To each his/her own. This is one basic principle in life we basically live by. Every one of us has different preferences and needs that are required to be met to allow full potential growth. Same goes true especially in getting a college degree for future career.
The first step to gauge how well a type of environment may accommodate a student is by knowing which career path to take. Then, it will be easier to make sound decisions where to take it. To see beyond the present and knowing what drives a student to achieve goals in life is what separates success from failure in education.
After knowing what to take, the most important decision comes to play, where to take it. There are 3 available options students could exploit from. These are from universities, community colleges and online home or self-study based education. Though all of them are good, it boils down to the student’s preference which will amplify his/her learning skills the most. A financial bearing is also a key factor in this choice. As well as, emotional stability and physical impediments can contribute largely on being able to get used to the environment of choosing schools.
Culture of online education, universities and community colleges are very different. They all bring in teaching techniques that are derived from environmental aspects. Take for instance universities uses lecture because of the huge population in the student body. It is quite hard to use discussion dialogues with so many students inside a class of a hundred, more or less. As opposed to college community classrooms that is a bit more intimate setting with just enough students to cater for debates, discussions and better interaction among students and teachers. Then, there is the online self-study education, which is entirely varied from the two. Students learn every lesson in utilizing cyberspace interactive programs. There is virtually no supervision and definite schedules to abide unlike with colleges and universities. Students learn at their own pace and on their own.
Relative to locations, the three of them also have different impacts on students. With the vastness of universities a regular fit student can move around with no problem from one building to another. The problem is usually university buildings are literally miles apart from one another. Not only will a student need ample discipline to more around but must adjust their schedules properly to avoid being late. With colleges in local communities, travel time is not as hard. Rooms are sometimes situated in one or just a couple buildings and they are very near from one another. This entails less stress for students to make it on time for his/her next class. Best of all, it has less dilemmas to physically disabled individuals. Internet based education purges time and distance factors of both universities and colleges brings in. a student can be in Timbuktu or anywhere in the world but may obtain a degree from a prestigious school in the USA or UK. All that is needed is an internet connection the rest is history.
All these considerations are very much dependent on the adoptability of students and willingness to graduate no matter where, what or how.
Although, many times the willingness to take one the demands of college education is present, the many to sustain a student through it is not there. High tuition fees from universities are not only the main elements, which needs to be addressed by students. Dormitories, food, laundry among other things are also needed. Community colleges are closer to home, so students can stay at home and still get a degree. Their expenses are more diminished than the ones studying in universities. This saves a lot of money on the part of the parents. On the onset, fees and charges that are paid by enrollees online are higher than community colleges and universities even.