Top Five Things to Know About Distance Education

Believe it or not, the concept of distance learning dates back to the early 18th century, when an advertisement was placed in the Boston Gazette offering students the ability to learn shorthand through the mail. Of course, the face of distance education has changed drastically over the years and many students are finding themselves earning their high school diploma, bachelor’s degree or even a law degree through online courses. There are still many misguided and uninformed individuals that believe distance learning is inferior to a traditional classroom education. Learn about the Top Five Common Misconceptions about Distance Education, some of which might be keeping you from pursuing your online finance MBA through this non-traditional experience:

Employers are Put Off by Distance Learning Degrees

 

Many students shy away from earning their diploma or degree online because they believe employers will take one look at their resume and toss it into the trash. In reality, the courses taught through online and correspondence courses are the same caliber as those offered in a traditional campus setting. Your employer will only see the academic degree earned on your resume or application, without any knowledge of the road you took you get there. Your prospective employer might even be a graduate of an online university himself.

Online Professors are Inexperienced and Inaccessible

 

Another misconception about online education is the teachers’ or professors’ lack of experience or accessibility. Because you’re not able to speak to the instructor one-on-one, many believe that their questions will go unanswered, and their grades will suffer for it. In actuality, many university’s online courses are taught by well-educated, renowned professors that are more than happy to correspond with their students through message boards, email and over the phone. You may not have the ability to visit with your professors or academic advisor in their office, but this doesn’t mean that your concerns and questions are important, or will be glossed over and ignored.

Traditional Classroom Education is More Effective

 

Imagine having the ability to work at your own pace, become self-motivated and learn without the stress of classroom discussions or public speaking? These are just a few of the benefits that distance education offers a student over a traditional classroom setting. Many busy adults with children, spouses and full-time jobs simply don’t have the time to drop everything and rush to a classroom. With distance learning, students have the unique ability to chart their own education destiny by not only learning at their own pace, but also by their own rules.

Online Classes are Less Challenging

 

Many students opt for online education because they believe the classes are a breeze, and because you don’t have a professor breathing down their neck, they can put forth less effort to achieve the same results. The truth is there are no “easy A’s” in life and this same fact holds true in the world of distance education. You must go the extra mile to earn stellar grades in a traditional classroom and an online school setting. Be prepared to take rigorous notes, read text books and literature, write thoughtful and well-constructed research papers, and put all into your education, because this is the requirement to complete an online education in four years. But keep in mind, with distance learning you still have the ability to work on your schedule, which makes achieving those “A’s” a much more realistic possibility.

Credits from Distance Learning aren’t Transferable or even Legitimate

 

When choosing an online or distance learning university, pay attention that it’s accredited through a local or regional accreditation agency. These agencies ensure the college or university meets acceptable levels of quality or excellence. If you complete courses through an accredited online university, your credits are completely legitimate and transferable, even if you decide to take classes in a traditional campus setting. The credits are also transferable in many cases to an alternate online university. However you look at it, the credits earned through an accredited distance learning program are no different or inferior to those earned while sitting behind a desk.

As with traditional campus universities, some distance learning programs such as a; finance MBA online, are more academically rigorous than others. Before making any final decisions, speak to an admissions officer or academic counselor, peruse the course catalogue or speak to current students to learn if the distance learning university is a good fit.

This guest post article was written and provided by Marissa Krause who finished her degree online this last fall and has just begun her own online marketing company.