As every student knows, the process of registering for a course is intimidating. State University students can especially relate to this time of year, the peak period for registering for spring classes. Finding classes that fit between clubs, organizations, work schedules, family commitments, and other classes seems like an impossible task. Many students on college campuses across the country are turning to online classes, a flexible alternative that allows students to juggle their busy schedules while staying on track to graduate. On paper, the idea of ​​replacing traditional, time-consuming courses with the more flexible alternative of online courses seems decent. However, are students actually getting the same education through these online courses as their traditional counterparts? How can a course formatted for online consumption give students all the material they need to learn in a meaningful, easy-to-understand way? The sad truth is that these online courses cannot replace traditional physical classrooms. The flexibility benefit of online courses is far outweighed by their high cost: the loss of meaningful learning. Traditional classrooms are better sources of communication and knowledge that allow students to truly absorb the material. One of the most important advantages of traditional classrooms over online learning environments is that they are much better at promoting communication between the teacher and students. In an online course, instructors only know that students need help if the student directly asks them for clarification on the material. In traditional classes, the tacit communication of students' body language and facial expressions can give instructors clues about their...... middle of paper ...... conceptions, behaviors, and success online and in person to face. Assessment in Higher Education, 37(1), 73-88. doi:10.1080/02602938.2010.496532Liu, S.Y., Gomez, J., Yen, C. (2009). Online community college course retention and final grade: Predictability of social presence. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 8(2), 161 182. Retrieved from http://www.ncolr.org/Nonis, SA & Fenner, GH (2011). An exploratory study of student motivations for taking online courses and learning outcomes. Journal of Educational Pedagogies, 7, 2-13. Retrieved from http://www.aabri.com/jip.htmlSansone, C., Smith, JL, Thoman, DB, MacNamara, A. (2012). Interest regulation during online learning: Potential trade-offs in motivation and performance. Emotions in Online Learning Environments: The Internet and Higher Education, 15(3), 141-149. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.10.004