While our last article (CAT Preparation: Do you need a coaching center?) discussed the importance of a coaching center in your preparation for the competitive exams, this article will be discussing the advantages of online coaching provides over brick and mortar coaching centers which commonly referred to as offline coaching centers.
Our earlier article (Will Online Coaching bring disruption in the test preparation market of India?) discussed how online coaching is rapidly eating the larger share of education in general with the global private tutoring market is projected to surpass $102.8 billion by 2018 for which India alone, has had a record growth of almost 35% in the last five-six years and is likely to touch $70 billion by 2017. From getting shunned by not only experts but also from users to taking the largest share of the education market, online test preparation has come a long way and rightfully so with its many distinctive benefits over offline coaching.
Flexibility
It gives students the much-needed flexibility to study at their own pace at their own convenience at any time they want. It also allows students to revisit the content as many time as they need. The content can be downloaded and be available later for collaborative study with peers.
Cost Effectiveness
Online coaching tends to be less expensive compared to offline coaching. According to Ravi Handa from Handa ka Funda – an online competitive exam preparation platform, typically a CAT preparation course offline would cost around Rs. 30,000 – Rs. 40, 000 while the most expensive course for CAT preparation at Handa ka Funda is around Rs. 5500. The same reduced pricing is with almost all other online coaching providers. Also, the cost of commute and if the aspirant is non-resident of the city that provides such coaching, the additional accommodation expense should be factored in too.
Relevance – Updated Course Material
Since the study material that is kept and distributed online is faster, easier and more convenient to edit/update anytime and anywhere, there is a greater possibility that it will be updated regularly and promptly for the required changes. Online course materials offer instant correction opportunities while the offline printed materials take much longer time to be corrected/updated and distributed.
Commute
One of the most significant and mostly neglected advantages of online education is the removed need for commute just to attend a study session. This is of greater importance for the CAT aspirants since most of them are probably working while preparing for the exams. Online coaching wouldn’t require you to commute from one place to another as you can take the class on your computer from anywhere in the world. Other than removing the tedious need of commute in city traffic, another advantage online coaching offers is not having to miss the session on account of bad weather.
Convenience and Comfort
When an aspirant enrolls in online coaching, they get an opportunity to plan their study according to their own daily schedule and their other commitments instead of their having to schedule their entire day around that particular class they have to attend. Access to the learning at the familiar home in comfortable cloth or comfortable sitting position are just some other benefits that add to convince and comfort of learning.
Resources
Not only online coaching can practically provide larger resource pool for the exam that can be accessed anytime from anywhere compare to the limitation of physical coaching resources and the limitation of its accessibility; it also provides the access to the reservoir of old classes which can be revisited anytime for a fresh up of the content if need arises.
Learning Environment
The learning environment has a greater effect on the outcome. And, the requirements of certain learning environment vary individually. Some like to study in a café full of people with noise and other like to study in a silent room alone, some like to study while listening to music and some like to study with peers. While offline education limits the access of certain environment, online education gives complete freedom to choose not only the environment but also the time and the conditions that suit best to the individual.
Better Outcome
The absolute freedom in choosing time, environment, condition and pace of learning enables the learner to be much more focused on study compare to the offline learning where the learner has to be present at a specified time regardless of their preparedness. The access to material and classes for repeated view also helps understand the material better and thus, achieve a better outcome.
Although online learning provides great benefit, ultimately it comes down to individual comfort and adaptiveness. If a student feels that the physical interaction between trainer and them would provide greater support for their education, it’s best for them to choose offline coaching center after carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages of both for individual needs.
This article was written by Krunal Sagan, co-founder of Epecate and founder of Starstuff Management Consultancy Follow him on Twitter @krunalsagan