It may sound counterintuitive, but location does matter to online students.
A 2017 survey by the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research found that nearly 75 percent of online college students chose a school within 100 miles of their home, with 54 percent choosing one within 50 miles.
The survey also found that of 1,500 prospective, current and past online students, three-quarters visited their campus at least once, and 59 percent visited between one and five times.
Here are three reasons why prospective online students should visit campus before they enroll or begin online classes.
[Discover why to consider a local online degree program.]
1. Make a connection: Before beginning an online program, visiting the host campus can acquaint you with the campus environment and its student culture and help you understand that your online degree is coming from a real place.
Familiarity with your campus can also make you feel more engaged in the online classroom and motivate you to take an active role in the online community. If you’re moving from on-ground to online learning, a campus visit can ease your transition.
Many online colleges and universities, like Indiana University‘s IU Online, offer courses taught by the same instructors who teach in the physical classroom. In such cases, visiting campus may provide a chance to meet your online instructors and receive upfront information about courses, such as class format and the instructor’s expectations. This in-person connection can also build your confidence in the online classroom.
2. Gauge opportunities to build a network: In on-campus classrooms, relationships with instructors and fellow students grow naturally from interactions in- and outside of class. A strong network is just as important for you and your learning process as an online student.
But in online degree programs, it’s not unusual for students to study alone, which can breed a sense of isolation. That puts the onus on you to build your own networks by getting together on campus with other local students via study groups, clubs or cultural events. Visiting campus before you enroll can allow you to start networking and determine whether these opportunities exist.
[Ask five questions about extracurricular activities in online programs.]
3. Learn about student groups: What extracurricular activities does your campus offer? Creating e-portfolios of extracurricular activities is a common way to capture your complete learning experience. Also known as co-curricular transcripts, these can help you present a multidimensional picture of yourself when you apply for employment, internships or more advanced education.
Joining a student organization doesn’t always require being on campus. As you consider your prospective campus, you can research those opportunities online. You may find that some campus groups host activities in other geographical areas.
For example, a film club might plan to attend a specific movie and then host an online discussion about it. During a visit to your prospective campus, you could arrange to meet the club leader, find out how to join and learn about the kinds of activities that are scheduled in other locations.
The takeaway: Visiting your online program’s campus is a great way to learn about the school’s culture and students. Once you enroll, creating networks and finding other ways to engage with students on and off campus will augment your learning process and can be a bonus on your path toward employment or continuing education.
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3 Reasons to Visit Campus When Choosing an Online Program originally appeared on usnews.com
