By Samatha Nicholas

Kelli Cargile Cook never knows what to expect when she checks her email. She was recently selected as an E-learning adviser for USNews.com, the newest branch of U.S. News and World Report.

Six years teaching English and technical writing to juniors and seniors at Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas helped to prepare her for academic life. Cook spent the last four years serving as the book editor for the Utah State University Journal of Business and Technical Communication. A former high school student, who is now a friend, saw the notice of the position with USNews.com and recommended it to Cargile Cook. She applied, answered a series of possible questions, and was chosen based on her answers and experience.

Individuals visiting the website can enter specific forums that they are interested in and submit their questions to the advisors. Cargile Cook has "no way of knowing" who is submitting the questions. The range of questions are as varied as the people who ask them. She has fielded questions from people in several countries including India, Canada, and China. The majority of questions come from students looking for information about a specific course of study. Cook identifies which universities or institutions offer those specific programs and provides the information to the student.

"I am like a counselor... I give students options so they can make decisions for themselves," said Cook.

The questions are not always straightforward. For example, a student pursuing an MBA with a course load of 15 credits is wondering how to set aside time for her children. Fifteen credits may sound like a lot, but Cargile Cook did a little research and found that is a typical class schedule for many students in the MBA program. Among the suggestions offered by Cargile Cook was the advice to "set aside some time every day" to devote to specific areas of her life. Specific times for family activities, and specific times for studying.

Cargile Cook relies on mainly traditional resources to provide the answers to students questions. Library resources including the ERIC database and credible internet sites provide the basis of information. Credibility of internet sites is evaluated in several areas. Prominence as a national organization, listings in well-known institutional guides and clearly stated intent and membership information are important criteria.

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