Many students have a busy home life or work schedule that don’t always match up with their class schedule. This is where Online classes come into play. However, some students take online classes because they think it will be “Easier.” After taking these courses, some students found this not to be the case.
With summer fast approaching, it is tempting for students to catch up or get ahead on credits by taking summer classes. However, it might not be as easy as you think. An online class still has to meet the same benchmarks and requirements as a face to face class in any college classroom. Except, you don’t meet a given amount of times every week, and there is no instructor to ask for help face to face. Online classes are also self directed so you have to choose when you complete what has been assigned. Many students have trouble self disciplining themselves to keep up to date. “I took an online class last summer, and I had never taken one before. I didn’t really know where to go or what to do. I was already home for the summer too, so I didn’t get the textbook, either. I ended up dropping the class because I didn’t want it to effect my GPA.” –Dallas Poock (Des Moines Area Community College student.) This seems to be a recurring trend in students’ nation wide. Online classes have the highest drop rate. The reasons vary from not understanding what to do, to not having enough self discipline to get your assignments in on time. “It sounded like a good idea at the time, but when I got home and started working fulltime, I realized I was in trouble.” Said Poock when asked about why he took an online course. Like Dallas, many students find it hard to balance a full time job and a three or more credit course at once. The General rule of thumb is to spend two hours outside of class doing homework and studying for every one hour you spend in class. So if you are working full time, and spending three hours on each credit hour a week, that turns into a forty-nine hour week minimum.
“I only took one online class, and I don’t plan on taking any more. I didn’t really like it because I never knew if I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. I would just rather take a face to face class since I live in Ames, anyway. There’s really no point for me to take an online class.” said Trevor Caldwell (Iowa State Student.) Online classes aren’t going anywhere, anytime soon. Teachers and Students urge you to think it through, and really commit before enrolling online.
Sources:
(Trevor Caldwell, Iowa State Student, 4/2/17)
(Dallas Poock, DMACC Student, 4/1/17)