Class Act

Entrepreneur, August, 2000

The course begins with a self-assessment quiz to determine how well you manage time (I rated a whopping 30 out of a possible 100). Learning my problem areas was good, as was discovering the causes. For example, I realized I suffered from a lack of planning. Most. likely cause? I'd been successful without planning, so I subconsciously decided to launch projects without adequate preparation. The course showed me how to change that.

Other workshops might advise, "Make a calendar," but this course shows how to prioritize tasks, break big projects into smaller ones and plot them on a calendar. It even advised how to choose the right calendar: Is it big enough? Can I carry it around? I found this helpful as a writer who faces deadlines daily.

Because the course is relatively short, it was manageable and easy to fit into an already-packed schedule. At points, however, it felt more like a good PowerPoint presentation than a class. But the format seemed to fit the subject matter-after all, I was studying time management, not quantum physics. And I found the exercises particularly helpful-they forced me to take a specific problem I was facing and break it down using steps I'd been taught. In this area, you'll get out of it as much as you put in.

Dealing with distractions was one area of the class I found lacking. It advised "closing your door" to keep voices, co-workers and fax-machine noise at bay. This won't help cubicle dwellers or those who share a single, tight space.

Still, the class will be valuable to inveterate procrastinators and people who overextend themselves (like me) who stare at the clock at the end of the day wondering where the time went. One of my favorite sections tells you how to say no to more work; "Guilt is not fatal," it reads, "and you'll become more comfortable saying no with practice."

Overall, this class is a good value; its length isn't intimidating, and the cost won't break the bank.

Nichole L. Torres

MARKETING 101

Class: Marketing Fundamentals

Where: www.online.nu.edu

Cost: $825 plus $60 application fee

Duration: eight weeks

Breaking ranks with my fellow writers, I decided to take a longer, eight-week class called Marketing Fundamentals. A theory course, it not only defines the different marketing types but also explains how marketing works within society and your business. The class is offered through National University, a San Diego-based, private, nonprofit, accredited university, and is facilitated by eCollege, which provides virtual-education technology to institutions.

Registration is somewhat involved and should be completed at least one month prior to your start. Enrollees are billed two weeks before the first day, and tuition must be paid before your first "meeting," or you'll pay a late fee.

Once enrolled, you need to purchase the textbook for the class. Just check the syllabus, then e-mail or call the school to order. It will be shipped to you.

Unlike other virtual classes that allow you to go at your own pace, Marketing Fundamentals is structured with set start and end dates, and it's no cakewalk: A syllabus, homework, a final exam and grades are all administered by an instructor. To successfully complete a longer course like this one, don't try to do the work during business hours. Carve out at least one hour each day of uninterrupted time to devote to it.