Going To College Online Is A Wise Choice These Days!

The populace is getting the message. In order to make a real living these days you really do need at least a Bachelor's degree. At the same time, many people can't go to a brick-and-mortar institute of higher learning. So what are people doing? According to a report just published by the Sloan Consortium they are moving to online schools.

Published in 2010, the report did a survey of every university out there. Their findings were startling. According to them, of the 18.2 million college students going for any kind of degree in the U.S., 4.6 million were now getting their education online. This was a 17% increase in just the last year. On campus schools only saw a 1.2% increase in the same time. It also stated that 82% of the online students were undergraduates. To meet their growing demand, 75% of the universities themselves increased the types of classes they offer. 66% of the schools also acknowledged they are creating even more diverse classes to meet student demands.

The report noted a key reason for e-learning's growth is the economy. The students realize one of the few ways they can improve their income is to upgrade their degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes a worker with a Bachelor's earns $52,000 annually while the average secondary grad only gets $30,000. The four-year grad is also more likely to get benefits like health care and 401(k) plans. So earning a four year degree makes financial sense.

Quite frankly, getting a degree online also costs considerably less. It's now well documented that virtual schools cost nearly 40% less than on campus institutions. That adds up to literally thousands of dollars over a four or five year period. That's a significant difference.

A more modern consideration is time management. Many of the people taking the e-learning route also hold down everyday jobs and have families. They don't have the time to go to a campus. With online schools they can take their classes when they come home from the job, eaten and put the kids to bed. They also can take the class in the comfort of a bathrobe on a comfy chair or at the kitchen table.

What's probably a sign of these modern times is the last reason. Many students are afraid of getting sick from the H1N1 flu or something similar at a campus. With a virtual education they can study from the relative "safety" of their house. This may sound paranoid, but just think of the increased sales of hand sterilizers lately.

The schools weren't the only ones examined. College professors were also interviewed for their own insight. They stated their classes highly approved such services as informal mentoring and training courses their courses provided. 30% more of those professors also approved online education compared to the last time Sloane did the study.

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