Online High School Myths

Myths about learning online are rampant. No where is this more evident than in learning at online high schools. Below are ten of the most common myths.

1. I should choose a school that is in my state. Unless there is a financial incentive, as with free public charter schools, there is usually no reason to choose one in your home state.

2. I should choose the most expensive school. Quality does not always equate with high cost. There are some quite good schools that are inexpensive and there are some quite good schools that are expensive. Cost has little to do with quality.

3. I should choose the least expensive school. Sometimes there are valid reasons for choosing the least expensive school. While that may be a reasonable choice, you should also consider quality of the school.

4. Prestige doesn't matter with online high schools. For the most part, prestige does not matter. However, if your goal is to attend a well-known university, you might want to consider a program like Indiana University High School, University of Miami Online High School, or Laurel Springs School. These schools, and others, are known by many admissions offices. That can help the process.

5. Online high schools are all the same. Online high schools are as similar as traditional high schools. In other words, they can be quite different.

6. Online high schools are only for homeschooled students. While there is a segment of the online high school population that is homeschooled, this is the smaller segment. There are many more students who are not homeschooled, but who are learning online.

7. I won't have a teacher. It's all independent study. While there are the programs that are independent study, there are many where you are provided with a great deal of support from a state-certified teacher.

8. I won't have access to college counseling. This may or may not be true. Some do offer college counseling and you should check with the school if that is a priority for you.

9. Students who go to online high schools can't get into college. Not true at all. Any reputable online high school has compiled a list of the colleges that have admitted their students.

10. Online high schools are not as good as traditional high schools. In many cases, students find online high schools a better experience and that it does not suffer from quality because it is online.

While online high schools are not for everyone, they can be a wonderful alternative to traditional high schools.

Thomas Nixon is the author of Complete Guide to Online High Schools: Distance learning options for teens & adults. In it, he details how to earn a high school diploma online. The companion website, BestOnlineHighSchools.com, is the premier source of information on online high schools. His website is ThomasNixon.com.