Raise GPA with Online Classes (No Pre-requisites)

[TheSunnyDoc]

Hiiii people

I have a long way to go to repair my gpa and will be doing the bulk of it when I return to my university.

Due to current financial restraints I won't be returning there until next Spring.

What are your thoughts about online classes at accredited schools for the sole purpose of raising the cumulative GPA?

I won't be taking any med school pre reqs there. I just intend to keep my head down and work my butt off until I make a significant dent in gpa

Would attending an online college to take other subjects undermine my efforts for gpa repair in the eyes of med school? Or is an A an A?

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[ZedsDed]

Would attending an online college to take other subjects undermine my efforts for gpa repair in the eyes of med school? Or is an A an A?

It is taken much less seriously, if that is what you are asking.

 

[TheSunnyDoc]

It is taken much less seriously, if that is what you are asking.

Thanks for your reply

So if I hit the 3.0 mark and med schools look over my transcript they will throw it back in the pile because A's in humanities and things are not valuable at an online institution?

I keep reading things about gpa cutoffs and people not getting their apps read. . So dawned if you do, damned if you don't?

 

[ZedsDed]

Thanks for your reply

So if I hit the 3.0 mark and med schools look over my transcript they will throw it back in the pile because A's in humanities and things are not valuable at an online institution?

I keep reading things about gpa cutoffs and people not getting their apps read. . So dawned if you do, damned if you don't?

All I can tell you is that it is considered much less rigorous. One or two online classes won't matter, but an online institution should be avoided.

 

[DrMidlife]

Taking a few online courses isn't going to do any damage. Online work in general is not going to help you from a sub-3.0.

GPAs don't actually ever get repaired because math. But you'll find a few dozen of us here who recovered from sub-3.0's.

If you want to recover from sub-3.0 you have a lot of work to do to understand the options and prognoses and risks. There's no recipe. This forum is helpful, the postbac forum is helpful, and the reapplicant forum is helpful. Making friends with DO and grade replacement is helpful.

Best of luck to you.

 

[TheSunnyDoc]

Fair enough. Thank you guys

Since I do attend a good 4 year institution and will get my BS from there anyway, I am going to take some online courses, a few even will grant the grades via Credit by Exam. These are not noted on the transcript though. Whatever you get on the test is what you get on the course. I do have pretty extenuating circumstances in my background and had to overcome a lot of stuff
so long as I get eyes on my app, at least a few might agree. I don't mind putting in the leg work.. the past few semesters I have proven to myself that I can get great grades
Essentially doing the equivalent of a second Bachelor's degree is just oodles of time and money. Not complaining but I have to find a way somehow. I'm not touching the sciences or math with the online courses. But those numbers need to come up by any means necessary

 

[FutureDrB]

Would attending an online college to take other subjects undermine my efforts for gpa repair in the eyes of med school? Or is an A an A?

Online college or online courses at a "regular" college?

When you say online college, I immediately think of late night infomercials for the University of Phoenix. Whatever you do, don't go to an online college.

If you are referring to online courses taken at your local college, then go for it.

Some people will say never take online courses, you'll be looked down upon, blah blah.

9 out of 10 times there is nothing on your transcript that designates it as being an online class anyway.

If you want WAY more info on this topic, look through my old posts. (I'm at work so can't spend the time browsing through them.) There is a lengthy discussion about taking classes online, including science prerequisites online.

 

[Goro]

My own perspective is that these aren't very impressive.

Second, a number of schools do NOT accept online classes in the pre-reqs. Baylor and EVMS do not, but Einstein does. Invest in MSAR Online for this info.

Hiiii people

I have a long way to go to repair my gpa and will be doing the bulk of it when I return to my university.

Due to current financial restraints I won't be returning there until next Spring.

What are your thoughts about online classes at accredited schools for the sole purpose of raising the cumulative GPA?

I won't be taking any med school pre reqs there. I just intend to keep my head down and work my butt off until I make a significant dent in gpa

Would attending an online college to take other subjects undermine my efforts for gpa repair in the eyes of med school? Or is an A an A?

 

[TheSunnyDoc]

My own perspective is that these aren't very impressive.

Second, a number of schools do NOT accept online classes in the pre-reqs. Baylor and EVMS do not, but Einstein does. Invest in MSAR Online for this info.

Thanks for the feedback. As I've I stated in my OP, I will not be taking any pre-requisites online. I will reserve those for my university which I can't return to until my bill is paid off at the end of the year. I was talking about taking other courses, things like psych, poli sci, basically humanities and arts to assist me in raising my GPA since I keep hearing that apps under 3.0 will not be read. I already have enough credits to graduate..I am essentially going to start over with a new major and take a bunch of classes to raise my uGPA.

