Online enrollment is “skyrocketing”, says a Wall Street Journal article published May 15, 2006.
This bucks the trend of flat lining overall postsecondary education enrollment in the U.S. According to Boston-based market research firm Eduventures, by next year one in ten college students will be enrolled online.
Thanks to a repeal of a federal rule, colleges are no longer required to provide at least half their instruction on campus. This is a boon for public schools both ways: online programs crank out millions of dollars in revenue which, in turn, funds university operations.
In short, a win-win scenario.
Another source of increased enrollments is employers, who applaud the quick, economical convenience that distance learning offers employees. On average it takes only 2-3 years to complete what is arguably the same level of quality education.
Pricing is a mixed bag. Some online universities actually charge a higher rate than traditional universities because they aren’t state subsidized. On the bright side, some online colleges charge a flat rate to students of all residencies, thus nixing high out-of-state tuition. Likewise, the cost in time and money for commute may bring the overall cost of online education equal to if not lower than tradition college.
If your time is your money, then online universities may be an economical option for you.
