So is distance learning for you? You may be an ideal candidate if you possess these qualities: No time to attend class in a university two to three times a week, have self-discipline, initiative and time management skills, are at ease with 21st century technology and have good study habits.

But before you sign up, consider these issues:

• Some clicks-and-mortar degrees are completely open access-meaning applicants don’t have to hurdle any formal requirements to enroll. Others (especially those from traditional education centers with distance learning units) impose the same entrance requirements they do on their bricks-and-mortar applicants.
• Don’t think that online schooling is a piece of cake; it can be just as hard, if not more so, than traditional education, requiring the same or even greater amount of dedication and concentration to your studies.
• It may be wise to look at it from others’ viewpoint. Even as more universities and colleges are starting to offer distance learning, these programs are still regarded by some quarters as similar to correspondence courses advertised in newspapers.
• Reception will depend on the industry. If you’re planning to pick up additional IT skills online, you may find technology companies more appreciative of your efforts. But offline industries such as law and higher education still eye degrees earned the nontraditional way with suspicion.
• The more established the school, the more credible your degree will be compared to an online certification received from an unknown or virtual source.
• If job-hunting, don’t hide the fact that you earned your degree or certification through distance learning since employers are bound to check, but be ready to defend and support your choice and show how it has served you well.