As a woman who got her Bachelor’s Degree in just two years while working part-time and raising foster children, I am a huge supporter of using online schools to complete your higher education.  However, I am also fully aware that the way that I tend to operate as a student differs greatly from that of the average person, and so I would not be the first to suggest that online schools are for everyone.  There are significant differences between online schools and onsite schools, and you should take these differences into careful consideration before opting to try out any online schools which you might be considering.  Take a look at why online schooling worked better for me personally than on-site schooling would have, and you should get a good idea of what the pros and cons are of each of these types of education.

Being self-driven 

My current career is one in which I work from home, operating my own business, setting many of my own deadlines and driving myself to get things done on a daily basis.  I frequently am told by others that they could not do what I do, not because it is particularly difficult but because it takes a sort of internal sense of motivation that many people simply do not have.  This internal motivation is the primary thing which made it possible for me to easily attend online school.

 

I am the kind of person who is always ahead of deadline.  During the two years that I was in college full-time (double-time really), I kept a color-coded calendar showing what was due for which classes on which dates.  I completed every single assignment before deadline, stayed well ahead of my reading and made sure to factor in time for any at-home emergencies which might come up during the course of my schooling.  This ability to really keep myself on track was what got me through online school.  If you don’t have this ability, if you’re the kind of person who really needs someone reminding you that deadlines are coming up or who works best when motivated by the peer pressure of the academic environment, on-site schooling is probably better than online schooling.

The academic experience 

Another reason that online school worked for me is that I already had a strong network outside of school for both social and professional opportunities.  I was primarily getting my Bachelor’s degree in order to be able to go further with my career.  I knew people in the field that I wanted to enter, and I had already set myself up with a terrific group of friends to meet my non-academic needs.  Because of this, I didn’t have any need for the networking opportunities which would have been available if I had gone to an on-site school.

 

If you are just entering your college education, especially if you’re heading there straight from high school, you may not know yet what you want to do for a career.  The importance of a college education in terms of the opportunities which it opens up for the rest of your life should not be underestimated.  The on-site school gives you the chance to meet more people, become more involved in activities and generally round out your life.  While it is possible to meet people through online schools, it requires a different kind of effort and does not come as easily.  On-site schools throw you into group activities and make networking a natural activity.  If you’re going to be using your education to expand your world, you should consider on-site schools.

A different learning style 

I was always naturally a very good student.  I picked things up easily and learned really well on my own.  I actually got quite bored in traditional classes because I was ahead on the material and wasn’t captured by the class discussions.  But this is not the case for everyone.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  Everyone has their own learning style, and for some people, the real education happens when the theories are taken out of books and put into class interaction via lectures, small group exercises and in-class activities.  For a person who learns best in this kind of stimulating environment, the on-site schools are going to offer a lot more chances to learn via different methods.

A different career track 

The final thing which really made my online school work for me was that I wasn’t looking to enter any sort of a traditional career.  I was seeking to expand the work that I had already begun and to allow it to lead in to working for myself.  Ultimately, the self-direction and organizational skills which I honed during my online school years were excellent practice for the work I would later do in running my own business.  Had I been planning to enter a career field which would require me to sit through daily meetings, interact with a hierarchical system or otherwise become part of a group organization, then the skills learned from on-site school probably would have been of more use to me.

 

Furthermore, when your work is being judged by the outside world, there is a need for concern about the credibility of your education.  Online schools offer an excellent education but there is a social stigma attached to them.  If you are going to be putting your resume in the mix with hundreds of others, you may need to make sure that any online schools you are considering are accredited and do not list anywhere on your diploma that you attended an online program.  For me, this was a non-issue so online school worked.

Summary of online vs. on-site school 

Online schools can be an excellent tool for getting an education while you are living the rest of your busy life.  Online classes can also be a terrific supplement to the rest of your on-site education, offering scheduling flexibility at a time when you might need it or helping you to get through classes where the material is easy for you to grasp on your own.  However, your online school experience will differ greatly from your on-site school experience and you should make sure that you are fully aware of all of the differences before you proceed with either course.

I found a really good article about a free online college resource called OpenLearn. I recommend reading about this great resource here.

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