Taking Online classes in highschool. Good or Bad?

Question

I've been thinking about taking online classes instead of going to school to take them. But then I heard that, when you go to college it looks bad on your record. I mean I would still be taking the exact same classes just online, and not at school. Does it really affect your record, when colleges look over it? Will I be less likely to get into college?

Also, how do I bring this up with my parents? I plan on talking to my guidance counselor first, to get more information on it, before talking to my parents about it. I have a feeling they are both going to say no. I just work better, alone, in a more quiet environment, without the pressure of 30 other students in my classes. I don't like to go to school either. I mean it's not that big of a problem, it's just that in-school environment just isn't for me. And I'm afraid if I tell my parents they will think I'm some sort of freak who needs to see someone.

So if anyone could help me, that would be great. :] Thanks.

Answer 1

thats pretty much being homeschool, and there is nothing wrong with that, i was homeschooled all through highscool. and it was fine for me

Answer 2

I think it is a great idea!!!  I wish there had been such a thing when I was in school. I think I would have done a lot better.

Many school district's have on-line programs. There are also private on-line schools.

I think you are on the right tract by wanting to gather info before going to your parents.  If I were you I would make two list of pros and cons the first one would be attending school physically, the second list would be a part of an on-line school.  Once you have the information take all of it to your parents. Tell them your idea and ask if they will think about it for 48 hours then set up another meeting with them. This will show them a lot of maturity and that you have really researched this and you are not just jumping into something blindly.

Tell them you are not a freak who needs to see somebody that you just think you would do better in a different environment. Just be truthful, but lay it out so you are not going on and on babbling.

Good luck Hun!!!!

Answer 3

no, because online classes u can take at home. At home there are distractions if not you can make distractions......

Answer 4

depends bad if its a subject you need a human understanding good if its a good one for you doing it at your own time

Answer 5

If I were you, I'd stay in normal high school...

But I think you should recommend for the school to set up a program called VHS (Virtual High School). Students can enroll in it and take it as just one normal class. You can still get credits for it, be taking an online class of your choice of thousands taught by real teachers, and you'll still be in school. Although I hear the classes can get hard at times...

But the catch is that depending on how many teachers enroll to teach an online class, then a certain number of students can enroll as well.

I hope this helps. :]

Answer 6

bad

home schooling no way

Answer 7

Online classes are not looked upon any differently than traditional classes. The tests would still be proctored, meaning they would be in a facility where you would be monitored for cheating, etc. I have taken both in college (traditional and online) and my transcripts don't distinguish as to which are traditional and which are online.

Also, online classes do not make you look lazy. To figure the amount of time needed to study for an online course, take the amount you studyed while taking a traditional course and multiply it by 2. Since you aren't in the classroom you need to add that time to the amount you are studying. Online courses are actually harder than traditional. The only benefit is that you aren't tied down to a traditional schedule.

Answer 8

Opting to take online classes tells colleges about your learning preference.  You say yourself that an in-school environment isn't for you, but most good colleges are looking for someone who can succeed in that kind of setting.  If a college doesn't accept you based on taking classes online, it might not be about your grades.  Perhaps they don't offer services that are best equipped to teach you at your learning preference.  If you're serious about going to college, I would look now at where you want to go and determine if this choice will hinder your chances of getting accepted there.

Answer 9

i would think it would look better for colleges to see that you are in a more high pressure environment because that's how college is.

also colleges like to see that you have participated in extracurricular activites like sports or clubs. you should stay in your school and get more involved.

they also want to see you do some volunteer work, actually my high school required everyone to do a certain # of hours of community service. so we would work at the local fairs, painting kids faces, other crafts, serving food.

the more you do, the more impressed colleges will be. don't lock yourself up in the house. get out there and do things that you can be proud to put on your application.

Answer 10

You sound very self-motivated and I think homeschooling online is a great idea for you.  School can be a very negative environment and I wish I would have been homeschooled myself.

