The biggest Disadvantages of Studying on the Internet
Online degrees have become very popular in recent years and the reasons are fairly obvious, there are a lot of good reasons to get an online degree. There are however some disadvantages to studying in the internet that you need to be aware of if you are considering an online degree. Most of the disadvantages stem from the fact that you are on your own and will have limited support in your studies. Not all students find this to be a disadvantage but most do, so you need to think about whether or not you are prepared to deal with these issues.
The biggest disadvantage of studying on the internet is the lack of tutorial support that you receive. Students at a traditional college have regular access to their professors and can ask questions if they get stuck, an online student is that lucky. Although most online schools offer some form assistance if you get truly stuck, usually in the form of a tutor you can call the help that they can provide will be limited. By and large online students are on their own when it comes to studying and need to be strong independent learners. Some people prefer to learn this way and don't really need or want to contact their professors, but for many people this is a serious disadvantage when it comes to studying on the internet.
Another disadvantage related to the lack of tutorial support is that not having access to your professor makes it difficult to impossible to get a letter of reference. Many jobs and virtually all graduate schools will ask for a letter of recommendation from a college professor, this is obviously going to be a problem if you have never actually met your professor. Obviously nobody is going to write a letter of reference for somebody they don't know so this can be a major issue, especially if you are planning to attend graduate school. Most schools that offer online graduate degrees don't require a recommendation from your professors since they are aware of the problem, however it can be very difficult to get into a traditional graduate program with an online undergraduate degree.
Many people consider that the best part of attending college is that social aspect, usually life long friends are met at college. This obviously isn't going to happen if you are studying online and this can be another major disadvantage. Again this is a matter of preference, some people have no interest in the social aspect, but for many people this is a disadvantage to studying on the internet. In a addition to the social aspect other students can be a source of support and assistance, classmates often find it helpful to study together. This is one of the things that you are simply going to have to do without if you choose to study online.