Getting An Online Education: Weighing The Pros and Cons

While online classes are increasing in popularity, many are still on the fence about them for a variety of reasons. For some, it’s the comfort of working in a controlled environment that steers them away from the option. In other cases, they may prefer the social aspect of traditional brick and mortar institutions. But online classes have many advantages over traditional colleges that everybody should consider. In this article, we’re going to explore the pros and cons of online colleges and whether they’re the right choice for you.

Pros of Online Colleges

Flexibility: This is perhaps the number one advantage of online courses. Online courses offer the chance for students to study from wherever there is a internet connection at any time they want. This is especially great for people currently holding positions or busy parents who want to go back to school.

Wide Variety of Choices: While online learning was limited to a few classes not too long ago, you can get pretty much any degree online nowadays. For instance, Northeastern University has a great online master of science in taxation that is open to everyone.

In addition to an online MST degree, most nursing degrees can be obtained completely online. Other online courses that are increasingly popular these days include MBAs, civil engineering courses and various law degrees. Online nursing degrees are particularly popular because of the pressure that is put on nurses to specialize their formations. Registered nurses often decide to further their education to get access to better positions and add more feathers to their caps.

Furthermore, more institutions respect online degrees than ever before and will honor a degree from an accredited institution, so the stigma that was once associated with online degrees has long been dispelled.

Study at your own Pace: One of the greatest advantages of online learning is that you can learn at your own pace. You can choose to take accelerated courses or you can extend your courses for much longer than what is permitted through traditional colleges. Again, a great option for people who are already working and would want to further their studies on their own time without compromising their positions.

Cons of Online Learning

Lack of face to face interaction: For some people, working alone is perfect and fits their personality. It allows them to tune out the distractions and anxiety that comes with working within a traditional class setting.

But for others, working in a traditional environment is the reason they go to college in the first place and they might crave interactions with their fellow students. If you’re a social butterfly and would like to enjoy all the social benefits a traditional college has to offer, than this might not be the best choice for you.

Time management: in a traditional class environment, everything is taken care of for you. This in many ways facilitates task and time management since you have to deal with specific deadlines and schedules.

With online classes, the extra liberties you enjoy may actually work to your detriment. This is why it is important to stay disciplined when choosing the online learning route and be sure that you’ll have the self motivation it takes to meet your responsibilities.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, only you will be able to tell whether or not online classes at for you. However, if you enjoy your liberty and would like to work from anywhere, anytime you want, and don’t have issues with discipline and self motivation, then online courses might be perfect for you.

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