Frequently Asked Questions

No.  The delivery mode and rate at which the student progresses may be different in some classes, but all instructors use the same textbooks, cover the same content, and hold the student accountable for the same competencies.  Students progress through modules at roughly the same pace as face to face students and have minimum weekly deadlines

Yes and no. You will miss the day to day campus life and the social interaction you get from going to school with other people. But you will not miss the important stuff: a good education.

All of the online courses offer multiple ways of obtaining help.  The first and most important mode is communication with your instructor via email or other social media communication that you enable for your instructor.  Students should expect a response from an instructor within 2 business days of asking a question.  Students are also welcome to contact instructors during their office hours and by phone at the numbers listed in the course syllabus.  If you contact an instructor who is not in their office when you call, please leave a message in which you clearly identify yourself and leave your contact information. 

Keep in mind that instructors and our retention advisors anticipate weekly contact with students in order to help you stay on pace and stay motivated toward your academic goals.  The frequency and type of contact beyond the weekly contact will vary according to individual needs.

Another way to get assistance is to contact the Cloud County Community College Student Success Center to see what kinds of tutoring assistance might be available to you. 

• Concordia Campus: Contact Janice Stangle at jstangle@cloud.edu or 1.800.729.5101 ext. 231 for hours of operation and tutor availability.   
• Geary County Campus: Contact Bob Foreman at rforeman@cloud.edu or 1.800.729.5101 ext. 730 for hours of operation and tutor availability.  

Online classes do not have a regular meeting time.  Students are advised to block out a set period of time at least three times a week in which to engage in online course work.  In cohort based classes, students must meet weekly deadlines and are expected to complete no less than 25% of the course by the 20^thday of the term in which they are registered.

Students should anticipate that instructors will report them as being “at risk” if a student does not interact with them or the class for a period in excess of two weeks.  If a student is going to be away from the course for an extended period of time, it is their responsibility to contact the instructor about the absence and discuss their strategy for course completion prior to their absence of interaction with the class.

Students need to be aware that federal financial aid and other funding sources require students to complete a class within the semester they are enrolled or incur the loss of funding and (or) probationary status.

Online students do not need to come to the Cloud County Community College campuses.  Students in most courses are required to complete select exams and assignments in a proctored setting.  This may be done with a pre-arranged proctoring center or through the ProctorU proctoring service.  Consult the online course description and the course syllabus for specific proctoring requirements.

Most students know within the first few days if they will like a class or not. Thus, it is critical that a student login as soon as they have access to their class and read both the syllabus and the class outline carefully to make sure that it is an appropriate choice for them and for their academic needs.  If a student doesn't feel the class is a good fit, he or she should send an email to advisement@cloud.edu to request a withdrawal form within the first 5 days of class. If situations arise that require the student to withdraw at some point after the first week, students may do so up to the pre-determined withdrawal date within the semester they are enrolled. Consult the academic calendar for specific dates. Consult the refund section of the FAQ for information regarding tuition and textbook refunds

Most Cloud Online students prefer to ask questions through electronic means because they typically do their coursework outside of regular working hours.  In most classes, there is a discussion board for purposes of discussion and questions.  In other classes, it is expected that you will email, phone or web conference when you are in need of help.

Students are required to finish their online classes within the term or semester in which they enroll. Students begin their courses at the beginning of the term they are registered in and have until the end of that term to complete their courses. Although online students do not have face-to-face meetings with their instructors, they are required to follow the deadlines their instructors have outlined in their syllabi regarding assignments, exams, and other due dates. Courses can be either eight or sixteen weeks. Students can discuss the length of their courses with their advisors during registration.

The maximum number of online hours to be completed in a semester is 12 hours.  Students enrolled in 12 hours of courses have a full-time load and should anticipate the time commitment of a full term.

No, it will not. It will indicate that you took a class at Cloud County, but not that you took it online.

The basics include computer (Mac or PC), an up to date Internet browser, a valid e-mail account, and an Internet connection meeting our minimum technology standards.

Yes.  You may be enrolled in up to 12 credit hours of online courses at a time after approval from an advisor.  Students are required to complete those 12 hours within the term for which registered.  See “How Long Does It Take to Complete a Class?” for more information.

All of Cloud County’s general education courses will transfer to other colleges. Many of the applied science courses will transfer. However, most decisions about whether the course transfers as a requirement or as an elective are made by academic divisions within the receiving college (or the school from which the student plans to graduate).

We encourage you to contact the school to which you want to transfer courses and work closely with that school and your academic advisor either at Cloud County Community College or on your home campus in order to assure a smooth transfer. Our online advisors will help to the best of their knowledge to select an appropriate course for transfer, but ultimately, submitting an online enrollment form presumes the student has adequately investigated the transfer of the selected courses.

That depends on the course and its competencies. If the course descriptions match though names differ and the institution from which the course is being transferred is accredited by the applicable federally recognized regional accreditation agency, then the answer will likely be yes.

Students intent upon obtaining a degree from Cloud County Community College must complete their final 12 credit hours with us unless the student needs a course we are unable to provide. In this instance, we'll work with the student in locating an equivalent course comparable in its competencies and expectations.

It is imperative students work closely with an Academic Advisor if a degree or certificate is sought in order to assure all requirements are met.

Not all students are successful in online courses because of the substantial reading requirements and the need for time management. Though our instructors will assist students, online learners are expected to set aside time and participate regularly even though they aren’t in a face-to-face setting. Click here to see if online learning is right for you.

Cloud Online offers several payment methods. Click on the Payment Options link for more information.

You may opt to purchase textbooks through Cloud’s online bookstore, www.tbirdbookstore.com, or another source. Textbooks are required for all online courses.

Pricing of textbooks and course materials are subject to change without notice.

Use this link to jump to the Cloud Online page, where you will find a walk-through. If you have never been admitted to Cloud County Community College or it has been 2 years since your last enrollment, begin with the Admissions process. If you are a current or past student, begin with the Enrollment process.

To ensure academic integrity of our online classes and adherence to NCAA guidelines, certain assignments or exams will be proctored. Following are the guidelines for obtaining a proctor:

• Proctors must have a computer on which the student can take the test.
• Proctors must have a business email address in order to be sent the test password.
• Proctors may not be a spouse, fellow student, neighbor, relative, coach, member of an athletic department, or close friend of the student.
• Identify a proctor who meets one of the following criteria
  
  • a librarian or someone in an administrative position in a library
  • a certified teacher, school counselor, administrator or other school official
  • a faculty member in an accredited college or university
  • a military officer with a higher rank than the student being proctored
  • a corporate or government agency educational official
  • Fees associated with proctoring services (if any) are the responsibility of the student.

Students who are unable to secure and appropriate proctor may use the fee based Cloud County Community College’s online proctoring service, ProctorU.  For information on ProctorU, contact your instructor. Link: http://www.proctoru.com/cloud/

Students who are non-degree seeking and who are not using financial aid are not required to submit official transcripts during their first semester unless the course requires documentation of a pre-requisite.  Should the course require a pre-requisite or the student’s status change to degree seeking, transfer, or using financial aid, all official transcripts including high school or GED must be received before enrollment and before financial aid, scholarships or grant-in-aid awards will be dispersed.

New Cloud Students: New students who have completed an online admissions application and can provide necessary transcripts and other required documents are eligible to take online classes.

Current or Former Cloud Students: Current Cloud students who do not owe a previous balance to the school are eligible to take online classes.