The Benefits of Home Study

There are many great reasons why you should consider studying in the comfort of your own home rather than on campus. The obvious benefits – and perhaps those that come to mind the quickest – are likely to be the saving of time and money. There are, however, additional benefits that you may not have considered as you ponder the path of your academic journey. And while the idea of enrolling in an exclusively online program may give you pause, particularly if you’ve been looking forward to a more traditional college experience, this article could very well help you change your mind. Let’s take a look at the 5 main benefits of home study,1.

1. Work at Your Own Pace 

Not a morning person? Work full time? Enrollment in an online program may mean that you have significantly more flexibility when it comes to getting your work done. For some, studying or completing work modules is best done on the weekend. Others may feel that their minds percolate better in the afternoons instead of the morning. Others still may prefer studying in the evening after the kids go to bed. 

To be fair, not all online courses are created equal. Some of them, depending on the material being covered or the culture of the institution (or both) may be more rigid when it comes to submitting assignments and course completion. The point is, if you’re interested in taking advantage of an online course, you’ll want to determine if setting your schedule of following a set, comprehensive outline is more conducive to successful learning. 

The former is true of our PLC Technician Training Program. Upon registration, you can begin learning and working through the material immediately; you don’t have to wait for the next semester to begin, nor do you need to worry about any unexpected life events that may come up after you enroll. In short, you can work on your own schedule. This is made possible in part by the immersive and easy-to-use software that not only allows you to learn the material, but also transforms your personal computer into a virtual PLC that you can access from anywhere (no more late nights working in a computer lab on campus). 

Sure, saving some time and money on an online program may be appealing, but if you’re weighing on your options, you should really consider how important schedule flexibility is to you. If you believe that working at your own pace will help you be successful, make sure you have reviewed all courses just in case you’re required to attend scheduled conferences or lectures. 

2. Advance Your Career

If you think about it, advancing your career while still holding down a full-time job and keeping your bills paid can be a real challenge but not impossible. As we’ve seen by the flexibility that many offer, online courses can help you do exactly that. Whether you’re thinking you would like to learn a few extra skills that will help you to secure a promotion or open new doors at your current place of work or switch jobs entirely, an online course is one of the best things that you can leverage that can help you to achieve your goals. 

If you’re worried however that an online course simply won’t provide you with the hands-on experience that just about every employer is looking for, you can feel confident knowing that GBCTech’s simulation software is used in many different courses to simulate real-world scenarios and offers students the opportunity to design, program, install, and troubleshoot industrial electronics, robotics, and PLC equipment.  These are the skills that you’ll need to hone to make an impact with your current or new employer. 

3. Reduce Distractions

If you’ve ever had to focus on a problem in a busy computer lab or struggled to comprehend contextual information in a crowded lecture hall, you aren’t alone. Many of the people who have completed online programs say that learning and working with fewer distractions in the room was a game changer. With home study, not only do you get to work in a space that makes you comfortable, you can also customize the space in any way you see fit that will enhance your learning experience. Remember that productivity can be achieved in locations outside of the classroom where distractions and interruptions may hinder your progress. 

4. Lower Stress Levels

Stress response may be beneficial for keeping you alive in survival situations, but stress has a negative impact on one’s ability to take in and retain new information. Of course, the quiet, controlled environment of your home is much less likely to cause stress than a bustling campus, but that is just one of the benefits of working from home. Believe it or not, even the furniture you use to complete your work can lead to stress. The furniture found in academic institutions (chairs, desks, and even sofas in common rooms) are nowhere near as comfortable as the furniture that you yourself have purchased for your home. Not being able to get comfortable and focus on a looming deadline is a stressor that is rarely talked about. 

This isn’t to say that going in person to a campus is always stressful all of the time. Getting together with classmates or simply getting a change of scenery can do wonders for lowering your cortisol levels. Unfortunately, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, entering into these types of social settings in relatively closed spaces adds an additional layer of stress to on-campus life, so having the option to study from home can really help to keep your mental health and stress levels in check.

5. Say Goodbye to Commuting

Whether or not you enjoy a good daily commute, there’s no denying that the rising price of gas, vehicle insurance and maintenance, parking passes, and even public transit is enough to make any prospective student think twice about the benefits of studying from home. Unless you live within walking distance of your academic institution, commuting to and from classes is time better spent doing pretty much anything else. So much of the commute is out of your control; even if you leave on time in morning, you’re still at the mercy of traffic jams, the inevitable breakdown, and inclement weather that makes commuting such an off-putting experience. When you study from home, you can simply wake up and begin your day in your home office without having to deal with any of the negatives that go hand in hand with a daily commute. 

Home Study Contributes to Your Learning

Everybody has their own reasons for wanting to take an online course and study from home because the benefits are truly endless. GBCTechtraining programs have always been offered online and allow students to study at their own pace while still learning essential, real-world skills. You can still gain hands-on experience while studying from home. If you want to learn more about the course curriculum or you’re curious about how our programs work, reach out to our Program Consultant today at 1-888-553-5333 or email us at [email protected]