The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all regular operations – including schools of all levels. With the risk of spreading the virus should classes resume, the Department of Education secretary Leonor Briones said that while online classes will resume by August, regular classes held in physical classroom settings will not return until a vaccine against COVID-19 is found.
This will mean a lot for the education of all Filipino students, but the main thing is that most classes will now be held online for the foreseeable future. This also includes college students getting their bachelor’s degree, which means the rise of online colleges in the Philippines.
Here are three reasons why studying for a degree online may be the new normal for students even after regular classes resume:
Flexible Course Schedules
While many have the privilege of being full-time students, there are others who may need a flexible schedule that traditional colleges do not provide, providing an unnecessary and unfair burden on their part. These include people working part-time or full-time jobs and adults with families who cannot spend their whole day on campus. There are also those who may not be able to learn at the same pace as others.
Online colleges provide an equal field for all its students because students can choose which classes to attend, usually when it’s most convenient for them. This means that they have enough time to prepare for their classes and learn at their own pace so that they’re making the most out of their education.
No Need to Travel to School
Did you know that the average Filipino spends nine to 15 years of their life stuck in traffic? Metro Manila also has the third-longest traffic waiting time in Asia, after Bangkok and Jakarta. Some students choose to rent places closer to their college to avoid the commute, but this is not financially possible for many students.
Online college removes the need to travel to and from the campus. Not only does it save you time to be productive in other outlets instead of waiting in traffic, but it can save you money. The cost of commuting to school or paying for gas to drive yourself to school can add up to thousands in additional expenses. And because school season coincides with our country’s typhoon season, students often worry about getting to school during inclement weather or going to school only to turn around and go home because of last-minute school suspensions.
But students enrolled in online college do not have to worry about travelling to and from school. They can simply find a quiet place at home before attending their class through any device that can access the internet. None of their time is wasted, they have more time to pursue productive activities, and their education isn’t affected during bad weather.
Earn Your Degree Faster
In traditional colleges, you’re given a curriculum that you have to follow according to the indicated schedule. As a result, you can only graduate on time or you graduate later than expected. Many online colleges, however, provide the opportunity to finish classes faster. For example, there are online colleges with work experience credits who will take into account any previous relevant work you have done and put it towards the completion of your course.
Depending on the degree program you enroll in, your class load, and the options you have for scheduling, it is possible to collect all the units you need to earn a degree. If you’re interested in finishing your diploma and entering the job market as soon as possible, you might be allowed to graduate earlier than originally scheduled.
Online college is set to grow in 2020, but that doesn’t mean it’s likely to go away when regular classes resume. There are plenty of benefits to attending an online college, and those interested in its benefits that regular colleges can’t provide may want to consider attending.