I thought I had a great idea this semester. I planned out my schedule to take 15 out of my 18 credit hours online so I wouldn't have to drive to school everyday in the snow (this is one of the biggest problems with Midwestern commuter campuses). With my luck, this year turned out to be El Niño, which means there's hardly any snow. Otherwise, it probably would've been a pretty great idea. I would've just sat at home drinking hot chocolate and doing my online work while everyone else complained about going out in the snow. Here are a few reasons why I think that you shouldn't do your classes online if you normally go to college full-time.
1. It's really boring.
If you think that taking classes on campus is boring, you don't know the half of it. You just sit around your house all day because you don't need to go anywhere. What's the point of leaving when you don't have anywhere to go (around here, at least)?
2. You don't get as much out of it.
Learning in an actual classroom setting is much different than online. For many people, online means an easy A. There are a certain few professors who actually take their online classes as seriously as their in-person classes to give you a better experience. So, props to professors who take their online classes seriously. Too bad there aren't that many.
3. It's more expensive.
If you think that you'll avoid paying the extra fees that come along every semester by taking all of your classes online, you're wrong. They charge this "distance education fee." So, pretty much anywhere you go (or don't go!) you'll have to face an extra charge.
4. It takes less time.
This can be good and bad. If you have a job or hate sitting in class, it's good. You don't have to spend as much time doing classwork. But, if you don't have a real job or work quickly, this is a bad thing. You get bored really fast.
5. You have to stay self-motivated.
Yes, most of the times there are due dates. But, the problem is that you have to actually remember to do the work and turn it in when it's due. I have trouble remembering when things are due even when I have to go to class. It's even harder to do when your class never actually meets.
6. Your productivity levels will tank.
They will fall fast. You won't want to do anything. If you have a job, you'll want to quit. Sitting around all day is just too great to want to do anything productive! You'll buy a video game that you don't need and play that all day instead of actually doing anything with your life. Don't take so many online classes.
