Americans are living longer, with an average life expectancy of about 77 to 78 years, according to the Center for Disease Control.

If the children are grown with their own families, the mortgage is paid, and you're thinking about retirement. Consider how you will spend your time-what would you like to do? A lot of people are considering doing things that they have always wanted to do as encore careers.

Have you always wanted to run your own business? Be a caterer? Pursue an old passion? Retirement provides a great opportunity to finally be able to do what you've always wanted.

Although you already have a ton of work experience, starting a new career may require additional education and training. So dust off those old interests and refresh your skills by taking a course at home.

One of the most popular ways of studying at home is with online courses. From online degree programs to professional certification courses, more and more schools are offering a traditional education over the Internet. Across the United States, thousands of schools offer distance education to students worldwide!

The possibilities are limitless, and age is not a consideration. Most online schools prefer having students that are 25 years old and older. Think about it: you have a lot of professional and life experience that will enrich your class’s conversation. You classmates can learn from the professor and from you.

There are class types to suit every schedule. Taking self-paced courses online will allow you to do your work on your own time. As long as you complete all the work within six, nine or 12 months, you can take as long as you want. Asynchronous online programs let you login whenever you want, but everyone is required to complete their work on the same day.

No matter the type, all online programs offer the benefits of convenience and flexibility. As long as you have access to the Internet, you can still travel wherever you please, study whenever you want, and still be able to earn your online degree, or become certified in a professional field.

Have you always wanted to learn photography? How about becoming a freelancer or consultant? You can make it happen!

To search the Internet’s top schools and find the course or degree program, log on to www.eLearners.com.