It can be done, but you have to remember to set strict deadlines for yourself, or else it will be a waste of time. Without the pressure of grades going on your

It can be done, but you have to remember to set strict deadlines for yourself, or else it will be a waste of time. Without the pressure of grades going on your transcript, it can get exceedingly difficult to push yourself to finish all of the assignments, and there are few incentives against quitting after getting frustrated. This is why college courses work so well for so many people: good university transcripts are far more important than the certificates that online courses might offer. Harvard's CS50x released some interesting stats after its first year. Of over 100,000 people who signed up, only 11% submitted the first and easiest problem set. Of these 100,000, only 0.9% completed the course. Of those who submitted the first problem set, 13% completed the course. It's definitely possible to get a good education from online courses, but it's important to realize how difficult it will be to keep yourself on a schedule. Treat it as a normal university class, prepare yourself, and come up with a feasible daily/weekly schedule.