do adcoms know if a class was online?

[YoungProdigy]

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Is there any way for them to obtain this information? If so, how often do they do that? Considering taking a W for an online class because it's a Gordon rule class and it's requiring too much of my time. What say ye?

 

[Goro]

Yes.

Is there any way for them to obtain this information? If so, how often do they do that? Considering taking a W for an online class because it's a Gordon rule class and it's requiring too much of my time. What say ye?

 

[mbeus]

Yes, they will see when they get your transcript.

 

[sephora89]

Some schools don't note on the transcript if a course was online.

 

[ConfusedFulbrightScholar]

Some schools don't note on the transcript if a course was online.

Well that's a lucky situation. My school lists it as "DL" or Distance Learning. I know another school in my state lists it as "CL" or correspondence learning.

Correspondence Learning is a bit harder to decipher than Distance Learning. In any case, I don't know how many adcoms would scour a transcript to see which classes were DL or not.

Now, if you looked at a student's 30-credit post-bacc and saw all of them were DL, that would probably be a cause for concern, or at least a question mark for the adcom member.

 

[sephora89]

Well that's a lucky situation. My school lists it as "DL" or Distance Learning. I know another school in my state lists it as "CL" or correspondence learning.

Correspondence Learning is a bit harder to decipher than Distance Learning. In any case, I don't know how many adcoms would scour a transcript to see which classes were DL or not.

Now, if you looked at a student's 30-credit post-bacc and saw all of them were DL, that would probably be a cause for concern, or at least a question mark for the adcom member.

If I was asked in secondaries or interviews if I took any online classes, I would absolutely tell them though.

 

[ConfusedFulbrightScholar]

If I was asked in secondaries or interviews if I took any online classes, I would absolutely tell them though.

Oh of course. Honest = #1, I think that's a good rule for life, not just interviews haha. But would an adcom member really ask you that? Doubtful.

 

[sephora89]

Oh of course. Honest = #1, I think that's a good rule for life, not just interviews haha. But would an adcom member really ask you that? Doubtful.

I've seen it in secondary essays so I wouldn't be surprised haha.

 

[ConfusedFulbrightScholar]

I've seen it in secondary essays so I wouldn't be surprised haha.

Really? That is actually so interesting to hear. Personally, I've never taken a pre-req online, but I am guilty of taking some social science and math courses online. Whoooops.

 

[sephora89]

Really? That is actually so interesting to hear. Personally, I've never taken a pre-req online, but I am guilty of taking some social science and math courses online. Whoooops.

Lol same, I took some random core classes that I needed to get out of the way for graduation and stuff. I don't suspect it to be an issue.

 

[NorthOfBroad]

Depends on the school. My university makes no distinction on a transcript. Check the registrar's office.

 

[YoungProdigy]

Since most school do not permit an online class for fulfillment of a required prerequisites, trying to do so under the guise of a transcript that does not note as such would be a direct misrepresentation that you agree to on at least on most secondaries. In addition, after you have been accepted and prior to matriculation, you also agree that you have misrepresented anything on your application.

Schools vary for other online classes and you need to have familiarized yourself with a specific school's policy

So you're saying I cannot complete an online humanities class required for my AA degree, or did I read this incorrectly?

 

[Tintinnabula]

OP, if an AdCom has any questions about something being online or not all they have to do is contact your Registrar. They wouldn't necessarily even have to ask for any file-specific information in order to find out if a class/class number/other designation means it was taken online, so I'd advise you to take it for granted that they know.

 

[YoungProdigy]

Really? That is actually so interesting to hear. Personally, I've never taken a pre-req online, but I am guilty of taking some social science and math courses online. Whoooops.

When people say "pre-reqs" on here, do they mean science pre reqs like bio 1, chem 1, etc...?

 

[ConfusedFulbrightScholar]

When people say "pre-reqs" on here, do they mean science pre reqs like bio 1, chem 1, etc...?

When I said it, I did. And most people do.

 

[Eppur Si Muove]

I thought the AMCAS asked specifically for online classes to be selected but my memory could be failing me. I know for sure that some secondary apps asked

 

[ConfusedFulbrightScholar]

I don't get it to be honest. All the "online" classes I've taken have required me to take exams at a proctoring center. At my Uni they're basically designed for people living abroad for a time.

I think it's a bad policy to think of them as "less rigorous" a class, because in ways, they do require a bit more self-regulation from the student.

 

[JulioJones]

.

 

[musicalfeet]

So I guess I am in a similar situation, I took Bio 2 online at my University because the available sections conflicted with other requirements (It was the exact same class as the regular one only the lectures were recorded and I watched on a computer), it doesn't show up as online on my official transcript. However, I take it it would be wise to retake this my last semester to make it not online on the chance that it were to come up in the process (I have room for it if necessary)? And when I enter this on amcas is there a way to say I'm retaking cause it was initially online even though my school doesn't show it, cause it may look weird retaking the exact same class I got an A if it is listed the same?

If your transcript doesn't show up as online, then theoretically if you kept your mouth shut, how could anyone ever find out? Just curious. I have a hard time imagining ADCOMS poring over your transcript and double-checking if a class was taken online. If the transcript doesn't show or mark that it was, there's theoretically no way to find out...

Especially if you took it at like UC Berkeley Ext or UCLA ext or whatever, and they have direct equivalents of those classes offered on campus as well. It's not exactly being honest but it'd be damn hard to prove as well.

 

[Pusheen]

Also jumping in with a question...I've taken some classes online (intro psych, intro soc, a 100 level biology class) at a CC while enrolled at my regular undergrad.
Not going to lie, I took the first two to prepare for the MCAT, and the third to pad my sGPA a little.

Does this look bad?

 

[The Buff OP]

You read that incorrectly. If you try to use an online course to fulfill a requirement that is prohibited by a specific school's policy under the guise of a transcript not noting it is online class, you would have an ethical violation that could, however unlikely, used against you.

This most applicable in fulfilling a required prerequisite

The rule of thumb is most BCPM cannot be fulfilled online
Other classes are less likely to be affected

So I can take the second English class requirement online? When I took the first English class it was basically a waste of time, we would just look over PowerPoint slides of things we already read. The main grades came from the essays we did.

 

[The Buff OP]

The rule of thumb is that all prerequisites be in a traditional class

The issue here isnt if there is any additional value in doing this; it is fulfilling a required prerequisite under the rules set forth by a medical school. Again, while it is highly unlikely, taking an online class then not declaring it leaves you open to ethical violation, having an acceptance rescinded, or even being removed as a matriculated student anytime prior to be awarded an MD. All because you thought it was silly to sit in class a reading powerpoints. Why risk such a potentially huge impact over a trivial point ?

Got it. 👍