3 Types of Mature Student Who Can Benefit from Online Learning
The internet has vastly improved the education system by allowing degree courses to be studied online rather than in-person. These online courses have a number of benefits and can be particularly useful to mature students looking to study a degree later in life. Specifically, online degree courses can greatly benefit the following types of mature student:
Busy Career Individuals
If you go straight into college following high school, you still have the education mentality and haven't yet adapted to life in the workplace. However, as a mature student, it's very likely that you've already started making headway in your career. Perhaps you want to return to college to boost your chances at promotion, or perhaps you are looking for a role switch to change your career path. Regardless of your reasoning, attending college as a mature student can be difficult, particularly if you want to keep working whilst you study.
This is why online learning can be an extremely useful tool for busy career people. Rather than giving up your current role to go back to college, you can build your entire degree course around your life. With online learning, you choose when and where study; there are no strict timetables for you to follow. This flexibility gives you the best of both worlds – you can continue working in your current position and you can get your degree at the same time.
Social Introverts
For campus-based learners, college life can be dominated by long days in small lecture theaters. But whilst the stereotypical college lifestyle appeals to many people, there are some who can become a little overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of it all. This usually happens if you are socially introverted, which means you gain energy from being alone rather than drawing it from large groups.
If you are more of a reserved person, online learning can help bring out your true potential. You will be able to study alone as often as you like and you won't have to compete with others to get your point across in a loud lecture hall. Rather, you will be able to discuss topics on an online student forum, which can give introverted people the opportunity they need to express their thoughts.
Even if you aren't socially introverted, the hectic pace of campus life may not appeal to you as a mature student. Mature students can often find there is a disconnect between young college kids and themselves, which is to be expected due to the difference in experience and maturity. Therefore, as a mature student, online learning can give you the breathing space you need whilst allowing you to interact with fellow students online.
Money Savers
There's no doubt about it: college can become a very expensive endeavor over the few years that you attend. Thankfully, online learning can alleviate much of this cost because colleges are able to offer reduced fees for degree courses. This is because the overheads incurred in running an online course are much less than standard campus-based degrees. Lecture halls don't have to be booked out, course materials are all available online, and the same video lectures can be used each year for different classes. These savings can then be passed on to you, the student, which can make going to college much more financially viable.
The financial benefits of online learning doesn't just stop at tuition fees, however. If you choose to study online, you also reduce your own day-to-day costs. Your travel expenses are minimal as you can choose to study wherever you want. There is no need to eat out everyday, saving you money on lunches and snacks. You can choose to work whilst you study, which means you can further offset your college tuition fees by earning a stable wage whilst you study. Therefore, if you are looking to save a few dollars, choosing an online degree course through an adult education center can be a great way to significantly reduce your college costs.
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