The purpose of this study is to examine the phenomenon of successful online learning, defined as a higher academic performance (A or 90) and to find if there is the evidence to confirm the role of self-directed learning in the online graduate-level courses. A qualitative method was used to analyze learners' perceptions of online learning experiences. Six graduate students from an American public university participated in this study. The qualitative analysis yielded six major themes, which confirm the relationship between self-directed learning and academic performance.