Feb 17, 2021 03:09 PM EST By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Studying online can be both beneficial and detrimental at the same time. Some say it is really up to the person as to what they prefer. Others like the online setup which forces them to save on things such as transportation, food, and many more. While the rest say they have a hard time getting focused when done in an online setting, being in the comfort of the home leads them to do less than they usually do as opposed to when they are learning in the university itself. 

Nowadays, people have been more and more open to studying for Masters whether it be abroad or places they grew up in. More have started to realize that education is the most important thing and the process of learning never stops, regardless of what age you are. This is why prep courses have been gaining more and more traction as they want to get prepared for the real thing.

How to prepare for prep courses? 

There are different types of prep courses available to everyone. The reasoning behind this is to try and accommodate each individual with different interests and courses.It helps you with whatever you end up choosing, this is where you can find the best GRE course that matches your personality. When preparing for prep courses, you should treat it as a normal class. You should do your readings, take notes, and review lecture notes. Aside from this, teach yourself to self-learn as this is vital especially in an online class. 

Before you think about enrolling in prep courses, you should do some research as to what exactly you are getting yourself into. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of taking online prep courses. 

Benefits

• Online prep courses are convenient. This is because all your material can all be found online as opposed to having physical copies in the University. An online class means you can talk to your teacher at any time and your only excuse for missing class is due to not being online. You can also make your schedule as to when you will finish all your homework or readings since you will just be at home. 

• Online courses are flexible. Due to you not having a strict schedule, you can bond with your family and friends while still having enough time to study. Going to University usually takes up your whole day and once you get home, you are usually drained. 

• Online courses offer more individual attention. In an online setting, you have the chance of asking your professor through email or through just a personal message as to what you need understanding on. In class, a lot are scared to ask questions because they are scared of looking dumb. 

• Online courses have more financial benefits. Online classes will still entail a lot of money regardless that it is why it is advisable to read reviews and comments as seen on this article. Still, this is nothing compared to going to class in a physical setting. You will be paying for gas, food and think about the amount of time you'll waste. 

• Online courses teach self-discipline. Since you don't have a strict schedule, there are times in which you will be lazy to do your tasks. It will teach you to be responsible and committed since it is your job to go online and study. 

Disadvantages

• Online courses create a sense of isolation. This is possibly the biggest issue of online learning as it does not offer human interaction. As people, this is something we need and crave for. It will just be you in front of the computer which may sound terrifying to some, this will also cause you to lose focus and to just scroll other websites. 

• Online courses give you too much freedom. In a physical setting, you are wary about your behavior because you are inside a campus. Online courses let you do anything you want with no one hounding you, this may be dangerous especially for teenagers. 

• Online courses require you to find your path to learning. You may have professors through the screen but how you learn is entirely up to you. This may be good to some but others may need authoritative figures to call them out. 

• Online courses tend to take longer than on-campus classes. Even though you're just at home, online courses tend to take a longer time to finish as opposed to being in the classroom. A normal class usually takes around 1 hr - 2 hrs in a physical setting but an online course may take longer than that with no breaks. 

• Online courses make it easier to procrastinate. This will all depend on the student and if they possess the right type of self-discipline. Having no schedule will prompt procrastination for the students. There will be no one to remind you to finish your assignment and to go to class on time.

Aside from doing prep courses, you may also prepare yourself by reading lifestyle blogs where you'll learn tips on education and how to be a better student.

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