I wasn’t eavesdropping per se; at least, it didn’t start off that way. I was just minding my own, drinking my coffee, and generally avoiding doing any real work at a local coffee shop. That’s when the complainer got his full speaking voice, and–really–everyone in the café had to listen because this guy was trumpeting. His complaint? He felt that his online courses were too demanding, and he kept using the phrase: it’s just on online English course.

It’s Still College
I’ve heard this type of complaint (I won’t dignify it by referring to it as an argument) before. People seem to be under the impression that getting an online degree–one that is worth as much as any other degree–will be easier. It seems like people expect a series of streaming video lectures and a syllabus telling them what’s going to be due. These are parts of the experience, but they aren’t the whole thing. This isn’t just homework punctuated by tests; this is a real education. You’re going to have to work for it, and isn’t that better? Sure, an online education is more convenient, but do you really want to coast to a degree? Working hard to achieve a goal is one of the most satisfying experiences around. A degree is not a piece of paper that says how smart you are, which is a common misconception. It’s something to be earned through hard work and dedication.     

Not Entirely Your Own Pace
For most online programs there will be timelines. Yes, you can work at your own pace, but you must have a pace. Stopped isn’t a pace. There are discussion boards to check, and sometimes class conversations to attend. Assignments are due by a certain day. Tests and quizzes must be completed in a timely fashion. You don’t have to physically attend classes, but a regular time commitment is required. This isn’t a form that you fill out to get a “real degree”. This is a genuine degree program. 

Genuine Education Is Diverse
A real education is also diverse. Don’t expect an online education to allow to take only engineering classes or only English classes. Real universities focus on producing well-rounded students, and, again, online universities are real. They just use a different classroom model. Any program that lets a math major slide by without learning to write is fraudulent and a waste of money. Degrees like that are worthless.