More people than ever are choosing to return to school later in life. Sometimes, after a gap of just a few years but often much later in life, after we’ve been out of education for a long time. The reasons for this vary, but a common one is to either advance a career or move into a different profession. Education by no means stops when you finish school and can be returned to at any time in your life. Returning to school often opens new doors for people, gives them new focus and perspective and adds something to their lives. People rarely regret deciding to give education another chance, and most appreciate it much more than they did the first time.
Online study is a popular choice for those returning after a considerable break. It gives people a chance to study around work or family commitments, means that they don’t have to face sitting in a classroom that’s filled with people much younger than them, and gives them far greater flexibility. But, is an online course like a civil engineering degree worthwhile? Is it as well respected as one earned in school? Will it afford graduates the same opportunities? Does it matter? Well, for the most part, yes. Online degrees are certainly well respected. Let’s take a look at why.
Times Have Changed
The question of respect comes from a time when online degrees were new. When they were only available from a select few establishments and online-only schools, and when you could only take a few courses. The world of online study has developed massively since then. Now, even the top schools in the world offer online study programs and classes in a vast range of subjects and specialties.
It Shows Great Commitment
Many kids go to college to study for a degree straight out of school because it’s the natural path. It’s what they think that they should do and for many, it’s a much easier option than actually deciding what they want to do with their lives.
When you chose to study online, it shows something different. If you are deciding to go back to school, to come off the path that your life has taken you down, to make changes, and to devote your free time to learning, it shows a great commitment to your subject and to your future. Studying online isn’t easy, people respect that.
Accreditation
At the end of the day, schools have to offer some kind of certification. They can’t just say “there’s your degree” and hand you a bit of paper. They have to be certified, you may have to take exams, and your coursework has to be marked. Before starting any online course, check the accreditation and compare it to what you’d receive if you studied the same course in school.
You’re Organized
Two values all employers, no matter what industry they work in, value, are organization and time management. These are vital skills that will help you in all walks of life. Studying online around a job or other commitments shows how fantastically well-organized you are. Use this to sell yourself to employers.
