Many schools, usually college, have discovered a way to let students be able to take their classes at home rather than personally attending the school itself. The idea of this is to offer online courses or video conferencing for students who live quite far from the school and are unable to personally attend the class. Some claim that distance learning is more beneficial for students, however, it is arguable that students who attend the classes in person are exposed to more benefits.

The students who register in a school but not actually be in the classroom itself during lectures mean they are not fully experiencing the school.

The lectures these college students obtain is different from online college because professors teach differently than a robot talking on a screen. Attending school in person benefits students since they are able to witness hands-on learning rather than retaining information behind a little computer at home. Not only does traveling from a distance give students an education, they are able to experience everything college has to offer, including sororities, jobs, making new friends, living with someone they have never met, and social events. Several people have claimed that attending school away from home was one of the best decisions they have ever made because they were able to utilize those social, educational, and everyday skills later in life. College is not only a forum for education, it also gives students the opportunity to experience life in the real world.

Another reason online learning would not be beneficial is because students do not learn to be independent. As a teenager myself, growing up in a strict household slowed down the ability to rely on myself. If I had the opportunity to attend college in person, I would seize that opportunity since it would allow me to learn to be independent rather than relying on my parents. Additionally, many students who take online courses at home are able to cheat on their tests and exams. Since no one is watching them at home, they could easily look up the answers on a different device or ask their parents for help. A variety of college students claim that attending school far away from home pushes them to study on their own rather than leaning on their parents for comfort. Furthermore, continuing studies at the school itself opens the opportunity for students to take the risks and learn to mature faster instead of constantly be babied while continuing their education at home.

To contrast, many students take the opportunity of online courses because it saves them money. Having to travel across the country to get an education is financially impossible for some families. A friend of mine originally planned to fully attend a college in California, however it was too expensive for her family to cover. Luckily, that school offered some online classes and video lectures so she could access an education from home. My friend said the option of online classes helped her since she did not need to move across the country, saving her some time and money, but was still be able to get the education she paid for. As a result, schools that offer distance learning can be helpful because it makes these students' lives more efficient and affordable.

All in all, the option of distance learning would not be as beneficial as personally attending the class itself. It is more arguable that furthering an education outside of home can benefit students in the long run, including building up independence, growing life experience, and taking risks. It is recommended that students take a leap and go to that far away school, sitting behind a computer for class everyday makes less impact than learning from a professor in the classroom.