No matter what stage of life you are in, things just pile up. It’s just a fact of life. Whether it’s schoolwork, a busy home life, a new pet or your existing 9-to-5 office job, life often dictates how and when we learn.
Luckily, there has never been a more opportune time to engage in an online school. It’s just easier on you and your life, plain and simple.
Instead of finding out who can babysit your kids while you go to night classes or changing your work schedule to accommodate learning, you’ll have the freedom to choose when, where and how much you learn at any given time. This opens valuable doors for anyone wanting to educate themselves, students fresh out of high school or for those who wish to enter an entirely new field.
Can You Earn an Online Degree at Your Own Pace?
Online learning has not only made things easier on people regarding schedules, it has also helped people learn in different ways. Perhaps someone who struggles in a classroom environment absolutely thrives in the setting of their choice. It may seem too good to be true, but you can 100 percent earn a college degree online through self-paced courses.
Let’s explore how possible it is to get a degree by going at your own pace and look at some of the more notable schools offering these extremely accommodating options for students. But first, some basics.
Asynchronous vs Synchronous Learning
Synchronous learning means instructors and students engage with material at the same time, much like in-person classes. Regular courses in any typical school are examples of synchronous learning. Asynchronous, as you can probably guess, means not occurring at the same time. This is where self-paced online degrees come in.
Asynchronous learning is becoming more prevalent and many schools are adapting their syllabi, curriculum and teaching methods to embrace the change in online asynchronous learning. For those of you who prefer to have social interaction, there are also online courses with synchronous learning as their framework.
While there are most definitely synchronous classes for some lectures and class discussions via webcam, being enrolled in self-paced courses offers an asynchronous learning experience.
Self-paced colleges, certificate programs and other higher education learning models are asynchronous, meaning you can complete your program at your leisure and convenience.
Let’s explore some of the top self-paced online colleges in the United States.
Top Self-Paced Online Colleges
University of Florida
Students can pick from almost 40 different major programs offered by the University of Florida. Become a ‘Flex Student’ without applying for the actual university to experience things like a complete course in health science and economics. Flexibility is the name of the game here, and it shows. These courses last about 16 weeks.
Rasmussen College
Rasmussen College boasts talented career counselors, academic advisors and an impressive online library. Through its Flex program, you can test yourself on what you already know in a subject, allowing you to earn credit hours in that subject and move on. They also offer multiple degree options in many different majors.
Drexel University: LeBow Online MBA
Drexel University has a fantastic business school in the form of Lebow College of Business. It offers part-time, self-paced classes for its MBA programs and offers dual degree options for those completionists out there.
Students can take several business-related online classes, including Business Analytics, Finance, General Business, Marketing and Customized Concentration.
This is the perfect self-paced online college degree for the business-minded individual and will help whoever takes part in classes to move up the corporate ladder, all from the comfort of their own home or favorite coffee shop.
You can complete this impressive program in as little as 18 months and the benefits of having such a highly-regarded MBA are tremendous. Many graduates go on to work at remarkable companies in the corporate sector, like Lockheed Martin, or JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Final Thoughts on Self-Paced Colleges
If you’re a student that thrives on going your own way and having the most freedom when it comes to learning, self-paced online colleges are definitely right up your alley.
Although they aren’t for everyone, especially those who learn better from face-to-face interaction, self-paced online colleges allow those with busy schedules and a different personal preference to breathe a little easier as they earn college credits with complete freedom and in their own particular way.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
