Hybrid College – Is It the Right Choice for You?

Deciding to attend college requires making a number of decisions, such as which type of degree program to choose. Do you want to go entirely online? Or spend as much time on campus as possible, going to classes in person? If you're busy and balancing many different things, then a hybrid college, which combined both in-person lectures with online assignments and discussion boards, might just be your best option. In order to see if hybrid college programs are right for you, it's important to ask yourself a series of questions and answer them honestly.

Can You Work Independently?

Since hybrid college courses take place partially in person and partly online, there isn't a professor reminding you to submit papers and get assignments done in time, as there would be with a traditional course. Instead, you'll need to work independently in order to meet your deadlines and get everything completed. Students who have this ability will do very well in a hybrid course, while those who need (and prefer) the structure of an in-person class may find the balance tricky.

Are You Able to Stay Organized?

Organization is the key to successfully completing a hybrid program. Since there are some classes that you'll need to attend in person, going to lectures and turning in papers at the end of the session, as well as others that are online, you need to keep track of when you need to be on campus, and when you have online assignments to do and video lectures to watch. This can be a balancing act, so you need to have a good planning system in place in order to handle everything.

Do You Have Issues Meeting Deadlines?

Even students who choose to attend traditional course tend to procrastinate. It happens. However, when you're taking a hybrid college course, it becomes a little more crucial to meet those deadlines on time. Online drop boxes might have a cut off date and time, meaning that students who are late with their papers may not be able to turn them in. Discussion boards could be programmed to shut down at particular day of the week, leaving students who haven't yet posted unable to comment or create their initial post. Those who are good with deadlines will have an easier time completing a hybrid course.

Are You Okay with Responding to Discussion Topics Online?

Since the online portion of hybrid courses requires students to converse amongst one another, as they would in a classroom, discussion boards are used. These boards include a particular topic that relates the week's material, as well as requirements that need to be followed, such as word count and sources. While most students enjoy discussing topics online, it can be hard to determine things like tone and the true meaning of the words used, sometimes leading to disagreements. Students need to be fully on board with participating in these discussions in order to do well in the course.

While hybrid college courses aren’t for everyone, if you’re well organized and have excellent time management skills, these types of courses just may be the perfect mix for you.

Learn more about our available hybrid college courses, today.