The answer seems simple: online universities are just like traditional ones, just done online. But that one little word changes everything, and ensures that online colleges are vastly different from their brick-and-mortar counterparts.

For starters, an online university lets you go to class on your time instead of on the school’s time. The rhythm and pace of your coursework is up to you, which is about as different from a traditional university as you can get. Most schools only offer certain classes at specific times, but an online university lets you sign up for your classes and log in to complete assignments at your leisure. As a result, there’s a greater flexibility to the scheduling than what you’d find at a physical university.

The nature and execution of the work is different for an online college, as well. Unlike a traditional school, there is no classroom to go to, no library building to navigate, no campus quad or cafeteria to seek out. Your work is done in the privacy and convenience of your own home, something that physical schools just can’t offer. Assignments are received and submitted electronically, freeing you from the locked-in routine of having to get the work done in a lab.

That convenience is related to another aspect of online universities: they are designed to fit your life and work, not the other way around. Schools like Kaplan University emphasize that they’re created to work with your schedule, whether that includes a part-time or full-time job, family commitments, or more. While a traditional university wants to be your main commitment, allowing at best enough space for a part-time job, an online university is specifically designed to let you hold down full-time employment while attending classes and completing work when you can. That can translate into steadier finances, as well, since you won’t have to give up your current earning potential while you work to enhance your education. Don’t forget to check with your employer to see if they offer tuition reimbursement for employees studying for career-related degrees.

There’s a twist, though. For all the differences between online and traditional universities, there’s an important similarity that shouldn’t be overlooked, and that’s the amount of support you’ll receive from counselors and teachers. There’s a misconception that distance learning equates with isolation, but that couldn’t be more incorrect. Faculty and staff are available for assistance via e-mail and phone, and you’ll also be able to lean on your fellow students to grapple with the material. You’ll be just as connected to your classmates and teachers as you would be at a traditional school, but with all the convenience and flexibility of studying online. It’s a win-win.