inclusive, there’s so much that they give you for resources. Some colleges set you up to fail, that’s not [here]. They have everything there to help you!”

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Originally from Washington, Haley Fauver has always valued the importance of family, making time for her three young children while enjoying summers filled with one of her family’s favorite pastimes: racing. When an unexpected health challenge changed the course of her year, Haley found herself reflecting on what she wanted for her future. That reflection ultimately inspired her to return to school and pursue an Associate degree in Paralegal Studies at American National University, taking a meaningful step toward a new professional path while navigating a season of significant change. Despite starting within an exhausting fight with cancer, she has managed to not only maintain straight A’s, but she also became a Term Trailblazer for Term 260!

“I was going through chemo when I started school. I was pretty proud of myself – I was still working, doing cancer treatment, and going to school also,” Haley explained – while also taking care of her three children. “I was surprised at myself that I was able to handle all of that and get good grades, too! I’ve had all A’s since I started school.” Despite the hardships she’s faced in life, Haley has dedicated herself to her education and always earns the high grades she deserves. She described having issues trying to start school prior to this experience at another institution and it was complicated. However, at American National University, it was so much easier. “I feel like I had no issues getting signed up for school here. Everything was just easy, everyone was super helpful. I think that is a big, huge thing, for people who are looking to go back to school, if that process is easier, then I think it makes them more motivated to hop in!”

“It was important for me to find an ABA-[approved] school and so I started there. I came across [American National University] and it just seemed like a good set up for school for me and aligned with what I was looking for.”

Her interest in law was already established in working for a law firm – so she sought out expanding her education to “advance in my career.” And American National University is laying down the groundwork that she needs to do just that. “I’ve learned things that I didn’t know before, it’s definitely opened my eyes to more things and given me more tools to use!” She explained. “The library is helpful, and I do appreciate how the professors are always there to answer any of your questions and to help you along with anything – like if you’re not understanding anything,” she further added, “that’s my favorite thing, being able to reach out.”

When speaking of professors, Haley cannot pinpoint just one that she enjoys. “All of them,” she answered quickly, “I like them all. I think they’re all great. I think that they all work great together to make the program.

“If one doesn’t have an answer to something, they’re always communicating with each other and working to get the answer for their students. I do appreciate that. They all care about their students, and how well their students are doing, and answering questions when somebody doesn’t understand. I think all of them are great.”

Her future goals include growing within the law firm she works once she earns her degree. She wants to move fully into a paralegal position and advance her career. As the firm she works in personal injury, she has had interests in learning more about that topic – but she was surprised to learn that her criminal law courses interested her, too.

Would she recommend American National University to others? “I would definitely! I think that getting started with the school was very easy and simple. I think that’s a huge thing for people because a lot of people don’t want to feel like ‘I’m so confused, I don’t know what to do here.’ And then also the way that the courses are set up – like the canvas is easy to navigate, which makes it more motivating because nobody wants to be stressed out or confused on how to get somewhere. That could deter people from even wanting to do school. And then, obviously, just all of the professors and all like how they’re willing to help you through things!”

Her advice to new students includes “go to the professors because they are all super helpful and they will always help you.” She explained that she thinks that many students don’t know or underutilize their professors when they need a better understanding of the material. “If I didn’t have the answer for [other students], I would be like, ‘you can always ask the professors things, they will help you through anything.’”

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For Barbie Levan, returning to school represents more than pursuing a degree—it represents moving forward after a difficult chapter. A Business Administration Management associate degree student at American National University, Barbie has continued working toward her goals following a car accident that left her unable to work for two years. As she navigated a long road to recovery and adjusted to a new chapter of life, she found an opportunity to invest in herself and her future through education. Her story is one of perseverance, resilience, and the determination to keep moving forward, no matter how unexpected the journey may become. Her dedication to her new venture had professors nominating her to become a Term Trailblazer for Term 260!

