Attending College Courses Online is Not for Everyone

Life can be busy. We don't always have the solution to balancing out our days. There are so many things to do and only a short time to get them done. Most of us have to work to survive or have families to take care of on a full time basis and have little time for anything else. We also have to make time for eating, sleeping, and everything else between.

Despite the hustle and bustle of everyday life, some people, like me, choose to attend college. I chose to pursue a college degree a few years after graduating from high school. I already had a full time job and bills to pay. I had a life outside of work and relationships to maintain. It was a difficult task to incorporate a college schedule into my normal routine. I couldn't afford to replace hours of work with hours of classes. There was no way I could keep up with my responsibilities that were already in place prior to my decision to enroll into college.

I started searching for solutions to my problem. I began looking into the option to take my courses via the Internet. I thought this would be the best way to handle a full time job and busy routine while earning a degree. I would be able to attend my courses and complete my work during the hours that I choose.

I made a good decision. I have taken numerous courses over the Internet through the college I am attending. I am a very self motivated individual and enjoy the online classes very much. Despite my comfort with the online college system, I do not feel that it is the right choice for everyone. Please consider the following factors before you make your final decision to begin or convert to online courses.

You must be self motivated and disciplined
You will have plenty of time to complete your assignments but you must keep track of them on your own. There will be no teacher telling you when your work is due. You need to be able to set a schedule for yourself to complete the work in the allotted time. You must also be willing to do quite a bit of reading. Unlike the traditional classroom, there is no teacher giving you a lecture. It is up to you to read the material yourself. If you are an auditory learner, this is probably not the way for you to go. However, some teachers go above and beyond and include video lectures in their online courses or power point presentations. If you can find out about the teacher and their particular teaching techniques prior to taking the course, I recommend that you do so. Teachers who put more into the design of their online course will be much easier to absorb information from. I find that it is much easier to be successful in the classes that include video lectures and learning aides.

You must have a reliable computer and Internet connection
It is obvious that you will need a computer and an Internet connection. Depending on your college and teacher, you may need certain programs installed on your computer in order to view certain material from the course. For example, you may need a program like Power Point, Adobe Reader, or Microsoft Word. The reliability of your computer is very important. Late work will not be accepted for any computer related excuse. If you are having trouble with your computer, you can go to a library or the college library and complete your work.

Be prepared to complete a larger load of course work
I have taken both types of courses, traditional and online. I have noticed a large increase in homework assignments after enrolling in the online courses. I am required to write more papers and small reviews than when attending a traditional classroom. I think that this is acceptable. After all, you are not physically present in the classroom. How can the teacher assess if you are absorbing the information properly without seeing examples from you? This extra work is just compensation for the lack of physical time spent in the classroom. You will probably be required to participate in some group discussion boards as well.

Testing time is fair but limited
I have never seen an essay question on any tests that I have taken online. There is no need to worry about writing an answer to an essay question under the pressure of a ticking clock. The tests have been made up of mostly multiple choice or true and false questions. Occasionally I have seen a fill in the blank question requiring a one or two word answer. The time frame you are allowed to complete the test is determined by your teacher. You are timed to ensure that you are not cheating. Remember that the teacher can't see you. Most of my classes have allowed a three day window to begin the test. That doesn't mean that you have three whole days to complete the test, only that you can begin it during any of the three given days. Once you begin the test, the timer will start. If you are one of those people who spend a long period of time for each question, this could be an issue for you. You could run out of time and do poorly due to unanswered questions even if you know the material very well.

Please consider these factors before you dive into an online course schedule. Make sure that you have the drive to maintain your own schedule and due dates. You must be able to learn from reading and be able to retain the information without the aid of the teacher's lecture. This is a great option to have if you are capable of keeping up with the class assignments. I love taking online courses.

I hope this has shed some light on the subject for you. If this sounds right for you, try it out. Take one or two classes to see how it goes. It might be the best decision you ever made.