With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the world moved online. Office workers were told to work from home, and universities and colleges in many countries closed their lecture halls, telling students to study online instead. This has led many to prefer working from home, and it’s easy to see why—there are so many benefits to remote work. The same is true for students; here are four benefits of online study.
1. More Choice
One of the benefits of studying online is that students have more choice of course open to them. Whether you want to study an MBA in healthcare administration (like this one: https://online.carrollu.edu/mba-healthcare-administration/) or a bachelor’s degree in fine art or literature, there is so much choice when it comes to online study.
Students are free to study the subject of their choice from anywhere they like, meaning there is greater accessibility as they don’t have to travel or move across the country to study a particular subject.
2. Greater Flexibility
Another huge benefit of online study is the amount of flexibility that comes with a virtual course. Studying online means that you can study from anywhere without having to go onto campus or visit a library in person to learn. Everything is available online.
Virtual colleges are also usually more flexible in terms of timings, especially when compared with traditional in-person universities. You can learn on your own schedule rather than having to attend seminars, tutorials, or lectures that take place at pre-arranged times. This means you can fit your studies around your life and learn at a time that suits you.
3. Cheaper
Most online colleges offer better value for money than brick-and-mortar institutions, so you can save money over the course of your degree. As well as saving on tuition fees, you can save on accommodation costs and the general cost of living, as you won’t have to move or live close to campus—just stay where you are!
Another bonus is that you can fit your online studies around your existing life commitments, meaning you could find a way to balance studying and working, so you can continue to have a monthly income while you’re learning.
4. Gaining Soft Skills
No matter what you’re studying, and whether it’s online or in-person, you’ll be gaining a huge amount of knowledge during any degree. As well as the ‘hard skills’ you’ll gain during your degree, though, you can also develop so-called ‘soft skills’—even more if you study online.
Soft skills are personal characteristics or attributes that allow you to be successful in day-to-day life and professional settings. Organization, communication, time management, adaptability, self-determination - these are all examples of the soft skills that you’ll gain while studying online. All of them will make you attractive to potential employers.
Studying online will show that you are particularly driven to succeed, as it does take a little more self-motivation to get through an online course than a traditional in-person degree program.
Once you’ve finished your online degree program, you’ll be able to show prospective employers that you have the hard and soft skills needed to succeed. It’s a great way to boost your career and get ahead in the world of work.