When should I not consider an online degree?

In my own personal research regarding online degrees thus far, I have begun to wonder when it might not make sense to pursue an online degree.  This seems to happen on many different levels.  Some people are very concerned with the name of the university, the accreditation, employers recognition of such degrees and whether it will really help them advance their career in the end.  For these people, I wonder where the line is in choosing if an online degree is right for you given the current state of them, and what are the factors one needs to consider in determining that for oneself.

Beyond that, I wonder if there are additional factors.  There are some obvious, such as, what if I'm not good with computers or not good at self study.  Even beyond that though, I have discovered that there is a pretty good normal university right in my back yard that is cheap, accredited and has a great, ranked program for what I am looking for.  I love the idea and the freedom of online education, but for me, this standard educational option might be the best bet.  I wonder what general guidelines people might offer for exploring all educational options and making the decision on an education that explores all options, online and off.

What a thoughtful, well thought out question, Josh!

In my article series, "Am I Ready For an Online Education?", I outline several things that people need to consider when thinking about starting an online degree or course such as: degree programs, organization, expectations, and soon another article on time management.

Besides those issues, I think it is very crucial to think about the end result of a degree before you start one. One of the things I did before going to grad school was to talk to potential employers about which universities they thought highly of. It's not always the Ivy League schools that have the impressive reputations. In my case, Framingham State College (my undergraduate school) had one of the best reputations in the state because it was the first state teaching school in the country. Even though it was a bargain compared to universities, it was thought of just as highly.

If you don't feel comfortable talking to the employer/boss of potential jobs then you can also seek out their employees. Many times employers hire a lot of people from similar schools because of the school's reputation or because of social networking. Either way, finding out that information could lead you in the right direction.

Unfortunately, online degrees are fairly new so many schools don't have the right reputation or recognition for employers. A safe bet would be to get an online degree from a school that also holds traditional courses on a campus. For example, Norwich University is a well known military school that has slowly become more of a civilian school over the years. They still have a tremendous reputation, but now offer online degrees such as a Masters in Criminal Justice.

Ultimately, a standard university may be your best choice if you are unsure of computers, worried about a college's ranking, or advancing your career. However, if you are at all interested in an online education then I think it is definitely worth your time to do a little research to see if it is right for you. After all, you'd put that same effort into a standard college, so why not put that same effort into looking into an online degree?

Hi Josh,

I was intrigued by your post because most online instructors have a predisposition to believe that the model works for everyone when the fact is that it doesn’t. I can think of two issues that should give a student pause about entering an online course of study rather than opting for a traditional classroom environment. Interestingly I believe that both of these factors can be overcome if a student truly desires to afford themselves the flexibility and other advantages of the online learning experience.

One issue that should be carefully considered before enrolling in an online course of study is the ability of the student to write. Some students lack the ability to communicate effectively in a written format and due to the nature of online courses this weakness can be extremely problematic. The student who has difficulty articulating their thoughts is not only unlikely to do well but has a significant chance of failing. I have seen a fair number of students who lack the essential grammar, spelling and usage skills necessary for participating in many of the public discussion activities. This prevents other class members from understanding the points the student is trying to make and inhibits the exchange of ideas. When this happens the student often feels isolated and afraid to share thoughts in for fear of ridicule.

Even more important than the basic writing skills required is the willingness to take direction and apply feedback. This may be the result of reading comprehension problems or may be simply a function of the student’s disposition. I have seen enough students who have ample writing ability but are so resistant to feedback and coaching that the learning process is severely hampered. These students not only reject feedback but will go out of their way to make it clear that they have no interest in following the directions. Thus, the individual who lacks the willingness to take constructive criticism and apply it in an effort to make improvements would not be well suited for the online learning experience.

There are undoubtedly other factors that make online learning an undesirable option for certain students but I believe that the issues I mentioned and most others can be overcome.