Whether heading off to college, to the military, or into the workforce, online high school students have some major advantages over students in traditional brick-and-mortar schools. Students at Northgate Academy have self-paced courses and flexible schedules, giving them plenty of opportunities to be independent and learn how to make important decisions.
Motivation and Self-Discipline
Online students have to learn to be motivated and exhibit self-discipline because they don’t have a teacher watching them to make sure they complete their work instead of goofing around. Northgate students learn how to find motivation to complete their coursework on their own because other than their main deadline, how and when they complete their coursework is up to them.
Although online students have the advantage of not having to waste time listening to teachers take attendance, no busywork given while teachers deal with other students, and plenty of flexibility to plan other activities and life experiences around their school schedule, they do have to learn self-discipline pretty early on. Motivation and self-discipline are two of the most essential skills to be successful after high school no matter what path you choose.
Organization & Time Management
Because online courses are usually flexible and self-paced, students also have the chance to practice organizational and time management skills. While their peers are being reminded to bring their tablets and a pencil to class, online students are encouraged to plan their time and their days themselves. Of course, the best way to set up your schedule and plan your academic calendar is with your family members, but online students still have a lot of freedom when it comes to deciding if they’re going to focus on just a couple of classes at a time or all of them at once. Each online student gets to decide what their days look like.
They have to know how they learn best in order to decide how often they will take breaks, where the ideal location is for them to complete coursework, and how to etch out their days to include social interactions, hobbies, and other activities. Whether you’re headed to college, the military, or the workforce, being organized enough to manage your own time is going to give you an advantage over other young people.
Internet Research Skills
When an online student with NGA has a question, they can reach out to their instructor, set up a tutoring session through Train The Brain, or do a little Googling and find the answer themselves. Online students tend to have top-tier internet research skills. Talk about a skill that carries over beyond high school!
Online students are not alone in this. In fact, over 50% of YouTube users are there to learn how to do things, and it’s the first place they go when they want to learn a new skill or research a topic. With 2.6 billion users worldwide as of 2022, that’s a lot of people using YouTube to learn. Online students are definitely no different. With most students completing research solely online, this is a key skill. For online students heading to college or off to live on their own, those research skills are going to be wildly useful!
Accountability
Online students have to be accountable. There’s no way for them to say, “Oh, so-and-so was distracting the class,” or “It was just too noisy in the classroom.” If they’re not doing their work, the accountability is all on them.
This is an important adult skill for a young person to get used to. As you mature, you find out that taking ownership for the good, the bad, and the ugly is just a part of life, so getting a jumpstart on that is a healthy experience.
Self-Advocacy
Once you’re living on your own or in a college dorm, your parents aren’t going to be around to email your professors or boss. At least, you probably hope not! But that’s okay, because if you were an online high school student, you already know how to reach out for help when you need it. Online students have to take the initiative to email their instructor or set up a tutoring appointment. No one is walking around the classroom checking their work over their shoulder, but instructors are ready and willing to take the time to help you if you ask.
That’s just like life after high school. Being treated like an adult means that your professors and your boss expect you to speak up if you need further explanation, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or if you need a little extra help and time to finish an assignment. Practicing that in the safety of an online school is going to help you feel more comfortable with that independence after graduation and beyond.
About Northgate Academy
If you’re not already a student at Northgate Academy but are interested in using our faith-based online high school program as an accredited choice for your Christian student or as a resource for homeschool coursework, you can check out our programs online. Every full time student at NGA is assigned an Academic Success Coach, can email their instructors with questions, reach out to staff through online chat and text, and has access to one-on-one tutoring through Train The Brain.
Still have questions? Feel free to send us a text at 763-412-4701 or call us at 800-339-7132. Our academic support team will be happy to answer your questions or help guide you to the best program for you or your child.
