So you’ve graduated high school, now what? Traditional higher learning at a brick and mortar college or university has its limitations as far as flexibility and cost. For instance, you may not live in proximity to an institution with your desired programs. You may also not have the exorbitant savings to cover the cost of taking time from working to attend a prestigious college or university. This is exactly why more and more prospective students are opting to enroll in online courses to earn their education. Here are the main advantages of online learning:

1. Learn at a reduced cost
The most obvious perk of an online education is the cost-savings. It’s little surprise that enrolling in online courses, or eating an entire program online, is considerably cheaper to learning at a traditional brick and mortar campus. While the cost of online courses vary depending on the demand and reputation of the institution, most online courses will cost about half of on campus courses cost. Also, personal expenses are less when attending an online university versus a traditional college campus considering you won’t have to pay for student housing and so forth when learning online. Like traditional education, financial Aid may also be available for online students.

2. Learn at your own pace
Most students don’t fit into a box, meaning many of us don’t learn well in a traditional classroom setting offered at brick and mortar institutions. The good news is that most online courses offer self-paced learning. You can choose to study when time allows (i.e., outside of normal work or child rearing hours), and focus your hours of study during times that suit your personal schedule. Enrolling in online courses allows working people and single parents the opportunity to earn a higher degree outside of the traditional educational environment.

3. Choose what and where you learn
Many of students chose their program based on what’s available at their particular college campuses of choice. However, learning in an online forum lets you choose the program of your dreams with no need to travel far away from home. You choose where you live, learn, and what courses you take from a variety of institutions when you enroll online.

4. A degree is a degree
There used to be a lot of hesitation around learning online based on the fact that online courses  were viewed as subpar. Employers no longer make judgements based on online vs. traditional on campus learning. Now days, employers recognize ambition when it comes to holding down a job while continuing your education. In fact, many employers expect to see continual learning from job candidates and prior to job promotions to boost your resume.