Pros and Cons of Earning an Online Degree

Have you considered the pros and cons of earning an online degree? There are many things to consider and many questions to answer as well.

Are you at a dead-end in your job? Does it feel as though you can go no further and that there is no room for growth in your current position?

Have you wanted to go back to school and get a better education, one that would allow you to have a better paying job?

Have you ever wondered if there is a way to go back to school while you are still working and caring for a family? 

What Are The Obvious Benefits to Having a College Degree?

The College Board released the results of a study in 2008 that proved that there was a financial benefit. This study demonstrated a positive relationship between higher levels of education and higher earnings for men and women in all racial and ethnic groups.

The study also showed that the rate of unemployment falls as the degree of education increases all for racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, this same study by the College Board proved that students earning a Bachelor’s Degree saw an increase in annual salary by approximately 65%.

Those students earning a Master’s Degree increased their pay by an additional 20% compared to receiving just a Bachelor’s Degree.

What are the benefits to the young children of college graduates

The College Board study further showed that the young children of college graduates received personal benefits from their mothers’ education as well. Kids of mothers with higher levels of education are smarter than kids of mothers with lower levels of education.

Those same kids also showed greater persistence at accomplishing tasks. I would list these facts highly when considering the pros and cons of earning an online degree. How about you?

Generational Differences in College Degrees

Per a 2014 Pew Research report, those born after 1980 are the best-educated generation in the history of the United States. More than one-third of the so-called “Millennials” have Bachelor’s degrees. Only one in four of those born in their parents’ and grandparents’ generations earned a Bachelor’s degree.

This increase in college degrees makes the job market more competitive now than it had been in the past. Surprisingly, this increase was not offset by the simultaneous and exponential increase in the cost of education.

There are advantages to having a college degree. However, have you thought specifically about the benefits of obtaining that degree from an online college versus one on campus?

Online Versus On-Campus Degrees

Many schools turned to the use of technology in their effort to slow down the growing cost of a college education. The use of online college classes has become quite popular, and almost all levels of degrees are available online.

According to a Pew Research Report, 60% of private universities and 90% of public four-year colleges and universities offer courses online.

Some students earning a degree primarily on a college campus still take a few online courses as part of their curriculum. Other students may choose to earn their entire degree online.

College can be hard wherever you take classes

Whether you take classes on campus, online, or a combination of both of these, college can be hard in many ways. For some students, it may be difficult financially, academically, personally, socially, intellectually, or physically.

Because of this, it is smart to evaluate the pros and cons of both online and campus courses. This article, however, will be limited to looking only at the pros and cons of earning an online degree.

A few of the pros of online college courses

Study anytime and anywhere. 

This flexibility is one of the first things people think about when online college courses are under consideration. Does being able to curl up in your pajamas to take a class appeal to you?

No one knows, nor would they care if they did. The flexibility of logging onto a computer at any time day or night is a significant advantage and decreases the level of stress many students experience.

 Avoid traffic

Even better is that there is no traffic or even driving to class. Save time and auto expenses as well as having less stress dealing with other drivers and bad weather.

Not every college student has access to reliable transportation. Students without transportation, or who may have a physical handicap, may be prevented from driving to college.

Online learning opens up educational options that very likely would not have been available to them otherwise.

Costs less

Online degree programs’ self-paced instruction, student mentors, and flexible adjunct faculty help adult learners save on tuition and other expenses. Even if a specific school’s tuition fees are not less, you still do not have room and board and transportation costs.

More options

Not initially the case, now the choices are wide open. There’s little limit to which degree you can earn online. More courses/subjects are now available than you can even imagine. From Art to Zoology, there is something for everyone.

Accelerated courses

Learn at a fast and convenient pace. Many schools offer accelerated online classes that allow you to speed up the time it takes to earn a degree.

Faster completion of courses and degrees

In addition to classes, some degree programs are also accelerated. This option could permit you to fast-track to the finish.

Self-paced learning 

Studying at your own pace is a more effective learning method for independent learners. You are in charge of when to study within the online course regulations.

Evolving technology

The opportunities to work with constantly evolving technology in online learning are usually more significant than the traditional classroom may offer. Video conferencing and educational content management systems are two examples of such technology.

Availability of accreditation 

The tremendous growth of online degree programs has led to a significant number of colleges becoming accredited. This is a vital point. Accreditation should be considered as a “must-have” for anyone seeking a degree.

This accreditation means that in the eyes of potential employers, an online degree from an accredited college or university is equally as valuable as a traditional degree. This is true for the majority of employers in today’s academic environment.

A few of the cons of online college courses

Online courses aren’t for everyone

Those community college students with prior learning difficulties may not complete or perform well with online classes. Online courses are best suited for students capable of being responsible for learning on their own.

