How to Determine if an Online Degree is Right For You
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Deciding to obtain an online degree is not easy. Think about how you learn best, whether in person with others or online alone. It is a decision that cannot be made in an instant without weighing the pros and cons or substantive research. But 86% of online students agree that obtaining an online degree is worth it.?
By Ciarra Maraj
Imagine being on an island, mocktail in hand, attending class on Zoom, or reading coursework. Pursuing an online degree can make that hypothetical a reality.?
The pandemic forced the class of 2020 and the spring class of 2021 to finish their degrees online. Today, about 90 percent of colleges and universities are resuming in-person instruction.?
In-person classes require less time commitment, but online classes offer convenience for sole providers.?
Various programs exist online. Searching for the right one can be difficult with so many options.?
“It depends on your personal schedule and family obligations, as well as work responsibility. Not everybody can take off during the evening hours,” said Carol Aslanian, president and founder of Aslanian Market Research and lead researcher at EducationDynamics, a higher education marketing agency focused on connecting non-traditional students to colleges.?
Deciding if an online degree is the right move is not a quick decision, said Marianne Vakalis EdD, interim provost and dean of Berkeley College.?
“You've got to make sure that this is the right decision for you at whatever time of your life you're at and you can't make it quickly,” Vakalis said. “It’s not like going into a shop and buying a dress or a pair of shoes or whatever. You have to really think about it and you need to be committed. So you need to take your time.”
Consider your learning style when making this decision. Are you an independent or collaborative learner?
Benefits of Obtaining an Online Degree
Whether a degree is obtained online or in person does not affect its value.?
“Obtaining a degree online is as rigorous and can be even more demanding sometimes than completing it on site,” Vakalis said “But everyone's learning style is a little different. I don't think the prestige is any different. I think online learning, now, in this time, is very well respected.
Twenty-five percent of college students are projected to be online within the next five years.
“And that number keeps creeping up and up every year,” Aslanian said. “So one of four students has found it to be worthwhile and to use it for their primary purpose: to advance in their careers, to gain a promotion, to increase their salary.”
Convenience is one of the main benefits of obtaining an online degree. Working with due dates offers the freedom to complete coursework at any time. Being remote eliminates travel and the need to dedicate time to attending class.?
“Most online programs and courses now are organized so that you can learn when you've got the time,” Vakalis said. “If that's 2 o'clock in the morning, that's when you can go in for your online course and do your work. So I think convenience is a big plus.”
Being able to progress at your preferred pace is another advantage, Vakalis added.
The freedom to choose from hundreds of institutions and programs online is another benefit, Aslanian said.?
“You could pick an institution anywhere in the United States if you want,” Aslanian said. “You could find the majors, the areas of concentration that may not be available in a nearby institution, but [are] available online.”
More employers are accepting online credentials, she noted.?
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“They would look old-fashioned, they would look out of date if they did not consider online,” Aslanian said.?
Downsides of Obtaining an Online Degree
Sometimes going to class once a week for three hours is easier than completing asynchronous work that can take longer.
A downside is not having time to attend class since in-person communication is much faster than waiting for a professor’s emailed response. Losing this access can be a cost of online learning. This is why understanding individual learning styles is important to making this decision.?
“Everyone learns differently,” Vakalis said.
Some people like to have music on while they work. Others like their space and uninterrupted focus, she added.?
“Other people learn best in a setting like a classroom where there are questions back and forth, and there's open dialogue, and it's all back-and-forth interaction,” Vakalis said.?
Convincing employers that a distant school has the same credibility as the local university is challenging.
“We have found in earlier studies that 70% of online students study with an institution within about a hundred miles of where they live,” Aslanian said. “Now, you'd [ask] why? Well, because number one, they know it, number two, the reason they're getting it is to impress some employment soul, and most people would know a nearby institution [more] than a faraway institution.
“...That's one thing that we always think that if we live in Massachusetts, then we study at the University of Massachusetts, it's more impressive for our employers where we're trying to advance or accelerate our position than studying at the University of Arizona.”
Finding Online Degree Programs?
Before heading to Google, know what area of study to discover. The most common online degree majors are computer science and business.?
Consult the best online college lists.?
Use services such as Education Connection (yes, that one website from that commercial with the catchy tune many years ago).?
Talk to students and alumni of the program to understand the negatives and positives.?
“Word of mouth is the best possible communication,” Vakalis said.?
Is the digital education experience worth it??
According to EducationDynamics, 86% of online students agree that obtaining an online degree is worth the cost.
Top Takeaways?
How to Determine if an online degree is right for you?