Barbie had twenty-six years of patient care work as a nurse prior to her accident. When she decided to return to school after recovery, she had decided she wanted to work behind the scenes of an office as a change of pace. She began in the administrative medical assisting program but felt stalled. “Halfway through that, I realized that I wasn’t really learning anything I hadn’t already known. And, in order to do what I was looking to do, I need to have more of the business aspect of it,” she explained. She transitioned to the Business Administration Management associate degree program to fulfill what she wants in her career.

How she initially came to American National University is from research. She needed something she could do at home while she wasn’t driving, and something where she could connect to other students and professors. “I was looking for remote schooling, I’m too old to sit in a classroom, and I didn’t want to be in there five days a week,” she said. “There aren’t a lot of programs out there anymore that do the synchronous classroom – it’s all like you’re teaching yourself. And I didn’t want to go through that because I tried that once before and it didn’t work for me. So that is primarily why I went with [American National University] because they have that synchronous classroom teaching and additional help if you should need it!”

Barbie’s experience with American National University was only enhanced by the way her professors and support faculty aided her during the aftermath of her car accident. “I was getting really frustrated. I was having a really difficult time trying to understand what I was reading, what was being said. So I asked about accommodations and got some,” she said. “Those have helped me tremendously so far. I’m still having a hard time with processing things… I rely heavily on my professors to fill in the gap.” But one professor that has stood out has been Dr. Dominika Falsey, who also nominated her for her Term Trailblazer recognition. “She was always very professional. She was personable.

She belongs being somebody who interacts with a lot of students, because she has done so much – she’s the reason I’m still here, still in school… she was more than a professor to me.”

Her future goals include being able to move out and on with her life after recovering from her personal struggles. “I definitely want to be in charge,” she said of her future career. “So either running an office or somehow opening my own business of some kind – I think that’s the goal when you have a business degree.”

Would Barbie recommend American National University to others? “Definitely! I think the once-a-week, or once-every-other-week, actual classroom is more beneficial for people. You get live 1-on-1 time with your professor, and you get to mingle and run ideas by your peers,” she explained. She goes on to say that meeting with her fellow classmates allows her to learn something new in conjunction with the material she learns in her classes.

“I just think the way that [American National University] is set up is helpful to people like who can’t teach themselves.”

Her advice for new students joining the university includes “make sure you show up for class!” She has not missed class since she started – and she advises if you miss, you could lose out on a lot of material. “And don’t procrastinate!”

The post Connected in Class appeared first on American National University.

For one American National University student, earning a degree in technology is about much more than advancing her career—it’s about perseverance, challenging expectations, and proving that it’s never too late to pursue something new. After earning her associate degree in her 40s against the odds of former professors saying she should reconsider her path, Elisa Landgraf continued building a career in technology while balancing work, family, and the demands of everyday life. Now pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity at American National University, she is once again taking on a new challenge while serving as the University’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Director. Her dedication and determination have not gone unnoticed: she was nominated as a Term Trailblazer for Term 260, recognizing the commitment she brings to her education and her community.

Because of a long commute and some health issues, Elisa took over twice the amount of time to finish her associate degree than expected. Because of that, she did not expect to want to return to higher education. “I honestly never thought I’d get a bachelor’s degree,” she explained, “I felt like there was no hope for me.” However, her boss, Joel Musgrove, Senior Executive Vice President of Operations at American National University, is the very person who encouraged her to take the leap. “He showed his total faith in me,” she said, “so I said, ‘okay, let’s do it for one term.’ And that was two years ago!” That push got her into the depths of her bachelor’s degree – where she has exceeded her professors’ expectations. “I’m 57! I never thought I could do this, I didn’t think it was something I could do [because of] where I live, my age, what I got going on in my life. I didn’t think it would be possible – and here I am, over half way through!”

“If it wasn’t for that it’s an online class… To be honest, I think that’s why I can do it. I don’t have that hour and a half commute [one way], that three hours of driving every day to get my degree. [American National University] is convenient! I have a two second commute.”

