Do you want to go to grad school but without uprooting your whole life? You should consider earning your master’s degree online. Online master’s programs are perfectly legitimate, and you can benefit just as much from one as you can from a brick-and-mortar program. Many students actually learn more in online classes than they do in brick-and-mortar classes. And there are many benefits to earning your graduate degree online.
In addition to the flexibility of earning your degree where and how you want, you can save a lot of money by taking your classes online. You can work full-time while earning your degree, which can mean avoiding student loan debt. And you’ll even build your self-discipline and time-management skills, which can be hugely beneficial in the workplace. Here’s why you should earn your master’s degree online.
You Can Avoid Uprooting Your Entire Life
Moving to a new city for graduate school can be tough even when you’re young and unencumbered. When you’re older and have a family to think of, it can be downright impossible. Going to graduate school online means you don’t have to uproot your family and your life to earn an advanced degree.
For example, if you enroll in an online master’s degree in criminal justice at UAGC, you can take your classes from home, at whatever time suits you. You’ll be able to complete coursework on your lunch break at work, late at night while the kids are asleep, or whenever it works for you.
You Can Save Money by Taking Your Classes Online
Tuition and fees for taking your master’s degree classes online might be the same as they would be for in-person classes, but you’ll save a lot of money on incidental costs. You won’t have to pay the costs of moving to your new university’s city, or putting down first, last, and a deposit on a new apartment.
You won’t have to pay for gas or bus tickets to get to campus or parking while you’re there. You won’t have to pay for on-campus meal plans. Ultimately, going back to school online can be a lot cheaper than going in person.
You Can Avoid Acquiring Student Debt by Working While You Take Classes
Earning your master’s degree online gives you the flexibility to work full-time while you’re earning your degree, and that can help you avoid student debt. You can pay your tuition and fees out of your work earnings, and you might be able to get your employer to cover some of the cost of your coursework through a tuition reimbursement program.
You may be able to win scholarships and grants to cover any tuition costs that you can’t afford to pay out of your own pocket.
You’ll Improve Your Self-Discipline and Time-Management Skills
If you don’t already have self-discipline and strong time management skills, then completing master’s coursework online might not be the right choice for you. But if you do have some basic time-management skills and some self-discipline, you’re about to level those qualities up when you enroll in an online degree program.
In an online program, your professor isn’t meeting with your class in-person three times a week to pressure you into completing your assignments or remind you of due dates. You’re going to need to find within yourself the discipline and motivation to complete your coursework. And time-management skills are going to play into that in a big way.
You’re going to need to sit down with a planner at the beginning of the semester and write down all your deadlines. Plan out personal obligations like weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and so on that you need to make time for amidst your work and academic responsibilities.
At the beginning of each week, sit down and use time-blocking to allocate swaths of time to your master’s coursework. Then hold yourself accountable to actually sit down and study during those times. It’s the only way you’ll succeed – and it will help you develop a work ethic that employers will love.
You’ll Learn Better Online Than Off
Many students who try online courses find that they learn better in the digital format than in the traditional one. That may be because, online, you’re able to watch lectures as many times as you need to in order to grasp difficult concepts. You’ll also discuss class concepts with your classmates more, and you’ll be able to go over course material at your own speed, as long as you hand in your assignments on time.
If you’re thinking of getting a master’s degree, consider going back to school online. You’ll get to study on a schedule that suits you, and still get the skills you need to succeed in the workforce, without moving to a new city or quitting your job. It’s a no-brainer.
