For many years online degrees were pursued only by so-called nontraditional students.
These students tended to be stay-at-home mothers or working adults between the ages of 24 and 37 or 38. Because of their career and family obligations, they were unable to enroll in traditional colleges. Online education was pretty much their only possible path to a degree. They worked hard, earned their online degrees and moved ahead even though some employers were not ready to accept the value of those degrees.
Online college students still tend to be working adults, for reasons we all understand. They have the self-direction and discipline to work independently, and they are grateful that they can earn a degree on their own schedule.
Most of all, they understand what a degree can do for their careers and their earning power. But today, more and more students of traditional age are choosing online education.
Students in the traditional age range also like the freedom to work toward a degree while working. And, they are often excited by the opportunity to earn a degree more quickly than is possible in on-campus programs.
In addition, online college courses give high school students a chance to get a head start on earning college credit: some now graduate from high school with close to 40 college credit hours. And, online degree programs give college students the option to minimize student loan debt by working a significant number of hours while earning a degree.
Also, traditional college students now shorten their time-to-degree or pick up courses they were closed out of by supplementing their on-campus classes with online courses.
While the majority of online degree students are 24 years old and older, and educators do not expect that to change soon, it is apparent that more and more younger students are also taking advantage of online education opportunities. And, their numbers are expected to grow at a significant rate.
These students tended to be stay-at-home mothers or working adults between the ages of 24 and 37 or 38. Because of their career and family obligations, they were unable to enroll in traditional colleges. Online education was pretty much their only possible path to a degree. They worked hard, earned their online degrees and moved ahead even though some employers were not ready to accept the value of those degrees.
Online college students still tend to be working adults, for reasons we all understand. They have the self-direction and discipline to work independently, and they are grateful that they can earn a degree on their own schedule.
Most of all, they understand what a degree can do for their careers and their earning power. But today, more and more students of traditional age are choosing online education.
Students in the traditional age range also like the freedom to work toward a degree while working. And, they are often excited by the opportunity to earn a degree more quickly than is possible in on-campus programs.
In addition, online college courses give high school students a chance to get a head start on earning college credit: some now graduate from high school with close to 40 college credit hours. And, online degree programs give college students the option to minimize student loan debt by working a significant number of hours while earning a degree.
Also, traditional college students now shorten their time-to-degree or pick up courses they were closed out of by supplementing their on-campus classes with online courses.
While the majority of online degree students are 24 years old and older, and educators do not expect that to change soon, it is apparent that more and more younger students are also taking advantage of online education opportunities. And, their numbers are expected to grow at a significant rate.
About the Author:
Mary Nance writes about online degrees, scholarships, and online university programs for mid-career adults.
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