The University of North Georgia is back in the swing of things for the spring semester, and in-person classes are back on all five UNG campuses. However, the COVID-19 pandemic left a clear impact on the mentality of college students when it comes to which types of courses to take.

Remote learning and online courses are a steady presence at many universities across the United States. Per the Department of Education, 51.8% of students in the U.S. took at least one online course in 2020. Data for 2021 is still pending. Furthermore, this number does not include classes that moved online due to COVID-19.

In Georgia, the eCore program provides students with a platform to take online classes at their own pace. It is a collaboration between 21 Georgia state colleges, with each credit going towards their cumulative GPA at their respective university.

The reasons for turning to online learning in a larger capacity differs for each person. According to some UNG students, there are plenty of benefits to eCore over traditional classes.

Parker Gowland, a sophomore business major at UNG, believes that online learning has helped clear his schedule. He says, “This is my first semester taking online classes through eCore, and I have enjoyed it way more than I expected to. I have time to pick up more shifts at work because I have more free time. More money is always good for me.”

All eCore classes focus on time management and accessibility for students. They feature engaged professors, free textbooks, and rigid schedules that highlight when assignments are due for students early in the semester.

The eCore semester calendar runs parallel to UNG’s academic calendar, allowing students to stay in the flow of their traditional semester while still learning at a distance.

Justin Moran, a sophomore communications major at Kennesaw State University, believes that eCore has helped him in various ways. Moran says, “eCore helped me save money on books, which is nice obviously, but I think the main benefit is that I get to take some classes that I wouldn’t have been able to take without an online schedule.”

All classes on eCore are the same price, $159 per credit hour, and offer educational accommodations and online librarians to all students. Furthermore, eCore provides free, credit-less courses to students who want preparation in advance of their higher-level classes.

Gowland believes that eCore is a resource that more students should be aware of. He says, “I knew how to find the classes, but I don’t think that every student knows how helpful [eCore] is. Everyone should know about eCore because it makes your life so much easier.”