I find that the academics are just as they should be, where as some classes are simple, some are more challenging. The Academic Advisors try and help you manage your class schedule to where you are not taking two impossibly challenging classes at once. They usually try and set up one class that is a little easier with each class that is more challenging.
I was extremely scared of how I would do in a math class online. How in the world is this going to work, was my first thought. Math is my worst subject, and I was dreading the horrible grade and frustration of not having a live person. When I received my book in the mail I was even more nervous. Flipping through it, I had NO idea what was in it. However, when I was able to actually log into my classroom and get my first assignment, I started to read. It was like a light flipped on. I completely understood what they were saying. The book broke everything down for me. It gave me actual explanations of what was what and how to do it, as well as multiple examples. Attending the lecture helped a lot as well. Usually, any questions I still had were answered in the seminar. This brings me to another good point that everyone needs to consider, seminar times.
When you register for classes, there are usually numerous seminar times and days that you can choose from for each class. It is important to pick the right day. If you don't have a lecture until Tuesday, the last day of the week when all of your assignments are due, you my not have time to get all of your questions answered and then complete your assignment. Plus, what happens if your questions aren't answered, there is no guarantee that if you email your professor, she will respond in time to turn in your assignment. The best days to pick your classes are Wednesdays and Thursdays, in my opinion. This means, though, that you should read (or at least glance at) your materials as soon as you get them. That way, you will understand what is being discussed in class and you can go over any questions you may have in the seminar.
The academics are certainly not "easy" because this is an online school. The academics are on the exact course they should be. You should also try and stay mindful of what classes you are taking together. You would not want to take two extremely hard classes together all at once unless you know you are prepared and can handle it.