Guidelines for Choosing Your Route: Campus or Computer

Posted by Sharon Cece on April 14th, 2009

Tofu is not for everyone.

Now that I have your attention, I’ll add this: sushi is not for everyone either, but some people do love sushi. Others, on the other hand, would very well live well without sushi and instead prefer a hot, juicy steak with potatoes. Still others (like myself) love tofu, sushi, steak and potatoes. Now, who’s ready for dessert?

Along with celebrating my healthy appetite, I’m using food metaphorically to illustrate that some students enjoy attending school online, yet it may not be the right fit for everyone. Similarly, attending college in the traditional sense–on campus–might be a great choice or it might be a hardship for those looking to pursue a degree.

It would be helpful if we had a template for determining online and traditional campus populations, but in the absence of such templates there are guidelines that can help students gauge which degree-seeking method would be an ideal choice:

• Lifestyle Your daily life routine is a good starting point to determining whether online college is a better alternative to attending college on campus. For example, if you’re single and attending school full-time and want to be in the thick of college life, attending college on campus would be a great choice. However, if you are married, working full-time and caring for children or older family members, you will undoubtedly benefit from the time-saving flexibility of online classes.
• Social Disposition Those who are shy, socially-reserved, or who prefer working from home on the computer might benefit from the liberated platform of online learning. Keep in mind, some socially reserved students would benefit from the social atmosphere of campus life, for it would challenge one‘s comfort zone and widen their experiences–all good. However, a student with a healthy social life who performs better academically without social distractions might find online options to be an excellent choice. Gregarious and socially active individuals who love being out in public and interacting with other classmates and friends may naturally want to consider courses on campus.
• Level of Autonomy If you’re the type of student who needs strict order and scheduling, set class times and guided formats, then traditional college venues would be recommended. Students who are adept at making and adhering to their own schedules, who prefer being independent in course work and course submission, will do very well online.
• Computer Skills Both online and traditional courses utilize the computer; however, online courses operate exclusively from the computer.
• Organizational Skills Organization is fundamental when taking classes online. Since the student is, for the most part, scheduling their own coursework regulation, class and testing times, and content review, a self-structured and self-imposed schedule is necessary for online success.

There is a third option; that is, to do both–attend school on campus and take a few courses online. This way, you get the best of both worlds and, like me, you can enjoy sushi and steak. Just don’t forget the dessert.