The Pros and Cons of an Online College Degree

Getting a college degree online seemingly appears to be a very convenient way to gain further education without having to inconvenience your home life. An easier way to obtain an edge in the working world is by getting that online college degree that you've always wanted, without having to leave the comfort of your own home. All of this may very well be true, but there are a few things that a person should consider before becoming financially tethered to an online college or university.

Can you make the time?
Take a moment and evaluate how much free time you really have in your personal life. After tending to your work, house chores, possibly children, and making time just to relax, how much time do you have left to study and work on assignments? This involves hours reading which can be very time consuming.

How comfortable is "the comfort of your own home"?
Do you have the peace and quiet necessary to read and study? Are the people in your house (spouse, children, friends, etc.) willing to give you the time and space you need? More times than none, this is the biggest problem. Everyone around you might not be willing to put there life on hold for your betterment. This is a hard reality, but when you are at home, people will be tempted to confront you with home issues that will interfere with your studies. If you were in a classroom setting, this would not be a problem. Unless you are one of those individuals you can't turn their cell phone off.

How credible is the online college degree you are pursuing?
There are now several online colleges to choose from, but how credible are they once earned? Will the college degree earned online hold any weight in the working world, or did I just put all this time and effort into a worthless piece of paper? You may want to research via online bulletin boards or websites. Even word of mouth to some extent. It's not my place to tell you which online college is worthy, but rather to advise you to take the time to see if the college you select will get you the job that you want.

Can I afford the loan to get my education?
Certain online universities have government loan programs set up where you don't have to pay back your loan if you complete your schooling. These sound great in theory, but what if you don't complete your schooling and have to pay it back? They are usually very expensive and here's the catch: Once you get the loan, the school gets paid in full. So they get their money no matter what, and you get stuck paying the government back the remainder of your loan for nothing in return. The online colleges are making a fortune off students under these circumstances. From information I gathered off of different online studies, the freshman dropout rate is over 25% higher for online students. The overall dropout rate is nearly equal that number.

What are the "pros" to online college degree courses?
Under most circumstances, people who say they don't have the time to attend traditional college classes do so mainly because of family issues. Children involved and no sitter available. Unfortunately like I said earlier, the children can make it difficult to concentrate at home. I am not trying to discourage any parent in getting further education, but trying to prevent them in finding themselves in a hard financial situation because they couldn't make it work for them. More than half the time, if you don't have time to go to classes, you probably won't have time to do them at home either. There have been many parents as well as other individuals who have made this work successfully though. These are just things to consider. A big convenience for most to online class is not having to partake in the social aspect of college. If you are an aging adult, sitting in class with pimple faced kids can be annoying. It can also be distracting hearing about all the parties and other gatherings that take place at school. If you have any health issues that make it difficult to leave the house, online college is a fantastic option.

I hope this knowledge has helped some of you in your decision making process. I have been fortunate enough to have an insider's look at online colleges classes and ultimately I believe any education is good education. Your knowledge is the one thing nobody can take from you, I just want you to be sure that your newly acquired knowledge can be put to good use and benefit you and your future.

Timothy D. Arnold recruits students via his online college portal http://www.choosing-your-college.com