I'm about to be going from a RN to a BSN very soon and I was wondering if MD schools would look down that I did all my courses online. Do they even show up as online courses in your transcripts?
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Thanks
Do MD schools look down on online courses?
- Thread starter Bnmakr1
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I took a couple of courses online that were offered through the University (medical terminology and something else -- I can't remember). My transcript makes no mention that they were online courses. Of course, YMMV.
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It would look pretty suspicious.
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I took a class online during the summer at my community college at home, and the transcript did not specify that the class was online.
Just don't do it through some magical online university that probably doesn't even exist.
Just don't do it through some magical online university that probably doesn't even exist.
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It shouldn't be a problem. I took some online classes as an undergrad, and my transcript doesn't say a word that they are. It would have to list the specific section number (995 or 996), and they don't.
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Nothing personal to other posters, but I think that there is some critically bad advice here. Sorry.
Most med schools will accept online classes as credit, but many will not accept them for prerequisites. I found this out after the fact from schools in which I inquired (UCs for one).
If you're asking, can you get away with it, that's something else. If you're taking extension classes from a local big college and applying to your state school, there's a good shot they may cop on and ask, "Was this the online version?" in which case you're sunk. Out of state, odds are good you can get away with it. If the course is taken during a regular semester (instead of self-paced learning), they often don't mention that they were online.
I'd contact schools you're interested in and ask them this same question. You'll hear a lot of "no's" and will drastically limit your choice of schools. I think taking online learning in the hopes that a med school doesn't catch you is a big risk.
Most med schools will accept online classes as credit, but many will not accept them for prerequisites. I found this out after the fact from schools in which I inquired (UCs for one).
If you're asking, can you get away with it, that's something else. If you're taking extension classes from a local big college and applying to your state school, there's a good shot they may cop on and ask, "Was this the online version?" in which case you're sunk. Out of state, odds are good you can get away with it. If the course is taken during a regular semester (instead of self-paced learning), they often don't mention that they were online.
I'd contact schools you're interested in and ask them this same question. You'll hear a lot of "no's" and will drastically limit your choice of schools. I think taking online learning in the hopes that a med school doesn't catch you is a big risk.
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Another thought is that most schools require multiple letters of rec from BCPM professors. If you have no LORs from any faculty that taught you your science classes, they'll wonder why.
I sympathize; it's a long haul. But night classes at the community college, though it will take a while, is much preferrable to spending a year or two doing online learning and then finding out your options of medical schools has shrunk from 120 possibilities to 25 possibilities in places you don't want to live.
I sympathize; it's a long haul. But night classes at the community college, though it will take a while, is much preferrable to spending a year or two doing online learning and then finding out your options of medical schools has shrunk from 120 possibilities to 25 possibilities in places you don't want to live.
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Aren't most on-line courses scams? I hope you got your money's worth, but I'm sure any adcom that puts in the time to consider you will realize your courses were on-line and not in person. You may need to take a post-bacc to take those credits again and get them to count for admissions.
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Will someone please explain this to me? How is one able to take lab prereqs or obtain a nursing degree solely through online classes? What about clinicals? Seems to me that there are some things that simply can't be done properly on-line.
Johnnydrama, no most on-line courses aren't scams. There are places that do scam people, but quite a few legit universities and colleges offer some of their courses over the internet or as hybrids, which involve both on-line and classroom components. I'd think the transcript would make it obvious whether it was a reputable institution or diploma mill.
Johnnydrama, no most on-line courses aren't scams. There are places that do scam people, but quite a few legit universities and colleges offer some of their courses over the internet or as hybrids, which involve both on-line and classroom components. I'd think the transcript would make it obvious whether it was a reputable institution or diploma mill.
I don't believe you can obtain a nursing degree just through online courses, but I'll have my RN soon from attending a normal college. The basic RN you spend a lot of time in the clinical setting, the same amount as BSN students. So most colleges don't require RNs to do additional clinical hours. I think I'll attend Rutgers since it will be the closest university.
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The only way anyone would know whether it was on-line is if the school is an online college. If its affiliated with a brick and mortar institution, your transcript from that school will not specify. I took an online course at University of Maryland while I was an undergraduate and my transcript looks no different. I would just make sure you are doing it through a school that has an actual physical campus somewhere and not "University of Phoenix" or one of their knock-offs.
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Of course they look down on online classes, as do I, and any other right thinking person. How educated can you get, staring at a computer screen. It is pretty obvious. Socrates had it right.
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Well like some people have said, that not all transcripts will say you have taken a specific class online.
Many schools, especially community colleges, offer the exact same class online as well as at the campus. So how would they tell the difference between taking it online or at the campus if they see the same thing.
For Example:
History 101 - S1 - 3units - A
History 101 - S1 - 3units - A
That is probably what they would both show on your transcripts therefore know one would every know ulness they ask you.
Many schools, especially community colleges, offer the exact same class online as well as at the campus. So how would they tell the difference between taking it online or at the campus if they see the same thing.
For Example:
History 101 - S1 - 3units - A
History 101 - S1 - 3units - A
That is probably what they would both show on your transcripts therefore know one would every know ulness they ask you.
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Bnmaker, okay, now I understand better. I misunderstood your original post where you said "all my courses online". I thought you meant all of your college courses! It didn't make sense that anyone could get an RN solely through online courses.
Searun, you might be surprised by what some online courses entail. It's not just reading a website and ticking multiple choice answers. Some require viewing online lectures, reading the textbooks, have heavy analytical essay requirements, research papers, require participation in discussions and grade students on the quality of their participation. The Socratic method is not confined to spoken words. There are both benefits and limitations. As with classroom instruction, course delivery can range from excellent to waste of time.
"How educated can you get staring at a computer screen?" About as educated as you can get staring at a book or sitting through a lecture. Education isn't about staring, It requires involvement. The quality of the course is independent of the type of media. Rather, it is dependent on the quality of the prof & student. Times they are achangin'.
Searun, you might be surprised by what some online courses entail. It's not just reading a website and ticking multiple choice answers. Some require viewing online lectures, reading the textbooks, have heavy analytical essay requirements, research papers, require participation in discussions and grade students on the quality of their participation. The Socratic method is not confined to spoken words. There are both benefits and limitations. As with classroom instruction, course delivery can range from excellent to waste of time.
"How educated can you get staring at a computer screen?" About as educated as you can get staring at a book or sitting through a lecture. Education isn't about staring, It requires involvement. The quality of the course is independent of the type of media. Rather, it is dependent on the quality of the prof & student. Times they are achangin'.
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