BYU Independent Study--Physics 1

[mnm11]

Okay, so I have no idea if this is a dumb question or not.

So I'm trying to get ahead on my prereqs for medical school. I wanted to take Physics 1 over the summer at the local university, but that did not work out. I discovered the BYU online classes, and they have Physics 1.

My question: will taking this class online harm me in applying to med school?

Some information:
--currently I am already registered for Physics 2/Physics 2 lab at my normal school
--the BYU class does indeed transfer for credit at my school
--I don't need to worry about the fact that I wouldn't be completing the lab this summer, I had a bit of foresight and registered for Physics 1 Lab for the fall semester
--BYU is an accredited school. It's not like this is the University of Phoenix or whatever.

But I'm having lingering doubts about this but I want this to work out. I've done a bit of searching on this forum and they say that the online classes are frowned upon. I have ambitions of going, or at least contending (haha) to a good school. The exam is proctored at a local proctoring site. Also, would this situation be the same for taking a class online at Michigan State University?

One final question, would this show up as an online class, or just a normal BYU class, on my transcript? I do not go to BYU/live in Utah. Medical schools, would find out about this, right?

Thank you in advance for all help that you might be able to give 🙂

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[Morzh]

I don't know the answer to your specific question. Your best bet would be to call both BYU-IS and your own school's registrar and ask how it would appear on your transcript - as an "online" class, or as traditional transfer credit.

I do attend BYU and also took a physics class IS. For me, my trascript looks as if I took the on-campus class.

It really is not the same as a traditional online class, even though people unfamiliar with IS may call it such. Tests are proctored at real facilities, there is physical homework that you mail in, and you have an actual BYU physics professor (he teaches on-campus and conducts research) who grades you and is available for occasional questions. And believe me, it is not easier than the on-campus classes. It is what it is called--official university credit that you complete on your own, studying independently rather than in lectures. Definitely not a flimsy online class where all assignments are internet-based and you could easily get someone else to do it for you or use wikipedia in another window while taking tests.

But still check with your school's registrar, since a lot of med schools don't like "online" classes and may just throw BYU-IS in that batch without looking closely at it.

 

[noquarter1]

I second the above. I've taken several online classes at my university, but they appear on my transcript as regular classes. That being said, since you aren't attending BYU it might appear differently on your transcript. Check with your school.