Online classes are particularly convenient for adults pursuing continuing education, or for students who are pursuing a degree but need to work to support themselves. Many online classes have a scheduled chat or live interactive element, but many times, those often happen once a week, so it's easy to compensate for them in your schedule. Other classes have no time-sensitive element at all, and students can catch up with audio or video lectures, course material and forum discussions at their total convenience.
Because online classes don't require physical classrooms or a traditional professor's salary, online classes often cost less than comparable brick-and-mortar classes, even within the same institution. For example, in the spring of 2011, Miami-Dade College, a large state college in Miami, Florida, offered adult continuing education classes in French. Each level of French at the actual college campus cost $99 to $150 per course, whereas online access to five levels only cost $199. If you wanted to study a complete course of French online, this would represent a savings of hundreds of dollars as compared to in-person classes. This is just one example of how you can save money on tuition by taking online classes.
With the job market as tight as it often can be, any extra skill could differentiate you from the competition. An extra language could mean you could reach more potential customers, and extra computer skills could mean you will adapt better to shifting technology in any field. For instance, traditional journalism is a field which is shrinking in the print realm, but online courses now offered are helping journalists learn multimedia skills that will help them transition to the online market. It's a similar situation in many other fields.
Online classes don't just have to be career-focused. Maybe you'd like to learn a second or third language for your own personal enjoyment, or you'd like to improve your own computing skills, or just learn a new hobby. These kinds of courses are available as well to keep you engaged in your free time. For instance, in the spring of 2011, Ed2Go, a popular provider of online courses, offered courses in topics as varied as genealogy basics, drawing for beginners and personal journaling.