Real Estate Education: Online vs. Classroom
The first step to earning your real estate license in any state is the completion of state-specific pre-license coursework. Traditionally, these real estate courses were offered in classrooms, but these days, online options are everywhere.
As long as the training provider is approved by your real estate board or commission, they’re equally valid options. But what’s the real difference between classroom and online real estate education? How do you know which option is right for you?
Below, we’ll review a few significant differences between online and in-person schools. To determine what’s best for you, you’ll need to consider which qualities are most important to you.
Classroom vs Online: Cost
In-person classroom options are almost always more expensive than an equivalent online option. This is because a teacher needs to be paid for each classroom session, regardless of class size or frequency, while online courses can be designed once and reused an infinite number of times by students.
If minimizing your costs is a high priority, you should seriously consider a reputable and approved online training provider.
Classroom vs Online: Flexibility and Convenience
Classroom courses occur in a specific location on a fixed schedule. Some people need the structure of this type of format, but some people need more flexibility.
Online courses can be accessed anytime from anywhere with a screen and an internet connection. This means you can study at home, at work, or whenever you have a little time to kill. This can be a great solution for someone who’s trying to squeeze pre-license courses into an already busy schedule.
For these same reasons, online courses are often more convenient. You don’t need to make time for a commute to the real estate school, and you won’t be at the mercy of the weather. You’ll be able to work through the material at your own pace and revisit the material as many times as you need.
Classroom vs Online: Personal Interaction
While online classes do provide instructor support in the form of phone calls, chat options, and email, classrooms typically have stronger instructor support. You get face time on a regular basis and have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers in real time.
You’ll also have classmates to talk to or study with. They’ll ask questions that may help you comprehend the material better. These will also be future colleagues, providing networking opportunities and fostering a sense of community within the industry. Building relationships with peers can lead to valuable connections and collaborations throughout your real estate career journey.
Whether these factors are helpful will vary a lot based on your learning style and past experience. For some people, waiting for an instructor to answer others’ questions is less of a perk than a downside. But if the social aspects of a classroom are key to your learning experience, a classroom may be your best bet.
Classroom vs Online: Engagement and Participation
That said, not all classroom experiences are truly interactive. Many involve sitting still and quiet while information is fed to you. Even if the instructor makes an effort to involve students in the process with questions, activities, or discussions, the group setting means that some students may check out and not participate at all.
Online courses require participation from you as an individual. Each lesson will have comprehension checks and activities that you’ll need to work through before you can proceed. This keeps your mind engaged with the subject matter and ensures you understand the material.
Study Online with Us!
If online learning sounds like the best option for you, we’re an approved and respected real estate training provider all over the country.
We offer self-paced and interactive pre-license courses in most jurisdictions. We also have licensing exam prep options that you can purchase separately if you go the classroom route. You’ll get study guides, unlimited practice tests, and more.
After you earn your license, we can help you meet your continuing education requirements in the future, providing the same convenience and cost-effectiveness for renewing your license as we did in helping you earn it.
Enroll today!
