Whether one really enjoys working online, likes the freedom that being mostly online offers, or just feels less stress and more comfort around a computer, it can be really easy to default going online for various aspects of life. But of course, there are some things that are best done in person, and that is for various reasons.

Getting a law degree is available both in person and online, and students will go through the same courses, take the same tests, and work with the same people to go from being a student to someone who has graduated at the top of the class. But is it better to earn a law degree online or to get it in a more formal and in-person environment?

Here is what people need to know about the benefits and drawbacks of each option:

Getting a law degree from an online law school

One of the biggest benefits of completing a law degree online is that students can get their law degree from anywhere and can do it at any time. For many of the biggest and best law schools in the country, they are in certain very prestigious places in the world, and they can be extremely expensive to move to.

Additionally, some people might not be able to move to a new area for their law education. This can be because of family obligations, a career, or for some other reason, and rather than having to choose between the life they have and their dream or being forced to uproot their entire lives to move to a new area of the country, they can simply get the best of both worlds.

Online law schools provide the same rigorous testing and quality of education as in-person law programs, and students of online programs will find that they have the same skills and knowledge as someone who has completed an in-person course. Many of them even contain extra access to teachers, and provide more practice and assessment work that will be able to help students hone their knowledge and skills.

Those who travel a lot, have job or family commitments, or foresee a lot of trouble getting from one place to another, may consider an online law degree the best option for them. However, it is important to make sure that they are getting it from an online university that is accredited and will give them the skills and credentials they will need in order to find success in the world of law.

Requires even more drive than in-person learning

One thing to be aware of when signing up for an online school is that the student needs to take complete control of their education. They need to make sure that they are taking the time to take their work and studies seriously, which can be very hard to do in an online environment. It is extremely easy to skip events or push homework and assignments to the last minute because everything is online.

However, law school is hard, and students need to be completely on top of everything if they want to make sure they succeed in the classroom and master the large scope of the material. If they can learn to take the initiative in their education, ask for help when they need it, and make sure to reach out to their professors and fellow classmates for solutions, then they will be good to go.

Especially online, where students can learn at their own pace and often make use of other resources, they should be very driven to get themselves going and work to fulfill all the requirements. It can also help if one has a burning curiosity to continue learning about the law, why it works the way it does, and how they will fit into it as a lawyer. This is because looking at the long-term plan is one of the things that will keep students going through all the classes and coursework.

Learning at one’s own pace can be very helpful too. Law students can study and learn however they want, but it can be very nice to skip over the things one already knows, or to take some more time to handle all of the things they are having trouble with. Plus, for students who love the topics in question and enjoy learning about the law, it can sometimes be very hard to stop learning!

To succeed in online law school, build good study habits

Students who want to really separate themselves from the pack when it comes to getting the best degree online need to have good study habits. Some great habits that are needed to go above and beyond are asking questions, taking notes, and dedicating time to working on the module and course assignments.

Moreover, one should ensure that they are focusing on mastering the assigned materials and the reading that they are given. Work with virtual study groups, attend office hours, pester professors with questions, and commit to a study schedule that takes advantage of the freedom of online studying. This is going to be the best way to ensure that law students are where they need to be in terms of studying, and while they should be doing these things regardless, they should also be really working on them whenever they are online.

Additionally, law students should focus on their time management skills and make sure that they are dedicating time to their studies. While students might not always need to attend class and deal with traffic time and other issues, they should still attempt to make time for their schedule to stay on top of all their reading and writing assignments. Even with online school, they will need to keep on track of their deadlines, and they should not start missing them.

Lower costs and greater opportunities

With an online degree program, students can save a bit of money versus going to a physical law school. Many online programs offer a few different learning materials and legal journal subscriptions that can be presented to their students at a good discount, or they just make everything available as part of the tuition.

Plus, they can work from anywhere, which might allow them to save money on gas from driving from their apartment or place of residence to the campus. They might be able to continue living in a cheaper area rather than having to move to a more expensive metropolitan area. If students like the price they are paying for where they are now, it makes sense to stay and ensure that they are saving their money so they can pay for whatever it is that they need.

There are also greater opportunities associated with online degrees, as many are designed to be done at a self-pace or are done part-time. So, students will not have to take a year or more off in order to take classes and go to school. Instead, they can do both at once and have a study life and a life at work. This can also help with the all-important work-life balance, because law school can be a massive commitment and some real pressure. Students need to make sure that they can handle it and take good care of their wellbeing.

