Often when I talk about attending college with spouses who have not yet gone back to school, I am asked ‘Should I do online classes, or sit down classes?’ Well, the choice is yours really! There are a lot of things to consider when deciding which option is best for you. First and foremost, I always advocate doing your homework. What I mean by that is fully researching the school you want attend. There are reputable and not so reputable schools out there (both online and one’s with campus locations) so it’s always best to make sure you are careful with your selection.
If you are unsure about what school you would like to go to, stop by the Education Center on post. They are a great source of information. A lot, if not all Education Centers also have representatives from several colleges that are more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Luckily for me, my college has an office at the post I am at, and anything I have to do concerning my classes (turn in VA paperwork, etc), can be done there.
Now, you need to decide if doing classes online or going to class will work for you. When I started going to school, online classes (and even a couple I took that were offered on the college’s own television channel) worked best for me. I had one child in school and a baby at home. No way would sit down classes work for me. Since then, I have taken probably 95% of my classes online. It also depends on your major. Some majors have classes that must be taken in class, like a lot of your science courses. I have only had to take a few on-campus classes, but I really enjoy online. Even though you still have due dates, I feel it is less rigid. You don’t have to be somewhere at the same time every week and are free to do your assignments when you find what time works best for you. I have done many assignments in the wee hours of the night!
If you like the structure of a sit down class, and feel that you are held more accountable if you actually have to go to class, then that’s what will work best for you. I have several friends that prefer a physical classroom environment, and feel that online classes make it too easy to be lazy and not get their assignments done. So really, it’s whatever you feel most comfortable with and where you feel will do your best. If you aren’t sure, try both! It won’t take very long for you to figure out which learning style works best for you, your family and your schedule.
