If college is the plan, virtual charter schools are a great way to make it happen. Many online students go on to attend college, and the right virtual program goes a long way toward providing them with the academic and admissions guidance they need for the transition. In fact, college preparation is a core focus of top-rated online programs. And for some students, it’s even more helpful than traditional schooling for achieving long-term educational goals.
How Virtual Charters Are Preparing Students for College
Virtual charter schools have similar college acceptance rates as traditional schools, and in many ways, students of virtual charters are even better prepared for the taskwork ahead. This is thanks to rigorous online schooling guidelines that ensure students know how to prepare for college – and that they have the resources and support to get there.
Here are five ways that virtual schools benefit students on their path to a college education, with advantages that prove equal – or even better – to in-person schools.
Benefit #1: Autonomy & Flexibility
Online students are provided with ample opportunities to pursue their interests and self-manage their schedules. This translates extremely well into a college environment, and may even put online students a step ahead of their peers who are accustomed to much more rigid schooling methods.
Benefit #2: Time Management
Time management can be a huge challenge for young adults in college, especially those who haven’t been previously tasked with honing this skill. In this way, virtual schools are uniquely beneficial at preparing students for college, with asynchronous models in particular requiring students to decide when and where they do their work. By the time they get to undergraduate, online students are used to setting their own pace and can easily adapt their best practices from lower grade levels into the college setting.
Benefit #3: Advanced Placements & Assessments
Just like traditional schools, many virtual charters offer Advanced Placement (AP) classes for students. These classes allow high school students to learn at a college level and potentially earn credits toward their future college education through AP exams. They also help in the development of high-level critical thinking skills that are necessary at the undergraduate level and beyond.
Benefit #4: Self-Confidence
For better or for worse, students who attend in-person schools get a lot of direct hand-holding from their instructors. This can make for a jarring experience when a student enters college and realizes that they’re largely on their own in terms of tackling course material and ensuring everything gets done on time. On the contrary, cyber students are used to working independently, and have established routines that help them feel more confident in their ability to manage on their own.
Benefit #5: Early Graduation
There is certainly no need to rush K-12 schooling. However, some students thrive at a faster pace and benefit from being able to get a head start at college and all that comes after it. This is often bolstered by online career readiness support that helps students set clear goals for the future while also providing them with tools to get there on their own time.
Learn How to Prepare for College with PA Distance Learning
Our virtual curriculum sets students up to succeed in a college environment, offering a hybrid synchronous and asynchronous learning model that’s designed for post-graduate preparedness.
Learn more about our academics and assessments, and contact us today for additional information or to enroll a child in our program.