Online learning has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. For some time now, students have been searching for more flexible ways to earn their education, while still working full-time, or managing busy schedules. Online degrees promise academics a way to expand their horizons at their own time, with convenient self-paced learning. However, while online degrees have become more common in recent years, particularly since the pandemic, it’s worth noting they don’t offer exactly the same experience as a traditional education. If you’re planning on expanding your skillset with a new learning opportunity, it’s worth taking the time to assess the differences between traditional and online learning first.
Benefits of Online Degrees
Online degrees actually have quite a lot in common with traditional degrees in many ways. You can even fund your online degree in the same way you would an offline education. Having private student loan options available ensure students can seek out the correct funding and finance regardless of what kind of college they might be attending. However, there are some specific benefits which appear to be unique to the online degree roadmap. For instance:
- Timing: Perhaps the biggest benefit of an online degree, is it allows you to choose exactly when and where you want to learn. You can log into your computer and take a class on your lunch break at work, or finish projects in your free time. This is ideal if you have various commitments that would make it impossible for you to follow a typical curriculum at a traditional school. You can even take longer to complete your degree if necessary.
- Options: Aside from giving you more freedom over the time you dedicate to your learning experience, online degrees can also give you additional options when it comes to what you want to learn. If a specific school somewhere in the world is offering a course you desperately want to take, you don’t necessarily have to pick up your whole life and move it to another country. There are countless different topics and degree options to choose from online.
- Price: You can still find funding for an online degree using private loans and similar lending opportunities. However, the chances are you’ll usually have to borrow a lot less overall. This is because you generally won’t need to pay the same price for in-person lectures and materials. You can also avoid some of the costs typically associated with travel, accommodation during your education, and more.
Benefits of Traditional Degrees
So, if online degrees are so accessible and advantageous these days, why would you consider going for a traditional degree instead? The simple answer is the overall experience is a lot different. Although you may pay extra for things like accommodation and travel, you can earn more life and social experience, as well as practicing your independence. Some of the biggest benefits of traditional learning strategies include:
- Support and feedback: While online degrees can offer a decent level of support and feedback from specialists committed to your class, it’s not the same as being able to seek assistance from a professor face-to-face. With a traditional degree, you can get a more personal level of support which can make it easier to succeed in your classes.
- Social opportunities: Even with forums and social media pages to help you connect with other students in an online degree, you’re not going to get the social opportunities you get at a traditional college. The friends you make in an offline school can stay with you for your entire life. What’s more, the networking you do could open the door to new careers.
- Resources: There are some things which can he harder to study from the comfort of your own home. And the difference between high school and college writing, and other skills, is significant. Schools and traditional universities come with access to specialist equipment and tools to give you a hands-on experience of different skills. If you’re a budding engineer or doctor, you’re going to need the unique resources you can only get from a traditional school.
- Independence: At any age, going to college or university gives you a chance to step out of your comfort zone and put your independence to the test. It’s a chance to develop confidence in your own skills, test your boundaries, and learn more about who you are as a person. This can be one of the most valuable reasons to go to a traditional college.
Both online and offline degrees have a multitude of benefits to offer, but they each offer very different experiences to learners. It’s best to consider your opportunities carefully when you’re trying to decide which route is right for you.
