Should You Take a GOA?

Tucked away in their own section of the course catalog, GOA classes focus on diverse subjects in a unique learning environment that may, or may not, be exactly what you’re looking for.

By Lillian Wright-Attea ’27

Most students merely glance over the last few pages of the GFS Upper School course catalog. Within those pages reside some of high school’s most demanding classes, requiring high levels of student independence and competence. Yet, despite their academic appeal, only about a dozen students sign up for these courses each year. 

This is Global Online Academy (GOA)—the somewhat mysterious organization that, for the past 14 years, has welcomed GFS students into its online classes. GOA is not run by GFS, but rather by a group of more than 150 member schools from around the world who make up the organization. The vast majority of the time, participating teachers and students are unaffiliated with GFS, as are the courses themselves. 

With their low enrollment rate among GFS students, plus asynchronous nature due to being an online program, GOA courses have gained notoriety on campus for being difficult and incredibly time-consuming. However, many Upper School students who have participated in these classes have found the experience rewarding. So, how do you know if taking a GOA course is right for you?

1. Are you interested in learning more about a subject that GFS doesn’t offer?

Most GFS students take a GOA course to explore a topic that they aren’t yet eligible to take (such as a class reserved for upperclassmen) or to study a particular subject that GFS doesn’t offer. Rebecca Pomeranz ’27 enrolled in Medical Problem Solving last spring as a way to explore a potential career path. “I’m interested in pursuing a career in medicine,” she says. “I liked the chance to take a class GFS doesn’t offer.” So, if you’re looking to pursue an academic interest that falls beyond GFS’ typical course offerings,  but a Directed Independent Study (DIS) doesn’t sound structured enough for you, GOA could be a great alternative.

2.  Do you have enough time?

GOA students can expect anywhere from two to five hours per week of homework. The average GOA student has around nine free periods in their schedules to help accommodate the coursework. Andrew Li ’26, who is taking Multivariable Calculus, says even then that “there are good weeks and bad weeks” that tend to “fluctuate very quickly,” depending on how major due dates from GFS and GOA may conflict throughout the year.

3. Does an online environment work for you?

“Online classes are a little weird, as you can imagine,” says Matt Zipin, GOA’s on-site director. His job is administering support to GOA students. Like any online course, GOA’s coursework is mainly asynchronous. Li says, “If there’s a concept I’ve learned before, I can get through it pretty quickly. [If not], I can spend more time on it. That’s the biggest upside.” Like Li, if independent, asynchronous work sounds up your alley, then this kind of structure might be great for you.  However, if discussion-based classes and connecting personally with classmates are important, GOA might not be a great fit.

4. Are you able to complete coursework independently?

The unique thing about GOA is that teachers post work for the week all at once. This means that students must be able to manage their course load independently—without the help of Google Classroom. “You have to be organized and self-directed, because it's not like your teacher is saying, ‘Here’s your homework tonight.’ For some kids, that's a real struggle,” says Zipin. Students who elect to take a GOA course must gain approval from their teachers and grade deans to ensure they possess the baseline level of independence necessary for success in their course. 

5. Are you good about reaching out for help if you need it?

As much as independence is an important trait for GOA students, so is communication. The rigor of GOA courses might give the impression that all difficulties students encounter are due to their own mismanagement. However, teachers giving feedback to the wrong student or not being available for days on end isn’t entirely uncommon. “My teacher wouldn’t check his messages, even though I could see that he read them. Which was frustrating,” says Pomeranz. In anticipation of such problems, GOA students are also enrolled in GOA Check-in, which meets once a cycle during hook. This is a time for students to discuss how the course is going and solve any issues. 

For all the work GOA requires, most students still say their experience was challenging and rewarding. “The teachers are all super nice. You get to meet kids from all around the world,” says Sebi Rivella ’27, who took Personal Finance. He believes that the reason more kids don’t take GOA courses isn’t because of their rigor, but rather because GFS students lead busy lives. “It’s actually a manageable amount of work … [GFS] students just all prioritize their time differently.” 

If GOA sounds appealing to you, next year might be the time to make the trek to the very end of the course catalog. Who knows? You may find something you like.