Infographic dispels the myths about online university students
The fifth annual Online College Students 2016: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences report, published by The Learning House, takes a deeper look at the demographics, fields of study and expectations of online college students. To that end, the group has produced an infographic aimed at dispelling commonly held myths about online study, including: financial incentives need to be substantial to impact enrolment; campus isn’t important to online students; online students are older; students are indecisive; education is a top field of study for graduate students.

Although online college enrollment continues to rise, some higher ed leaders still hold onto misconceptions about the types of students who pursue this alternative learning model.

The fifth annual Online College Students 2016: Comprehensive Data on Demands and Preferences report, published by The Learning House, attempts to clear up the questions by taking a deeper look at the demographics, fields of study and expectations of 1,500 past, present and prospective online college students.

According to the data, the average age of online students fell from 36 in 2014 to 29 in 2016. The report attributes the change to an increasing number of students in the 18-to-24 age group, which has doubled in size since 2012. The findings chip away at the commonly held belief that online students are older, the report states.

Discover more surprising facts about distance-learning students by checking out The Learning House infographic below.