A Student Completing Their Degree Online is Worthy of Attending a Graduation Ceremony

Is it right to go through the graduation ceremony when you never stepped foot on the college campus? Does it matter that you may not know anyone else who is graduating? I completed my first Associates' degree from the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State College online in the winter of 2004, I received my degree in January of 2005 and if I wanted to go through the graduation ceremony I believe it wouldn't have been until October of 2005 in Saratoga Springs, New York. I lived in Florida so I decided not to go through with it mainly because the graduation was over 16 hours away.

Now, I am close to completing my second Associates' degree, this one from Everest University online formally Florida Metropolitan University (FMU), in Florida. The graduation ceremony is in the same month I complete my degree. I have decided to attend this graduation since it is in the same month and is only an hour away. I ordered the cap and gown, and am looking forward to going.

I feel I worked just as hard if not harder than someone who attended the college; it will be an honor to be able to attend the graduation ceremony. An online student has to be well-organized, self-disciplined, and have determination and above all motivated to complete the courses. Without these qualities you will not be able to take courses online. It truly is not for everyone. I know people who have tried taking courses online and it just wasn't for them. They needed the class interaction, the accountability of attending the class in person and the interaction with classmates. The online courses you have team assignments and discussions but it is like a blog. You need to log on a few times a week to be counted as present in the course.

It is more common today for working adults to take courses online. When I started taking courses in 2001 at SUNY, Empire State College people would look at me bizarrely as if I said something in a foreign language. I felt like I had to hide the fact that I was taking courses online. Now, it seems like the norm. People take them because they work and it is convenient, with the price of gas it is cheaper, no need for a babysitter if you have a child or children to take care of, and no need to waste time going back and forth to a college and then find the time to do your work and study.

All in all, if you earned your degree than it doesn't matter if you completed it online or in the class room...celebrate and go to your Graduation!!!