Online education is not the best choice for everyone but is a good choice for you?  Here are some thoughts for you to consider.

Flexibility – We are busy people! We have kids; we have full time jobs, etc. When do we fit in education? Flexibility is a HUGE benefit when doing online education. We can set our own schedule for school and study time around all the “busy” in our lives.

Self-motivation- With freedom and flexibility of the online environment there is responsibility. The online process takes a real commitment and discipline. Online education is not for everyone. You have to be determined to do it; you have to do it because it’s important to you! With that in mind, you must be self-motivated to succeed! Remember that it is extremely important for you to stay on top of your work without procrastinating. At times you might have to close out distractions in order to study and complete your assignments

Setting Goals- First plan on success! Distance learning has its own special challenges but when you set your goals in mind the chances of success is greatly increased. When you have accomplished an assignment or you received a good grade on a quiz, reward yourself! Remember to be proud of your accomplishments!

Expense – In the current economy, cost is often a big factor to consider. We do not need to spend more money than needed on our education.  Traditional universities or schools usually have many factors that make their costs higher than the online schools. Universities have costs of buildings, maintenance, staff, and many other costs. Also, students have to travel to the school adding fuel expenses and time to their already busy day. Online students avoid these costs making it more affordable and more convenient to attend an online school. Also consider how the school determines its tuition. Some schools charge by the class and other schools the semester. Maybe it is better financially to find a school that charges a flat fee.

The combination of everything above makes online education a great option for those of us that need another option. That’s my list, what would you add?