Photo Courtesy: Twentyfour Students
Whether you’re looking for a career change or simply want to perfect your current skills, a return to school is always a good idea. Many people have precious little time to return to school, causing them to give up their dreams altogether. If you can find a spare hour each day, you can go to college: online!
Here are five ways that attending an online college can save you that time you don’t think you can spare:
1. No More Getting Ready
While it’s not unusual to see many college kids in class wearing their pajamas, you can’t very well drive to campus in your nightgown or your pajama pants. Of course, technically you could do this but no self-respecting adult is going to be caught out of the house in their night clothes. Going to school online can save you precious time in the morning by allowing you to wake-up, log on and attend a lecture, watch a video or even turn in your assignments. There’s no need to do your hair, put on your make-up or even take a shower when you’re attending classes online.
2. Skip the Commute
It’s very rare for adults to move into a dorm when they go back to school. Most adults have a house, condo or apartment that they are responsible for making payments on. It doesn’t make any sense to give up your home to move to campus. This means that most adults commute to school; sometimes driving for an hour or more to attend class. By attending an online college, you will be able to skip the commute altogether. Not only can this save you hours each day, but it can save you money on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle. It may also ultimately save you money on your car insurance by not putting you over the mileage threshold and into a higher premium.
3. No Standing in Line for Books
If you went to college after you graduated from high school, chances are that you remember the long lines in the campus book store. If you never went to college, trust us when we tell you that lines in the book store can be outrageously long at the beginning of the semester. Instead of having to fight the crowds of students lining up to buy their books, you can rent your books online. There are dozens of sites from which you can rent your textbooks and have them delivered right to your door. Some online colleges even send you your books and materials as part of your tuition.
4. Study Around Your Schedule
If you have a full- or part-time job, scheduling classes at a traditional college can be a nightmare. While some employers are flexible, it’s the rare employer who will happily change your schedule each time a new semester begins. Instead of muddling through the nightmare of scheduling your classes around your job, enrolling in an online school will allow you to attend class when it’s convenient for you. Instead of having to be on campus at a certain time, you can log in whenever you like to attend class. While you’ll have assignments that are due by certain dates, you’ll rarely be required to sign on at a specific time. This makes going to school, while holding down a job, much easier.
5. No Need for Daycare
If you have children, have you given thought to what you would do with them when you had to go to class? While some people are lucky enough to have a spouse or other family member who can watch the kids, not everyone is so blessed. Attending college at a traditional school often means having to spend more money on daycare for the kids. This also means time spent getting the kids ready, dropping them off and then picking them up again. By attending school online, you can study when the kids are at school, on your lunch break at work or even after the kids have gone to bed. Going to school online virtually eliminates the need to find someone to watch the kids while you’re in class.
If you want to be one of the two-thirds of non-traditional college students enrolling this year, look into your online options. Don’t put off returning to college because you think that you don’t have time. Online schools are a convenient option that can save you time and make your dreams a reality.
Amie Gottschalk is an avid blogger. You can follow her on Twitter @amiegottschalk.
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