The following questions are important to consider when evaluating an online course:

• What are the parent organization credentials?
  While there is not currently an accreditation process and programs are growing, many online courses are coming from established, traditional schools.



• Who makes up the teaching staff, do they have appropriate knowledge in the courses taught and how are they held accountable?



• How is student work assigned? How is it gathered, stored and assessed?
  Whether the student work is gathered in electronic or hardcopy format, we recommend that the majority of student work be in essay or project form rather than multiple-choice format. This approach will afford the teacher the most opportunity to recognize the student's grasp of a concept, or where there are challenges. The essay and project format also allows the teacher to become familiar with the student's style.



• Are these courses recognized by my college of choice?
  For example, if you wish to attend one of the nine campuses of the University of California, you should verify with the University that the courses are in fact recognized as legitimate high school courses for university admission.



• How is the course structured?
  Is there a course start and end date, or is there a flexible amount of time for course completion? Is there student-to student interaction? Is there student-to-teacher interaction?



• How is the course delivered/administered?



• What is the student-to-teacher ratio?
  Experts suggest that it is best to keep the ratio of students at 25/1 or below while maintaining at least 8/1.