Women comprise a good portion of online college students and forecasts suggest that by the years 2013 and 2016, they’ll account for 57 percent of the undergraduate population at colleges and universities. They will also make up a solid segment of the labor force growth, many finding careers that have started thanks to university distance learning degree programs they’ve completed.
Many of the women enrolled in online degree programs have community and family responsibilities and before online college classes and degree programs had rigid campus class schedules and child care to worry about. Into the 21st century, they said, online college alternatives allow them to “fit education into their work and family schedules, rather than trying to fit their lives into the schedules of traditional education”, according to an American Association of University Women study. Scholarships, fellowships and grants for college are also available to make higher education more affordable for working women.
While many women interviewed for the 2001 “The Third Shift, Women Learning Online” study were working toward online degrees, others were taking online college classes because they enjoy the experience of learning. One woman with a family and full-time job described online college a “dream come true.” Online college costs were discussed throughout the interviews.
Study respondents viewed minimized commuting time travel costs as positives. College classes and online degree programs, they noted, provide tremendous opportunities for women who have children, demanding work responsibilities, disabilities or tight schedules, and those who live in relatively secluded areas. Women try to devote time to coursework when other family members are sleeping, or they hold off on taking courses until their children are older and more independent, according to “The Third Shift”.
Online college classes and degree programs often cost about the same as traditional, campus-based offerings. Many online colleges and traditional institutions with online classes and degree programs are accredited, and the federal government offers low-interest loans and grants for college that are based on financial need. Civic organizations, labor unions, veterans organizations, large companies and non-profit organizations also offer assistance – in their case, with scholarships, fellowships and grants for college. Working women can explore offerings from companies such as Coca Cola and non-profits such as the Ford Foundation.
The American Association of University Women offers career development grants for college that are designed for bachelor degree-holding women to further their careers, and fellowships that help pay for conducting domestic and international research. The offerings are a part of plans to provide more than $3 million for more than 200 fellowships and grants for college during the 2009-2010 academic, according to the association Web site. Working women don’t have to worry about financial aid if their employer benefits include reimbursed tuition. One of the reasons distance education has grown is because of a growing number of working women, “The Third Shift” study reports.
Of 121 million women ages 16 and older, 68 million were employed in 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. A 2001 U.S. Senate document cited in the American Association of University women study described the average online college student as female, 34 years old, employed part-time and maintaining previously earned college credits. Women are projected to account for 49 percent of the increase in the total labor force growth between 2006 and 2016. And, by 2013, the number of women enrolled in undergraduate classes is expected to climb to 8.9 million, accounting for 57 percent of the undergraduate population, the U.S. Department of Education reports.
Obtaining a university bachelor degree, many women in “The Third Shift” study said, provides a no-frills, direct route to an educational goal, such as their masters degree programs. As well, this type of online masters degree programs provided an opportunity to move forward in the working arena so they don’t have to keep struggling.