There are all kinds of college programs available today for those seeking higher education and degrees in various fields. The problem often lies in finding the type of education that best suits your specific needs. We all learn best in different ways, and identifying your learning environment is a great way to understand which learning environment will work best for you.
The following are common learning environments for college-level study: community colleges, universities, and online or distance learning opportunities. Community colleges offer smaller classes with more discussion-oriented styles of learning and discourse. Universities tend to be more lecture oriented, whereas distance and online learning opportunities are often self-directed learning opportunities that require a great deal of discipline to be successful.
When trying to identify the college that will work best for you, you should take your individual learning style into account. In addition, you should also consider the type of environment you expect from your college education and the amount of time you want to spend pursuing your education and degree. Some people find university life too distracting, while others find that the solitude of online and distance learning is a distraction in itself.
You'll find all kinds of cultural opportunities at university that you won't find at the home study or community college level. For some students, these opportunities are on the cake and an important part of the learning experience as you delve into other cultures, art, music and history. Others find these opportunities too abundant and too distracting for their study needs. Whatever student you are, choosing the best position for your learning needs will make a huge difference.
Another important consideration is accommodation. Most universities have adequate on-campus housing for their students, while some campuses experience housing shortages on campus and rely on housing located in and around the college area to fill gaps. Some universities will offer limited housing opportunities for students who have a spouse and children. While housing is seen at community college, especially in rural areas where limited housing is available in and around schools, these are more often the exception rather than the rule. Most community colleges are largely commuter campuses, with very limited if any housing opportunities. Online and distance learning programs do not provide any accommodation to the students.
Another concern that gets the most attention is the distance between classes and any special needs you have. Universities tend to be large and spread. This needs to be accomplished with a 10-minute window to get from one end of the complex to the other (a mile or more in some cases). This can be quite problematic for students with special needs or the physically challenged, especially during inclement weather. Community colleges tend to have smaller campuses, which means less real estate to cover between classes. Online and distance learning classes take you wherever you have access to a computer. This means that if you have your own laptop and wireless Internet access, they are as portable as you need them to be.
You should consider all of these and more when narrowing down your college options. Do you really want to take the personal responsibility needed to succeed in online and distance learning courses? Do you want to be limited to the meager offers of coursework available at the community college level? Is the high price involved in a university education worth it to you? These are all questions you need to consider carefully before deciding which college environment is most desirable to you.
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