The Top Ten Benefits Of Learning Online

THE TOP TEN BENEFITS OF LEARNING ONLINE

1. Attend class whenever

What? You have a life? Trying to go to school isn’€™t always easy, especially when you’re working full-time, or have a family, or you like to have an occasional moment of free time to yourself! The convenience of going to class when it works best for you is an unparalleled advantage of attending class online. You can plan class around your life, not the other way around.

2. Save money

If finding time to go to school wasn’t hard enough, you also have to find the money. Think about all the money you lose aside from tuition when attending a traditional university • it can really add up! Transportation and child care alone could cost you thousands of dollars each semester, not to mention the thousands more you would lose if you stopped working. Not only are those costs eliminated by attending school online, online universities also offers financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc.) to help students graduate without resorting to the “top ramen and more top ramen” diet.

Even though tuition might seem expensive now, when you consider that college graduates earn $1 million dollars more than high school graduates over their working life, your degree will be well worth the cost.

3. Class is accessible anywhere

Study at home, on your lunch break, on the road, at the beach, sailing over the Grand Tetons in a hot air balloon, anywhere you want! So long as you have an active internet connection, class is always accessible. Even if you don’t have access to the internet, you can still download your lessons in advance, or print them out and take them with you. Happy sailing!

4. Earn your degree FAST (or slow)

If four or five years at the local university sounds a little too long for you to graduate, you may be an excellent candidate for online education. Most online programs are offered at an accelerated pace. Many schools will also let you transfer credit from another school and test out of courses early. Accelerated learning not your thing? No problem. Set your own pace and graduate when it’s convenient for you.

5. Wide selection of accredited degrees

Attending a traditional university, you are limited to the degree programs offered by local schools (unless you want to pick up your life and move). When you explore online possibilities, you’ll be able to select from a multitude of accredited degrees, weigh your options, and choose the best program and school for your unique situation. No move required.

6. Programs focus on career integration

Online degree programs are tailored for individuals looking to advance their career. Courses are designed to help students integrate what they learn from class into a professional environment. This can pay huge dividends, especially when your employer notices a positive change from your newly applied knowledge. Did someone say “promotion”?

7. Diverse learning environment

It’s safe to say that one of the best parts about school is learning. And one of the most interesting facets of learning is studying a topic with people whose opinion and perspective differ from that of your own. You’ll find that the online environment offers a rich blend of students and teachers from all over the nation, each with their own individual collection of thoughts and experiences to contribute to the conversation. It definitely keeps things interesting.

8. Less intimidation, more participation

You know that one guy? The one who knows something about everything, the one that won’t shut up and let anyone else talk? Feel free to talk right over him! In an online setting, you don’t have to raise your hand, just join the discussion and let your thoughts be known! It’s much less intimidating sitting behind a computer, and much easier to say what you really think. You also have the added advantage of articulating your thoughts ahead of time so you don’t say something you’€™ll regret later; not that any of us have ever done that before.

9. Direct teacher interaction

Classes are usually smaller than traditional courses. Consequentially, teachers are able to spend more time answering student’s questions, and less time worrying about grading hundreds of assignments at a time. Students are typically immersed in a more rich, interactive learning environment so they learn from more than just lectures and textbooks.

10. Helpful online counselors and resources

Counselors are dedicated to making your experience online a positive one. They recognize that you may have a lot of questions, and are willing to give you all the support you need. They will help you choose the right classes, and direct you to additional resources to aid you in your quest for knowledge.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, †The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings,‡ Current Population Reports, P23-210,
by Jennifer Cheeseman Day and Eric C. Newburger, available via a link at www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/educ-attn.html. Data are from March
supplements to the Current Population Survey, 1998-2005.