At a local institution, students would have to take classes, at a fixed period of time over a specified number of weeks. Adhering to such a schedule often produces scheduling conflicts for the student. The local institutions will also have to maintain the buildings where the education takes place. Students usually would also have to spend time commuting to the local institution. They not only can meet there, but the Institute encourages that they meet to discuss the material in the courses.
Students often improve their learning when teaching one another about the material.
By answering another student's question, a student has to take a different perspective on the material. This interactivity among the students reinforces the competency which they develop as they study a subject, so that students come away from the program with active, instead of passive knowledge. Their discussions mean that they've learned how to trust their acquired knowledge, so the practice will prove to be quite useful when using this knowledge when working. The flexibility of on-line education means that students select the approach which feels the most comfortable and effective for them. If a university has created a pre-law program, the undergraduates would have to take courses in writing and analysis, perhaps on topics in political science, history and English.