Perhaps the most significant change in higher education in the United States over the past several years has been the rapid growth in online education programs offered by major colleges and universities. The number of schools offering these programs has been steadily increasing over the past 5 years and the trend shows no signs of changing anytime soon.
The true beneficiaries of online education have generally been young working adults. No longer is the potential student faced with the tough decision of attending college full time or working full time. Many of these young adults also have families which previously made the choice even more difficult. With the introduction of online education the advantages for potential students have become obvious.
Make sure that you look for an accredited school when doing your school research. Accreditation is very important. while almost 100% of the major colleges and universities offer accredited courses online, there are a number of smaller schools that do not.
Don’t think that getting an online education is going to be easy. It still requires the same amount of work and studying as do classes offered at traditional campus based colleges. Online students usually have access to real instructors and in many cases even have access to the campus based facilities of the online school they are attending.
You can now obtain much more than just an associate or bachelor’s degree online. Many online universities are now offering students the opportunity to work towards a master’s or even a doctorate via online courses.
Your earning power has never been more closely tied to your education level than it is in today’s business world. Promotions tend to go to those employees who have degrees or at the very least are studying towards their degree. Online education allows you the opportunity to continue in your present job while pursuing a higher education.
Online education has totally revolutionized the way people look at their educational futures. Gone are the days when you finished high school and had to decide on whether to get a full time job or attend college. Young adults now are free to do both, working a full time job while at the same time working towards their college degree by studying online from the comfort of their home.
Online education is likely to become even more popular over the coming years. The advantages to potential students are many, allowing more time for other activities, whether that be work or family, the opportunities offered by colleges and universities offering online degree programs are very apparent to the potential student.
