[Runner4064]

As I've said before: You can learn as little or as much as you want- regardless of where you do (or don't) do it. Here's a (redundant) story: Over half of my units were at a traditional college. Being young and immature I was HAMMERED in class over 50% of the time. I shoveled it well and still got good grades. I'm not proud of this but it just goes to show... Conversely, since joining EC (and growing up) I can say with full conviction that I've busted my @$$ and can readily go toe to toe with my "traditional" counterpart. Granted I don't race through tests. I also take time to augment my studies with multiple sources and or experience- Deliberately.
The bottom line is this, it's up to you how much you want to learn. Just remember this is training for higher things. If you BS your way through now- sooner or later you are going to have to pay the piper.

Secondly- Some uninformed people still perceive distance education as little more than a diploma mill. NOTHING could be farther from the truth. In my opinion, It's easier in that- You don't have to wrap your schedule around someone else's. You don't have to mess with parking, self-serving teachers, idiot students, etc. If you want to "go to class at 2am then you can with DL."
On the flip side: With distance education... You not only must learn the material but must first teach it to yourself & you must be AND STAY disciplined! You do not have the luxury of a teacher spoon feeding you the info. You must find the requisite information and then decipher it.

For those employers who ask for "self motivated starters" I can think of no better prospect than a distance grad. In order to graduate as such, these qualities must be second, nay- first nature. For without them such a monumental feat would be unattainable.

This isn't to say that that all employers and the administrative blue bloods of ivy encrusted schools will readily open the doors to accept us. Big deal, just to make it this far under these conditions proves we are accustom to adversity. Employers will soon learn the intrinsic value we possess from the path we have taken to get there. Most of us wear many "hats" and are more than students. We have numerous responsibilities that makes graduating that much more savory.