We know you have had debates with your teachers, parents, and friends about online classes at college and in-person classes. To help settle the discussion, we have hunted down the 7 greatest benefits of taking classes online.
It isn’t just about college costs anymore. With everyone moving to work from home jobs, almost everything is done from the comfort of your couch now. Online college is the next logical step.
From high-quality tutors to experiencing global culture, online classes can change your college experience for the better!
Less Cost
The first thing everyone thinks about regarding college is “what are my options for college” and then “what is the cost.” With online schools, you have the best of both worlds.
There are more schools available to you when you’re looking at online options, and they are typically cheaper than even going to an in-state college. Prices for online colleges run from 100 to 400 dollars per credit hour.
Comparatively, your typical brick and mortar college will cost you living expenses and credit hours for classes. Most students pay between $400 and $800 per credit hour to go in person to school.
In this area alone, you can save yourself tens of thousands of dollars choosing online over in-person schooling!
Resources At Your Fingertips
When you are in class and get stuck on an issue, you have to flip through books or ask the teacher for clarification. Online classes eliminate this potentially embarrassing or time-consuming moment altogether.
With an online college, you have the power of search engines, online tutoring, other people who live in your house, and much more!
You don’t have to trudge through the snow to get help after class anymore. You can simply hire an online tutor or call a computer technician to fix your technical problems.
Going to an online college allows you more freedom and time to focus on what you need to by putting traditional resources a few clicks away.
Self-Paced Learning
Another huge benefit to online classes is that all of the material is in the syllabus right away. This means that you can choose to get ahead or stay on pace with the minimum requirements.
Being able to spend a weekend and get all your homework done for the semester is just one of the bonuses to self-paced learning.
Self-paced learning also means that you don’t have to go to class at a specific time or commit hours to homework due in the next lesson. You set your schedule with online schooling, so you won’t have to miss the game or your Mom’s birthday anymore.
Resume Builder
With movement in technology, the majority of jobs are moving to online work from home jobs. Online jobs mean that an online college has additional benefits.
You will have exposure to programs like:
- Skype
- Facetime
- Zoom
- Software Phones
- Troubleshooting local computer issues
- Dropbox
- Slack
- Trello
- Blackboard
- Basecamp
- Dozens of other programs!
These programs are resume builders because businesses use them to keep things moving in a work from home environment. If you know how to use all the software a job has already, you’re much more likely to be hired.
Design Your Unique Learning Environment
Some people just can’t focus if they don’t have their music playing or their candles lit. Online classes let you create your ideal environment for learning!
People talk about setting aside a room for their college experience in their house. If you work better alone, online college makes it easy to create a quiet area for study.
If being alone isn’t your thing, getting together study groups online has also never been easier. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, online classes are a fantastic solution.
You can work outside, in your garage, sitting up in bed, at a coffee shop and anywhere else you want! This benefit helps people focus and have a brighter experience with college. It instantly turns a stuffy lecture room into a beautiful garden.
Dodge the Commute
Commuting to college means commuter fees. Yes, even if you don’t pay dorm fees, you pay commuter fees. Between the fees and the gas in your car, you’ll pay an additional $300 or more per year to go to college.
An additional benefit to not commuting is retaining your sanity. Students say that not having to commute to school puts them into a better mood for class. When you don’t have to deal with bad drivers or finding a parking space, you typically start your day off in a better headspace.
Taking online classes eliminates those commuter costs immediately, and the only drive you have to do while taking classes online is to go get snacks! That means 300 plus dollars back in your pocket.
Exposure To Other Cultures
A hidden benefit of online classes is that you can experience other cultures and people from around the world from your living room. College is a collaborative experience, and if you get to experience people from around the world, this can open your mind to thousands of ideas.
Hearing from people from different parts of the United States alone is a roller coaster, let alone speaking to people from France, Italy, Norway, Poland, or anywhere else. People from other parts of the world have entirely different, unique experiences to share.
Understanding cross-culture perspectives has limitless benefits, and employers are looking for worldly entrepreneurs.
It’s Just Classier
Online classes provide so many wonderful benefits. Some of which you could only hope to experience at a typical brick and mortar school.
Save yourself some money, some headaches, and some commutes by choosing an online college. What’s the worst that can happen?