Online courses: 6 reasons all students should try one

By Marielle Howlett

Establishing a schedule can be tricky, especially because I want to take the most rigorous classes that I can as I prepare to attend Harvard University this fall.

Traditional classroom curriculum can be limiting for some high school students, me included. I’m a recent high school graduate who was a dual enrollment student at a Massachusetts public school that has both a vocational and an academic side. I spend half of the school day in the shop learning electronics and then I take honors and Advanced Placement classes for the other four periods of the day.

Coordinating that schedule across two different campuses requires some extra effort. Establishing a schedule can be tricky, especially because I want to take the most rigorous classes that I can as I prepare to attend Harvard University this fall.

Here are six reasons I think all high school students should try taking online courses:

1. Fill in curriculum gaps. My sister took an online class with VHS Learning during her senior year, right at the height of the global pandemic. Our school had cut down to five classes from seven, but my sister filled the gap by taking two online economics courses. I’ve since signed up for three online courses, including AP Psychology, AP Physics 1 and AP English Literature and Composition.
2. Work at your own pace. I immediately liked the pacing of the online coursework. Some of my high school classes are very slow-paced. I can’t really work the way I want to. If I love a book I’ll read it in a week versus two months, so it was really exciting to find classes that fit my own learning dynamic.
3. Stay on task with advanced coursework. Sometimes we get off task in my classes in high school but with my online classes there’s no joking around. I always know that I’m getting all the relevant learning in before the AP test in May, and that I’m prepared for the exam.
4. Form new relationships with teachers you didn’t know. If you reach out, talk about how interested you are in the class and how you really want to be a part of the discussions with your classmates, the online instructors take notice. In my local school we get used to seeing the same teachers over a 13-year span. Being taught by new teachers from across the country is incredibly beneficial and prepares me for my college experience.
5. Collaborate and connect with students from all over the world. The same goes for the other students, who participate in online learning from all over the world. It’s really nice to see the different ways they learn and what they brought to the online learning experience. We talked about all the different ways we came together to be in this one class.
6. Learn a little bit more. No two students learn the same way and my online course understands this. Once a student finds their own rhythm it really sets them up for success. Not only do you have your own work timelines, but you also have accountability for your learning. You can also take a step forward and say, “Hey, now I want to learn a little more.”

On the Success Track

Ultimately, online learning is a way to expand your learning and find things that you're interested in. Looking ahead, I can’t wait to experience Harvard University this fall and all that it has to offer.

In fact, I’m still pinching myself and wondering just how I rose to the top in a competitive field of qualified college applicants. I’m thinking of majoring in biomedical engineering, which effectively fuses my love of engineering and biology. I thought, why not combine the two because I’m ready to tackle the next level of my academic journey.

Marielle Howlett is a graduate of Leominster High School in Leominster, MA.