The Interest in Online College on the Rise

I want to receive my degree before entering the Military. I don?t have time to take courses because of my Military duties. These are all common complaints among potential students. However, with the interest in online college on the rise, you may not be hearing these complaints nearly as often.

Over the next five to ten years, online college is going to become even more popular than it is today. Hard to believe, isn?t it? Although distance learning has been around for nearly 50 years, this industry is really beginning to take off.

In the near future, you can expect to see many changes such as how professors approach the learning process, the number of institutions moving online, and the type of technology being used.

Recent Stats

According to an article by Bloomberg, in 2009 roughly 30 percent of college students were enrolled in at least one online course. This is a big number, right? By 2014, in just five short years, this number is expected to leap to 50 percent.

As of late, more and more schools have realized that going online is a must. This is something that students all over the country are looking for, including those who are in the Military as well as those who are leading a more ?traditional? life.

With online courses, higher education institutions are able to attract new students and increase the amount of tuition received ? all without having to expand their amount of physical space.

Schools Getting Serious

There is no denying that some schools are more serious about online learning than others. That being said, most institutions are looking to grow. For example, many big name players are expanding in this area. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are putting up a lot of money to create a new system known as edX. The goal is simple: to improve teaching while building a community of online students. Through the use of video, students will find themselves in position to take Harvard and MIT courses online.

Who would have ever thought that some of the most well respected institutions in the world would move online?

As or right now, approximately one in every three students is taking an online course. This number is going to grow to one in two over the next couple years. No matter if you are active duty or in the reserve, it makes sense to consider the benefits of online learning.