Go to college online

By Catalogs Editorial Staff

Making the commitment to attend an online college or university

Six years ago my boyfriend decided to go to college online. At the time, it was a tough decision for him to make. We were a young couple and had recently moved into a new apartment. We were both working full-time jobs, we both wanted to advance our careers and we wanted to save money to buy a house.

However, my boyfriend was confident that if he could put in the time and effort to obtain a business degree, he would substantially increase his earning potential and improve his career path in the long run. Looking back on my boyfriend’s choice to go to college online, it was a wise decision that changed our lives for the better.

One of the most valuable aspects of attending college online is the convenience. An online student can study at anytime, and from anywhere they have a computer with an internet connection.

While my boyfriend was taking online courses, he would get up early in the morning to study for a few hours before going to work. He was working an office job at the time, so he would log onto his online classroom for an hour at lunch.

Luckily my boyfriend’s employer was incredibly supportive of his decision to go to college online. The employer assisted with tuition costs, and my boyfriend’s boss even encouraged him to study during slow periods at the office. Looking back on this, perhaps my boyfriend’s employer realized that an advanced degree would ultimately make him a more valuable and capable employee.

After work, my boyfriend would return home, turn on his computer and study or complete assignments for a few hours before dinner. Often, my boyfriend would spend his Saturdays or Sundays participating in online lectures, completing homework assignments or exams.

Life was not always easy during the two years that my boyfriend studied to obtain his business degree. It took a great deal of discipline and superior time management skills on his part, and it took patience and understanding on my part. However, he was able to attend school, and excel at his job, without any lost income.

Another benefit of my boyfriend’s decision to go to college online as opposed to enrolling in an actual college campus was the savings on travel, gas, wear and tear on his car, and parking. He also saved quite a bit of money on textbooks, because so much of his reading material was available online.

Although my boyfriend and I did not have children at the time, it became clear to me that online degree programs could also be attractive to parents, who could save substantially on childcare expenses because they wouldn’t have to leave home or travel to a campus classroom in order to attend class.

Overall, I was very impressed with the quality of my boyfriend’s online classes, which were taught by top faculty members, prominent business leaders, published authors and lecturers, versus the type of undergraduate courses taught by teaching assistants that would have been available at our state university.

Our experience with online college courses was incredibly positive and rewarding. The day my boyfriend received his diploma in the mail, we went out to an elegant dinner and ordered a bottle of champagne.We framed his diploma and hung it up in his business office. Less than a month later, my boyfriend was offered a significant promotion at work. Since that time he has steadily climbed the career ladder.

If you are considering attending an online university, college, technical school, or even if you are just beginning to research online degree programs, keep in mind that it is very important to select an accredited institution, as this accreditation can impact your future employment opportunities.

Ultimately, I would encourage any working adult to consider pursuing either undergraduate degrees or graduate degrees through online colleges. Online colleges are particularly convenient because they allow students to work at their own pace to earn a degree as quickly or slowly as individual circumstances allow.