Registration for the spring semester is well underway here at SUNY Oswego. In the words of my Media Law professor, "It's the Black Friday for college students," as students are constantly battling for seats in the required classes they need to graduate. Some people make it into all of their ideal classes at the skin of their teeth, while others are shut out hours before they're set to register. Seniority favors all as seniors always get first pick, while freshmen are left in the dust and look to their advisers for last minute help.
Lately, the rumor going around in the communication department is that broadcasting students who are taking courses on campus are unable to take online broadcasting classes until the people who are taking their broadcasting classes strictly online register first. Anger and frustration has ensued as many of my friends have taken refuge in the on-campus required class, waiting patiently for the online course to open later this month. I got shut out of one of my required classes because of this but am currently waiting patiently for those students who are in the course on campus to transfer to the online class so that I can swoop in and take the seat for the course.
Now, a lot of my peers who have taken online courses before have told me, "Oh. Take the class online. It's so much easier." Honestly, I don't want to take a class online.
First off, I have a fear that I'll be incapable of keeping up with all of the assignments online. With all of my other classes on campus and the busy schedule I have to keep up with, I feel like I'm going to forget the one class I have to take online.
Secondly, what happens if you're struggling with an assignment or a paper? Unless the professor who teaches the class also teaches on campus, there are no office hours or a way to go to the professor directly to ask for help. Straightforward emailing the professor doesn't always work because sometimes the way the professor words something in an email not be clear.
Lastly, it's college. We're here to socialize. As small as the portion is, I've met some of my closest friends in college in classes on campus. There's a tiny sense of social isolation from the rest of the world if you're taking a class online. Everyone just cares about the grade at this point and not about what you learn.
OK, maybe the professor who teaches the class on campus isn't that good according to Rate My Professor or through word of mouth. However, you can't say anything until you've had the professor yourself. I've dealt with my fair share of bad professors, and you're going to deal with bad professors, too. Maybe even the online professor isn't that good, either. Again, you can't judge until you've had him/her yourself.
I'm not trying to convince you not to take online courses. To each his own. If you prefer to take your classes online, by all means do. But, for me, I think it's easier to just take the class on campus and not deal with the hassle of forgetfulness and lack of communication with a professor.