The world of online learning and technology has improved and will keep improving

Finally, online learning is not just an afterthought anymore, and many universities and educators are deciding to put a lot of time, effort, and focus into their online-only curriculums. Students can still get all the benefits of being online, as well as constant and direct access to teachers and other students, a detailed and well-thought-out course guide that can be done in one’s own time. Moreover, the technology used during online learning is becoming more and more advanced and high-quality.

Benefits of in-person learning for a law degree

The biggest benefit of going to a law school in person is the campus experience. There is just something really cool about walking around a campus of people who are learning similar things. Students can meet new people, form study groups, get to know classmates, and even make some connections that might just be helpful whenever one decides to break out on their own and start to use their law degree.

Additionally, even though a law school is a bit more of a formal campus, law students can still go to parties, gatherings, and other networking events that will allow them to make friends and build some connections. Plus, the on-campus experience can be a great way to get away from all the stressors of home life and work life and just study and work on the degree. Students can simply get into the library and sit with their books for a few hours or sit in a cafe and type up a paper without any distractions or other issues.

Finally, by being in a classroom, law students have a unique opportunity to do some of the tasks that they will be required to do as a lawyer. They will have to talk to other students, defend opinions, make statements, and persuade others. All of these skills will come in handy no matter the field of law, and if students are not in the classroom, they can lose out on some of these experiences. It might be possible to take part in debates and other tasks while online, but there is just something different about being able to do it all in person.

Have external accountability

While being a lawyer and studying the law means needing to be 100% prepared for holding oneself accountable and keeping the promises one makes for themselves, students can take advantage of the accountability that a school can provide. Having to show up at a physical classroom location, on time, for tests and for studies, can help students take them seriously.

Additionally, the teacher will set all the deadlines for the exams and assignments to be due, which is good for people who really enjoy the more traditional environment of a school. Students will still need to practice self-accountability whenever it comes to things like studying and managing work-life balance, but the structured environment of a school does have benefits for many people.

Have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties

While technical difficulties can and will happen no matter what or where one is, students often have a backup plan whenever they are working out of a college campus. There are plenty of places to get free Wi-Fi or extra cables, and it might even be possible to find people who will be able to lend their devices to help someone get that assignment turned in before the deadline!

In some cases, it might be possible to print out an online assignment and turn it into the teacher by hand if the website is not working. So, there are options if the internet or the world of technology disappoints.

However, whenever students are doing online learning, they often have one option to turn things in or get the help they need. If the website is down or the webpage is not working, they can run into some serious trouble. Prompt communication and getting the work done early does help with this, so it is important to allow plenty of time to complete assignments.

How to choose the right school

Whether working on a law degree in person or at an online university, students need to pick the right school for them. One that is accredited, recognized by all the correct institutions, and is going to help graduates get into the field of law that they want to get into.

One should not be afraid to do some research and consider all options when looking for an online school or a school to attend in person. For example, someone might decide that they want to simply get a basic law degree and consider their options when they graduate. So, it might be best to look at one of the JD programs online in order to get the basic law degree, and one such school to go to is Cleveland State University.

The Juris Doctor program is designed to be one of the highest educations for lawyers in the US, and it is one of the degrees that will look extremely professional on a resume. The JD programs one can take allows students to turn classroom learning into practical tools they can use when they are on the job. Some of the skills students might learn include working with the ethics of law, learning how and why to do legal research, and one can even take specialized courses on different types of law — such as health law and business law.

To pick the correct law program, law students need to have some idea of what they want to do. They should look for law schools that offer courses that they are interested in, have the potential for specialized growth, and are affordable. Doing so will enable people to pick the school that is right for them.

A law degree, whether it is basic or advanced, is one of the hardest things to attain. So, one might as well focus on getting the best education that they can at the university that is right for them. Prospective students should take their time and make sure that they are picking the best option, and they will find that their career will be okay.

Take study seriously

Any type of law degree is going to require a lot of work, focus, mastery of materials, and the ability to both create points and communicate them to others. It can be very easy to simply lose oneself in the world of putting online assignments off or cramming for a test the night before. But the law students who get the most out of their college experience and who proceed to do the best in their careers are the ones who take college extremely seriously and who are sure to make the most of every single moment they spend there.