Strategic management is expected to allow an organization to maximize given constraints and optimize limited resources in an effort to create a competitive advantage that leads to better results. For both for-profit and non-profit organizations, such strategic thinking helps the management make informed decisions and sustain long-term planning. To be customer centric, administrators of distance education may need to assess their constituents' (e.g., students) needs and expectations prior to any strategic planning. In the present study the authors explore what viable factors may explain (a) student academic success, (b) student face-to-face interaction with the instructor, and (c) student separation of school life and personal life. Results and implications are discussed.