Some schools are phasing out Advanced Placement classes in favor of crafting their own curriculums, not centered on the A.P. test.

Rewind 10 years. With seconds to spare, I've scooted into my first class of the day just before the morning bell. A.P. English Literature. It was one of my favorite classes. It was hard, but I actually felt like I was learning and retaining information (all of which, surely, has been forgotten, hence the poorly written blog you're resting your eyes upon).

And then came the A.P. exam. I don't remember my score, but I do remember the ulcer that was developing in my stomach. Thinking my college acceptance hinged on the test result, I studied relentlessly and stressed constantly.

And therein lies the problem that many ...

Taking online classes is awesome because you're in control. But the question remains: Can you control the distractions?

In the United States, nearly one-sixth of the 3.2 million students who are enrolled at a higher education institution took least one online class last fall. With gas prices hurting students' wallets, and schools saving money by virtue of needing less space and professors, it's no wonder that more and more students are learning electronically. I'm trying out the new online kick one class at a time this summer and this fall.

Of course, there are plenty of students who probably choose to sign up in order to have a flexible school schedule so they can work or be more involved in other activities. But then again, they may just ha ...