Online Classes vs. In-person Classes Comparison Essay Sample

Today, people of all ages are enrolled in college. Some students are fresh out of high school, ready to start their life. While others are having a career change or are wanting to freshen their knowledge. College can be challenging for all no matter how old. Just like for some, online classes are better than in-person classes but for others, in-person classes are better than online classes. Before choosing which type of classes a person should attend, they should consider a few things such as, how easy will getting help from teachers be, understanding the criteria, what devices they have available to use, how much time they are able to spend on schooling and even the cost of schooling. 

When having to choose online classes or in-person classes something to consider could be how helpful the teacher would be online. Having to get a hold of the teacher over email could potentially become a problem. It could become a problem because the teacher may only reply on their free time. The teacher may also give a short response back if they are in a hurry. in-person, the student can ask the teacher any questions he or she may have and not only get the answer they're looking for but maybe even more information that could be helpful. in-person, the teacher may be able to see that the student is struggling with something while in their class. The teacher would then most likely mention something to the student, asking if they would like help. While online, the teacher may not be able to tell that the student is struggling and might not ask if the student is needing help. 

Has there ever been a time that something just wasn’t making sense? While being a student, this can happen a lot with things at school. Imagine reading the directions for an assignment and not completely understanding it. Sometimes students think they understand it enough and do the assignment anyway and then find out they did it completely wrong. While in-person, most teachers go over the assignment and its directions with the whole class and answer any questions that students may have. in-person, the teacher may go into more detail about the assignment than they do online. In today's world, most things do not get done on paper anymore but, sometimes an in-person class will have an assignment on a piece of paper which could make things easier than having to do it online on a website. 

Having to do assignments and listen to lessons online could create another problem. A problem that some students can run into with online classes deals with what devices they have available to use. Some students do not have a laptop or a type of computer at home for them to use when needed. Some may have a laptop or computer to use but may not have the proper networking that is needed. They may not have wifi available or have a good enough cell signal to run off of data. Attending in-person classes would be a better route for ones without personal devices because they would be able to use the computers available at the school. 

Students may think they will not have enough time to attend in-person classes. With that being said, time management is something else students should think about when deciding between online classes and in-person classes. Depending on how far away from the school the student lives, attending in-person classes can take more time out of the day due to driving to the school. Sometimes, a class doesn’t start right on the dot as to when it should due to having to wait for the majority of students to arrive in the classroom. While others may have their work done, but have to stay in class the majority of the scheduled time frame. Which most students would say, is a waste of time. With online classes, the student can listen and watch the lesson whenever they are able to. They would also be able to work on the homework and lessons in their free time, rather than having to sit in the classroom and work on it. For some students, this makes online classes a better option due to possibly having a family to care for or having a full-time job to bring in income. 

Income and the cost of schooling can play a huge role in what type of classes a student may choose to attend. For both online and in-person classes, the student will more than likely have to purchase a book or two. Books are not cheap and can cost quite a bit. When doing online classes, a student will have to be able to purchase a device that will be reliable for them to complete classwork. An in-person student will not have to purchase a device as they can use one at the school. Many students drive to school, which means they will have to pay for fuel. Students taking classes online will not have to worry about driving to the school so therefore they would be saving money on fuel. Another thing students taking classes online may save on is apartment fees. Some students come from hundreds of miles away and stay in an apartment either close to the school or on campus. Staying in an apartment means having to pay rent. For some, they are not able to afford attending in-person classes so they go with the online class route. 

Choosing which type of class a student attends is something every college student will have to decide. The student should decide which would best fit their personal needs. Students should go over every little detail before making the final decision. No matter which option the student may be leaning more to, they should still consider a few things. The student should think about how easily the teacher will be able to help them, if they will be able to understand the criteria on their own, if they have a device available to use, how much time they are able to put towards schooling, and which choice will work better with their budget. Both online classes and in-person classes are a great way for a person to further their education and better their knowledge.