You have made the big decision to go back to school. Perhaps this is your first time pursuing a higher degree or training or perhaps you are looking to add more initials after your name. Whatever your reason going back to school if you are a non-traditional student with a job and family you will want to at least consider taking an internet college class for convenience and flexibility. However before signing up for an internet college class you must remember that e-learning is not for everyone. If you do not take a good long look at your personality and skills before making your choice you may trade convenience for a lower grade. There are three main factors that influence your success with an internet class -- your technological ability, learning style, and student traits.



Technological ability obviously means your level of comfort and knowledge with technology. An internet class requires you to not only be familiar with basic internet technology such as browsing, manipulating documents, and communication but will also very likely require you to use the school's particular learning environment which could be a wiki, moo, or packaged web environment that bundles everything from discussion boards to chats. While you do not need to be an expert you should have some level of comfort and a willingness to learn more.

Learning style is also an important consideration. For example, if you are an auditory learner who needs to hear something before you can process it then most internet classes will not be suited to your learning style. However if you learn best by reading and writing then an internet class might be ideal.

Individual student traits are also a key influence on success in internet classes. Most internet classes grant students a great deal of autonomy which means students must keep track of assignments and progress. Instructors are available for help and support but will not often track participation as closely as they might for a more traditional class. If you are a self-motivated and self-disciplined student then an internet class can be great but if you need to be pushed, prodded and reminded then you will not be likely to receive the level of support you need in an internet class.

Once you have honestly reviewed where you fall in terms of these three key factors then you should do as much research as possible into the program and class you plan to attend. The more information you find then the more educated a choice you will be able to make about whether or not an internet class is right for you.