Elisa’s previous education had given her some online experience with hybrid classes. However, she could never connect with them as well as the other facets of her education. With American National University, all of that went away. “ANU does something that makes it a little bit easier. Maybe it’s because the classes are similarly structured so you know what’s expected… and the collaborations with the Zoom sessions, I think, is very easy. If it wasn’t for being online, I don’t think I could do it – I know I couldn’t!”

As part of the IT team at American National University, Elisa is getting education that directly affects the work she is currently doing. “I understand things better. There’s things I read that I have to do in Salesforce and I go, ‘what is that?’ Then I’ll have a network class and it’s like ‘aha!’” She explained with a smile. “I think [my education] is going to enhance my current position and enable me to grow.”

As part of her current term, Elisa had to download VMware for her Ethical Hacking course – where she built a virtual computer to open different kinds of operating systems. “We’re learning how to scan and do penetration testing, basically to see where weaknesses are in another system. So I am using my existing computer, opening a new computer on the inside of it, and testing my existing computer to see where things need to be worked on, or places where hackers can get through, or potential weaknesses on the system – which I think is interesting!” And her professors are career experienced professionals teaching her the skills she needs to succeed. Upon reflecting on the professors she’s had so far, she said, “for the most part, every one of my instructors are passionate about the student success. They want to make sure you understand the material. They want you engaged in class.”

When asked what she liked most about American National University, especially in comparison to her previous education, Elisa says “convenience.” She remembered working nine hours to support her family, then going to a café or shop to spend “too much money” on coffee and snacks to get through her four hour classes and then would have to end the day with an hour and a half drive home. “Here? I can work, I can step away, grab my coffee, go to the bathroom, and I come back [to class]. I make my own coffee! It saves me so much money in commute, in coffees, in food.

[American National University] is convenient, efficient. I save. How do you put a price tag on your time? It fits into a busy lifestyle. It makes it doable. It makes it something achievable, it doesn’t feel so far-fetched for a busy person, to somebody who’s already struggling and juggling a lot of things.”

Her future goals once included telling snarky people who denigrated her higher education pursuits that she could “freelance off of the beach in Belize.” But now that she is in the midst of her bachelor’s at American National University she feels “the sky is the limit!” Her education has allowed her to see that she could reach far beyond her own expectations. “I am passionate about higher education… I wish I could convince everybody to go to school,” Elisa explained. Her biggest push for that is not just to encourage everyone that they should go, but that they are more than able to do it. “I don’t feel like there are enough people pushing an adult to go to college, I don’t feel like there’s enough people showing the way for them, saying ‘you can do this, here’s how!’”

Would Elisa recommend American National University to others? “I would say yes, definitely! ANU makes it so much easier to do it nowadays than even when I got my associate!”

Her advice to new students includes “don’t be afraid to ask questions in Zoom sessions! Because one of the other students is just waiting – they don’t want to be the one to break the ice. Break that ice!”

The post No Price Tag on Time appeared first on American National University.

When I completed my undergraduate degree, I started with a date.

I wrote down the month and year I intended to walk across the stage, and then I worked backward from it. How many credits stood between me and that date? Which ones had I already earned that nobody had bothered to count? What could I test out of, transfer in, or document from training I had already completed? By the time I finished mapping my degree, I could see the whole path—every term, every course, every checkpoint. Two and a half years. Not a hope. A plan.

The gap between wanting and finishing

There are over 35 million working-age adults in the United States who have earned college credit but no credential. These are people who started by sitting in seats, writing papers, and paying tuition; and then something happened: LIFE. The credits they earned are still sitting there, unfinished business.

The encouraging news is that people are coming back. More than a million adults who had stopped out re-enrolled in a single recent academic year, the highest figure ever recorded. “Re-enrolling” and “finishing” are two different things, however. The difference between them usually isn’t intelligence, work ethic, or time. It’s clarity.

