{"id":1535,"date":"2017-12-11T17:40:07","date_gmt":"2017-12-11T17:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/how-online-colleges-work-and-why-theyre-good-for-you\/"},"modified":"2019-05-16T10:51:17","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T16:51:17","slug":"how-online-colleges-work-and-why-theyre-good-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/how-online-colleges-work-and-why-theyre-good-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How Online Colleges Work… and Why They’re Good for You"},"content":{"rendered":"

You chat with friends online. You study online. You game online. Could you actually go to school online?<\/p>\n

Not so long ago, images of old brick buildings dominated the idea of a college campus. That’s now changing, and fast. As schools take advantage of ever-increasing technology, the classroom is becoming a much larger domain \u2014 one that extends well beyond a single building, letting more and more students take advantage of\u00a0online learning opportunities.<\/p>\n

Now, students can find classrooms in their laptop computers. Flip open your phone, and you can ask your professors a question about a textbook. Click a button and you’re watching a full lecture, taped and recorded for your convenience. This is the amazing new world of online college colleges.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0online degree program\u00a0advantage<\/h2>\n

Accredited online degree programs<\/a>\u00a0are just as\u00a0legitimate as the ones you’d attend at any college. (Accreditation is essential, especially if you plan to transfer credits later.) You’ll have professors, there will be other students, and there will definitely be assignments.<\/p>\n

As for earning degrees from online education programs, students\u00a0can go for professional certifications, associate’s degrees, or bachelor’s degrees.\u00a0(Master’s programs and a limited number of doctoral programs are also offered.)<\/p>\n

The big advantage of online colleges is flexibility. Let’s say you have to work full time while you go to school. Or perhaps you’re eyeing a school 500 miles away, but can’t move. An online degree program would let you pursue your goals while overcoming obstacles that sometimes keep students from being able to enroll.<\/p>\n

How online degree programs\u00a0work<\/h2>\n

Online degree programs include print-, audio-, and video-based courses, but at this point, are mostly online. Some online classes require you to “attend” at specific times. Others are less structured, allowing you to go whenever \u2014 but slackers beware! To make the grade, you’ll have to do the work.<\/p>\n

As you might expect, e-mail is\u00a0huge\u00a0when it comes to chatting with professors. Many set up virtual office hours, when you can ask questions or seek help. A well-run online degree program will never leave you without the chance for one-on-one time, if you need it.<\/p>\n

Selecting an online degree program from many distance learning colleges<\/h2>\n

The Internet is the perfect place to start looking into online degree program. Online searches allow you to sort through thousands of options by the criteria that matter most to you. School sites also offer great information about their online education options.<\/p>\n

You’ll quickly find that you have a lot of choices in\u00a0online degree programs \u2014 even more than normal, since geography’s not a factor. While looking for the right fit, keep the following in mind:<\/p>\n