Online vs On Campus

I've been putting off going to college for almost 4 years now basically because I was always broke. Then I realize, I will always be broke till I go to college hehe. I'm looking around at colleges and sadly there's not a lot of schools in California where you can get your RVT. I looked into online options as well. One semester at a college 30 miles away from me is going to cost me $750, not including books, all the other college fees, and of course gas from a car I can't possibly afford yet. One semester through a 100% online program will cost me $980, not including books and other fees but I wont have to worry about gas or changing my work availability.

A physical college will help me have more structure and get more "hands on" though driving 60 miles roundtrip a couple times a week isn't what I'm looking forward to in regards to time and money. I'll also have to wait till I could afford a car to get there. An online program will be more flexible with my lifestyle and hours but it'll be hard not to slack off and is more than a couple hundred dollars expensive.

Do you think it'll be better for me to go with an online program right away or wait to start at the on campus college?

i have finally took a online course.
I think i like better then going to real life campus.(but then again i am not much of a people person)

But really it comes down to, what is your learning style? do you need a teacher right there? or can you learn just by reading

I'm better with a teacher there. That'll be the biggest con about online courses. Sometimes I need to hear it along with reading it. And the whole me being at my own pace is a bit challenging.

but I'd rather take regular campus classes. Maybe your local has online and regular classes. when you schedule them try to put most of you regular classes in one or two days. and stay with a friend in the area over night?

AngelBoots

Originally Posted by AngelBoots

but I'd rather take regular campus classes. Maybe your local has online and regular classes. when you schedule them try to put most of you regular classes in one or two days. and stay with a friend in the area over night?

AngelBoots

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I don't have any friends around the campus so that wont work.

Originally Posted by okiron

I've been putting off going to college for almost 4 years now basically because I was always broke. Then I realize, I will always be broke till I go to college hehe. I'm looking around at colleges and sadly there's not a lot of schools in California where you can get your RVT. I looked into online options as well. One semester at a college 30 miles away from me is going to cost me $750, not including books, all the other college fees, and of course gas from a car I can't possibly afford yet. One semester through a 100% online program will cost me $980, not including books and other fees but I wont have to worry about gas or changing my work availability.

A physical college will help me have more structure and get more "hands on" though driving 60 miles roundtrip a couple times a week isn't what I'm looking forward to in regards to time and money. I'll also have to wait till I could afford a car to get there. An online program will be more flexible with my lifestyle and hours but it'll be hard not to slack off and is more than a couple hundred dollars expensive.

Do you think it'll be better for me to go with an online program right away or wait to start at the on campus college?

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What is RVT? Maybe I can help. AngelBoots

right now I'm attending achool on loans and my Pell Grant. plus I work parttime at the local vet office's. sometimes it's the only way. if you take out a big enough loan you can buy a crap car to get around with plus buy your textbooks from Amazon or textbooksrus.com I buy all my books online for under $100. it pays to shop around. sometimes you can even find cheap brand new books for under $35.00 each. {international print same as the American but slightly different.} AngelBoots

I went away to college, but I took a lot of my gen eds as online courses... I think it depends on the person and the class as far as how well online classes will work for you... I really liked the flexibility of them - some of the classes, the teachers put up all of the lectures, quizzes and projects immediately and sometimes I just banged out the whole semester right away so it was done with... other times the teachers put stuff up bit by bit.... but like I'm a night owl, so I'd do a lot of it while watching Leno and Conan (Unless we were going out to the bars that night and I'd plan ahead haha)... I did best in a mixed setting, I know some of my classes I wouldn't have made it online with, but others I never saw the point in why we actually had to show up haha.... anyway that's just my experience -good luck!!

I wouldn't go online for your major specific classes. You don't get the benefit of hearing explanations of your readings, the opportunity to build a relationship with your professors or any other students that may help you in a jam, etc. Taking courses online you are essentially reliable for teaching yourself with the materials or resources provided. I would, however, suggest you could take things like english classes or math classes (if you're good at math) that may be required online to get them out of the way.


BTW, $750 a semester???? I pay $900/credit hour!

It depends on how disciplined you are. Sitting at home on your home computer surrounded by all of your stuff, cats, distractions such as your phone, television, the web, forums such as TCS etc, can make it very challenging to get study time in.

People who take long distance classes or online classes really need to be disciplined enough to set aside at least 3 hours of their day which is dedicated to only that one course (just like you would have to do if you were in a lecture hall at the University). That means locking your self up and tuning out the world.

If you feel you have the discipline, every single day, then do the online course.

If you don't, then wait for the on campass one, otherwise you will have thrown your money out the window.

For me I am not disciplined enough to do long distance, online, self study courses because I'm easily distracted and tend to procrastinate and put things off until later. So for me the only courses I know that I'll be able to actually start and finish are the ones that make me get off my butt, leave the house and go to a University and sit in a lecture hall, and that has deadlines for when their exams are too.