Online students must have excellent time-management skills to be successful. More mature students with some life experiences are more likely to perform better in an online environment than those who just graduated from high school.

Online degrees may not seem as credible to some employers

Employer opinion of online degrees has improved over the last decade. Few still worry about “diploma mills”.

Receptionists, H.R. recruiters, and resume screeners now have an improved overall perception of online undergraduate degrees.

However, the opinion of a program may vary based on the field of study. Because of this, degrees in engineering and science are less readily accepted, as are degrees in humanities and business.

Degrees are still slightly restricted

The number of entirely online undergraduate degree programs offered by recognized universities and colleges has grown significantly over the past decade.

Most traditional colleges also have online courses so that students can alternate between the two. More online schools now offer classes on proprietary campuses to complement their online curricula, as well.

Not in the too distant past

The significant expenses of education, coupled with the desire for college degrees, led to the development of unaccredited “diploma mills.” These mills are where anyone willing and able to pay the fee would receive a diploma.

Accreditation is a quality assurance process. An independent and publicly recognized third-party organization verifies that specific academic standards are met. The purpose of accreditation is to maintain the integrity of an institution’s instruction.

These “Diploma Mills” deliberately enrolled students in educational and vocational courses for the sole purpose of collecting fees and tuition. Diploma Mills used the following tactics:

• Failing to ensure a student’s capacity to manage the course requirements
• Delivering inadequate, incomplete, or incorrect course materials and instruction
• Overstating or misleading the commercial value of the training or education

Some of the consequences

As a consequence of these actions, some hard-working yet naïve students were abused. Though diligent in their studies, some students ended up either dropping a course or receiving a degree with no value. Whoever guaranteed payment was obligated to pay out thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

Many people believe that such abuses no longer exist, but this is not true. There are some of these “Diploma Mills” around, and you must avoid them. Insist on third party accreditation.

Other areas you must consider when listing the pros and cons of earning an online degree

Student loan debt and bankruptcy

Every government-sponsored student loan applicant should know about the Bankruptcy Amendments and Federal Judgeship Act of 1983. This act states that private student loans cannot be discharged or forgiven.

This fact holds even in bankruptcy. Not even the death of the student borrower stops collection proceedings against spouses or guarantors.

 

Sponsoring institution’s reputation

Name recognition is among the most important factors in choosing an online degree. To a degree offering school, reputation is vitally important to the student.

In general, an online degree from a traditional, accredited university has more employment value than one from a solely online institution. It should go without saying that only an accredited school is worth considering.

Perception of employer

Graduates of Science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M. remain in high demand. A good number of S.T.E.M. employers prefer a traditional setting for these degrees.

They still believe that the traditional campus experience produces a better-rounded, better-educated graduate than does an online experience.

However, many online schools work directly with large employers to develop a curriculum experience that these employers desire for their new hires.

Examples of educators and companies collaborating

One such example is H.C.A. Healthcare. This company owns hundreds of hospitals across the nation and employs thousands of college graduates.

They consulted with Western Governors University to make sure that their graduates have the skills required by the company. U.P.S. is also working with several community colleges along the same lines and developed online logistics and supply chain programs.

The University of Phoenix, in conjunction with several national employers, has developed online programs in retail and hospitality management.

More and more companies are working in tandem with colleges and universities to create a learning experience that will benefit them.

Some even pay for employees to “go back to school” while still employed. It is usually contingent upon the student making good grades and agreeing to work for them upon completion for a specified time frame.

School’s Alumni Network

Online schools, in general, offer few opportunities for personal interaction. However, many have an extensive network of graduates.

• The University of Phoenix has an alumni network of 860,000 members in 30 chapters across the United States.
• Penn State has 616,000.
• Indiana University has 580,000.
• The University of Michigan has 540,000.
• The University of Texas 100,000.

Even though it is hard to quantify the value of an alumni network, there is much anecdotal evidence in which fellow graduates are supportive.

They make favorable introductions and provide mentoring and counseling. Some later become significant customers and suppliers, and, sometimes, offer entrepreneurial opportunities as well.

Parting Thoughts On the Pros and Cons of Earning an Online Degree

Attending on-campus classes full-time, may not be an option for everyone at a given time. Indeed, online class alternatives are needed. In some cases, they are even desirable. There are times that a degree may be necessary for consideration of a specific position.

However, it is rarely the deciding factor in the decision to hire one candidate over another. Other factors can weigh as much in the final hiring decision as a degree.

Some of these factors may be:

• work history,
• references,
• appearance,
• personality,
• interviewing skills

For your further edification

The U.S.D.E. (Department of Education) recognizes the following agencies as being “reliable authorities” when concerning the quality of education, or training, offered by an institution of higher education or the higher education programs they accredit:

• Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
• Council on Occupational Education
• Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
• Accrediting Council for Independent Schools and Colleges
• Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission

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