Five College Paths: A Game Plan for Every Student

College is a difference experience for everyone. While some college students get their PhD after eight years, others only get their bachelor degree. Your personal experience of college will depend entirely on your current life style and your educational game plan.

The following are five different ways to approach college:

1. Traditional Campus Learning. Attending a college campus and going to classroom-based courses is the traditional college experience. This is the perfect option if you are looking to move away from home for school. It should be noted, however, that recent studies from the U.S. Department of Education find that this is not the most effective method of learning.

2. Distance Learning. Online schools are an alternative to traditional education. Distance learning is older than the Internet, dating back to television-based courses. Accreditation assures that a distance learning experience provides equally valuable, if not superior, education to the campus alternative.

3. Hybrid Learning. Hybrid learning combines online learning and campus learning. This is considered the ideal scenario for learning purposes, particularly single classes that are held with both online and campus options. There are several colleges that have both a campus and online presence that are ideal for hybrid learning.

4. Studying Abroad. Studying abroad could involve a traditional campus, an online education, or both. Online education is especially attractive to a student studying abroad in a third-world country while also participating in volunteer work.

5. Part-time Learning. Some students, especially those that already have full-time obligations, approach college one class at a time. Part-time learning could take significantly longer than a full-time commitment to school, but it has the alternative benefit of allowing the student to savor each and every class.