Going back to school as an adult is never easy. You might be ready to take your career to the next level or change your career altogether, but you have kids to take care of and bills to pay.
You don’t have the time, the money, or, perhaps, the energy to go back to school the traditional way.
These days, though, you don’t need to set foot in a classroom to get a world-class education. You can earn just about any master’s degree online. With a laptop and an internet connection, you can make your advanced education work for your busy schedule.
Here’s how:
Go to Classes Wherever You Are
With an online degree program, there is no need to uproot your life – and your family’s lives – to move closer to the campus where you’ll be taking classes.
You can stay in your current home and community, which is a bonus if you are already a homeowner. Even if you’re still renting, it’ll be easier for everyone if you can take your classes from your current location.
It’ll be cheaper – moving is expensive, especially when it’s moving an entire family and house full of stuff (not just the large carload most kids take to college with them).
If you can save those costs, you’ll make your degree much cheaper.
Online education lets you finish your classes on your own schedule, at your own pace. Lectures will be recorded and most professors in online master’s programs take full advantage of the technology available to make class materials available in a range of formats to suit a range of learning styles.
You’ll be able to take classes late at night, early in the morning, on your lunch breaks at work, or at whatever time works for you.
Choose a Program Tailored to Working Adults
One of the big problems with going back to school as an adult is that many universities and programs aren’t designed with the needs of working adults in mind. Most schools cater to young people fresh out of high school, especially for their bachelor’s degree programs.
But there are plenty of schools and programs out there tailored to the needs of working adults with families and full-time jobs. These programs offer more flexibility for students who already have quite full plates and still need to find room for more.
Look for a program that caters to non-traditional students. You’ll have better luck finding a good fit.
Earn Whatever Degree You Want
Online master’s programs have made graduate degrees much more accessible – you can access whatever master’s degree you want online these days.
Even degrees that require a clinical component simply call themselves low-residency and require students to spend a limited time on campus each year, usually a couple of weeks.
Some of the best schools in the world offer online master’s programs and many are rolling out virtual campuses and boast students from around the world. You’re no longer limited by geography to programs and campuses close to home.
You can even access schools abroad without leaving the country. And you can access some of the most prestigious degree programs and learn from some of the best professors, without leaving home.
Spend as Little as Possible
Tuition for online master’s programs tends to be about the same as tuition for the brick-and-mortar programs, but you’ll still find that going back to school online is cheaper, because you’re not nickel-and-dimed to death by incidental fees.
There’s no expensive parking pass to pay (or meters to feed or tickets to worry about) when you’re not driving to campus every day.
You won’t have to spend time and buy gas for a commute, nor put the wear and tear on your car. You won’t have to buy a meal plan, pay dorm fees, or come up with a security deposit for an apartment close to campus.
Takeaway
When you need to make your education work for you as hard as you’re working for it, go back to school online. You’ll get the credential you need at a pace that makes sense, and on a schedule that works for your busy life.
The sooner you start sending out applications, the sooner you could be on the way to your new life.
