Kentucky colleges turn to online courses to accommodate rising student numbers

Kentucky colleges turn to online courses to accommodate rising student numbers

As the bad economy continues to drive more Americans back to school, colleges across Kentucky have experienced record enrollment numbers this fall and are striving to provide instruction to everyone with the help of online courses.

This academic year, a record 259,000 students have signed up at Kentucky's public and private colleges, many of them workers who have lost their jobs or individuals looking to retool their skills or earn professional degrees, according to The Courier-Journal, a local newspaper in Louisville, Kentucky.

The surge in enrollment at community colleges "is pretty predictable when the economy is down," said president of the Council on Postsecondary Education Bob King, quoted by the news provider.

But the schools have also seen a growth in demand for bachelors degrees, he added, citing the example of 57-year-old Maurita Bareton, who enrolled at Bowling Green Technical College last semester after being laid off by her employer of 34 years.

According to The Courier-Journal many schools have turned to online education to accommodate extra students.

Distance education is an option that is growing rapidly in popularity, especially among professionals who would like to improve their skills without quitting their current jobs, parents who would like to earn a college degree and those who live far from a campus and would like to avoid travel and time costs.