More and more students are turning to online college to complete their degrees. While this option isn’t for everyone, some students find that it’s the perfect answer for an education. Let’s look at some of the main differences between online colleges and going to school on a college campus.

Flexibility

It’s undeniable that online colleges are more flexible than brick-and-mortar colleges. When you go to school on a college campus, your days are structured with classes, and you have to arrange other activities and responsibilities (like work, family time, community service, sports practices, etc) around your classes. Some professors are flexible when you have to miss class, and you can of course do your homework and studying whenever you want, but with online education, you can often pick and choose when you want to “attend class.” In some case, you may have to log online at specific time to participate in chat rooms, but many online classes allow you to work on your own schedule.

Face-to-Face Interaction with Students and Professors

Online colleges are, for the most part, extremely good at giving you many ways to talk to other students and professors. However, for some students, the face-to-face interaction you get with a typical college campus is highly missed when you take an online class. On the other hand, this new way of communicating can also be a good thing. You can email your professor 24 hours a day, for example, and many will answer questions late into the night. On a college campus, you’re limited to business hours in most cases, since professors usually don’t answer emails once they go home.

Clubs and Student Organizations

One of the major advantages to campus colleges over online colleges is the option to join clubs and student organizations. Online, your education is simply that–an education opportunity. If you’re interested in playing sports, joining fraternities or sororities, or otherwise getting involved with other students, you’ll need to go to a college that has a campus. That’s not to say that there are no networking options for online students. In fact, one of the advantages of online colleges is that you can connect with students from all over the country–and all around the world. These students are usually very interested in their education over other activities. On a college campus, many of the people you meet are going to the college for the experience, and some many not care much about their actual education.

College Costs

As compared to a campus college, the cost of your education is very low if you’re an online student. Every year, the price of a good education rises, but online, you’ll only pay tuition, rather than also paying for room and board, parking, and so forth. With online college, you’ll also usually pay less in terms of textbooks and other materials, but it depends on the classes you take. The tuition fees, however, are lower from the start. When you go to a brick-and-mortar school, your tuition helps to pay for teacher salaries, activities, maintenance of the campus grounds, and more. Online, there are no buildings to maintain or clubs to support, so you’ll only be paying for costs directly related to the education you receive.

Participation

The more you participate in class, the better your educational experience will be. Some students, however, are anxious about speaking up in class, and many classes are dominated by one or two outgoing students. Even when professors force participation, some students are very nervous to share their ideas and end up speaking as little as possible. With an online class, the mask of the Internet makes it a little easier to participate, even if you are shy. When you aren’t face-to-face with other students, it is easier to chime in with your two sense, and typing replies makes it possible to read them before others do, which isn’t the case when you’re speaking to answer a question. Breaking out of your shell is much easier with online college.

Which is the better college option? Weigh the pros and cons carefully. Both online college and campus colleges can give you a wonderful education, but in both cases, not every student will work well with the program. Talk to an adviser or guidance counselor to learn more about both options and determine which one is  best for your personality, budget, and lifestyle.