Online college or online courses at a "regular" college?

When you say online college, I immediately think of late night infomercials for the University of Phoenix. Whatever you do, don't go to an online college.

If you are referring to online courses taken at your local college, then go for it.

I can do either or- so thanks I will take some time today to go through your old posts.
The online school isn't U of Phoenix - I know what you mean. This college provides an alternative way for nurses to bridge into RN, it is fully accredited, consider a school of excellence by the state board of nursing and I know a number of nurses including some of my professors who attended. Since they are a college, they have other courses as well. However you do the class, online or by credit-by-examination, you will be receiving course grades on your transcript. I will be completing my RN with this school (my LPN obtained in traditional school) which will help me so much financially. But as for the rest of it, raising my gpa (my ultimate concern), I don't do my sciences or math items online. The uGPA considers every class though. Hence my wondering about a roundabout way to raise it. I hope that all made sense

 

[DrMidlife]

If med school's the goal, go by med school standards. Nursing standards won't be respected by med schools regardless of how hospitals view things.

 

[Gulliver Dark]

Goro, you had mentioned previously to me that I should finish my degree as quickly as possible. When in the military, I took a lot of online courses at a traditional state undergrad school that is mostly NOT an online school. The quickest way to finish it is to finish the degree there, but my plan (and finances) would allow me to finish it at a local state school, if that would be better. It would be slightly more expensive and time consuming to do this, as I am only about three classes from a degree at the online route. But this thread is making me reconsider.

I am already taking/have taken most prereqs at a community college, and only have three classes left (Orgo 1, 2, and Biochem though I may take Calculus as well) (with a 4.0 so far, though. I worry the community college + online classes might hurt more, which is why I mention it at all)

Thoughts, Goro, or anyone else?

 

[FutureDrB]

I am already taking/have taken most prereqs at a community college, and only have three classes left (Orgo 1, 2, and Biochem though I may take Calculus as well) (with a 4.0 so far, though. I worry the community college + online classes might hurt more, which is why I mention it at all)

Thoughts, Goro, or anyone else?

Community college won't matter. (I can only speak for D.O.) Are you interested in M.D. or D.O? If D.O. don't waste your time on the calculus.

 

[Gulliver Dark]

Fine with DO, but would like to keep MD open. I live in Texas, so TCOM is a great school, but not super easy to get into, I think, compared to other DO schools. 3.7 average or something? I'm hoping for a Texas school so I can use the GI Bill/savings to make it through with no loans because of the low tuition.

 

[mavric1298]

If you aren't using the credits to really show your new "trend" and are going to use going back to your university to show the "new you", then by all means online classes can help you get past the auto screens. The more credits you need to overcome the more classes it will take to make a dent, so my thoughts are if they are just for the screen numbers then by all means get as many as you can, knowing that your university credits will be what is important when a person is actually looking at your app

 

[jl lin]

This varies so much. Most schools have hybrid courses or use some form of Internet for the coursework. Most will allow you direct access to all of their library/journal databases. Many of them run classes online in real time, where they can see you, and you can see them and classmates.
So, if it's with a reputable school, fine; but obviously the pre-reqs w/ lab in direct B&M will benefit you in a few more ways. One of them is in directly interacting, whenever possible, with someone that can give you a LOR. But I gather you have the figured that out already. If you are trying to raise your cgpa and work, go for it. I say always keep learning anyway you can through a reputable, accredited university--preferably one to which you can directly commute if you need one-on-one time with professors, direct interaction on group projects and so forth. Just do the pre-reqs and biochem and upper level courses directly on campus at a reputable university.

Best wishes.

 

[FutureDrB]

Fine with DO, but would like to keep MD open. I live in Texas, so TCOM is a great school, but not super easy to get into, I think, compared to other DO schools. 3.7 average or something? I'm hoping for a Texas school so I can use the GI Bill/savings to make it through with no loans because of the low tuition.

I'm no admissions expert, but I would guess that being a Texas resident too, you'd have a much better chance of getting into TCOM versus an OOS school. They are required to accept like 85% in-state applicants. (That percentage may be slightly off.)

I'd love to be able to apply to TCOM for both low tuition and geographic purposes, but since they don't use the AACOMAS application...no retakes allowed...no bueno for me.

 

[AlbinoHawk DO]

I took a few interest classes online through my community college. Nothing in the transcript reflected it and nobody ever asked me if they were online. I think they are a good way to pad you GPA while learning things like general health, medical terminology, astronomy (counts as physics), etc.

You know what is funny of all these admissions people that don't like online classes? Pretty much the entirety of medical school preclinical years is online school with optional class attendance.