Online College Myths, and What's Actually True

If you are thinking about earning a degree online, you have probably heard that it is easier, that it doesn't count, or that you can't use financial aid for it. Most of these beliefs are myths when the program is offered by an accredited school, but each one has a grain of truth you should check before you enroll.

You would not be unusual for choosing online study. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 4.4 million undergraduates, or 28% of all undergraduates, took their courses exclusively through distance education in fall 2021, and 61% took at least one distance course. Here is what is true about the most common myths, and how to check each one for the school you have in mind.

The Myths at a Glance

Myth 1: "Online Degrees Aren't Real or Accredited"

Some aren't, and that is where this myth comes from. Diploma mills sell degrees online, and the Federal Trade Commission warns that they often use made-up accreditors, sound-alike names and promises of a degree in weeks.

The online programs of accredited colleges are a different thing. Accreditation applies to the institution, and in some fields to the program, and an accredited school's online programs fall under that review. Many large public and private universities award the same degree whether you study online or on campus.

To check a school, search for it in the U.S. Department of Education's Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), or use College Navigator from the National Center for Education Statistics, which also shows accreditation. Every school in CollegeHub's school directory carries an accreditation label: of the 16 schools listed, 12 are labeled regionally accredited, 3 nationally accredited and 1 institutionally accredited. Confirm any school you are considering in DAPIP before you apply.

Myth 2: "You Can't Get Federal Financial Aid for Online College"

This is one of the most costly myths, because it can stop students from even filing the FAFSA. Federal Student Aid says Pell Grant funds can be used at eligible schools, including online schools, as well as community colleges, career schools and four-year universities.

The word that matters is eligible. To receive federal aid, you must meet the basic eligibility requirements, including being enrolled or accepted as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program. On the school's side, the Department of Education explains that a school must be accredited by a recognized agency to take part in federal student aid programs. That is one more reason to confirm accreditation first.

What to do:

• Ask the financial aid office whether your specific online program is eligible for federal aid, and whether you need a minimum course load for certain aid.
• File the FAFSA and list the school, even if you are not sure you will qualify.
• Ask about timing. Schools with frequent start dates may set up aid differently from a traditional fall and spring calendar, so ask when aid is disbursed for your term.

In CollegeHub's directory data, all 16 school listings show financial aid as available. That means the school offers aid, not that any particular student will qualify or receive a set amount. Your eligibility depends on your FAFSA, your program and the school's review.

Myth 3: "Online College Is Easier and Less Work"

Online college is more flexible, which is not the same as easier. A federal regulation defines a credit hour as an amount of work that reasonably approximates at least one hour of instruction plus two hours of out-of-class work per week for about 15 weeks per semester credit, or an equivalent amount of work over a different period. The same definition lets schools account for different delivery methods, but the expected amount of work does not shrink because the class is online.

In practice, a typical three-credit course in a 15-week semester may involve roughly nine hours of work a week. Many online programs use shorter terms, so the same work is packed into fewer weeks. In CollegeHub's directory, 6 of the 16 schools list monthly start dates, which often goes with shorter courses. Ask how long each course runs and how many hours a week students usually spend on it.

What online study does change is when you do the work. Many courses are asynchronous, meaning you complete readings and assignments on your own schedule within weekly deadlines. Others include synchronous sessions at set times. That freedom helps working adults, but it also means nobody walks you to class. Blocking out fixed study hours each week, as if they were class times, makes it much easier to keep up.

Myth 4: "You're on Your Own With No Support"

The federal definition of distance education is built around contact with instructors: it describes instruction delivered to students separated from the instructor and designed to support regular and substantive interaction between students and instructors, live or not. A course that is just a stack of files with no instructor involvement does not fit that definition.

Beyond the classroom, support varies widely from school to school, so ask specific questions before you enroll:

• Will I have an assigned academic advisor, and how do I reach them?
• Is tutoring or writing help available online, and during what hours?
• Can online students use the library, career services and disability services?
• What tech support is available if the learning platform fails the night before a deadline?
• How quickly do instructors usually respond to messages?

A school that answers clearly and quickly during admissions is giving you a preview of how it may treat you as a student.

Myth 5: "Credits From Online Classes Won't Transfer"

Whether credits transfer depends on the school receiving them, not on whether you earned them online. Receiving schools usually look at the sending school's accreditation, how closely the course matches one of theirs, your grade, and their own limits on how many transfer credits they accept.

Accreditation is the biggest factor. The Department of Education notes that attending an accredited institution can help if you later transfer credits, and the FTC warns that credits from a school that isn't accredited are hard to transfer, so the money spent on them may be wasted.

Before you enroll, and again before you transfer:

• Ask the receiving school's registrar how it evaluates credits from the school you are considering.
• Get transfer evaluations in writing where possible.
• Ask about credit for prior learning. Many schools evaluate work experience, exams or military training for credit. Our guide on using prior learning or military experience to earn credits explains the main options.

Myth 6: "Employers Don't Respect Online Degrees"

Employers mostly check two things: whether the school is legitimately accredited, and whether you have the skills for the job. The format rarely decides it. We cover what hiring managers verify, whether a diploma says "online", and the warning signs of a diploma mill in do employers accept online degrees.

Where Online College Really Is Harder

Being fair to online learning also means naming its real challenges:

• Self-management. Without a fixed class schedule, it is easy to let a week slip and fall behind.
• Hands-on fields. Nursing, medical assisting, trades and lab sciences often require in-person clinicals, labs or externships. This is one reason some schools offer hybrid programs. In CollegeHub's directory, 11 schools are listed as online, 4 as hybrid and 1 as on-campus.
• State licensing. If your career needs a license, confirm with your state's licensing board that the program meets its requirements where you live.
• Fewer chance encounters. Networking takes more deliberate effort online. Join discussion groups, attend virtual events and get to know instructors during office hours.

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Want to compare accredited schools by format and start date? Use the CollegeHub school directory to filter by online, hybrid or on-campus format, then check each school's accreditation in DAPIP.

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