Doing Well in Online Classes

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Being in online classes in college can be a wonderful experience. It is more flexible with your schedule, can be a great fit for those of us that have full or part time jobs, run a household, and/or have kids. In this blog, I would love to share with you a few tips I’ve picked up about how to succeed in online classes in college. 

When I was a sophomore in college, I had the opportunity to take Theater History online. The class was largely based in a discussion board format along with lectures, videos, and forums to share about what we learned from our textbook. Like with any in person class, I found the following to be helpful:

  1. Stay organized. Develop a schedule of what you need to do and when. I love to use my planner (both digital and paper in my case) to help me see when assignments are due and to help plan ahead for projects that are more time consuming.
  2. Engage in discussion. Ask good questions. Don’t be afraid to engage in discussion. As an introvert, one of the things that appealed to me about online classes was the ability to write out my answers instead of having to verbalize them. I often find I can be more courageous when I write since I plan out what I am going to say instead of answering a question on the spot.
  3.  Talk to the professor about any questions or concepts you don’t understand. Don’t be afraid to email your professor about anything that is holding you back from truly grasping a concept. One of my “aha” moments in college came to me in my first math class. I had been home-schooled kindergarten through high-school, and had a major epiphany when I realized I could ask questions and get them answered immediately. Be the person who asks the questions so that you can understand, instead of just stumble along in the class.
  4. Have a consistent workspace. This is something that is so imperative to having a positive experience and the time/energy to really focus on your class. Think about what type of workspace would best fit you. For me, I loved studying at coffeeshops in college and graduate school. I love the atmosphere: the smells, the opportunity to get a great mocha and food if needed, and the music that softly plays over the speakers. For you, perhaps it is the library, or at home. Figure out what is going to best for you and then do it!

I was once told by my speech coach in high-school, that what you put into an experience (be it a class, a speech, a debate etc), is what you get out of the experience. That saying has helped me develop my academic mindset to be one that is striving to put my heart into the projects and classes I attend so that I can really grow academically and professionally. 

By Melody Kruse, WRC Faculty, M.A.

Work Cited

Lytle, Ryan. “5 Tips to Succeed for an Online Class.” U.S.News. https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2013/01/14/5-tips-to-succeed-in-an-online-course. 1 July 2019.




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