If you want to get your Colorado real estate license, you’ll need to complete 168 hours of pre-licensing education from a state-certified real estate school and pass a comprehensive licensing exam prior to starting your career. You can choose to complete these courses in person or online. The right option for you will depend on your specific learning style and how you value the different pros and cons of in person vs. online learning.
There are several important factors to consider when choosing between in person and online real estate classes. The following breakdown of the key considerations should help you determine which learning environment will be most conducive to your personal success.
For many people, real estate presents an opportunity to pivot and change careers. Whether your current career path isn’t providing the fulfillment, financial compensation or life balance you want, real estate can often help you achieve your desired goals.
If you’re making a career change, you most likely will have to work your current full-time job while taking your real estate courses. If you have family obligations, it will further limit your availability for taking courses. For these reasons, choosing real estate classes that provide flexibility can be important for many people.
One of the biggest advantages of online real estate courses is that they provide you greater flexibility with how you work through the materials. You can work through all course modules at your own pace. If you want to expedite the time it takes to get your license, you can move through the classwork quicker. If you have a busy life, you can take the classes at a more leisurely pace.
Advantage: Online real estate classes
Online real estate classes provide greater convenience since you can choose where you work through the materials. Instead of traveling to a classroom location and carrying textbooks with you, you can fit your studying into the flow of your regular life. Cutting down travel time and using digital materials can provide a great deal of convenience, especially if you have a busy life.
Take your classes at night or on the weekends from the comfort of your home, allowing your studying to fit into your work and family schedule. If you have a job that provides downtime, you can spend this time working through your courses to create more space in your schedule for free time. If you like studying in a library or coffee shop, you can take your classes in these locations, allowing you to get out of the house and have a dedicated “classroom” location.
Advantage: Online real estate classes
While cost shouldn’t be the most important factor driving your decision, it is nonetheless a factor for most of us. In general, online real estate courses are more affordable than in person classes since the real estate school can pass savings associated with eliminating classroom space rental and instructor compensation onto you.
In addition, you’ll save money associated with transportation costs and supplies such as textbooks when you take online classes. You’ll also avoid childcare costs that would be required if you need someone to watch your kids while you’re in class.
Advantage: Online real estate classes
For many people, social interaction is an important component of how they learn. If you thrive in learning environments that provide in person social engagement with your instructors and other students, it will be challenging to mimic these conditions in an online format. While many online real estate classes will include forums and other ways to interact with instructors, these opportunities for interaction are not the same as a true in person classroom experience.
In addition, the students you meet at an in person real estate class can become a study group as you prepare for your exam. If you are the type of learner that benefits from study groups, it will be easier to cultivate this support network with in person classes.
Advantage: In person real estate classes
In person real estate classes provide a much more structured learning environment. Your classes will take place at a set time and location, and the pacing of your coursework will be dictated by your class schedule. If you find this level of structure is critical to your ability to complete your coursework and learn the information, then an in person real estate course is most likely the right option for you.
Online real estate classes are much more unstructured by nature. While there are tremendous benefits associated with the flexibility of working through your courses at your own pace, it also requires you to be more self-directed and diligent. You’ll need to consistently carve out time to complete your classes, otherwise you’ll find it challenging to get licensed. If you typically thrive in an unstructured learning environment, online real estate classes may be the right option for you.
Advantage: Depends on your learning style and your ability to navigate an unstructured learning environment
While the factors discussed above are all important to consider, course quality is by far the most important consideration when choosing a real estate course. So how does the quality of in person real estate classes compare to the quality of online classes?
The reality is quality can be quite variable in both formats. Many online and in person real estate courses are extremely high quality. But there are also courses in both formats that would be considered poor quality. This factor is much more associated with the quality of the specific real estate school than with the classroom format.
Make sure to consider the following three components when evaluating the quality of a real estate school:
The factors that make curriculum engaging vary between in person and online real estate classes.
In general, most in person classes are structured as a lecture-style course with independent reading assignments between sessions. The personality of the instructor will play an important role in how engaging these lectures are. However, some in person real estate classes will include group exercises to increase the level of engagement.
Online real estate course curriculum varies significantly based on the school. Some online courses rely primarily on static materials such as PDF content and bland PowerPoint slides. These classes will generally not be very engaging. However, there are many online real estate schools that go to great lengths to make sure their course content is engaging by including multimedia experiences made up of videos, pop-up questions, scenario-based learning and other dynamic visual aids.
Advantage: The specific real estate school is more important to creating an engaging curriculum than whether it is an in person or online course
One of the most important purposes of your real estate classes is to prepare you to pass the Colorado real estate exam. This exam is an important requirement to earn your license.
Research suggests that online real estate classes are just as effective as in person classes for preparing you to pass your Colorado real estate exam. Depending on your learning style, online classes may even have a slight edge over in person classes regarding your preparedness for the exam.
As with an engaging curriculum, the specific real estate school you choose will play an important role in how prepared you’ll be for the exam. There are many in person and online real estate schools that do an excellent job in this area, while there are others in both formats which fail to provide the support necessary to increase your chances of passing the exam on your first try. When evaluating real estate schools, make sure to ask them what their exam pass rate is.
Advantage: Depends on the specific real estate school, although online real estate classes may have a slight edge overall
A common reason why many people find in person real estate classes appealing is due to the direct access you have with instructors. By the nature of the educational format, you’ll always have face-to-face interaction with your instructors at every class session, and many in-person schools will also provide networking opportunities with other industry professionals.
But don’t just assume that in person real estate classes provide better access to instructors and industry professionals. Many online programs have gone to great lengths to level the playing field regarding this aspect of your educational experience.
It’s common for online real estate schools to provide access to instructors who can answer your questions and provide additional insights via email, chat, video sessions or phone calls. In addition, many online real estate schools have cultivated a network of industry professionals who can provide additional assistance as you’re embarking on your new career. Often, you can even get help from an online real estate school when you’re ready to connect with brokerages looking for new agents.
Advantage: Depends on the specific real estate school more than whether it is an in person or online course, but the face-to-face nature of in person classes gives this format a slight advantage
If you prefer to complete the educational component of your pre-licensure training via online courses, Colorado Real Estate School can provide the foundation you need to pass your exam and build a thriving career. We offer robust online real estate courses to address all of your needs, including:
Our courses meet all Colorado educational requirements for licensing, and content is developed by local, licensed real estate professionals. In addition, our exclusive VideoConnect Success Learning System™ contains the largest library of video content in Colorado. Our highly engaging, instructor-led video content provides an authentic classroom element that allows you to enjoy an in person experience in an online format.
You’ll also benefit from our TruSupport Pass Guarantee™. If, for any reason, you don’t pass your exam, we will provide extended access to our course materials and analyze your exam results to help you understand the areas where you need additional work. We’ll also help you develop a personalized test success plan to improve your results the next time you take the exam.
Contact us today to learn more about our online real estate courses.
