The characteristics of online education are very similar to most students availing themselves of this in classroom alternative, yet it affects these students very differently. For example, most everyone knows that a student at an online education facility must possess impeccable time management skills. Yet while a single individual will be affected differently by this known prerequisite, a student with a family and even small children may view this as one of the most challenging aspects of the entire online education experience.
Another challenge experienced by some could be the necessity to work independently and without a lot of feedback or motivation from an instructor or peer support. While those already established in the workforce may not find this to be an insurmountable challenge, a younger individual who has not yet learned to self motivate may be severely hampered by this elevated need of developing self discipline. Independent work and study habits may become especially challenging when they are not deadline motivated and simply pertain to a sustained effort at becoming proficient in a certain subject which may not even have a direct bearing on the class.
Organization is of course the biggest challenge to anyone pursuing online education, and it matters little if the student is a single or married individual. While it is true that an advanced state of life experience may offer a benefit with respect to understanding the need for organization, it is little guarantee that this has actually translated into the kind of hands on commitment to keeping track of subject matters, study materials, deadlines, schedules, and extracurricular requirements that make online students successful. Although this might keep some students from actively pursuing their dream of online education, it is vital to remember that all of these characteristics can indeed be learned side by side with the subject matter of the classes!