Here’s what the research says about that. Edwin Locke and Gary Latham (2006) spent decades studying what makes people perform. Hundreds of studies across workplaces, classrooms, and laboratories found that specific, challenging goals produce better results than telling yourself to do your best. “Do your best” gives your brain nothing to aim at. “Finish by December 2027” does.

A distant goal, by itself, is a long walk in the dark. That’s where milestones enter the picture.

Why milestones matter more than the goal

Teresa Amabile and Steven Kramer (May 2011) at Harvard Business School had knowledge workers keep daily diaries and then analyzed thousands of entries to find out what separated a good day from a bad one. The answer was not recognition, pay, or a great manager. It was progress: small, visible forward movement in work that mattered to the person doing it. They called it the “progress principle.” Essentially, motivation does not produce progress. Progress produces motivation.

Their principle infers that our job is not to summon more willpower but to build a path with enough checkpoints to ensure that you are never more than a few weeks from your next small win.

For me, those checkpoints were terms. Each one had a number attached to it—credits completed and credits remaining—and each one I finished moved the finish line visibly closer. On the hard weeks (of which there were plenty), I did not have to feel motivated about the degree. I only had to care about the next few weeks.

The credits you already have

The other half of my plan was subtraction. Before I signed up for a single new course, I accounted for everything I had already learned that could legitimately count: coursework from a prior institution, exam credit, and documented training. It shortened the path by months.

This isn’t a personal quirk of mine; it is one of the better-documented findings in adult education. In a 2020 study of more than 230,000 adult students across 72 institutions, researchers at CAEL and WICHE found that adults who earned credit for prior learning completed their credentials at 49 percent, compared with 27 percent of those who did not. Students with such credit saved between nine and fourteen months on the way to a degree, resulting in cost savings of thousands of dollars. Still, only about 10% (one in ten) of students in the sample used it at all—usually because no one told them it existed.

So let me tell you it exists. If you have transcripts from another school, military training, professional certifications, or employer training in your history, ask your advisor what can be evaluated. The best outcome is that you finish a term or two earlier than you had planned. Imagine joining the workforce that much earlier!

To our alumni: the method didn’t expire

If you already have your degree from American National University, this article is still for you because the framework does not retire after your diploma is framed.

I still work this way. When I take on a project—whether a curriculum redesign or an accreditation submission—I start the same way I started my bachelor’s: with the finish date, then the backward map, then the checkpoints. I inventory what already exists before building anything new, and I break the work into pieces small enough that the team can see movement every couple of weeks, because a project with no visible progress is a project people quietly stop believing can end.

The credential was the first proof that the method works, but it was neither the first nor the last time I needed to use it!

Start here

If you are returning to school this term, or thinking about it, do these four things this week:

1. Name the date. Do not use “soon.” Establish a month and year and write them down in a place where you will constantly see them.
2. Count backward. How many credits, for how many terms, and at what pace? Get a real number that you can use and benchmark against.
3. Audit what you already have. Talk to your advisor about transfer credit, exam credit, and prior learning.
4. Mark the checkpoints. Decide in advance what “on track” looks like at the end of each term and consistently review it.

The finish line should not move. Most of the time, we just lose sight of it. Put it back where you can see it and build a path with enough lights along the way so that you never have to walk the dark stretch alone.

Further reading

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2006) New Directions in Goal-Setting Theory. Current Directions in Psychological Science (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00449.x). The condensed summary of decades of research on why specific, difficult goals outperform vague intentions.

Amabile, T. M., & Kramer, S. J. (May 2011) The Power of Small Wins. Harvard Business Review (https://hbr.org/2011/05/the-power-of-small-wins). The diary study behind the progress principle, and the case for milestones as a motivational tool rather than a project-management one.

CAEL & WICHE. (2020) The PLA Boost: Results from a 72-Institution Targeted Study of Prior Learning Assessment and Adult Student Outcomes (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED609772)  The completion, time, and cost data on credit for prior learning.

