Should I consider starting my college degree online?
Starting online and then transitioning to campus isn’t the traditional approach, but it may be the key to your dream education.
This past spring, students throughout the United States and beyond had to suddenly adapt to online learning. And it was rough for a lot of people. So why would you willingly start your studies online in a program like King’s Crossover? (Crossover is a hybrid option at The King’s College that allows you to take one to four semesters of King’s courses online and then finish your degree on campus.)
As someone who participated in King’s Crossover myself, I’ll give you three reasons.
- Quality: King’s Crossover classes are designed to be online and taught by experienced online instructors.
What happened in March 2020 was that teachers were forced to adjust in-person classes to an online format with no prior experience and no time to prepare. But Crossover courses are created to work well online, with pre-recorded lectures you can watch on your own time, moderated discussion boards, and innovative course assignments.
As a high school student, I knew I wanted a college that took the Christian intellectual tradition seriously. I’ve always been fascinated by big philosophical questions and how they relate to my faith, and I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied in an environment that sidelined Christian contributions to history.
Choosing Crossover meant I could start working through a rigorous Christian liberal arts curriculum instead of settling for a school that was only telling half the story of reality.
- Timing: King’s Crossover can help you start your degree even if the timing isn’t right to move to New York City.
So why didn’t I just start in person and fully jump into the community at King’s? That was my initial plan. However, I landed a dream internship out of state that would wrap up two weeks after the start of school. If I started on campus two weeks late I imagined I’d struggle all semester to catch up. Or, I could wait to begin until the next semester, and have to put off college for several months.
Crossover was a great solution. Because the classes are asynchronous, I was able to finish out my internship responsibilities without missing a class or delaying my education. I even made some friends who then started on campus the same time I did.
- Savings: You’ll save on housing, transportation, and living expenses without compromising the caliber of your education.
If you are self-motivated and willing to establish your own routines, King’s Crossover should work well for you. Eventually, you’ll want to live in New York City for the energy of the campus and for the opportunities to gain experience in your field. But if four years of paying NYC rent is financially out of the question, Crossover can make your King’s education possible, saving you over $17,000 on housing, transportation, and other indirect expenses in a year (see cost breakdowns here).
Starting online and then transitioning to campus isn’t the traditional approach. But for me, it was the key that opened the door to the wonder of a King’s education. If your circumstances are anything like mine were, I encourage you to give it a look.
// Photo by Shayna Douglas //