Going Local for Online Degrees

One upshot of the rise in online degree programs (I teach in one) is that many “commuter schools” have lost significant enrollment. Many are working to integrate an online component to keep those students.

But, findings suggest that as students get more comfortable with online education, location does matter:

The bottom line is that even online, for many students there seems to be no place like home. Surveys show around two-thirds of consumers interested in online education would rather do it at a local institution, notes Richard Garrett, program director and senior research analyst with Eduventures Inc., an education-consulting firm.

That preference may fade in the future, he says. But for now, “there’s a strong sense, at least so far, that geography isn’t removed from the equation by any means.”

- The Chronicle of Higher Education