The link in the source box contains information about the pros and cons of homeschooling, statistics, benefits, etc.  Print some of that information and share it with your parents.

Students who are homeschooled in high school get into college just fine.  In fact, many colleges are actively recruiting homeschoolers.

Tim Tebow is a college football player who was homeschooled through high school and he just won the Heisman Trophy.  He obviously had no trouble getting accepted to college!

Answer 11

I know someone else who does this, and they are fine.  They can still do other activities with people their own age through other organizations.

Some people are more comfortable learning in different ways, and on-line schooling can be a good option for some people, for example, there are charter schools on-line, you can go to a regular school, be home-schooled...

Whatever environment you work best in is where you should go.  Just don't try to miss out on a lot of activities you could get in regular school.  Join some outside school club or something.

And, you are not a freak.  You sound like you are making a lot of sense!

Answer 12

No don't be lazy and go to school and you can't do that I don't think only if your getting bullied and why wouldn't you not want to go to school, you will have to wait to the weekend to talk to your friends and lets face it it goes pretty dark in the winter now you wont have time to go out so no and you will just end up looking like a fool.

Answer 13

You learn so much more than academics in high school. It is a very critical portion of your social development. I think you need to attend school in person for the high school years to become a well-rounded person that can compete with others in the workplace. If you can't function with 30 other students, how will you function with 100's of students in college or 100's of employees? That said, I don't think that colleges would look down on you for completing high school on-line.

Answer 14

Well it doesn't look bad to colleges, as look as you have a high school diploma, because once you go to college you can take your course online also.

The only thing about taking your schooling online is that there is no one to tell you when to study and when to stay on track. I am taking my whole nursing degree online, and that is the biggest trouble is that I can go whenever I want so that means I can also not go whenever I want. If you think that you can stay on track then go for it.

Now talking to your parents, defintely get all of the information first, the good, the bad and everything else. Go to your counselor and talk to him (or her) and they will help you get prepared to talk to your parents.

When you do have all of the information, that is when you set down with your parents about this, don't do it whenever anyone is in a bad mood, or not wanting to listen. And brace yourself they will probably say no 20 times but if you stick with it and explain to them in a mature way all the reasons why you want to do this then they should say yes.

Also listen to what they have to say, find out why they would say no or even yes.

Also is this a GED program or a real high school, that may also be able to make a difference. You can also throw in that you would be able to help around the house a little bit more.

Most importantly tell them that this program would help to prepare you for college because there is no one to keep you on track either.

Hope this helps, and remember talk to your parents and let them talk to you, if you stay mature and show that you have thought this though then hopefully everything will go as planned.

Good Luck.

Answer 15

I don't think this is such a good idea. Without going to high school, you will never learn your social skills that you need in the future. Going to high school is very important because it teaches you social skills. And, don't you want to make new friends? Yeah, it does also look bad on your college application.

Good luck with everything though! ♥♥

Answer 16

i think that its good cause you can do things on your own time and at your own speed

GOOD!

Answer 17

Honestly, you can take d**n near all of your college classes online these days.  I don't see why they would look down on high school classes taken online.

Talk with your counselor first, get the information you need, then see if you parents will meet with her/him to discuss everything.

Good luck to you....

Answer 18

Colleges looking down on online classes is a new one to me and I folow the online course trends because it is an interest of mine. Considering that so many colleges are scrambling to offer online classes, looking down on online high school courses seems a bit of an oddity. Are you sure that viewpoint is so widespread? Especially in this day and age whe it is the fasted growing sector of high school and college course offerings? Many homeschoolers are taking dual-enrollment online classes from community colleges. Somehow, I cannot see that as being anything but a plus on a high school transcript.

Of course you will need to investigate the reputaion of an individual online program. Some are outstanding programs and others fall by the wayside because they cannot compete. New tools are opening up the online course possibilities and making the experiences of teachers and students alike very positive. I have posted on several Y! questions related to online classes, feel free to browse my profile and access them. I give a lot of details in those as to what to look for in a good online course.