Online Classes

[amyquinn001]

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I apologize in advance if someone has already asked this but I couldn't find a clear answer. I'm still in community college and in order to take my pre reqs for dental school I need to take a couple of math, basic chemistry and basic biology classes to even take inorganic chem, organic chem, mico bio and biochem.

Currently, my work schedule doesn't permit me to take classes in person. Would it be acceptable to take the basic math, basic chem and basic bio classes online? Basically the pre reqs to the pre reqs.

I plan to take the dental pre reqs (inorganic chem, organic chem, micro bio and biochem and whatever other super important classes) at a university in person.

Thanks in Advanced,
Amy

 

[derbear]

I would check with the particular schools you want to apply to. I don't see why you couldn't, however, I know certain schools do not allow particular courses to be taken through a community college (and possibly online).

 

[Senee]

I would really refrain from taking online courses. It just doesn't look good to adcoms, especially if they're pre-reqs. Isn't there a way you could take early morning classes or night classes?

 

[Daneosaurus]

A couple of things:
1. Most dental schools accept community college credit, but some have a cap on how many credits they accept. Others prefer you to not take any of the prereqs at community college, but are fine with other CC credits. Still, others will not accept any, while some have no limit on what they will accept.
2. Many community colleges offer the same in-class course online. Your transcript will not make a distinction between the two. If the course is a science course, it will likely have a lab component as well that you have to actually show up in person to do.
3. There are usually no prereqs for what you call inorganic chemistry. Some dental schools refer to general chemistry as inorganic chemistry. At schools like my university, "Inorganic Chemistry" is a 300 level chemistry course for chem majors, biochem majors, and chem minors. Inorganic Chemistry is not a prereq.

 

[amyquinn001]

I would have to get my schedule changed. I'm currently an LPN in a skilled nursing facility and work rotating 12 hour shifts. I didn't know about the problem dental schools might have with online classes. The classes I would be taking online are basic classes like elementary algebra. fundamental chemistry and intro to biology for health professionals which are required to take the dental school pre reqs. In high school, I really didn't care about school at all. I come from a family that didn't really encourage me to try and aim high. Just as long as I graduated from high school and went to whatever college. Now that I'm older, I really just need to figure all this stuff out. I'm to old to have to retake any classes because I messed up and took them online.

Thanks,
Amy

 

[amyquinn001]

A couple of things:
1. Most dental schools accept community college credit, but some have a cap on how many credits they accept. Others prefer you to not take any of the prereqs at community college, but are fine with other CC credits. Still, others will not accept any, while some have no limit on what they will accept.
2. Many community colleges offer the same in-class course online. Your transcript will not make a distinction between the two. If the course is a science course, it will likely have a lab component as well that you have to actually show up in person to do.
3. There are usually no prereqs for what you call inorganic chemistry. Some dental schools refer to general chemistry as inorganic chemistry. At schools like my university, "Inorganic Chemistry" is a 300 level chemistry course for chem majors, biochem majors, and chem minors. Inorganic Chemistry is not a prereq.

I know that they have a cap on how many credits can be accepted. I'm going to take whatever the required amount of credits are to get into a university. I think its 24 credits-last time I checked. I looked at my transcript just now and the online classes I took were just labeled as regular classes-so thats good. The online classes that I looked into have a lab kit that needs to be purchased if the class is to be taken online. I've looked at several dental school requirements and they list "inorganic chemistry" as a pre req. Those schools are USC, SFSU, UCLA, Boston, Howard, Dugani. So its just basic Chem?

 

[Senee]

Yes, inorganic chem is also known as general chem. Make sure your pre-reqs are transferable when you decide to go on to a 4 year uni

 

[amyquinn001]

I will, thank you

 

[alucidinterval]

Depends how your school lists the classes on the registrar/transcript. I know at my undergrad they didn't differentiate on transcripts in any way whether a class was online or not. If they don't then you could just list it as not an online class as long as you do well, especially if you then take in-class sections for the upper division science classes.

 

[sonrisa lila]

After calling Dental Admission offices for a similar question I found out that many Pre-reqs such as Bio 1 &2 Gen Chem 1 &2, Orgo 1 & 2 are supposed to be taken in person, not online.
However, other classes such as graduate programs or other science classes that are not prereqs may be taken via online or distance learning.

 

[pilotdentist]

It all varies by school. Call them individually. I had to take Orgo I/II and Biochem online. Of the 5 schools I talked to, only 1 would not accept them.

 

[656851]

resurrecting this with a question...

I'm looking at how to set up my summer schedule---my last semester of courses. I can save some living expenses and get a head start on my gap year if I make Physics II an online course. My university's transcripts give no indication of a class being online.

Am I risking much here besides my integrity?

 

[Faux]

Well when you input the class into ADEA, they do ask you if the class was online or not.