Are Online Classes Hard? It Depends

Online courses are becoming more and more prevalent as schools seek to cut costs and make course offerings more flexible. The big question that most prospective students ask is "are online classes hard?". The answer to that question depends on many factors.

• If you are a socially outgoing person and being around other people is of paramount importance when it comes to stimulating your mind then an online course may be a bit boring to you. If the course is boring then it is going to be more difficult to force yourself to do the assigned work in a timely matter. 
• If you are a self starter and don't need anyone pushing you to get a task done then you will be one of those folks who find online courses to be fairly easy.
• If you find classroom discussion a vital part of how you learn then an online course is going to be a sterile experience. If you are like me and an ideal evening is spent alone with the laptop then you will probably thrive in the online course work.
• When assignments are handed out in class are you one of those folks who needs the professor to explain the assignment? If so, then you might want to keep the number of online courses you take to a minimum. However, if you are a lone wolf type who enjoys figuring things out on your own then you will find the online world to be easier.
• If your learning style is such that very late night or extremely early morning hours are your best study time then traditional classes might cramp you. Online courses appeal to students who need flexible schedules. If you are a single parent or a working student then taking as many online courses as you can is going to be good for you and you will probably find the work easier.

Online courses present the same material that is covered in class it is just delivered differently. To really answer the question of "easy" or "hard" you will ultimately have to assess your learning styles. I took over 75% percent of my course work in Bible college via online courses. I loved the courses and found them very helpful in training me in the area of Bible knowledge and ministry education. I have shared my experiences with friends who have said they could never complete their studies without a classroom experience. It is very much an individual matter.

It is interesting that many major universities are moving more and more in the online direction. Maybe you have heard of MOOC (massive open online course)? Major university systems across the nation have joined this program and nearly 4 million students are taking free course work online. Prestigious schools like Harvard and others are involved. So you can see that the non-traditional approach to higher education is going to be with us into the future.
Take an online course and give it an honest try and come to your own conclusions as to the degree of difficulty. Good luck to you in your studies!