And hey, you won’t feel like you’re the only one. Every year, more than six million students begin their career dreams by taking online college courses. At least a third of all college students now take at least one online course, says the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

Who’s a Good Fit for Online College Classes?

Successful completion of online coursework takes self-motivation and an intense desire to stay on task – students don’t have the framework of a regularly scheduled class period, and completing assignments on time is totally up to them.

College advisors agree that online courses are a good fit for those who want to pick up college credits while in high school, even if they’re unsure what their college major will be.

Those who are in a full-time job also find online college classes are a way to reach their career goals. The key to balancing online classes with a full-time job is communicating the intent to do so with the employer. Their awareness of an employee’s educational goal may allow flexibility in your workdays or hours. Many companies also have tuition reimbursement or grants/awards for those who want to attend college.

“Gen Ed” Classes are Good Online Choices

Most colleges offer online options for general education classes required for a college degree. “Gen eds” – general education courses –  are designed to expand a student’s ability to understand concepts, widen perspectives on the world around them, and prepare students for specialized study in their degree area.

Typically, general education classes and courses that are required for a degree include subjects such as

• Communication 101/English composition
• Sociology
• Psychology
• History
• College (Intermediate) Algebra.

If you’re thinking about a healthcare-related degree, online classes may also include healthcare terminology, anatomy, physiology, and chemistry. Thanks to today’s technology, even anatomy labs can be conducted online.

Online Classes vs. On-campus Classes

One thing you do need to check is the quality of a university’s online class delivery. Generally, speaking most universities follow standards for remote delivery, so they match the quality of on-campus classes.

Academic advisors also say online classes recommend using available tutors and academic support services, especially if this is their first online course. Most classes will require 12-18 hours of time per week, so schedule your time accordingly.

Quality Standards to Expect

• Online classes are not just lectures but include group discussion time, projects, quizzes, and tests.
• Access to instructors, either with on-campus appointments or by text, email, video conference, or phone.
• Instructors for the courses have proven online teaching experience.
• Learning outcomes are equal to that of on-campus class offerings.
• The university conducts a delivery evaluation process that includes the evaluation of online instructors.

Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university that’s a leader in chiropractic and health sciences. CUKC is located in Overland Park, Kansas, within the Kansas City metro. Our 34-acre campus is within a 20-minute drive from Kansas City’s urban areas.

Several of the University’s “gen ed” classes – those needed before being accepted into the two-year A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology and A.A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assistant are available in an online format. For details, go here.

CUKC also offers an anatomy and physiology course online with labs, which students traditionally need for pre-med, pre-chiropractic, and pre-dentistry degree programs. Completing all general education and required courses for a degree program and satisfying all other CUKC considerations can lead to “preferred admission” status – a distinct advantage.