What are the benefits and disadvantages of taking a college/university course /p

1. 72

   Loi-Reneeposted 12 years ago

   What are the benefits and disadvantages of taking a college/university course /program online?
   
   Is there still a stigma attached to persons who get their degree online or is it becoming more acceptable? Is taking the program online a good idea?

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2. 70

   Rhonda_Mposted 12 years ago

   Advantages:
   *Flexibility
   *You can better fit in part time work around studies
   *Some excellent programs
   *Benefit from all the students in your class being your teacher
   *Online instruction is more student centred than classroom learning
   *Many courses are transferrable to other institutions (but check to make sure)
   *Makes it easy to do qualifying studies in case you need to raise your GPA to get into a graduate program
   *Can benefit from having instructors who do not necessarily live your geographic area who are experts in their field (access to a wider pool of experts)
   *Online education uses a wide array of technologies which can get you accustomed to working in the knowledge industry
   *Good online education is constructed to support critical thinking, writing, individual interested
   
   Disadvantages
   *The onus is on the student to be self disciplined and to keep up
   *Students need to have different study strategies (self direction)
   *Not good for first year students just getting used to college
   *Less live contact (although lots of asynchronous interaction). Some students thrive better when there is a live teacher
   *Some colleges have poor support services when individuals have problems with technology or the institution or the tutor or the instructor
   *Can't go for coffee/beer with your fellow classmates

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3. 59

   Casey Strouseposted 12 years ago

   I went to school at the University of Advancing Technology which combined on-campus lectures with online lectures, course materials, assignments and exams.  A lot of my classes were entirely online and others were like a 60% online/40% in-class split.
   
   No one seems to care that I took online classes when applying for jobs because I can prove mastery of the information and have also done extensive studies of my own outside of a degree program.  I think that the stigma of online classes only exists for people studying certain subjects and for people attending online schools with the lesser-known and less-respected accreditations.
   
   The main benefit of online courses is that you have a ton of flexibility and can work it into your schedule even if you have kids, a job, etc.
   
   The main drawback is that it requires some serious self-control and time management skills and you have less access to instructors in many cases.  Another disadvantage is that you miss the in-class team building and socializing exercises that can be difficult to duplicate in an online study environment.

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4. 0

   SmarttChickposted 12 years ago

   The answer to the 2nd part of your questions depends less on whether the degree is online and more on what college/university you attend.  For example, attending Penn State University or the University of Maryland, and earning an online degree will not impact you in any way.  On the other hand, there are some other schools who make most of their money in the online arena whose reputations are that of "diploma mills", which simply means they are in business to make money and don't have much of a stake in whether anyone learns anything or not.  In these cases, buyer beware.  Do your research and ask around about what peoples' perceptions are on different schools.
   
   As to other differences, the online only degree requires a great deal of self-discipline, and self motivation.  It is easier to ignore lessons and homework when you don't have to go into a classroom and face your peers or teachers. This means you need to know yourself, well, before making this decision.
   
   Also, some people learn better on their own than in a classroom, while others need the interaction from others (and the online environment has NOT perfected this yet, even if they think they have) so again - know who you are and what you need to be successful.
   
   At the end of the day if you get the education you need, and the money you invested in your degree is worth it for the career you are entering, then you have made the right choice.  I would just caution you to be careful before agreeing to sign up for ANY school that says you MUST sign up today or lose a seat. . . if it feels like a used car sales pitch, RUN, do not walk, the other way and don't look back.  Lastly - most community colleges offer online classes and degree programs and are the MOST affordable option out there.  Look there first, and good luck!!

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5. 49

   pmpaustraliaposted 12 years ago

   There is a certain blot associated with online courses. But I don't think that accredited programs should feel this pinch. Most universities have started offering courses. Whether taking the course online or otherwise is totally as per your situation of time and resources.
   Source: http://www.ama.edu.au/

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6. 55

   Jeremy Carolposted 11 years ago

   I’d say it’s incredibly convenient and flexible but it’s easy to lose focus and slack off during the program so I’d say in order to avoid that- fix a study routine and stick to it. Find ways to stay focused and stay on top of things. Other than that, make sure your college is accredited and read everything you can find about it. I’m interested in healthcare and I’m reading some reviews and complaints about Stevens Henager College at the moment.
   http://youblisher.com/p/289365-Stevens- … ng-careers

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