The 21st century appears to be the Age of Education. More people are attending college this century than ever before. Not only that, but higher percentages of people are going to college than ever before.
The United States’ population in 1965 was about 190 million, and about 6% of them were attending college. The population has since increased to over 300 million, or by about 1/2 of what it was in ’65. Meanwhile, the number of people attending colleges has more than tripled, meaning that the rate of college enrollment is far outpacing the rate of population growth.
So, why is there such an increase in college education rates? There are a lot of reasons, but one of them is undoubtedly the rise of the internet.
With people able to attend college from home, many of the things that may have held them back, such as travel anxiety or a need to be close to a relative, are no longer a factor.
There are a lot of other benefits to taking online classes, too, and we’ll talk more about them in the paragraphs below.
1. Flexibility
One of the biggest advantages of online classes is because of how flexible they are. Many of us may not be able to handle the rigid college schedule of fixed class times and occasional attendance needs.
However, most of us can find time to do homework and read the necessary materials. In many cases, the lectures are outlined on powerpoints or other online documents that can help us keep track of what we’re supposed to be learning.
Also, because the students are operating on a loose schedule, the professors will be too. They have to be open, in some way, to consult with students.
2. Cost
Going to school online tends to be more affordable than going to a brick-and-mortar school. Room and board, on average, will cost between $10,000 and $12,000 per year.
If you want to attend a more prestigious college, the costs will almost certainly be higher than that.
The average student will actually pay more for room and board than for tuition. There’s also the cost of books, which may or may not be part of your online course. After all, in many cases, it may be easier to post-reading materials online than to have students buy books.
Of course, the college also has a lot of unofficial costs. For instance, if you decide to join one of the many student organizations that exist on campus, you may find that they occasionally have costs associated with them.
Certain clubs may take trips to certain areas or events. Clubs more geared towards social activism will often promote charities. It’s a good cause, but maybe you don’t have the extra money for it.
Then, of course, comes the option of studying abroad, should you choose to pursue it. It may be an incredible opportunity, but it’s also an expensive opportunity, and college may not be the best time to incur travel expenses.
3. Job and Career Benefits
We’ve all been told that college degrees are a great way to advance your career, and while that’s true, you may see more immediate benefits if you choose to go online.
Since the program works around your schedule, you may find it much easier to keep your current job while attending. While many schools offer work-study to help you reduce the costs of attending, this will allow you to earn the money to pay for college while attending.
Whether you go online or in-person, you may also find new career opportunities open to you after you graduate. After all, some jobs have higher education requirements, so online classes may be your leg up in your career field. You can get more information about how you can continue your education online.
4. Interaction
While many argue that online classes take away a student’s opportunity to spend time with other students, this is not always the case. With this argument, certain social factors are not being addressed.
Being put in a new environment, surrounded by new people can be a bit of a shock to some of us. This is especially true if we are already somewhat socially awkward or uncomfortable.
Sometimes, the anonymity of a screen can be just as much of an advantage as a disadvantage. We no longer need to fear the stutter or lisp we may have because it’s not there when we type.
A block of text on a screen doesn’t convey how much courage you had to summon up to put it there.
5. Technological Experience
There’s an old saying that goes, “if you put enough monkeys in front of typewriters, one of them will create a great novel.” The same is also true for computers.
Though all of us are much smarter than monkeys, we must admit that so much can be learned with time, experimentation, and a few happy accidents. After all, the technology behind microwave ovens was discovered because of a well-placed candy bar.
It will probably also help that you are able to interact with teachers and other students, one of whom will likely have a lot more experience with computers.
The Advantages of Online Classes for College Students
There are a lot of great advantages of online classes. They’re flexible and a lot more affordable. They also allow you to keep your job.
Not only that, but exposure to technology and the interaction with staff and other students may give you the opportunity to expand your horizons. Those are just a few of the many advantages of taking online classes. There are many others, and we encourage you to do more research on your own if you’re interested.
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