Generally, an online class’ flexibility is measured by the level at which a student can complete work at their own pace. Some flexibility restrictions are:

• anything that forces the student to answer to someone else’s schedule
• work not being accessible ahead of time so that a student may work ahead
• assignments that require previous assignments to be graded before continuing

A certain level of restriction is unavoidable. Accept that before you even begin.

Your class is likely going to require discussion posts and you will have to reply to other students.

Your class may require you do an interview or a group project, meaning you have to accommodate someone else’s schedule.

Your class work may only be released a few days at a time which keeps you from working ahead.

If a class is too restricting, I have often found that by communicating my troubles to my instructor we are able to meet in the middle. Examples:

• If my job absolutely isn’t going to allow me to do a face-to-face interview by the due date, I ask if I can do a phone interview instead, or schedule the interview for after the due date without losing points.
• If I can only make discussion posts M-W but there’s no posts for me to reply to by W, I explain my situation and either reply the next M or not at all with instructor approval.

Almost always my instructors will make concessions for me as long as they’re reasonable. Online instructors know the majority of their students are working adults and they want to see you succeed.

Instructor-student communication is absolutely paramount in dealing with a class that has limited flexibility.

If you are still unable to make it through the course consider contacting the department to see if there are other instructors who teach the class differently that you could switch to. Or, if you’re life will be less hectic in the future, consider withdrawing and taking the class again at a later date. It is much easier to explain a W than an F.