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What are Some Good Reasons to Enroll in an Online College?

Diana Bocco
Diana Bocco

If you are a busy professional, a stay-at-home parent, or a business owner, the idea of going back to college may seem daunting. While it's true that a new college degree can do wonders for your resume and your career outlook, many people can not afford to return to full-time studying at a traditional college. In these cases, an online college can be the perfect solution. Here are some other reasons why an online college is a great choice.

For starters, an online college is usually cheaper than any where you would attend daily classes. This is because they do not need to provide room space for classes and generally pass those savings on to the students. Since you are taking classes from the comfort of your own home, an online college will also allow you to save money on transportation, meals, and even housing expenses. In fact, being able to attend classes in your pajamas is a major selling point of an online college. No need to waste time getting ready and going back and forth to campus; and no need to hire a babysitter to watch over the kids while you are at school.

People who are too shy to participate in a traditional classroom setting can excel in an online college.
People who are too shy to participate in a traditional classroom setting can excel in an online college.

Another big advantage of an online college is schedule flexibility. While you will be given a deadline to turn in assignments, one major benefit of studying online is that course scheduling is organized so you can skip classes or withdraw and come later if that is what you decide. There are also no set class times, so you can access the information at any time while it is posted. An online college is the perfect choice to fit a busy lifestyle, as more courses do not require more than an hour or two a day to meet requirements. While this is not true in all cases, an online college may also offer accelerated programs, so you would be able to complete a degree in as little as a year.

As with everything, do your research. There are a lot of scams online, so make sure you understand what you are getting for your money. Ask a lot of questions before you make the final decision.

Discussion Comments

Feryll

Online degrees are a danger to traditional educational institutions. Hopefully, as more and more people choose to get educations online, colleges will get the message and become more student friendly. The primary way they can do this is to lower tuition prices.

Sporkasia

I have the duty of hiring employees as part of my professional duties. While I make a conscientious effort to consider all applicants regardless of how they came by their educations and experience, degrees from certain institutions have greater value than others; and when I weigh a four-year degree earned at well-respected university against an online degree, the traditional degree comes out ahead.

However, there is much more to consider about an applicant than where or how he earned a degree. The degree is simply what gets the applicant an interview.

Animandel

The number of people earning degrees online is increasing substantially, and graduates can get positions with these degrees just like graduates who earn their degrees on traditional college campuses. The traditional college campus didn't work for me. I tried it, but eventually earned a degree online and complemented my online courses with labs and practical experience.

Laotionne

Online colleges may work for some people, but I believe the college experience of attending classes and meeting people outside of your normal circle is vital to being better able to compete in the workplace. The social element of college is as important as earning the degree.

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    • People who are too shy to participate in a traditional classroom setting can excel in an online college.
      By: WavebreakmediaMicro
      People who are too shy to participate in a traditional classroom setting can excel in an online college.
    • Having access to a laptop computer can aid in the convenience of studying and completing coursework online.
      By: Andres Rodriguez
      Having access to a laptop computer can aid in the convenience of studying and completing coursework online.