Online learning has opened up educational opportunities for people who might not have had them before. With online classes, no matter where you live, as long as you have a computer and Internet connection, you have options.
It’s such a different experience from the traditional classroom environment. Why would someone want that? And why are so many people saying that online classes are a great alternative to in-person attendance at a class?
Believe it or not, there are some enormous advantages to online classes. Here are some of these are obvious while others may surprise you.
Save Money During College
It’s no secret that college costs a lot of money. You pay for the classes, a dorm room that smells like old stuff, cafeteria meals, activity fees, massive text books and a host of other random expenses. It adds up really quick. There’s a reason most students have to take out loans.
The average graduating student has a staggering $37,172 in college debt. This can be a huge burden to someone just trying to launch a career.
With online classes, you’re only paying for the university credits. If you’re trying to save money, this is a perfect solution. You’re only spending money on the things you want to spend money on.
Classes With More Flexibility
Taking classes usually means showing up on class at a particular time, sitting through a somewhat lengthy lecture and then going directly to your next class. Or, if you’ve spaced your classes out, you may be able to take a break in between, but you still have to stay on campus. It can make for really long, really intense, really exhausting days.
Then you have to come home, do homework, sleep and do it all again the next day. It can easily become a grind.
With online classes, you do all the work at your own pace. As long as you meet your deadlines and participate appropriately online, you’ll be fine. This means much less pressure and intensity.
If you take classes online, attending is as simple as opening up your computer or tablet. No rain-soaked walks or hypothermic marches for you! You can learn from the comfort of your home or favorite coffee shop while sipping on a steaming beverage.
Additionally, you can be flexible about when you get your work done if something comes up, like needing to take a child to soccer practice or attend a meeting for your job.
Online Classes Helps Improve Self-Discipline
Succeeding in online classes requires self-discipline. You don’t have a teacher to tell you when an assignment is do. Your best friend won’t call you on Monday morning to make sure you’re working on that group project. You actually have to login and participate in the discussions to get participation credit. Being lazy or undisciplined will cause you to quickly fall behind.
By taking online classes, you develop stronger self-discipline, which often translates to other areas of your life such as fitness, work ethic, and even relationships.
Take Classes from The Confort Of Your Home
Normally, your choice of university is significantly narrowed by location. If you live in Pennsylvania, it can be really challenging to attend UCLA due to the cross-country difference.
But with online classes, location doesn’t matter. If you live in Alaska and want to take classes at Florida State University, you can! If you want to travel the country while simultaneously getting an accounting degree, you can make that happen. All you need is a computer or tablet and an internet connection. This location independence is a massive, often underrated benefit of online classes.
There is absolutely no dress code with online classes. If you want to do you work in your PJs or velour track suit, you can. If you want to lie on your couch or your bed while watching a lecture, you can. If you want classical music on in the background while you chat with your classmates on the forum, you can.
You may remember that there’s a scene in “Seinfeld” where Jerry tells George that wearing sweatpants is a sign that you’ve given up on life. That was before online classes were invented. Now sweats can be a sign that you’re successful!
Transferable Credits Options
There may be times when you will need to transfer your credits. For example, let’s say a class requires prerequisite but you can’t fit it into your schedule. Or, maybe you need to take a prerequisite class over the summer and your university doesn’t offer it during the summer.
Because online credits are usually transferable, you can take the needed class online at another university and then transfer the credit to your university. It’s the perfect solution if you’re trying to move through school quickly or need to make up lost time.
Wider Variety of Classes
No matter what your desired field of study, you can almost find an online program, whether that’s nursing, mathematics, science, accounting, or just about any other program. And more programs are being added by schools every day. There truly is an option for almost everyone.
If your program is not offered online by your school, ask if there are any similar options or transferable credits you could get from another school.
Self-Paced Online College Degrees
Many times, getting a college degree requires quitting your job. After all, it can be difficult to juggle the demands of school and work simultaneously. But if you’re organized and self-disciplined, it’s often possible to do both.
Because you don’t have to attend class at a specific time, you can fulfill the functions of your job and study during your free time. You can also use weekends to get additional work done that you didn’t have time for during the week. Yes, it’s demanding. Yes, it’s a lot of work. But if you want to keep working while getting a degree, you can make it happen with online classes.
With traditional classes, you have to work around the university schedule. If your class is at 4 p.m., you have to be in the classroom at that time and you have to attend the entire lecture. Failing to do those things will result in missing valuable information.
The Bottom Line
Online classes make it so much easier to fit things into your schedule. You can listen to lectures on your drive to work. You can watch videos on the train or bus. You can respond to comments while sitting in the coffee shop. You can even watch part of a lecture, pause it, and then come back to it at a convenient time. If you have an already full schedule, online classes are the perfect solution.
