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Half past midnight and the assignment was due in less than twenty-four hours. It's not just an assignment, it's the final project for my Flash class. It wasn't behaving properly. Before taking one last look, I promised myself that if it still didn't work, I'd get some sleep and try later. The last try worked; the sound was in sync with the animation. I tested again, uploaded it to my Web site, and hit the sack.

I'm a perpetual student, even after completing a BFA. But if an employer pays the tuition, Ill happily go learn something new. Until Winter quarter, 2003, it was always a traditional college. I'd taken online courses since 1995, but they were inexpensive and very casual. This was the real deal. I worried about the legitimacy of the school and the academic value of the classes. I verified accreditation, looked at the course requirements for a variety of degrees, and decided it would be time and money well spent. My tuition: $1,500 a quarter for one course, but the boss was paying 100%if I aced each class.

My university was as difficult as any traditional college, and more difficult in some ways. The schedule was grueling: four quarters of twelve weeks, with one week between and only a mini-assignment at the half-way point. In my field-Graphics and Multimedia-this meant I was almost always at the computer doing homework. Instructors were available if I had questions. If they're good communicators, great. If not, you're on your own unless you can schedule an online meeting.

Think about hidden costs. Student discounts are available on books, software, etc. Even so, buying the complete Adobe Creative Suite, even at a discount, is expensive, as are the 2-CD videos sets we were required to have. Even books for courses that don't require expensive software cost a lot: I heard on the news recently that the average student pays $1,000 or more a year for books alone. Because of the program I was in, I had to have and maintain a Web site to display my homework.

It's a wonderful experience If you're a self-starter, highly motivated, and extremely disciplined. If that's not you, find a casual non-credit class online to try out first. It might cost you $25-$50 USD, but if you don't like it, you won't have wasted $1,500. If you decide to go for it, take a single class your first quarter to find out what it's like before signing on for an entire program.

And at the end of the quarter, do nothing but chill out in front of the TV. A friend from my first class took two classes every quarter. She successfully completed a four-year degree, but within a week was in the hospital, having almost died from exhaustion coupled with double pneumonia. This is a very intense experience; learn to relax whenever possible;

On the other hand, I never had to drive downtown and try to find a parking place in the dark, in the middle of a blizzard, in 10 degree F. weather. I wasn't required to look decent or smell good to attend class. And I got to decide when to take a break, not the instructor!

Go for it, but be prepared for an intense experience and perhaps better instruction than you might have expected. Me? Currently taking an online course in professional proofreading. Difficult, intense, but definitely a good addition to my resume and my skill set.

Learn more about this author, Sondra Deuber.
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