It seems like the whole world is online now. You can keep up with family across the country on Facebook, order pizza with a few clicks of a button, and watch your favorite movies right from your laptop. So it’s no surprise that many students are now choosing to go to college entirely online or supplement online courses with on-campus classes. But should you?
Before you enroll in online courses, consider a few things.
Your learning style: If you’re a visual learner, online learning may work well for you, as you’ll need to read most of your directions and course material. If you’re more auditory or kinesthetic, however, you may rely heavily on spoken instructions or hands-on-activities that may be rare in an online learning environment.
Your work style: Are you a self starter, or do you tend to procrastinate? If you’re fine controlling your own schedule and rarely miss deadlines or assignments, you may do fine in online courses. But if you rely on tutoring or reminders, you may need more structure and one-on-one attention than an online program can provide.
Your schedule: Do you have a lot going on in addition to school? If you have children, a full-time job, or other commitments, online courses may be far easier to fit into your schedule than on-campus courses. If school is your main responsibility, however, the benefits of being on campus may outweigh the convenience of learning from anywhere.
Before you enroll in an online program, find out as much as you can about it and see if tutoring, video components, or additional support is offered. And if you decide to try it out, start slow. Taking one online class in addition to your on-campus classes can help you decide if it’s right for you.
