The majority of graduates exiting high school choose one of two paths: straight to college or straight to work. And most of us know, the longer you stay out of school and put off getting back to class, the more difficult it becomes to actually find a way to go back to school for a wide range of reasons.

Online Programs Make Going Back to School Possible For Many

So the option of online education makes sense to the adult who absolutely cannot afford to quit work and go back to school full time. Online education is a good option because you don’t have to sit in a traditional classroom at certain times of the day; instead you can work your study schedule into your personal and work life in a way that you can succeed.

For those who are unaware of the huge impact online education has on our current society, here are a few statistics according to a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education by Marc Parry. The findings are based on data collected from more than 2,500 colleges and universities by the Babson Survey Research Group and the College Board:

•    There are 4.6 million online students
•    82% of the 4.6 million are undergraduate students
•    Colleges have seen a 17% increase in online enrollment
•    More than 1 in 4 students were taking at least one online class in fall ‘08
•    73% of institutions report increased demand for online courses
•    66% report increased demand for new online courses.
•    45% of institutions report growing demand for new online courses

If you’re among the many Americans searching for a way to go back to school to earn a college degree, start by exploring your options at Accredited-Online-Colleges.com, an easy-to-navigate directory of colleges and universities offering online degrees on the associate, bachelor and master’s degree levels.