How to Make the Most of Your Online College Classes

Online college classes can be SUPER convenient, especially if you live off campus or have a job that is hard to schedule classes around. This way, all of your schoolwork is at your fingertips and for the most part, your schedule is no longer determined by your professor - it’s all up to you!

Make a schedule

Making AND sticking to a strict schedule for your online class is absolutely essential. Without this, it is so easy to get behind, and catching up can be so difficult. Plan specific times every day/week that you will - no matter what - work on your class. As you fit this time into your schedule you will be less stressed about finding time to study, because you’ve already made that time to fit into your day to day life.

Keep track of deadlines

Write things down. Yes, this is an online class, and the scheduling and deadlines may be more flexible than your average college course. However, there are still deadlines, and they are still important. Keep track of deadlines in a way that works best for you. Use sticky notes, set reminders on your phone, write it on your hand - whatever works.

Read the syllabus

This goes for all college classes. Many of your questions about grading and the organization of the class will be answered by simply reading the syllabus.

Read emails carefully

Since you won’t be attending lectures, communication for online classes is, naturally, communicated through the internet. Whether it be email or through a university site, turn on notifications, flag class-related emails, and make sure you read them thoroughly. It’s easy to miss instructions if you have a hundred emails coming in a day like most of us do.

Don’t be afraid to email your professor

Asking questions is a great way to learn. If you need clarity on an assignment or anything about the class, don’t be afraid to contact the instructor!

Be familiar with technology

Certain professors may prefer you to use a particular word processor or to submit files in a specific format! Make sure you know these details ahead of time so you know what you’re dealing with. Also make sure you always have a charger handy – you don’t you’re your computer to die in the middle of writing a paper or taking a test!

Focus

Having online classes is super convenient, however, if you get easily distracted by those social media sites we all love, it may be a good idea to install a site blocker to keep you focused on the task at hand.

Be organized

This may seem like common sense, but it’s easy to get unorganized in an online class. If you need to, keep track of dates in a paper planner, organize documents and assignments in folders for each class, and set reminder for things you have to do.