Higher Education Sized to Fit

What is the most important thing you should know before selecting a degree program? Your self. Understanding your own learning style will help you select a program that suits you-making the journey toward a higher degree more profitable and pleasurable.

Universities have responded to the need for flexibility, portability and convenience by responding to different learning styles. Working adults can earn bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from local, regional and national universities-by attending day school, night school, weekend programs, online and blended programs.

The point is: the "college experience" now runs the gamut from day classes on campus to online courserooms that let you log in from home or a post in the Middle East. To make the most of the educational experience, choose wisely.

Consider the following before you select a university:

1. Are you a visual or auditory learner? Visual learners: About 40 percent of students are visual learners. If you are a visual learner, you learn best with the help of written words, pictures, diagrams, films, and demonstrations. You prefer visual stimuli and may have trouble concentrating in a noisy environment. Consider online education.

Auditory learners: If you are an auditory learner, you prefer listening to seeing, would rather give an oral report than a written one, and are better at following spoken rather than written directions. Check out on-campus programs.

2. Does frequent interaction with your peers inspire you to higher performance? This is a tricky question. What does interaction look like to you? Does it mean being in the same room with your classmates? And if so, are you really conversing with other students or simply listening to a lecture together? Do you desire interaction that will improve your mastery of the subject matter? Interaction in both on-campus and online courserooms can be robust-often depending on the style and skill of the instructor. One significant difference in online courserooms is that mastery of the subject is typically demonstrated through writing rather than tests. During your tenure in the course, you'll have the opportunity to see other students' best thinking in writing; this level of interaction often greatly enhances learning.

3. Where will education fit best into your schedule? Nearly half of all grad students enroll between ages 24 and 35 and one-quarter start at age 36 or older. About a third of grad students are rearing children. In other words, the "average" student these days has lots of obligations.

For students with lots of activities in addition to work, a university that flexes to the student's schedule may be the number one requirement. Onlineeducation gives students round-the-clock access to the tools and content of the course. On the other hand, if you're a student who prefers to build your schedule around a twice-a-week course, on-campus learning may be for you.

An expert opinion Virginia College Online President Stanley Banks suggests students consider the following when deciding which learning model is right: If you enjoy test-taking, live discussions, and face time with your professor and peers as stimulus to manage your time and get your work done-you're probably a candidate for on-campus learning.

If you are a self-disciplined, self-motivated learner, prefer communicating through writing and desire learning through the writing of other students, online education may be the ideal solution for you. If you see yourself in both camps, try a blended model of on campus and online learning.