When the idea of online education first came up a lot of people blew it up as a FAD and said that it will never materialize. Less than 10 years later it not only materialized but its quickly becoming one of the most important educational mediums that might even replace the traditional classroom completely. Whilst every educational environment offers its unique benefits, there most certainly is a place for every single one. Online tertiary education is most certainly an ideal fit and if you haven't looked into it, then now might be the best time to do so.

This year there are more online degree programs than ever before and for the first time the major institutions and universities are starting to offer their programs online. The days of small and obscure little online colleges are over and today you can get a real and recognized degree from a real and recognized school online.

Online degree programs has 3 distinct advantages and if you are in 2 minds about whether this is the best option for you, then hopefully this will help:

• Financial Implications

The first and most obvious reason why online degrees is such a great solution is because of the costs involved. It can be as little as 50% of the costs of attending a traditional "brick and mortar" college. Apart from making the initial savings you will also save a fortune on secondary costs like travel costs and stay in expenses.

• Flexibility

Going to college can be a drag simply because of the fixed timetable and little to no flexibility it offers. An online course however gives you total control and the ultimate flexibility. If you are currently working and need that level of flexibility to study when you want, then this can make the difference between getting a degree or not.

• Choice

Lets face it, most people choose their college or even their qualification based on the college closest to them or even on the school that will accept them. With online degrees you open yourself up to a vast amount of colleges and since its not place bound you can enroll for a degree anywhere. Although there is still a strict acceptance criteria, at least you've got a lot more choice.

At the moment online programs are rolling out from virtually every school across the USA. In fact, many well respected colleges in Europe are also starting to offer online programs and getting a degree from any of those schools is not so far fetched anymore. There's no more excuses for not getting that qualification that you've always dreamed of.