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (June 2025) Some College, No Credential: A 2025 Snapshot for the Nation and the States (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED673396). Current national data on stopouts, re-enrollment, and completion among returning adults.

The post Focus on the Finish Line appeared first on American National University.

This interview was conducted in Spanish and translated by Kary Alicea. 

For Lily Cedeño, healthcare has always been more than a career. Originally from Ecuador, Lily is a dermatologist by profession and spent years building her life and career before moving to the United States. Although circumstances prevented her from continuing her previous career in the same way, she never lost her desire to work in healthcare or her passion for helping patients. “I missed helping and serving and figuring out what’s next with a patient,” Lily says. “That kind of interaction.”

Wanting to find a way back into healthcare while continuing to work, Lily began researching programs that would give her the flexibility she needed. She discovered American National University and found that the online schedule could fit around her work responsibilities. Just as importantly, she learned that the Medical Assistant Associate program was offered in Spanish.

“I wanted something that would be flexible for me, because I’m working and I needed time to be able to organize myself,” she explains. “It worked around my work schedule. It offered me the opportunity to integrate myself back into the healthcare field.”

For Lily, being able to complete her education in Spanish was another important part of her decision. While she is comfortable communicating in English, she wanted to make sure she could fully understand the material as she prepared to return to healthcare. “That was another favorable point, this program being in Spanish,” she says.

Since beginning the program, Lily has found that her education is helping her build on the healthcare knowledge she already had while also learning how to navigate the healthcare environment in the United States. She has gained confidence in making decisions, interacting with patients and helping them feel comfortable as a medical assistant—their first point of contact in many healthcare settings. “The most important thing is being able to keep going, to keep learning,” Lily says. “There’s always something more that will add to your knowledge.”

Her education has also challenged her in unexpected ways. Having previously attended a traditional, in-person university, Lily describes herself as “old school.” Learning to navigate computers, online coursework, PowerPoint, Microsoft programs and Excel was initially one of her biggest challenges. “My biggest challenge, I think, was adapting to the system, to the digital system,” she says. Rather than allowing that challenge to discourage her, Lily used it as another opportunity to grow. She learned how to organize her time, manage her coursework and balance school with her responsibilities outside the classroom. Working during the day and attending classes at night requires discipline, she says, but creating a schedule helps her stay on track. “You have to set a schedule, organize your time, so you don’t get overwhelmed,” Lily explains.

Throughout that process, Lily has found support from her professors, classmates and the university staff. She appreciates that her professors are responsive when she has questions and that she has developed relationships with classmates who have continued with her from term to term. Despite studying online, Lily says she has still been able to build a sense of community. The university’s library, professors and other resources have also helped her continue learning beyond her classes. Her dedication to her education and her classmates has not gone unnoticed. Lily was nominated as a Term Trailblazer, an honor she credits in part to Professor Rosas, whom she describes as both serious about her subject and empathetic toward her students. “She is patient. It’s great being educated by her,” Lily says.

As she continues toward completing her Medical Assistant Associate program, Lily sees her education as an important step toward returning to the workforce in a healthcare role in the United States. She knows that adapting to a new professional environment takes work, but she sees everything she is learning at American National University as preparation for that next chapter.

“For me, it’s a continuation,” Lily says. “For me, it’s about reintegrating into the workforce, within a system that’s different from what I was used to.”

Her advice to students is simple: don’t give up on what you want. “Don’t abandon your project, don’t stop your process,” she says. “Everything can be organized with a positive attitude, by being responsible and organized.” For Lily, the motivation comes from her continued vocation for service and her desire to help others. She believes that anyone can continue working toward their goals with the right attitude, organization and determination. “The worst thing that can happen is that time keeps passing, but you’re doing something for yourself,” she says. “So, don’t abandon your motivation.”

When asked to describe her experience at American National University in one phrase, Lily chooses three words: “maturing, responsibility, and service.”

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