Benefits Of Distance Learning And How To Evaluate An Online University

Benefits Of Distance Learning and How to Evaluate an Online University

by

Michael Learner

Are you someone with a full time job that would like to continue your education but think you don’t have the time, money, or resources? If so have you ever considered distance learning?

Distance learning (also known as online education or eLearning) allows anyone to earn a degree online through the internet. Classes are given online as well as tests, and all of your studying can be done at your convenience from your home (or anywhere you prefer if you have a laptop or mobile internet.) What are the benefits of distance learning? You might be asking yourself why anyone would choose to get their education online when they could attend classes on campus in a traditional University environment. Some key benefits of obtaining your degree online that you may wish to consider are: Flexibility – You can arrange classes around your schedule and choose when you want to study. This is particularly helpful to those with kids and/or hectic work schedules. Affordability – You can save money on gas and parking by avoiding having to commute to and from classes. Additionally you may spend less money on books, as much or all of your course material will be made available online. You may also save money on other fees normally associated with college. Availability – Through distance learning you are not limited by your physical location and you can find the school of your choice to attend anywhere in the world. Normally attending an out of state University would require re-location (not to mention higher out-of-state tution). How to evaluate distance learning colleges and universities Here are some steps for evaluating a good distance learning University: 1.) Contact the schools you’re interested in directly to request more information or speak with a counselor or recruiter. Many people overlook this simple step but the school is really the best source of information about itself. 2.) Make sure that the college or university is accredited. This can’t be stressed enough. If you obtain your degree from a non-accredited institution future potential employers may not find your degree worth the paper it’s printed on. 3.) Talk to current and former students to get their direct feedback. Ask them about what their experience with the school was like and if they had any regrets. You can also visit UniversityDistanceLearning.com to read the real life stories from distance learning graduates. 4.) Search for the name of the school you are considering in a search engine like Google, and browse through at least the first 10 pages of results, keeping an eye out for any negative publicity. 5.) You can also search for the name of the school on RipOffReport.com and ComplaintsBoard.com. One or even a few complaints may be normal. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone. However if you find dozens of complaints that may be a warning indicator that you need to be careful. In our fast-paced society, and With the many benefits of distance learning it is really a great option for many working adults. Just remember to take care in evaluating online schools as some are better and more qualified than others. Whatever your decision, always be sure its as informed as possible. Good Luck!

Michael Learner is a blogger and

distance learning

enthusiast focused on empowering prospective students to make sound decisions in education and in life by learning from the shared experiences of

distance education graduates

.

Article Source:

Benefits Of Distance Learning and How to Evaluate an Online University