A lot of people look down on online education. In my experience, people think that the only way to get a “real” degree is by physically moving into a dorm or apartment on campus and going to a class surrounded by other students.

But online education is becoming more of a common thing and is something that people should consider when it comes to college.

Online education helps the students who have jobs and internships. Nowadays, most students work part-time in order to take care of their basic needs or even to go to school in the first place.

In reality, not all jobs are flexible in terms of scheduling. Unless the student has a campus job (and even then it can be tricky), it will more likely be difficult for someone to work while attempting to complete their degree.

However, with online coursework there really is no designated check-in time and the student can do the work as he/she pleases from the comfort of their own homes, on their schedule, thus alleviating stress which can better help the student succeed.

What people do not consider is that there are a fair amount of students who have families. It is hard enough trying to juggle a family, bills, and everything that comes with it, but to add the stress of attending school makes it more challenging.

While some schools offer housing for people with families, it is a lot easier for the person to stay at home and complete their degree as opposed to physically moving and potentially uprooting the family.

Another advantage to online coursework is the fact that assignments can be graded quicker. A lot of online coursework is tests and quizzes so by doing all the work on the computer, students can figure out their class standing at a much quicker pace and do what is needed to raise their grade if need be.

With traditional education where a lot of the work is graded by hand, either by a professor or their teaching assistant, the grading process takes longer than it would if the instructor were using online quizzes and tests that grade things instantly.

Cutting that out helps everyone because, not only can the instructor input the grades quicker, the student can know how they’re doing in the class quicker without having to wait for a professor to hand grade a long test. Plus, it cuts back on paper from students and professors which is also good for the environment.

While it may not seem as glamorous and prestigious as actually being an on-campus student, there are a lot of benefits to taking online classes. At the end of the day, you are still receiving a degree and doing the same work that on-site students are doing. It really does not matter how you go about it.

There is nothing wrong with online education and if you save a little money and cut back on the stress, then it is well worth it. Being an online student does not mean that your work is any less valuable or credible.