Why Bother With An Online Degree?

in Education by Salie — April 4, 2011 at 12:43 pm | 1 comment

Growth of Degrees Online

Despite the old maxim that “there’s nothing new under the sun,” a lot of students are finding an entirely new take on an age-old goal: acquiring a better education. Online courses can supplement and even supplant traditional degree programs. If you aren’t already considering a degree program online, chances are very good that you know someone who is; online education and distance learning now account for 13 billion dollars spent in the U.S. each year. What determines students’ choices for traditional education or online learning?

Cost

Standard university classes cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per credit hour even at state universities. Ivy League schools and private universities can cost more than the price of a modest home over the course of a four-year degree program. Tuition is only part of the total cost. Think about:

• parking fees
• material costs for labs
• gas or public transportation prices
• lunch money

It all adds up. Online courses eliminate almost all of these costs as well as costing less up front; tuition for online courses is typically lower than the price of attending on-campus classes.

Schedule Flexibility

If you’ve ever taken an 8:00 class at a college on the other side of town, you undoubtedly have a deeper appreciation for the convenience of online classes. There are no rush-hour delays, no parking hassles, no fretting about whether you’ll be late because every class you take is on your own time. The freedom to learn when your mind is most clear and receptive is a draw to online education.

Other Responsibilities

Those who are fortunate enough to have their education paid for without the need to work or honor family responsibilities have an easier time amassing college credit within a traditional four-year degree program. That situation has become the exception rather than the rule, though. More students are obtaining degrees than ever before, but more of them are earning them around family and work. Online degree programs and distance learning allow students to fit classes in when they can instead of constraining them to specific hours.

Career Considerations

The image of the college student as a young person just starting to enter professional life is only one view of the modern educational landscape. Professionals who have spent decades in a given field are looking to add value to their credentials or even to switch careers. For a successful professional, having the option of taking classes without having to give up billable hours or a posh corner office is more than worth the relatively low cost of online degree programs.

Accessibility

Most Americans now live in cities, but for those who don’t, online education offers a way to get a degree from an accredited university without having to move. People in rural communities and those with solitary jobs such as oil field workers or forest rangers may be far from traditional college campuses, but they’re as close as their computer chairs to distance learning. Online classes also benefit those whose accessibility to brick-and-mortar classrooms is limited for other reasons; people with limited physical mobility could find travel an ordeal or even be impossible.

Accreditation

Distance learning used to mean limited degree options from colleges with dubious credentials; now, some of the most respected institutions of higher learning offer fully accredited online degree programs. The advantages are great not only for students, but for the universities; consider how much lower their overhead is when they have fewer students on campus. They lower their costs too, which is why they can afford to give online students a deal on college coursework. If you’re still considering an
online degree program either as an adjunct to traditional on-campus coursework or instead of it, your options broaden every day. With so many reasons to choose distance learning, it’s easy to see why people are opting for it to the tune of 13 billion dollars a year.

 

Tags: career classes Distance Learning online degree students