Congratulations! You’ve decided to start your journey to get training for the future you deserve. Maybe you’re a stay-at-home mom, you live out in the middle of nowhere, you need to look after an aging parent, or you just like the idea and flexibility of working from home. No matter the reason, you know you have options for the training you’re looking for.

Before you even consider the many college options you have, you have an age-old debate to tackle: online learning vs. in-person learning. Which is better? Which will work better for you? You have the power to decide, but we have done some research to help narrow down your options.

Deciding If Traditional or Online Learning Is Right For You

The decision between online learning vs. in-person learning depends on many situations in your life. For example, where you live and your income can greatly affect how you access education. To help, we have gathered some pros and cons to support your decision process.

Here is our online learning vs. in-person learning pros and cons list.

Online Learning vs. In-Person Learning: Which Is Better?

In-Person Learning Pros

• Community and friendship. Campuses are a great way to create a sense of community with your peers and instructors. You can meet new people and seeing people often helps to maintain a network.
• Provides a routine. Getting ready to head to campus usually involves a routine that gets you ready for the day and gets your head in the right mental space for learning.
• Hands-on learning. You are learning directly from an instructor in person that can help guide you.
• Motivation. Physically leaving your house to go to campus to learn is great for your motivation. It gets you up and out of the house and ready for the day!
• A dedicated academic space. Immersing yourself in the environment can be a way to boost your productivity!

In-Person Learning Cons

• No flexibility. There is a set start time, with no flexibility if you feel unwell or for any other reason. If you do not make it to the scheduled time, you miss your lesson.
• Limited one-on-one with instructors. Most instructors will have office hours for a couple of hours once or twice a week. These times are not flexible, and the instructor may be busy with other students.
• If you’re a caregiver, it can be challenging to get time away. Learning requires you to leave the house in person, and if you’re taking care of someone else, that responsibility can get in the way of your learning.
• More expensive. Tuition is typically more expensive for in-person learning, and travel costs to get there and home every day can add up.
• Location bound. If something comes up in your life and you cannot attend campus, your learning may be disrupted. With in-person learning, you are bound to the location of the campus.

Online learning Pros

• Costs are less. Tuition is typically lower for online programs, and travel costs are non-existent since you can learn from home.
• Increased flexibility. There are no set beginning times, so you can learn at your own pace.
• Better focus. If you have a suitable space set up and the proper boundaries set, you can get more done than you would on a traditional campus.
• Where you live. Where you live can affect your access to education. When you’re learning online, anywhere can be your classroom.
• Family. If you’re a stay-at-home mom, a caregiver, or have any other reason to stay at home to care for yourself or others, you have the flexibility to learn when and how you want.

Online Learning Cons

• Procrastination. Procrastination may be something that some fall prey to. You can do many things to help prevent this, like taking on smaller tasks at a time.
• Lack of motivation. Lack of motivation can affect you when learning from home because there may be many distractions keeping you away from focusing.
• Lack of boundaries. If you don’t have boundaries, it’s even harder to maintain your focus and finish the work that needs to be completed.
• Burnout. Burnout can happen to anyone no matter if it’s in-person learning or online learning. Remember to take breaks to avoid this happening.
• Less interaction. You may have less interaction with people and feel isolated at home.

The truth about whether online learning vs. in-person learning is better for you depends on many factors. Online learning is better for accessibility and price but might not be the right decision for you if you struggle with being disciplined. The three most vital skills you need to succeed at online learning are perseverance, dedication, and discipline. Online learning will become much easier if you dedicate yourself to employing those three skills. Comparing online learning vs. in-person learning really comes down to knowing who you are as a person, and what that means for your individual goals.

You can take our Distance Learning Assessment if you’re looking for more information to determine if online learning is right for you.

Considering the online learning vs. in-person learning debate, which one do you think would work best for you? Online learning isn’t for everyone, but it definitely has its benefits! For more information, follow CanScribe on Facebook for more tips and news regarding online learning and our programs!