Jake, Thanks. It's cool
I think you hit the nail on the head with some of your comments. Nobody will view these schools as mills. In fact this concept is gaining acceptance. In a frenzy to play catch-up, a lot of traditional schools are offering online programs & classes. When you think about it, it makes sense. Everything (including business) is conducted over the internet so why not school?
Although distance learning can be difficult, you have several advantages, one being the ability to have school wrap around your schedule. There are some "breaks to be had" as well. For example with 4-6 hours of study, you can likely pass CLEP Sociology w/ instantcert. 2-3 hours can get you DSST- here's to your health. You can rack up like 17 *free FEMA credits in a few days. I guess it's the ebb and flow. Trust me you will have tests that leave you wobbling out of the test center that leave you feeling like you got slammed by a mac truck. As in life some is easy, some hard, and a good portion somewhere in the middle.