Online degree programs seem to have taken the world by storm, offering a flexible and convenient way to achieve your personal and professional goals. Critics of online colleges say that nothing can replace a traditional on-campus experience, while proponents insist that education is beneficial either in or out of the classroom. If you are on the fence deciding whether a virtual program or a brick-and-mortar program is right for you, consider the following as you make your own list of pros and cons:

1. Do you have time for college or grad school? “What do you mean?” you are probably thinking. After all, you’ve seen plenty of online college advertisements featuring students sitting at their laptops in cozy pajamas as they plug away at their degrees. And yes, there is much truth to the notion that online programs can be done at your own pace and schedule. But you do need to make time for your classes on a regular basis. Just as it is necessary to show up to class on a regular basis, you need to show up to your computer on a regular basis to read lectures, post assignments, and participate in virtual chat rooms with your classmates.

2. Are you disciplined? Yes, turning your computer on requires a lot less energy than getting into the car to drive to campus or even rolling out of bed in your dorm room and heading to class. But there is a great deal to be said for getting out of your apartment or house and sitting in a classroom for a few hours a couple of days or nights a week. Do you have the discipline to study on your own each week, even when you are just a room away from TV, dirty laundry, or adorable children? It’s not the hardest thing to work from home, but it does require concentrated effort to work through distractions, and there will be plenty of them when you study at home.

3. Can you work independently? A good online degree program offers plenty of support as you work through course after course, but in truth, nothing is quite the same as sitting down in front of an advisor or grabbing a cup of coffee with a classmate before class. Even the most independent of students find that they crave interaction from time to time, and although online colleges are getting better and better at facilitating virtual classroom environments, they still can’t match the experience of sitting in an actual classroom.

4. Are you in it for the long haul? An undergraduate degree takes four years when enrolled full time; a graduate degree around two. If you are looking for flexible degree options, then there’s a good chance that you are looking to go part time. Even if you take classes during summer or winter sessions to catch up, be prepared to have a lengthier tenure as a part-time student.

There’s no doubt that online programs offer the flexibility and convenience you are looking for, but you need to put in a little work to make sure your return to school remains flexible and convenient. With all of the options that are available to you today, invest a little time in your future and research which online programs will fit best in your life.

–Barbara Bellesi