Pros & Cons of Studying Accounting Online
Are you business-minded and have a love of numbers? Then a career in accounting might be right for you. If you're interested in this fast-growing, well-paying field, but you don't have time to go back to school full time, then you might consider online education. Studying accounting online is an option for people who want to improve their job prospects and salaries while still handling other full-time responsibilities.
Flexibility
The greatest advantage that any web-based education has over traditional types of education is flexibility. You can take classes when and where you want. You do not have to spend time and money on transportation to and from classrooms on campus. Instead, you just need a steady Internet connection and a quiet place to study.
Your online education options are also very flexible. A recent study conducted by the Sloan Consortium, a nonprofit organization that tracks online education, found that about 35 percent of colleges and universities offer online programs in business, and more than 40 percent of public universities offer online business programs. This means you will have a greater selection of programs in order to find the one that fits your needs.
24/7 Communication
In general, online education programs offer a way for dedicated individuals with full-time jobs or otherwise hectic schedules to get the education they desire. And by consolidating all of your education to the Internet, you will actually have more access to your professors and classmates. Every day, you can log into the chat room or forum that is dedicated to your class and talk with other students, or leave messages for your professor or others to answer. Because your professor is not constrained by office hours, he or she will have more time to address student problems online.
Cost
Contrary to the popular belief, online schools are typically not cheap. In fact, online universities can be just as expensive as traditional schools. The National Center for Education Statistics found that the cost of tuition and fees for a private, for-profit, two-year university (most online universities fall into this category) was $13,430 per year. The annual cost of tuition and fees for an in-state student at a public, two-year college was $11,666. And if you aren't a resident of the state that a public online university is based in, then the cost will be much more expensive.
The University of Phoenix, the largest online university, charges about $40,000 for its two-year accounting bachelor's degree. Of course, at the same time that you are shelling out cash to attend an online university, you will still be able to work full time and save money on books and transportation. Keep that in mind when deciding how much you are willing to spend per year on an online education.
Self Discipline
Taking classes online will require you to be a highly self-motivated and disciplined student. It is entirely up to you to force yourself to do all of the reading and studying required for the successful completion of the course. Many people find this difficult, especially while still working a full-time job. If you are taking an average number of online classes per quarter, you will be putting in 20 to 30 hours of study and class time. Before you decide to take accounting classes online, be sure that you are ready to commit the time to maximize your education.
Lack of Respect
Another concern many people have is that their online degree will not be respected in the job market. On some level, this fear is merited. If two job applicants have no prior experience, and the only difference is that one has an online degree and the other has a traditional degree, most employers will favor the applicant who has the traditional degree.
However, the number of people in the job market who posses online degrees has exploded in the past few years, and online degrees have become more and more accepted by employers. An online degree in combination with relevant experience is yielding even more promise. So before you start taking online classes, make sure your degree will work well with your experience. Online classes can be a great way to go back to school without sacrificing your job, but you should consider the cons of online education before you spend your money.
Article Resources:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
University of Phoenix
DeVry University
Kaplan University
ITT Technical Institute
University of Maryland University College
The Sloan Consortium
Eduventures