According to statistics from the Sloan Consortium, a nonprofit organization that provides institutional and professional leadership for the online higher educational community, in the year 2006, there were approximately 3.5 million online students. The Sloan Consortium seeks to help educational institutions and educators enhance online education quality and scope. Its members include private educational institutions, and public educational institutions, such as universities, colleges, and community colleges. Sloan archives a directory of accredited educational programs for those seeking certificates and online degrees across a spectrum of disciplines around the world.

Students are not tied to any one location in order to receive a higher education. You can pursue the European path of ensuring global travel, while your education does not go on pause. If you are currently in the work force, you can moonlight with additional education after hours. Perhaps you might be looking to buffer your current job related knowledge, or get ahead. On the other hand, perhaps you are looking to move out of your current occupation. Career changers can take advantage of internet based education, and do so in private. A person can keep their current job, gain sideline education and then moonlight in that field without leaving your current job. Once you gain your education or experience in the new field, the transition can be that much smoother.

Distance education allows you to register for courses independent of any schedule or location conflict with your current job. You can register for an online class that might fill in a gap at your current school. You can blend traditional class based education with online courses. Students can receive a quality education at an affordable price.

Online educational advantages extend to the practical as well. You can spare yourself the drive, the gas costs, and save the ozone by not driving, commuting from your city or state. Yet you can still gain the education. Your car will avoid wear and tear. You can convert travel time into completing classes sooner, taking more classes, or completing your degree sooner. Internet based education is a time saving, cost effective, and efficient educational strategy that is also environmentally friendly.

Cost efficiencies include the cost of the class itself. An internet class can be more or less affordable than a location based class. Comparison shopping among institutions can determine the best solutions for your goals. Today’s economy warrants exploring options that save time and money to produce the best competitive educational strategy for employment goals.

Many institutions welcome transferring online courses, certifications and degrees into their own degree programs. Perhaps you decide to obtain your bachelor degree from an online program and switch to internet based education for advanced education, or vice versa. These online courses and credentials carry weight on resumes, opening doors to potential employment opportunities. Employers are not remiss in giving credit to students who demonstrate performance and cost efficiency, recognizing that these are business principles for success.

There are hundreds of online degrees that can be completed partially or wholly online. You can complete coursework, certification or a degree. For example, a handful of courses might open the door to a teaching certificate. You can seamlessly prepare for a high demand job after reviewing employment ads, such as in the information technology industry. The Sloan Consortium can lead you in the right direction of locating accredited institutions to prepare you for your educational and career objectives.

Eileen Brand writes about online degree programs and accredited online colleges which offer financial aid.