Is Online Education for You?

Have you ever wondered if you could really succeed in an online classroom? Read what it takes to be a good candidate for an online education, and save yourself the trouble of finding out the hard way.

The College Experience

Consider this: an online campus is likely to be filled with people you will never meet. You won't have study dates in the local café. You won't tackle finals with all-night cramming followed by an all-night beer binge. And you won't get the benefits that a physical community support system can offer you. If you are the type of person who needs a great deal of social networking mixed in with your academia in order to succeed, you will likely find online learning difficult. If you crave the so-called 'college experience', an online campus will be a bore. But if you're an older student, or otherwise care little for the college scene, you will find your virtual classroom to be rather peaceful. You can be sure that every student is enrolled because they want to be there, and there's no worry of being disturbed by rowdy classmates.

The Virtual Classroom

While there are many similarities, and the true setup varies from program to program, the typical online classroom is different than a traditional college classroom. At a physical campus you walk to a classroom and attend a course at a specified time lasting anywhere from one hour to three. The instructor gives a lecture for the bulk of the class time, perhaps an assignment or review of a previous assignment, and maybe some classroom participation. Then the instructor assigns homework which will be due in the next instance of that class - anywhere from one day to one week.

In a virtual classroom, things are far less linear, and yet a fair amount of organization is needed to succeed. You log into your classroom at whatever time you like. You are given lectures to read or watch, and assignments to complete on your own time. Perhaps a threaded discussion to participate in, and a quiz to take. The instructor is available if you need to ask questions, but he or she is not there to monitor your work habits and make sure you're managing your time well. It is your responsibility to get all of your assignments turned in on the specified due date (up to a week, or longer for multi-step projects) and absorb the information presented.

The Motivating Factor

Because online college is still a relatively new concept, people tend to scoff at the thought. Most assume that because online courses are taken through a computer, they are not going to require the same effort as a traditional class. That, actually, is quite true. It's not the same effort at all. It's far more.

Most online programs are accelerated, meaning they pack a full course into a shortened block of time to get the maximum amount of terms in and generally shave a year off of your total program time. In these shortened terms you'll typically be required to read an entire course book and, in the case of relevant classes, complete most (if not all) of its exercises, along with additional assignments provided by the instructor. With three to five classes in one term, the workload can become quite large, especially around midterms and finals. And yes, there are exams in online courses. Though they are obviously "open book", they are given a strict time limit, and are generally made in such a way that if you don't truly understand how to apply the material, a book, or the entire internet, for that matter, isn't going to help you.

Perhaps the most sobering aspect of taking a class online is that, in the end, it all comes down to you. You are the one that has to comprehend the lectures, without the benefit of a professor speaking them. You are the one that has to understand the textbook, inside and out, to complete the exams. And you are the one that has to do the work, even when the temptation of being at home seems overwhelming.

Online learning is not for everyone, and if you are considering such a route for your college education, realize that every school is different; you need to fully research your choice before making the decision. But if the above factors and your own research lead you to an online degree program, you can be sure it will be a unique and fulfilling experience.

The above article is based on the author's own experience with Westwood College Online. Your experience with other school's may vary.

Always be sure to check a school's accreditation before paying any fees or surrendering any personal information.