Online class recommendations?

[grimbergirl]

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I was curious...has anyone taken a "distance learning" undergrad precalculus, developmental psychology, or statistics course they could recommend?

I'm looking into taking these while living abroad this year, so I can dive into my classroom science prereqs for PT school once I'm back in the US.

Mostly I'm looking for a decent online interface/engaging professor that will go easy on my wallet. Non-proctored exams would be great, since finding a proctor out here will be a pain, and I definitely won't argue with easy grading!

I've seen a few SDN posts suggesting Harvard Extension classes, but otherwise I haven't found any specific recommendations. I've never taken a class online before, and I'm pretty overwhelmed with the zillions of options, with no obvious way to gauge which are OK and which are a waste of money. So far I've just been researching the random ones Google picks up and checking the profs on ratemyprofessors.com...ANY recommendations to save me from the madness much appreciated!!!

 

[CardiologyJosh]

Mostly I'm looking for a decent online interface/engaging professor that will go easy on my wallet. Non-proctored exams would be great, since finding a proctor out here will be a pain, and I definitely won't argue with easy grading!

Where is "out here" ?

 

[QofQuimica]

MIT Open Courseware for the win.

You can't get no cheaper than free; you can do it at your own pace; and it won't affect your GPA because you don't actually register for it.

 

[CardiologyJosh]

MIT Open Courseware for the win.

You can't get no cheaper than free; you can do it at your own pace; and it won't affect your GPA because you don't actually register for it.

You think one could make this an "EC" on their application? I might check out some of the language courses offered through this.....

 

[QofQuimica]

You think one could make this an "EC" on their application? I might check out some of the language courses offered through this.....

No. How would you list that? I dabble in watching MIT class videos online for fun? 😛

All kidding aside, I do think it's legit to mention that you have language skills on your app and/or at your interviews. This is assuming you do have them, of course; it's unwise to exaggerate about this. I was partially interviewed in Spanish at two different schools.

 

[CardiologyJosh]

All kidding aside, I do think it's legit to mention that you have language skills on your app and/or at your interviews. This is assuming you do have them, of course; it's unwise to exaggerate about this. I was partially interviewed in Spanish at two different schools.

I enjoy studying foreign languages in my free time - I would not regard myself fluent, but I do have varying levels of proficiency in each of the languages that I "know". If I have a career in medicine to look forward to, I would spend my spare time learning medical terminology in these languages, but by no means would I be able to "interview," in them.

When you say you were partially interviewed in spanish, what kind of questions did they ask you, and how long or what proportion of the interview was conducted in spanish?

Yo hablo espanol, pero no puedo hacer un entrevista en espanol.....pues....possiblement un pocos preguntas, pero no mucho.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'll second MIT open courseware for the exact reasons Q mentioned. They have all kinds of courses listed across so many areas it's awesome. Was kind of in geek heaven when I found that...😳

Also for free if you want to strengthen your foundation a bit is the Kahn Academy Videos. Obviously you won't get credit for this, but they are free.

As for the stuff you can get credit for, anything I've done online has been through a university I was attending in person that just happened to have some classes available online. I don't know about some of the more specific programs geared towards mostly online material though.

If you know where you'll be going to school for your pre-reqs it might be worth seeing if they have anything online that you could take. Then you wouldn't have to worry about getting an extra transcript or whether or not it would transfer.

Some online classes can be very well done and other's I've had just suck. It really depends. Some can be totally independent study where you have to just finish by the end of the term, others have a weekly deadline schedule. Since you've never taken an online course I'd recommend that you go with the more structured weekly or biweekly type deadline schedule. The need for proctoring depends on the course. To eliminate the need for proctors some will give you written assignments and essay type exams (or MC to I guess) with a time limit and just say they are open book with the idea that given the time limit you couldn't possibly look up all the answers and would have know most of it on your own anyway.

Good luck.

 

[QofQuimica]

When you say you were partially interviewed in spanish, what kind of questions did they ask you, and how long or what proportion of the interview was conducted in spanish?

Yo hablo espanol, pero no puedo hacer un entrevista en espanol.....pues....possiblement un pocos preguntas, pero no mucho.

Lo siento, no recuerdo las preguntas ahora. Han pasado siete anos desde asisti a estas entrevistas. Lo importante es que no digas que hablas un idioma si no lo hablas de verdad.

 

[TropicalKitty]

OP, check with the institutions in your home state. Most classes online that I've encountered have been the same price as in-room classes. Thus, instate tuition is better than OOS. I know several CCs that have online classes. I also know of some full-fledged universities having online classes. So, depending on what you want to take and if you care about it being CC v uni, you should be able to find what you want.

Hopefully that'll help you started in the direction you want.

Or, take the advice of that tv commercial chick in a waitress uniform horribly singing about going to education connection.

 

[DocGodfather]

Lo siento, no recuerdo las preguntas ahora. Han pasado siete anos desde asisti a estas entrevistas. Lo importante es que no digas que hablas un idioma si no lo hablas de verdad.

Q busting out some espanol!

No to the EC, but the MIT courses on the link Q provided is an invaluable tool for studying, and to get a deeper breath in an array of subjects.

 

[QofQuimica]

Q busting out some espanol!

I never understand why this surprises people. "Quimica" is the Spanish word for "chemistry." 🙂

MIT Open Courseware is an amazing resource. For those of you who decide to try it and find it useful, please consider donating so that the site can continue to function and grow. Look at it this way: even a $100 donation sure beats whatever you'd have to pay to a college or university for an online class, and all of us can manage to at least scrape up $5 or $10.

(For the record, I have no affiliation with MIT. I've never even been there and can barely find Boston on a map. I just think their OCW site is awesome and deserves a token of support from anyone who uses it.)

