An online class sounds like a dream. What could be better than being able to take a class from the comfort of home? No more worrying about what to wear or how the weather is. Just sit in bed and learn. That may sound like a great idea, but can taking an online class really be so easy?

At a commuter school like Oakland University, online classes are a convenient way for students to take a class, without having to be on campus. They are especially convenient for students with long commutes or off-campus jobs.

“I take online classes so I don’t have to commute as much,” said Constance Flores, a junior at OU, “It’s about a 45-minute drive from my house to campus, so it can be really hard on my gas tank.”

Online classes are run by professors from the university. Generally, professors give assignments on Moodle. These assignments are due on a certain date and time. From there, it is on the students to find the time to complete them.

“Students who think an online course will be easier than a face-to-face one can have problems with the extra time an online course takes,” said Anne Becker, Special Instructor of Journalism at OU. “Everything needs to be read or listened to, so students can’t just get by.”

Becker, who has been teaching online classes since 2008, said the grades between students in online classes and their in-class counterparts seem to be the same.

Another thing professors assign are discussion boards. Because it is online, there can be no lectures. The discussion board serves as a place for students to interact with one another, for an assignment they posted and to ask questions.

In today’s world, it is almost impossible to not get distracted. Being on a computer, taking a class from home takes focus.

“I do feel like the work itself is pretty easy, but it’s harder to not procrastinate and find the motivation to get assignments done,” Flores said.

Listening to other students may be the best way to know how an online class will be and if it is the right choice. Senior Allison Tebay likes to read comments on ratemyprofessor.com.

“A lot of the time, students comment things like ‘take this class in person instead,’ or ‘this class is easy to do online,’ which sometimes helps influence my decision,” Tebay said.

These classes fall onto the students shoulders. Those with online classes have to be independent. There is a lot of self-learning. Some students may find that difficult, leading to falling grades.

However, for Becker, who has been teaching online classes since 2008, the grades between students in online classes and their in-class counterparts seem to be the same.