Too Busy For School? Here's The New Way To Earn Your Degree

Jillian Paul of Sacramento was well into her teaching degree when she found out she was pregnant. She didn't have time to complete the student teaching portion before she was due, so she put her degree on hold. When her daughter turned 2 last year, Paul decided to pick up where she'd left off, but she realized that driving to classes at the state university nearby would cut too much into her full-time mom duties. So she investigated online courses -- and decided to get her masters through National University.

"I was sold when I saw I had so many class times to pick from," Paul says. "I can do my homework whenever I have time. I can miss a couple of classes and still get the course done." Online courses aren't just for typical college undergrads, taking courses for their liberal arts degrees. Most online students are working adults and stay-at-home parents, like Paul, who want more job skills but don't have time to sit in a classroom.

"The type of student we attract is typically older, in their mid-30s, and they work," says Mary Sherman, associate dean for National University's Sacramento campus. "Online gives them flexibility to go to school, raise their families, and continue to work."

Rising enrollment, rising value

The number of students going online is rising rapidly. Nearly 4 million students took at least one online course in the fall 2007 term, according to the Sloan Consortium, an online-education advocacy group: a 12% increase over the previous year. (The U.S. has about 20 million higher-education students.) At the University of Phoenix, a for-profit leader in online education, enrollment rises every year. In 2006, Phoenix enrolled 225,000 students; in 2009, its enrollment was 398,000.

And it's not only online colleges offering Internet courses. Most traditional colleges and universities offer them, too, as part of their degree programs (although not all schools allow students to earn a degree entirely online).

And while employers several years ago might have turned up their noses at applicants with online degrees, more are partnering with these educators. Former General Electric CEO Jack Welch lent his name to an online MBA school run by Chancellor University System, and this month, the AFL/CIO announced it was creating an online school for union members to learn new job skills.

Truths and misconceptions

But online courses are not for everyone. "There's a misperception that online courses are easier than brick-and-mortar ones," says Helen MacDermott, content director for online-learning resource eLearners.com. "But just because the format and delivery is different doesn't mean that it's less challenging and demanding."

First-time college students may be better off in the classroom, because most contact between online students and teachers is over e-mail. There are no verbal reminders in online courses about getting your homework done, and students need to learn to fit their coursework into every spare 15 or 30 minutes they have. "It's a long-term commitment, between one and two years, so you need to use every one of your spare minutes to address your coursework," says MacDermott, who plans to earn her online degree in instructional design and technology this year. "That's why people with good time-management skills are the ones who will excel."

Another misconception about online education: that it's cheaper than a traditional degree. That's not always the case. Online courses at for-profit schools can cost more than those at brick-and-mortar institutions. An online bachelor's degree at Kaplan University costs about $64,000, which is the average cost of a four-year traditional public university. Tuition last year at the University of Phoenix campus in Columbia, S.C., ranged from $325 to $515 per credit hour, while tuition at the University of South Carolina is $8,838 per year -- which, for a student with two 15-hour semesters, averages $295 per credit hour.

And while online students get to skip the commute to campus, they still have to log onto an electronic forum a few times each week to participate in discussions, communicate with teachers and peers, get their assignments, and hand in homework and exams.

Managing classes and time

While flexibility was the big benefit for Paul in Sacramento, she doesn't feel like an isolated student with nameless, faceless peers and professors. In fact, she says, her class has become a close-knit cybercommunity. "We have weekly class chat sessions. Instructors put their IM addresses on the syllabus. I have plenty of study buddies."

Paul still has to juggle her studies between making dinner and getting her daughter to bed. But she has learned to use her time wisely, like prepping for an exam while waiting in the doctor's office.

"If my only option was to attend a traditional college, I wouldn't be getting an education at all. But because I'm able to fit classwork into my schedule, I'm getting far more out of learning."

Is online study your best option?

If you're interested in earning a degree online, ask yourself (and your school) these questions before you sign up for a course.

Do I have what it takes to succeed? Course loads are just as rigorous as classroom learning. And because there's no structured class schedule, it takes a lot of self-discipline to stay on track. Excellent time-management skills are a must; procrastination will be a problem.

Is the school certified and accredited? Legitimate online schools are recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Check their databases to see which schools they have accredited.

Does the school offer financial aid? Title IV funding from the U.S., including student loans and grants, should be available.

How much will it cost? Tuition varies, but expect to pay as much per credit hour at a for-profit school like University of Phoenix as you would at a traditional campus like the University of California.

Can I break out of my shell? Make sure you're okay with not sitting in a classroom and seeing your teacher face-to-face. Don't get isolated -- connect to your colleagues through the e-resources offered, like online forums and chat rooms.