Originally posted on September 20, 2011 @ 5:59 pm
As more and more of our daily functions and lives are lived through the web, we’re expanding the services and capabilities of the things that we can do. The demand is most obviously there and people have found the vast benefit of getting online degrees at times outweighs the route of the traditional brick-and-mortar institutions. These entrenched educational establishments have long been the benchmark of higher education, but very infrequently do they offer the kind of diversity of education and training that one can receive through many online programs. From an RN to BSN to a Bachelor’s Degree, you can enroll in an accredited institutions from the comfort of your laptop.
For starters, you can get one of these degrees and the online colleges go through the same accreditation process as traditional colleges. The main difference is that you can apply to one of these programs and take classes on your own time. Not everyone has the ease and flexibility in their schedule to attend traditional universities.
As we’ve seen in recent years, many people have to return to school in order to improve their candidacy for employment in a job market that’s more competitive that ever before. Many of these people are non-traditional students, which means that they’re older and likely have responsibilities. More traditional students that just graduated high school usually don’t have a full-time job and children to care for. It’s not just because it’s more convenient because, for some online degrees are the only option for those that don’t have the time or the luxury to participate in a traditional education setting.
With online degree programs, many of the people that are entering them usually have a much better understanding of what they’re trying to accomplish. It’s with online schools that you can create a tailored experience that will work best with your particular field of study. Many traditional majors are based strictly on giving you a basic overview of a topic. Though these institutions are great for a working general knowledge of many different areas of the market, they don’t always give you the best focused approach to education. Online colleges give you the information that you need and allow you to focus on specific areas that will give you the knowledge and education you need and not a bunch of information that you’re never going to need.
One of the side benefits of online schools is that you don’t have to deal with many of the ancillary costs of going to a traditional college. Whether you’re a commuter or you live on campus, brick-and-mortar schools have many side costs in transportation, living expenses, rent, food, and gas. With online schools you take all of those costs and through them right out of the widow. With online schools you simply save way more money. It’s become so popular, in fact, that many traditional colleges have begun to start similar online programs of their own. They realize that not everyone wants to deal with the normal college life and simply want to get the education so they can be more competitive in the workforce.
Though many traditional and younger students have found the myriad benefits of online education programs, it’s growth in use and popularity has largely been due to the use of typically non-traditional students. These programs don’t cater to one specific group, but it’s not about getting the college experience. It’s far more focused and to the point because, with online schools, you’re getting an education. You’re not going to get the dorm life experience or all the parties. Online schools are all about getting the information and education you need in the way that you need it.