Free college courses are something that many people dream of taking, even if for a long time it was hard to believe that one could obtain college level information for free. It is now becoming the current trend for many universities to make their course curriculum available to the public at no cost. One could choose to take these courses for a variety of reasons, but first among them is the general desire to gain more information on a specific subject.
Courses come in a variety of formats, such as downloadable lecture notes, video and audio lectures known as Podcasts, and some more primitive forms such as click-thru web pages. Those who seek out these courses will also have access to other supplementary materials in the form of interactive quizzes and suggested self-directed assignments. Technology allows for so many opportunities to come to fruition and a free education through these online courses is one of them.
Students can literally find courses on any topic of their choosing and they're offered by a variety of institutions. MIT offers over 2,000 courses catering to a variety of curriculums with various course materials available in each. Other schools, such as John Hopkins University and Stanford, do the same thing. NYU (New York University) offers various mathematics materials, such as online textbooks and tutorials, and they are all available to the public.
Many courses made available online are intended to allow individuals the opportunity to learn about introductory college level studies for those looking for informal instruction on a given subject. Access to information, such as statistics, psychology, biology, history, chemistry, astronomy, management, economics, Spanish and various literatures could be at the click of your mouse, sitting in the comfort of your own living room.
Generally speaking, one does not have to do anything but search out the course in order to get access to it. Some institutions may require the individual register with an email address, but that is generally the most you will have to do in order to take these free courses.
There are a few downsides that people need to be aware of, the predominant one being that these courses will not give you college level credit. If this is what you desire, then this may not be the option for you, although some courses can indirectly help you to achieve college credit. Another small downside is that individuals will not have access to professors or other students who have taken the course. It can be a solitary experience without someone to have discussions with, but with the Internet you can find a discussion board on almost anything if you truly desire to.
Another factor one must consider is the reading material that could accompany the course. If you really want to maximize your experience, then you could have to purchase the text, otherwise you could just "wing it", although this is not the suggested method for getting the most out of your experience.
Students all over the world can take a free college course online. Many universities offer transcripts of the lecture for those who are truly interested in learning something new. Essentially this system of free college classes brings opportunities that many never dreamed would happen. If you have a free moment, take the time to enhance your knowledge and your life by pursuing an online course or two.
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