So only you know which type of course will be best for you.

Originally Posted by AngelBoots

right now I'm attending achool on loans and my Pell Grant. plus I work parttime at the local vet office's. sometimes it's the only way. if you take out a big enough loan you can buy a crap car to get around with plus buy your textbooks from Amazon or textbooksrus.com I buy all my books online for under $100. it pays to shop around. sometimes you can even find cheap brand new books for under $35.00 each. {international print same as the American but slightly different.} AngelBoots

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RVT - Registered Veterinary Technician

I didn't even think about using a student loan to buy a cheap car. You can do that? I mean I am doing it to get to and from school. Thanks for the website I'll bookmark it.

Everyone else - Yeah I do agree that I think I'll do better in a physical environment and though GE classes are fine online, major courses should be taken in person. I think I'm gonna go with waiting a bit and going for the campus college.

Originally Posted by okiron

I didn't even think about using a student loan to buy a cheap car. You can do that? I mean I am doing it to get to and from school. Thanks for the website I'll bookmark it.

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When I applied for my student loans each year, I took into account rent, books, cable bill and an estimate on groceries - but I basically never would have been able to work and handle my courseload... it's bitin me in the butt now though lol - I went to an out of state school for 5 years (plus summers) so I'm 100 grand in debt... but I wouldn't have gone anywhere else in the world for college!

I did online. It's the same for me, 60 miles roundtrip. With gas as $$ as it is...not feasible. On top of that, I'd have to drive to/from campus, then to/from work another 35 mile round trip in one day. on gas!

Originally Posted by AngelBoots

right now I'm attending achool on loans and my Pell Grant. plus I work parttime at the local vet office's. sometimes it's the only way. if you take out a big enough loan you can buy a crap car to get around with plus buy your textbooks from Amazon or textbooksrus.com I buy all my books online for under $100. it pays to shop around. sometimes you can even find cheap brand new books for under $35.00 each. {international print same as the American but slightly different.} AngelBoots

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Just so you know, those books are illegal to buy in the US unless you're having them shipped from overseas, in which case you should be paying a lot of shipping. Enough to make it not worth the effort. That's why they have a big warning on them that says "Not for sale in the US or Canada"

One bonus with a lot of online classes is that the professors use their own material and you don't need to buy a textbook, but at most universities they're starting to do that in all classes.

There are also lots of companies that rent textbooks; you have to return them, but it's much cheaper. Also, college libraries (at least here) usually have textbooks in the reference section so that you can use them in the library.

I agree you should make a trip to the college financial aid office and find out what grants you are eligible for. It's free money for school! Then, go to the department for your major and find out what online courses will transfer for credit. (Call first and see if you can set up some appointments to talk to the different counselors.)

I'd get things started right away with an online course, you can start taking some basics online but you will want hands-on classes on campus for courses for your major. Good luck!

I used to share textbooks with friends, or even worse print off the required material from other textbooks, even though this isn't allowed by all printing places, most near colleges do allow it. Or go without. My grades never suffered.
But I was on campus every day in real buildings around real classmates, some of which became friends, which is 100% different than distance learning. I lived within walking distance to campus. Those darn textbooks are VERY expensive and aren't always used either. You can buy used from others, on campus they have flyers up. The bookstore rips people off, they have buy backs but only give you very little back for the book, then sell it themselves for higher than they pay you.

I always heard the longer you put higher education off, the harder it becomes. I have never tested this theory as I went straight in from high school, and straight to grad school after undergrad.

I'm heading back to school in the fall. I debated online courses vs. the classroom but decided that I like the classroom interaction better and will attend on campus.

Originally Posted by cococat

I always heard the longer you put higher education off, the harder it becomes. I have never tested this theory as I went straight in from high school, and straight to grad school after undergrad.

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Well I think with almost 6 years of not being in school, I'll be a guinea pig for that theory,

Originally Posted by okiron

Well I think with almost 6 years of not being in school, I'll be a guinea pig for that theory,

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Good luck, I am sure you will do great. I should have been more specific, not exactly that it is harder, but just that it is harder to get back into that scene of homework, studying, hours doing papers, etc. The reason that was given to me is that as you age you tend to have more responsibilities, get more involved with work, have more family duties, stuff like that that make it harder to go back to school and devote the time and energy to it than say if you had less on your plate. Other things take priority, and I can agree with that, it would be so hard for me to go back to college now vs. back then.
But taking the first step is the hardest I would think, once you decide to do it, and get enrolled and attend those classes you are good to go! You are making a good choice IMO!

Originally Posted by okiron

Well I think with almost 6 years of not being in school, I'll be a guinea pig for that theory,

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It's been over 14 years for me.