Guide to Online Education > Online Education In-Depth > Meet Real Online Students > Molly A., Master's in Extension Education
Name: Molly Alexi
Age: 35
Marital Status: Married
Children: 9-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Current Location: Oakboro, NC
Employer: North Carolina Cooperative Extension
School: NC State University
Target: Master's of Extension Education, Fall 2007
Why did you decide to go with distance learning rather than go in-person?
Working full-time and raising two young children distance education was the best choice for me. It takes over two hours to get to campus, and parking is limited.
When I took a class on campus, it took eight hours out of my day, and I still needed time to work on my assignments. Taking the online classes has saved me a considerable amount of time, and I have been able to devote more time to my assignments, work and family.
Why did you select your particular field of study?
I chose Agriculture and Extension Education because I truly believe in the Extension’s mission of helping people put research-based knowledge to work for economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and an improved quality of life.
Also, the Master of Extension Education program at NCSU was especially designed for extension agents like me, as well as agricultural teachers, youth educators, and other professionals involved in communicating agricultural and family and consumer science information to others.
How many schools did you consider in total?
The only other school besides NCSU that I considered was University of North Carolina at Greensboro, because they have a great Human Development and Family Studies department.
However, they weren’t offering online classes, and NCSU’s Family and Consumer Sciences Department is offering many classes that met my needs with their new Family Life Master’s Degree.
What is your current course load this semester?
I have taken one class a semester including summer for the last four years and hope to finish this fall with my last classes.
On average, how many other learners are in an online class?
About 20 people.
Where did you buy your textbooks?
I ordered my books online if I needed one, but most of the required readings were downloaded off the Internet.
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