Land a Spot in a Top Online Master's in Education Program

Getting a graduate education degree online can give education professionals the chance to earn a helpful credential while keeping their day jobs.

But flexibility may not be the only reason to go the virtual route.

"Anybody who is working in education in the 21st century really needs to have an online experience, not just from an instructor side but from a student side," says Kaleb Patrick, director of graduate programs for Central Michigan University's Global Campus, tied for the No. 3 spot among online graduate education programs. "It's becoming ubiquitous within the education environment."

[Compare online and on-campus graduate programs.]

Getting into the top online graduate education program isn't impossible -- the top 10 schools have an average acceptance rate of 85 percent, according to U.S. News data -- but online students might want to think twice about what they choose to emphasize in their applications. Admissions committees look for strong work experience, well-written essays and positive letters of recommendations from all of their applicants, however, prospective online students would be wise to focus on why they would be a good fit for a virtual environment, experts say.

Students looking to get into the best online graduate education programs should make it clear they understand the unique requirements of online learning, says Patrick Roberts, an associate professor in the Northern Illinois University College of Education, ranked No. 1. Online education is different from learning in a face-to-face classroom, he says, and independent learners tend to have an advantage.

"Someone who is applying to an online program should absolutely emphasize in the essay and letter of recommendation that they can learn online -- that they are self-directed learners, that they can be self-advocates, that they know how to reach out to a faculty member with questions," he says.

Prospective graduate education students would also be smart to use their application -- be it in their resume, essay or letters of recommendation -- to showcase their time management skills, experts say.

[Avoid these online learning time management mistakes.]

"The main thing we are looking for in online students is the ability to manage their time -- it seems simple enough but it's probably the biggest challenge they have because they are working adults and you aren't required to show up to class," says Marnie Roestel, manager for CMU Online, about the Central Michigan program's education graduate students.

Virginia resident Qualisha Zyhier-Williams, who is pursuing an online master's degree in school principalship at Central Michigan University, believes that writing about her multiple commitments gave her a leg up in the admissions process.

"I coach basketball in middle school and for the community," says Zyhier-Williams, who teaches middle school science. "I have four children. With me describing all of that, they could see that I was able to multitask and that is a big part of it. In order to be successful you have to be able to multitask."

Prospective online students should also make sure their application reflects any previous experience with online learning and their comfort with technology, says Patrick, with Central Michigan.

Kai Rush, who graduated in 2011 from the online master's in educational technology program at Northern Illinois University, followed that advice in his application. He mentioned training teachers in online education, among other experiences with technology.

[Explore technology must-haves for online students.]

Rush, who now works as an instructional coach in an Illinois school district, recommends future applicants demonstrate their proficiency with technology, particularly with Google products such as Google Hangout and Google Drive. Those are the best tools out there to help people collaborate, he says.

Prospective online graduate education students should pay attention not only to the content of their application, but to the way it's presented, says Elizabeth Boling, associate dean for graduate studies at in the education school at Indiana University.

"A statement that really communicates well, no matter what it says, is a good sign because so much of online education has this strong reading and writing component," she says. "You are not just writing your papers. Your discussion with your classmates and your feedback with your instructor are all done in written form, so that fluency component of writing is very important."

Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center.

Devon Haynie is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering online education. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at dhaynie@usnews.com.