Online College Students; A Changing Demographic

More mid-career adults are now enrolled in online degree programs than ever in history. With the current ultra-competitive job market and speedily emerging technology, that’s easy to understand.

What might surprise you, however, is the huge increase in traditional age students enrolled in online education programs. What are the reasons for this trend?

Why would an 18-24 year old student pursue an online degree instead of a traditional degree program?

First of all, many traditional age students need to work. And, it is very difficult to work and get a good schedule of on-campus classes. There are no such scheduling problems for those who attend an online college. They can do their coursework whenever they wish, day or night.

Next, there is the issue of flexibility. Traditional college programs rarely allow students to accelerate the pace at which they can earn a degree. Conversely, online colleges frequently offer accelerated degree options. Some enable students to earn a bachelors degree in as little as two years.

Cost, of course, is one of the top factors in college choice. Here is another area in which online education usually comes out on top. And, online colleges and universities frequently make education more affordable by offering interest free tuition installment plans.

A final factor that has influenced more young people to turn to education online is the fact that most employers now value an online degree as much as they do a traditional one. That was not always the case. In fact, some employers prefer to hire folks with the ambition to earn a degree while working full time.

While it’s true that students pursuing higher education online miss out on campus life, more and more 18-22 year olds are willing to trade it for the flexibility, and low cost online degree programs offer.

In fact, they choose online education for the same reasons as their older counterparts. Watch for the trend to continue.