The pandemic made it an easy choice, with many prospective college students choosing online degree programs. If you’re wondering what the experience has been like and whether it’s an experience that may be a better fit for you, here’s what to know about going to school and getting your degree without ever stepping foot inside a classroom.
You Do Video Calls a Lot
With online programs, you spend most of your time doing video calls or conferences with your teachers and classmates. Most people are already used to video call technology, with apps encouraging video use, like Tiktok, YouTube, Facebook, and more. However, if you’re not one of them, graduate programs online will mean spending a lot of your time learning this technology and using it to collaborate with classmates or discuss your progress with your teachers.
You Receive Fewer Perks
As an online student, you receive fewer perks. As an undergraduate on campus, you may receive a bus pass to help you get around town easier. You may even get a free gym membership to sweat it out whenever you’re stressed with one of your subjects. You also get student discounts with your student ID. Many of these freebies and perks aren’t available to online students. Most times, it’s a matter of access. People who give out freebies are often on campus, so they already have a huge pool of students for when they give out free stuff or perks. However, the good thing about being an online student is that you don’t have to pay for these perks. Some of the bonus offers only last for a month, so if you want to keep going to the gym, you may need to cough up the membership fee in three months or five months. As an online student, you’re spared from all that.
You May Get Branded with the Stigma
There’s a stigma attached to online programs. While the pandemic made it easier for people to overcome that stigma, it still hasn’t completely disappeared. Some believe that online programs are easier, and that’s not true. What’s easier is the convenience that the medium offers. However, the degree of difficulty for the modules aren’t in any way significantly lower. You’ll want to be emotionally prepared for that in case you encounter someone who says: “Oh, so it must have been easy to get your degree online, right?” Knowing that ahead of time and that a stigma like this exists so you can approach the situation without losing your cool.
You Need to Be Self-Motivated
When you’re doing an online program, you’re alone most of the time. You don’t have classmates who will hover over your shoulder or ask you if you remembered to do your assignment. Well, they can still ask online. But because you aren’t required to come to and go from campus, you need to stay motivated. You must be disciplined enough to get those deadlines done. It’s not easy, and it can be mentally draining. But learning how to stay motivated will help you stay on track.
Many prospective college students choose online degree program as a result of the epidemic, making their decision simple. What you should know about attending school and receiving your degree without ever setting foot inside a classroom if you’re curious about the experience and whether it’s one that might be a better fit for you.
You Make Lots of Video Calls
With online courses, you primarily interact with your professors and fellow students via video calls or conferences. With apps like Titoki, YouTube, Facebook, and others pushing video use, the majority of people are already accustomed to video call technology. If you’re not one of them, graduate program online will require you to spend a lot of time learning this technology and utilizing it for class collaboration and teacher feedback.
You Get Fewer Benefits
Less benefits are available to you as an online learner. You might be given a bus pass as an undergraduate student on campus to make getting about town easier. You might even receive a free gym membership so you can work out anytime one of your classes is stressing you out. With your student ID, you can also receive discounts. Online students aren’t able to take advantage of many of these benefits and incentives. Most of the time, access is an issue. People that distribute freebies are frequently on campus, so they have access to a large pool of students when they do so. The benefit of studying online is that you can enjoy these benefits without having to pay for them. only a few of the extra offers last for a month, so you may need to pay the membership price in three or five months if you plan to keep going to the gym. You can avoid all of that if you are an online student.