A longtime friend of mine, Bob, recently opted out of returning to his “brick and mortar” college for the winter semester of his freshman year, citing that, no matter how accommodating the faculty and staff were to his needs, he simply could not make a schedule that would allow him to progress upwards in his career outside of school while remaining a full-time student. Bob had his eye on a promotion, and changing jobs was just not an option. He knew that he would have to do what was necessary within his company to be granted that promotion; at the same time, he had always been aware of the importance of a college degree. After doing some research, Bob found that online education would allow him to create a schedule that would not interfere with his job and still provide him with a college degree in his preferred area of study.
What is unique about Bob’s situation is that, unlike most college freshmen (or any college students, for that matter), he is planning for the future by not only choosing post-secondary education, but by taking on the responsibilities of the workforce in a position that serves more of a purpose than providing him with “a little spending money”. He received the position he had been pursuing shortly before his first semester of online education began, and is having no trouble taking on the roles of both a full-time employee and a student. When summer comes and most college students look to return to a summer job, Bob will already be holding a secure position for which he worked hard. He will still be continuing his education right on track with other students his age, except he will be doing so solely because of the benefits that online education provide.
Contributing blogger: Adam M.