Some Profiles of the Typical Online Education Student

April 9th, 2008 • Filed Under

There is really no one typical online student profile. Anyone who has a desire to get a college degree, primary/secondary education, or earn professional certification is a person interested in online education. Let’s look at some typical profiles of online education students:

Online education is great for students over 50. This is because in this decade of life, the person in their 50s does not devalue the need for education but certainly does not want to invest much time or money in it. He or she wants to get it over with quickly. In this decade of life, the person in their 50s thinks about how much time is left and how to maximize it. And online education in this age group can be for much more than just earning a degree. For example, some in this stage of their life and career need to take only a class or two to get up to speed in some area. Some might want to learn a language online as they retire to a country where their Social Security check will go farther.

It is also a great education program for the military student. The online education system is probably the best fit for the military student because this person is always on the move. Either they are deployed overseas or changing bases every two to three years in the U.S. The military tends to place much higher standards with online education programs it contracts with. Plus, the military gives tuition assistance for service members to take part in these programs. And because of advancements in technology, even a sailor on an aircraft carrier can work towards a college degree using this education system.

The expatriate teacher seeks out online education. Across the world, students in many nations want to learn English and be taught specialized classes in English. There is no doubt that English is the universal language of commerce. And many leave their homelands for various reasons and find that the only employment a foreigner can hold is that of teaching. But in order to get teaching credentials to teach English, they must attend certification education. For example, one certification is the Teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification and the expatriate student has the choice of either attending a private school in the host country (expensive) or enrolling in TEFL online education program.

Online MBA programs are great for those who do not have the time to return to the traditional classroom. Usually when an adult wants to go back to school to get a MBA degree, this person is already working at a fulltime job. Traditional universities usually hold their postgraduate classes at night and this can be tough for someone with a family, day job, and the responsibilities that go with it.

Online education is also used in home schooling. Of course the student demographic here is much younger. Home schooling has both offline and online models or their curriculum uses a combination of the two. Parents home school their children for a number of reasons and if it is conducted correctly, the child performs academically as well as if not better than their peers. Social interaction remains the most predominant problem with home schooling but there are ways around that too.

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