 

[grimbergirl]

Where is "out here" ?

I'm in Belgium for the next 6 months. I can find a proctor, I'd just rather skip it if possible🙂

 

[CardiologyJosh]

Another thought, and this is open for anyone to comment (please, seeking advice here...)

For GPA repair, if one is extremely limited in their resources (ie, funds, to pay for more undergraduate coursework,) can online/distance education courses be used to do GPA repair? Or will medical schools shrug them off as "meh, not impressed" - moreover, if these distance courses are non-lab courses that fall into BCMP categorization, can these infact raise ones AMCAS sGPA and cGPA?

I was considering enrolling in the UC Berkeley Extension online courses, "Genetics" and "Immunology," among some other courses at other big name schools (Hopkins, Columbia, NYU, etc)

Any thoughts people?

Thanks 🙂

 

[Dzerzhinsky]

For GPA repair, if one is extremely limited in their resources (ie, funds, to pay for more undergraduate coursework,) can online/distance education courses be used to do GPA repair? Or will medical schools shrug them off as "meh, not impressed" - moreover, if these distance courses are non-lab courses that fall into BCMP categorization, can these infact raise ones AMCAS sGPA and cGPA?

Yes and yes.

Let me elaborate. Yes, they can be used to do GPA repair (BCPM is BCPM!) Yes, I imagine medical schools won't be terribly impressed. But they'll get you over that auto-screen, hopefully, and then they can be wowed with your amazing MCAT and great in-person grades.

At least, that's my thesis. I'll let you know how it's gone for me this time next year!

 

[NuttyEngDude]

ok, dumb question but what is the autoscreen? is it 3.0? 3.3? 3.5?

 

[Dzerzhinsky]

ok, dumb question but what is the autoscreen? is it 3.0? 3.3? 3.5?

Not a dumb question at all, given that it has a multitude of answers. Some schools auto-screen. Some schools don't, but you will have effectively zero chance without getting to a certain number. I think the SDN common wisdom is that anything below a 3.0 is heading for that territory, but I can't attest to its actual validity. Here are some random data points to whose validity I can indeed attest:

• I know someone who got into multiple allopathic schools with a 2.7 GPA from undergrad. (Very close to 4.0 postbacc work, save for orgo, and most of a M.S. as well as very unique life experiences, though.) The schools in question were in the greater NYC area, and this is from some years ago.
• Admissions at one of the top three told me that they don't auto-screen (a human looks at every single application at least once), but that you needed a 3.5 to have a realistic chance.
• Based on this information, I decided to target 3.5 BCPM GPA as my pre-application number. I was coming from a 2.5, but I hadn't had too many courses, so it was doable. (My overall GPA is already in the competitive range.)
• A former adcom member (again, from a school in the greater NYC area) told me I was being way too neurotic and that I was going to get in this cycle because they really like people with successful previous careers who have shown they can handle the work. I am taking this with a massive grain of salt, because it's what I do!

P.S.: I think we're MCAT twins! April 13?

 

[NuttyEngDude]

P.S.: I think we're MCAT twins! April 13?

Yes, but I am not as far along as I'd like to be... I might move it out, not sure. How is your studying going for it?

 

[vc7777]

Lo siento, no recuerdo las preguntas ahora. Han pasado siete anos desde asisti a estas entrevistas. Lo importante es que no digas que hablas un idioma si no lo hablas de verdad.

Por ejemplo, mi padre es de Mexico, pero hace muchos muchos anos que no he hablado. Entonces, nunca lo digo que hablo ninguna palabra de Espanol .

 

[CardiologyJosh]

Por ejemplo, mi padre es de Mexico, pero hace muchos muchos anos que no he hablado. Entonces, nunca lo digo que hablo ninguna palabra de Espanol .

Si, pero en mi tiempo libre, me gusta estudiar lenguas extranjeras. no me indica en mi applicacion que yo soy fluido, pero es la verdad que yo puedo hablar para un pocos minutos en Espanol, Ruso, y Noruego. Solomente en espanol yo puedo hablar en un contexto de la medicina, pero si se puede segurar una carrera de la medicina, pues yo tener una razon para aprendir la terminologia medica de los otros lenguas. Si? Para esos razons, es razonable para dicir "yo estudio esos lenguas, y sen puede ayuda cuando hablando con nuevos personas quien no hablan ingles," en mi applicacion, si?

No me pudeo hacer todo de la entrevista en un otro lengua, pero yo pienso que esta "character trait," puede hablar volumenes de mi pasion para ayudar personas de otro culturas, que yo pienso es importante para unos medicos trabajando en los estados unidos, donde es muy diverso - porque los infermedades no ver que un persona es gringo, africano, chino, espanol - si? Por el mismo razon, este es porque yo estudio los lenguas - porque no quiero lenguas a ser un barrera de atencion a pacientes, y bueno "cama-lado?" manera - pero otroves, no so fludio en todos los lenguas que yo estudio......pero quiero communicar a los "ADCOMS" que yo gusta estudiar los, pero no quiero dale los ADCOMS un razon para esperar que yo pudeo hacer todo de la entrevista en un otro lengua - mejor que yo puedo hablar todo en ingles, para decir mas claro mis motivaciones para un carrera de la medicina.

Que piensas?

 

[NuttyEngDude]

I soooo want to learn spanish, lol.

 

[rrt]

I just got certified as a spanish translator for my hospital! Pretty cool deal, cause on top of practicing respiratory therapy and sleep therapy, I am on call on the weekends to translate!

 

[CardiologyJosh]

I just got certified as a spanish translator for my hospital! Pretty cool deal, cause on top of practicing respiratory therapy and sleep therapy, I am on call on the weekends to translate!

rrt, where in San Antonio? I'm a native of Bexar County 🙂