Browse Top Colleges & Universities
Top 8 Reasons People Opt for an Online Degree
By Tricia Edgar
Online education is growing, causing many to ask why.
In 2014, the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research set out to find out why college students seek a degree online.
To complete their report "Online College Students 2014: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences," they interviewed 1,500 college students to understand the breadth of reasons that students choose this flexible type of education.
Here's a breakdown of some of the reasons those surveyed chose to enroll in online education.
1. To Make a Switch to a New Career Field
According to the Online College Students report, a little more than a quarter of online undergraduate students said that their primary motivation for enrolling in an online degree program was that they wanted a career in a new field.
2. To Finish What They Started
Nearly 20 percent of online undergraduate students said that the satisfaction of completing their education was their primary motivation for enrollment, according to the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research report.
3. To Prepare to Pursue New Prospects
The Online College Students 2014 report also found that 17 percent of online undergraduate students enrolled in an online degree program because they were unemployed or underemployed and needed more education to get a new job.
4. To Stay Current
For those who are already working, it can be hard to drop everything and enroll in college to sharpen the saw. So it's no surprise that, according to the report, 10 percent of online undergraduate students said their primary motivation for enrolling in online college was to keep up-to-date with the skills and requirements of their current job.
5. To Prepare to Re-enter the Job Market
Sometimes people leave the job market, but need decide to re-enter it later. Perhaps that's why the Online College Students 2014 report showed that 7 percent of undergrad respondents enrolled in an online program because they were re-entering the job market and needed more education.
6. To Prepare to Pursue Career Advancement
Based on the report findings, it seems that students enrolled in online programs are also looking for a promotion or new positions within their field and hopeful that upping their education will help. The Online College Students 2014 report notes that 6 percent of online undergrad students were either seeking a new position in their field or a promotion.
7. To Appease the Big Boss
According to the Online College Students report, 6 percent of undergrad students enrolled in an online program because it was required by their profession or employer.
8. To Take the Next Step
About 6 percent of online undergrad students said that their primary motivation for enrolling in an online degree program was that they had just finished high school or received their GED.
Written on  September 30, 2014
Copyright 2016 © 
University.com. All Rights Reserved. 
Privacy Policy