Core strategies?

[medicnick]

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Greetings SDNrs: I've recently moved to central NJ from the west coast to work for a medical device company in clinical research. I am a paramedic and have five years experience working FT in EDs.

With almost 100 credits and no degree, the electives are covered. I have four more years of child support to go and two new little ones at home, so would have a greatly reduced debt load by the time I could apply.

I would like to take regular coursework online if possible at least for the first year (I think). Is this acceptable?

Then hopefully my job will payoff (next two yrs) and I'll be in a better position to attend FT University.

Do you have advice that's specific to NJ? or to my situation in general? When this job is over we're going to be ready to relocate more west and hopefully cheaper...

Thanks!

 

[medicnick]

Someone must have an opinion to share???
;-)

nick

 

[IUgrad]

I can't comment on NJ or any of the rest of your post. However, I would say that I have heard that online courses are not as strongly regarded, in general, as classroom courses. To me, this is a little strange because I think that online courses are sometimes harder since you are required to be independently-minded and motivated enough to complete the work on your own, but that's just the way it is.

If this is the only means that you can take the courses you need then go for it. However, there are some disadvantages to taking courses online, such as not being able to seek help as easily as you could in a classroom setting. Also, in my experience, some subjects do not translate well to an online format (physics and math comes to mind as I know people who took online courses in both), and I think that unless students come into these classes with a strong aptitude or background, it is much more difficult. Also, if your purpose is to take the prerequisite courses toward admission to a professional degree, depending on which one, you will probably need to take at minimum chemistry, physics, and biology with labs and labs cannot be done online. These are all factors to consider.

I don't know your whole situation, whether you have a bachelor's degree or not, but if not, and if you really want/need to take courses online for a year, maybe you could take non-science classes or gen ed courses toward your degree.

Anyway, I hope that helps. Good luck!

 

[njbmd]

Greetings SDNrs: I've recently moved to central NJ from the west coast to work for a medical device company in clinical research. I am a paramedic and have five years experience working FT in EDs.

With almost 100 credits and no degree, the electives are covered. I have four more years of child support to go and two new little ones at home, so would have a greatly reduced debt load by the time I could apply.

I would like to take regular coursework online if possible at least for the first year (I think). Is this acceptable?

Then hopefully my job will payoff (next two yrs) and I'll be in a better position to attend FT University.

Do you have advice that's specific to NJ? or to my situation in general? When this job is over we're going to be ready to relocate more west and hopefully cheaper...

Thanks!

Online coursework for non-prerequisite courses is OK if you have no other option. The problem is that on-line courses are not necessarily cheaper so you have the expense. You also need to be sure that your online courses will transfer to university (need this in writing up front) so that you haven't wasted your money. Many so-called "accredited" on-line universities are money mills that do not have coursework that will transfer. Do a thorough investigation before you spend tuition money. Many universities that offer online coursework are reputable and adequate but some are not.

If you are financially strapped, don't put yourself in a position where you HAVE to work and have loads of demanding courses. A better strategy is to take your time, save as much as possible. A delay of two, three or four years is well worth it if you are successful. Age is not a barrier to successful admission to undergraduate or medical school so take your time, plot a strategy that will ensure that you can devote as much time as possible to your studies without putting your family into the "poor house". Good luck!

 

[medicnick]

Thank you IU and Dr NJ, I am especially am enjoying your blog writing content and abilities!

Cheers!
Nick