Yet, how one should embrace and navigate a world so vast, and with all these different possibilities — that is the question!
One such option is an online degree — the merits and drawbacks of which we will now consider, comparing it with the traditional university route so you can make an informed decision.
REASON 1 — The Social:
One factor to seriously consider is, ultimately, whether you see the process of acquiring a degree simply as a means to the end of furthering your career prospects, or as an an end in itself.
To clarify, if the latter is true for you, a social life via the traditional university route is probably a high priority of yours, as is the total university experience, in which you can walk the campuses; feel yourself to be a part of a larger student community; engage in extracurricular/Society activities; and meet with your esteemed teachers on a more one-to-one, organic basis. This level of interaction is ever-increasingly vital in our digital age, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, where things have become more and more disconnected, at some level.
Yet, whilst this is factor may motivate some to elect the more traditional route, if you are seeking to strictly use university/college to advance your career in the most direct, convenient way possible, viewing all these facets of university life as not centrally important, then the online degree via GI Bill Benefits is probably more the suitable choice, so long as it is accredited.
REASON 2 — The Personal:
This brings us on to the second of our “Reasons”. Before choosing your educational haven, which is a huge decision, not to be taken lightly, think of whether you are merely using the university degree as a side-venture, with your primary endeavour being your professional life. If this is the case, a traditional degree may not fit into such a schedule, and a self-paced course on an online platform may be the suitably convenient option for you.
Yet, if your studies are more on the vocational-technical side, consisting of heavily practical activity, then an online degree would probably be largely unsuitable, as you wouldn’t have the right resources to, say, simulate a practical undertaking of some kind.
However, if you are stationed at a remote distance, whilst in the Armed Forces, then all bets are probably off, and the online university experience may represent convenience par excellence, for you, and you may wish to forgo the total university experience in favour of this.
REASON 3 — The Financial:
This brings us on to discussing the financial reasons. The fact you receive a full monthly housing allowance whilst at a traditional university, courtesy of GI Bill Benefits scheme, means you can access the university experience, at every level, pretty much gratis. Hence, if these social prospects and organic connections not only with teachers, but space and place matter to you, then perhaps an online degree wouldn’t be your preferred option.
However, one great loophole, however, that is worth considering is, if the program on which you are enrolled is hybrid in nature, which is to say, at least one class is in-person, then you are eligible for a full monthly housing allowance, in which case you may want to consider an online degree as an option.
In terms of the costs of the course, if you live near private school, with the closest public school being much too remote, then electing the online degree route may be a wise choice, given the “maximum payable amount” for private school fees, as stipulated by the GI Bill Benefits. Even the Yellow Ribbon program, which pays off the excess amount, is not applicable for every school out there, and you have to meet the eligibility requirements first, so bear this in mind when applying.
Concluding Thoughts:
As complex an issue as this is, there are some simple take-home messages we can deduce from all this information:
You should first and foremost follow your instinct, insofar as choosing between university for the full university experience or simply as a means to enhancing your career prospects.
You should factor in the fact that monthly housing allowance is covered for living out.
You should consider your current situation, as well, insofar as whether you are in full-time work, and just looking for a basic career change via an online degree.
We hope your choose how to use your hard-won, well-deserved benefits wisely, and in a way that works for you, socially, personally and financially.
