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Basic Trope: A class or major one does not have to be physically present to take or participate in.

  • Straight: Alice decides it's finally time to go Back to School and get her bachelor's degree. She takes classes online through Trope State University.
  • Exaggerated:
    • Alice has done all of her education from home, from kindergarten right up to her Ph.D.
    • Alice submits her coursework by fax or by snail-mail, in the age of emails, Google Docs, message boards, and PDF files.
  • Downplayed:
    • Alice takes a "hybrid course" from TSU: some of the classwork is done online, and some of it is done in a physical classroom.
    • Alice reads a How To book or watches a How To video, or learns from an open courseware module (such as the one offered by MIT.)
  • Justified:
    • Alice is a working adult with a busy schedule; she doesn't have the time to take classes at a brick-and-mortar school. Taking classes online allows her more flexibility.
    • Alice works odd hours, or works multiple jobs.
    • Alice is a single mom, and doesn't have access to reliable childcare in the evenings. Taking classes online lets her do her schoolwork at home and not have to worry about finding a babysitter.
    • Alice is Delicate and Sickly, and more-or-less homebound.
    • Alice is trying to get ahead with credits (or needs to repeat a class she failed) over summer break.
    • Alice lives in a place where the weather is unpredictable, or where blizzards/sandstorms/hurricanes/etc. frequently shut down roads or make travel difficult or unsafe.
    • Alice lives in a very rural or remote area.
    • TSU's tuition rates for the online classes are much lower than those for regular classes, which better fits Alice's financial situation.
    • Alice is a Hikikomori or similar.
  • Inverted: Alice actually goes to Trope State University or Troperville Community College and takes classes there.
  • Subverted:
    • Alice is teaching a class at TSU or TCC.
    • Alice is seen going to a lab session.
    • Alice is taking the GED exam.
    • Alice is supposed to be studying online, but she's watching a YouTube video.
  • Double Subverted:
    • The class is online.
    • Only the lab work is done at the school. The book work is all online.
    • She can take the exam (and a GED prep course) online.
    • It's for her class.
  • Parodied:
  • Zig Zagged: Alice holds several degrees and certificates, some that she got by distance learning, some that she got at a brick-and-mortar school, and some from hybrid programs.
  • Averted: Alice doesn't go Back to School. Or, if she does, she's on an actual campus at an actual brick-and-mortar school.
  • Enforced: ???
  • Lampshaded: "I'm taking classes online."
  • Invoked: Alice wants to go Back to School, but between work, and the kids and pets, and her marriage to Bob, and all those other demands on her time, she's not sure how she'll be able to fit school into her schedule.
  • Exploited: The school is a diploma mill, selling fake, useless diplomas to make a profit.
  • Defied: Alice figures out a way to take classes at the local community college.
  • Discussed: ???
  • Conversed: ???

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