Recently I purchased a wheelchair for my mom on Amazon. I love shopping on Amazon. It’s quick, easy, and my packages come straight to the front door. I read the reviews to see what other buyers have to say about the product, and usually make up my mind whether or not to buy based on those reviews. Generally, I never have an issue.

This time, however, was different. As I usually do, after I placed my order I repeatedly checked its status to see when my product would arrive. But now, every time I clicked on the tracking number, a page would come up invalid tracking number. I thought to myself what is going on?

This continued for a few days, until I decided to check the Amazon reviews for the seller. Oh my God! The reviews were HORRIBLE for this seller. I had experienced everything the reviews had warned about, such as not having a working phone number, and not answering emails. Fortunately, Amazon returned my money, and I ended up purchasing another wheelchair for my mom from Walgreens.

This experience made me wonder: what if students who wanted to enroll in an online program or take an online course could read about the experiences of other students that took the course? Would this affect how instructors facilitated online? We’ve all seen glowing student testimonials about their experiences on a particular college or university website, but I have never seen any postings that were negative. Given that, here are some things I would look for when reading reviews:

Trust and legitimacy 

Amazon’s “verified purchase” tag indicates that a product review comes from someone who actually bought it. Look for the same signs of veracity in online student testimonials, with details such as college course titles and numbers. Make sure the testimonial refers to a school’s online rather than in-person courses or program.

Generic comments like “the course was great” say nothing about an online student’s experience. Pay closer attention to the details, such as comments like “the instructor always answered questions posted in the forum,” “all of the lecture material was online (so it was very easy to go back and review it),” and “it was very easy to chat with the other students.”

Variety 

Reading a range of online student experiences can help you learn about the benefits and challenges of online learning, and help debunk myths and preconceptions.

It’s best if multiple students address in their online testimonials why they took a course online, their experiences with the instructor, the academic rigor, and their initial skepticism about online learning. Look for any or all of these, depending on your needs.

Responses to your specific concerns

If you’re new to online learning, testimonials can address common worries, such as what the in-person component of an hybrid class entails, how accessible instructors are, and what networking opportunities are offered.

A student might worry that the online program doesn’t have face-to-face interaction. Having an actual lecture component within the program really helps, as does a network of peer support. Those who are concerned about balancing multiple responsibilities might look for details about technology tools that helped other students with time management, for example.

Relevance to your career path

Testimonials from students earning advanced online degrees carry the credibility of subject-matter experts.

For instance, “I have 10 years of facilities engineering—and the information that I’m learning in the Construction Management Program is definitely preparing me for the next level of management in the Navy.” Students may also address the demand for their online degree in today’s professional workplace.

Students should make informed decisions when deciding to take an online course or enroll in a completely online program. I don’t believe it’s enough to have program advisors give you their perspective. Their perspective is not based on actual course experience. Much of it is hearsay. Prospective students need to hear from students that have experienced the course, and decide for themselves if it’s worth pursuing.