When deciding whether or not to take online courses, there are three important factors that must be considered; dedication, determination, and motivation. It can be difficult to balance life’s daily chores and because of this anyone considering online courses must be ready to make sacrifices. Life can always get in the way and you must be able to decide what is more important. Online courses require, at the minimum, a few hours each day without distraction. You must find something to keep yourself motivated; be it a promotion at work or simply having a diploma. Determination is a must in order to get the job done as it is very easy for things to fall apart. It can become extremely stressful balancing work, home, and school. It is also difficult to motivate yourself to “attend” school without a set schedule which is why a daily regimen must be establish and adhered to. Online courses aren’t necessarily easier than classroom courses; you get to wear pajamas but you lack direct contact with a professor or with someone else of experience. If you are not easily motivated or is a visual learner that requires direct contact with a professor, online courses may not be recommended. Online courses are recommended for dynamic learners who have the dedication, determination, and motivation to get the job done. There are many pros and cons for taking online courses. Here are just a few of the pros: not sitting in a classroom, not being late for class, reduced costs, and the ability to determine the hours. This allows for people to learn from remote location such as service men and it is great for people that travel a great deal because of work. It is also helpful for people that are introverts and still want to learn. Here are a few of the cons: difficulty obtaining professor assistance because of work hours that conflict with professor’s availability, no real interaction with professor or students, and evolving technology requires constant computer changes. In isolating one’s learning the value of the course can easily be reduced. For my first semester, I found myself motivated and ready to learn. I found further motivation in the costs as my company reimburses me for courses that I successfully complete. I thought that since the first was fairly easy that I would sign up for another but I was fooled. The second semester was a little harder and there were more courses to take. In order to stay motivated to complete courses that I had little interest in I had to remind myself that successful completion meant that I got reimbursed for the courses. Whatever it may be, everyone must really think about their motivation. As usually happens in life I was thrown a curve ball; my Mother became ill and she required constant care from me. I tried to continue with my courses but it was just not possible, I was forced to put them on hold. It is nice that you can extend course deadlines for six months for a nominal fee and it was extremely helpful in my time of need. Seven months later I can now focus on my studies again. I did find it a difficult struggle to start again and once again learn to balance a full time job, studies, and still providing a great deal of care to my mother. With a little hard work though, I’ve find that you can accomplish almost anything. Life is one big obstacle so one must be dedicated, stay motivated, and be determined to finish because when you do you find that all of the sacrifices you made were worth it.