You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only old if you stop learning” dozens of times – usually from old people who have stopped learning, or on posters taped up in your high school corridors. Most people who take online degrees are a little bit older than your average undergraduate student, but even if you’ve never studied before, there really is no time like the present.

Here are ten misconceptions about learning online that you need to get out of your head.  Once you’ve cleared these mental obstacles, you’ll be ready to get your degree.

1) I’ve Left it Too Long

This is one of the most harmful lies the never-studied say to themselves.  If you’re 27 and still working as assistant manager at Best Buy, hoping to make your way up the chain at corporate headquarters one day, here’s some bad news: it probably won’t ever happen.  Not unless you further your education.

If you don’t know when to start, call up some of your local colleges, ask what the deadline for registration is, and what kinds of fees you need to pay to register, and get the ball rolling right away.

2) I Can’t Afford It

You’ve heard it many times – education may be the best investment you can make in yourself. There are several avenues you can pursue to help with financing your education through loans, finance and personal savings.

3) Only Smart People Get Scholarships

This might be partially true, but you need to be aware of the vast array of financial aid products available for students. Scholarships and finance are not only awarded based on academic merit – they can also be given to students of certain ethnic minorities or nationalities, people from certain areas, people from disadvantaged or single-parent homes, or people looking to work in a specific field.

4) I Have to Take the SAT/GMAT, etc.  It’s too expensive and I’ll probably fail anyway.

This is not necessarily true.  Not all degree programs for regionally accredited universities require SAT scores, and you might have taken a comparative exam in another country. Find out what your school of choice requires.

Remember: GMAT and SAT tests measure learning ability, not knowledge.  You can practice and improve your ability to score well in these tests.

5) I’m a New Parent – I’ll Never Have Time

You’d be surprised to find out how many online students are also parents.  If you think you will only have a few hours a week to study, then you can usually find a degree timetable that works with this schedule.  Pay someone to babysit one night a week, and get your partner to take care of things one other night, and you can have enough time to study.

6) I’m Too Old

40% of college students are aged 25 and older, so age is no excuse. 

7) Online Degrees Aren’t Widely Accepted

This is a huge myth, but one that is self-perpetuating.  As long as your college is at least regionally accredited, and you don’t require any additional accreditation to practice in your field, there is no reason why your degree should be worth any more or less than anyone else’s.

8) I Just Don’t Have Time

Going back to number 5 – it’s about making time, and setting realistic expectations.  Most online degrees, when done part time, take about 10-15 hours per week.  That’s two evenings a week, plus one of your weekend days.  If there’s other stuff you do in that time, figure out how to move it around – there is always time for learning.

9) College Takes Too Long

The average on-campus undergraduate degree takes around 4 years.  An online degree, when done with diligence and dedication, can be completed in as little as 2 years.  If you’re adding on to your degree, you can convert an Associate’s Degree into a Bachelor’s in under a year.

10) My Company Won’t Pay For It/Give Me Time Off

You’d be surprised just what companies will do for loyal employees, especially when tax breaks are on the table.  If the answer is “no” now, go away and do your research into what the company will save if they send you to college. Create an entire business case explaining what the short, medium and long-term costs and benefits are, and show how much sense it makes to educate you further.

The only thing likely stopping you from starting an online degree right now is your own reluctance to get out there and do it – start filling out applications and making calls right now, and you could change your life.

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