Getting an online degree allows you to live anywhere and go to any school you chose. You can study the material at your own pace, speeding up some sections and slowing down for more difficult material. There is no issue with class size, so it can't fill up. Online degrees are great for people with handicaps who have difficulties just getting to class. Online degrees offer great flexibility for working people and people with families.
Going to a traditional college allows a student to have a college experience which includes much more than taking a class. They become involved in campus life, can interact with students in their field, and can talk one on one with their professor.
Online college is generally less expensive than traditional college. For example the total cost of an online MBA at Kaplan University is just over $20,000. For the 2008-2009 school year the college board estimates one year at a state university to be more than $17,000 and one year at a private university to be more than $35,000. Materials for an online courses are usually on the web so there is little cost for books. Online courses require no extra money for commuting or for meals eaten out. For parents, the flexibility allows you to take courses without having to pay for childcare.
Many people worry if an online degree is going to look as good on their resume as one from a traditional college. An online bachelor's degree tends to get the most skeptics. But it also depends what industry you are in. If you are going into new media or technology, an online degree will take you just as far as a degree from a traditional college.
How a student learns is a factor in whether or not an online degree is right. A 2006 study found that 62% of chief education advisers thought online education helped students learn just as well and maybe even better than traditional college. But if you like to ask questions and see the reaction and tone of the person answering them or you like to work with other students to solve problems, then a traditional college setting may be more your style.