Pros and Cons of Online Education for Veterans

by Emily Watts

Economics Tuition:  Online Education is fast growing into a prominent option at numerous major higher education institutions. In particular, this program has been of significant benefit to veterans who in most cases face unique roadblocks relative to getting back to the traditional classroom system to pursue their higher education goals.

Veterans have their plates full of family, social, or even work-related obligations which render it quite a challenge for them to adapt to an onsite education program. Furthermore, there is always that small issue of whether or not the college close to their premises or locale may not have their chosen course.

Online education subsequently offers the ideal solution to this predicament – not just for the veterans, but for any other student working on a tight schedule or juggling with other essential tasks such as work, or family. Besides the convenience of studying from any location, the unique format on which online education is centered on also means that you can obtain your degree in a relatively shorter period.

While these few perks can make online education sound like just the right option for anyone looking for convenience, it is unfortunately not suited for everyone. As such, it is essential to take into consideration both the pros and cons of online education to better understand how it works and whether you are well prepared to push through with it.
Here are some Online Education Pros and Cons worth considering:

PROS

According to various requests posted by students on essay writing services, enrolling in an online education program comes with several distinct advantages including:

1. Convenience
Online education offers ultimate convenience, especially to non-traditional students juggling between school, family, and work among other essential responsibilities.

What’s more, it might be of particular benefit to both current and former military members especially since they are known to traverse from one base to the other frequently. Nonetheless, with online education programs, they can effectively study from anywhere. Similarly, online education programs also facilitate students to study at their convenient time of the day-an added advantage for veterans and other individuals who often work unconventional hours and shifts.

2. Eliminates the need to travel
Online program students can study from the comfort of their homes subsequently saving gas, travel expenses, and time. It eradicates the necessity to drive in otherwise extreme weather conditions. Furthermore, for veterans or any other individuals with a disability or injury, it saves them the hassle of movement while offering the luxury of still studying without attending regular on-site lectures.

3. 24/7 course access
As opposed to typical on-campus courses which mandate for the student to participate in classes at certain periods, online programs are round the clock – students only need to have internet access and a computer.

4. Easy access to unlimited resources
One of the main advantages of online classes is that you can easily refer to a wide array of resources as well as information from across the world from your computer. Unlike traditional class programs, you can even engage with other guest students or experts from other colleges online without having to meet them physically.

CONS

1. Limited verbal interaction
With online education, students, unfortunately, have no social interaction with another fellow students-a perk which can be tremendously useful especially for studying purposes. Similarly, unlike traditional on-site education arrangements where students can actively interact with their instructors, online students also face the challenge of limited interaction with their instructors. On-site students have the luxury of a direct and immediate answer to their queries while online students can at times be forced to wait for long periods before getting a reply to their questions.

2. Technology problems
While no one can argue about how remarkable technology is as well as how easy it has made our lives, it, however, is not problem-free. Online students can be victims of internet or computer problems which can inconvenience them especially when they need to complete and submit their exams or assignments as required.

3. Only suitable for highly motivated and Independent students
Online education programs necessitate that you take full responsibility for your education. It is upon you to schedule your tasks, sign in to the online portal, and finish and submit assignments on time among other things. As such, if you cannot get yourself to work independently, meet all your deadlines as well as stay organized without supervision, you will find it hard to cope with an online education program.

Summary:
Essentially, while it is easy to see that online education is a convenient and effective way to acquire knowledge, it is however not suited for everyone. As such, it is crucial that you carefully evaluate these several online classes’ pros and cons among many others to ensure that you make the right decision on whether online education is the way to go.  Here’s a good place to start checking for education courses:  200 Best Free Coursera Courses in 2019

Good Luck!

About the Author:  Emily Watts is a designer and writer for websites at the same time. You can ask questions about design trends or review her works at her own website elizabethanauthors.org, where she writes about famous authors and their works.