The challenges were different, such as not having the professor breathing down your neck to get assignments in, and having to self motivate to get things done.

The challenges were different, such as not having the professor breathing down your neck to get assignments in, and having to self motivate to get things done. I'm not sure what you're inferring here. Assigments were given a due date. That's it. No breathing on anyone's necks. ...and are you saying that students at traditional univeristies do not have to be self-motivated? EDIT: Re-reading, this could be interpreted as sounding harsh, but I certainly don't mean for it to be so.