Online degrees have seemingly exploded onto the scene overnight. While they have received a lot of new funding and development to accommodate the needs of students during lockdowns, the end result is that more young people and adults around the country can study for top degrees – and for less. While the degree itself won’t be much different in price from an on-campus alternative, being able to stay at home or move to a more affordable area can immediately make budgeting easier.
Online degrees are for everyone
Online degrees are for everyone. Those who benefit the most, however, are older adults. They may be interested in a career change, or they may simply have finally reached a point where earning a degree has become a good idea. Online degrees for adults have opened up the possibilities for future development for so many, and they’re available at all different levels.
If you decided to skip university to avoid the costs and get started in a personal business venture or to work in a labor-intensive job to start with but have recently decided that route is no longer for you, online degrees are the perfect fit.
Instead of going to night school, now you can learn in the comfort of your own home. If your next goal is to work as a therapist, you can earn an online bachelor of psychology and launch your new career primarily from home. Worried that an entirely online education won’t give you the hands-on experience you need? Don’t. Many online degrees, particularly for those who would work in licensed roles, have a hybrid model that includes laboratory experience or an on-campus residency. These on-campus options are short and work to round out your otherwise online degree.
Online degrees are not new
Though it may seem like online degrees are a new approach to learning, they’re not. There have been remote or distance-learning options long before the internet existed. In the past, your coursework was mailed back and forth. Then technology was introduced, and you could watch programs on your television. By the time the 90s came around, online degrees were a reality – just a poorly constructed one.
Since the pandemic, massive amounts of investments have been poured into the online learning framework. This means that the clunky, difficult-to-use models of the past are gone. Online degrees today now feature multiple tools to help make your online learning environment feel natural.
You need to set your own schedule
The one biggest difference between earning an online degree – particularly if you earn it part-time – is that it is on you to make and keep a schedule. This can be hard for some! If you are worried, start building up a productive routine today. You can enroll in a free online course as a proxy tool to get you used to learning and working throughout the day. Then, when it’s time to start your degree, switch so that you can easily transition without the initial shock of a whole extra workload.
There may be on-campus components
There may be on-campus residencies or laboratories as part of your degree. In some cases, these on-campus elements might be optional, but in others, essential. Be aware of what you need, and book the time off work (or consider quitting at that stage) so that you can attend these components. They usually are only a few weeks, so you don’t need to move long-term.