Online College: A good idea for you?

The traditional image of a college student is someone who leaves his or her home and goes to a college campus, spending a lot of money and four complete years in order to get a degree. This image of college life has been turned on its head by changes in the world, especially in the realm of electronic communication. Today, distance learning, which was once associated only with clunky correspondence courses, has become an attractive alternative to on-campus learning.

One of the most attractive features of studying at home with an online or distance learning program is that it allows you to be more flexible. Studying at home may be a better fit for your present lifestyle. You wouldn’t have to give up your job or leave your family if you decide to enroll in an online program. In addition there is no need to get the degree finished within the traditional four year period. You can adjust it to fit your present schedule. All of these are important, especially if you are an adult who wants to get a college degree.

Finance is another reason why many people prefer to enroll in an online college degree program. In the past few years college tuition costs have risen to extremely high levels. The costs of commuting to college have also risen as well.

Distance learning courses do not demand as much from the universities. They do not have to build new buildings or labs, and in many cases these savings are passed on to the enrolled students. In addition, anyone who studies at home will have fewer commuting costs and can usually save money on accommodations.

If you are thinking that distance learning or online college studies are inferior to on-campus programs, then you may have to reconsider your opinion. Many large lectures on campus are now delivered by video, and likewise, the advent of the broadband Internet allows people studying at home to “attend” lectures by logging onto the Internet and watching a video. The gap between distance learning and on-campus learning has been narrowed by technology.

If you are outside the mold of a traditional college student, there is one more thing that may tip the balance in favor of choosing distance learning. Many distance learning programs give you credit for “life experience” or previously earned credits which will allow you to accelerate the rate at which you can earn your degree.

You may need your college degree to get ahead in your career, but it doesn’t mean that you have to drop your job and head to a distant campus. You may be able to get it with a good online college degree program.

Diane Palmer spent more than twenty-five years as a Dean of Students at a major university in the Midwest. She currently writes on subjects including how to select an online degree program to advance your career, and how to find an online college likely to grant academic credit for your prior life experience.

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