Here’s the simple truth for you and your child – moving away to attend a university is an expensive prospect, and, in the current economic climate, makes it increasingly difficult to pay room and board.
A college education is expensive– for everything from accommodation, course textbooks, tuition fees, and food – and many parents find it hard to cover those costs without skyrocketing debts. It could be time to look into how you can stop your child suffering financial hardship.
One option is a distance learning degree, as supplied by numerous top-quality providers. While your student will miss out on the social aspects of the campus lifestyle, they also won’t be struck down with more debt than they can handle in student loans. More than this, the world of distance learning has become more of an option than it used to be. Now, with the handy tool of the internet, research is just a button press away, and tutors can be easily contacted via messaging services such as Skype or email.
High-quality research and education
Sites like JSTOR, Google Books and Google Scholar are fantastic wells of information, and are a world away from questionable sources such as Wikipedia. Indeed, the web has evolved so much that numerous students at brick-and-mortar universities probably use it more than their campus library.
In educational terms distance learning is on par with a university, and surpassing it in terms of convenience and cost. However, it’s important not to mistake an online degree for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).
For those of you not savvy to MOOCs, they are essentially free, unaccredited university modules that allow you to dip into certain courses and pick up an education along the way. Despite being created with the best of intentions, they can’t hold a candle to a university sanctioned distance learning degree, and you won’t complete a MOOC and gain any official qualification.
The main issue is whether or not you can afford college. As tuition fees rise and wages freeze, you might not be able to give your teen the campus lifestyle they desire. But you can still give them a top-quality education in a non-traditional way. Give distance learning a look to see what your options are.
If you are still unclear regarding some aspects of online education, then it may be best to check out an online resource center. These are generally segments on the websites for online Universities and they will provide you and your child with all of the information they need regarding online schools. Many schools are also open to answering any questions you ask via email. It takes just a few moments to review this information with your child and the result will be that both of you gain a greater understanding of the online education system.