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Hello everyone!
So I've been lurking in the forum for a few weeks and have been wondering about online degrees as an older, non-trad student. I also emailed a couple of paid consultants (one of them was the former assistant director of admissions at a top 5 school).
The majority opinion seems to be that online degrees are too risky, that they will greatly limit your school selection, and everything else on your app might need to be that much better (GPA, MCAT, etc.). BTW, I'm referring to online programs from a major university like Univ of Florida . I am currently interested only in MD schools. I respect DOs and benefit from spinal adjustments, but I don't want to have to perform manipulations myself in med school.
I recently emailed UT Southwestern - one of the 2 most competitive schools in Texas, and I received a response
from the Associate Director of Admissions. I asked if it would hurt my chances to complete a BA online at Univ of FL with the final 30 hours online, as long as I completed the basic premed courses at a local campus. She said "No. Degrees from regionally accredited colleges/universities are recognized and accepted. Just be a great student!"
This really contradicts everything I've been hearing elsewhere. It's really important to me because I was hoping to use this program to complete a BA in Biology online next year, then declare Texas Academic Fresh Start and do 60 hours or so at a local state univ. Take the MCAT at some point with a high-end prep course, and I'm done. Obviously, I am mainly interested in Texas public schools.
It just wouldn't be possible to start at a local campus next year for some good personal reasons, so I would have to push everything back another year. What do you make of the answer from the Adm officer above?
Oh, and one last thing. Everyone says that your transcript won't label courses as online, but Texas uses TMDSAS, which requires you to label courses as regular or distance.
Thank you!
So I've been lurking in the forum for a few weeks and have been wondering about online degrees as an older, non-trad student. I also emailed a couple of paid consultants (one of them was the former assistant director of admissions at a top 5 school).
The majority opinion seems to be that online degrees are too risky, that they will greatly limit your school selection, and everything else on your app might need to be that much better (GPA, MCAT, etc.). BTW, I'm referring to online programs from a major university like Univ of Florida . I am currently interested only in MD schools. I respect DOs and benefit from spinal adjustments, but I don't want to have to perform manipulations myself in med school.
I recently emailed UT Southwestern - one of the 2 most competitive schools in Texas, and I received a response
from the Associate Director of Admissions. I asked if it would hurt my chances to complete a BA online at Univ of FL with the final 30 hours online, as long as I completed the basic premed courses at a local campus. She said "No. Degrees from regionally accredited colleges/universities are recognized and accepted. Just be a great student!"
This really contradicts everything I've been hearing elsewhere. It's really important to me because I was hoping to use this program to complete a BA in Biology online next year, then declare Texas Academic Fresh Start and do 60 hours or so at a local state univ. Take the MCAT at some point with a high-end prep course, and I'm done. Obviously, I am mainly interested in Texas public schools.
It just wouldn't be possible to start at a local campus next year for some good personal reasons, so I would have to push everything back another year. What do you make of the answer from the Adm officer above?
Oh, and one last thing. Everyone says that your transcript won't label courses as online, but Texas uses TMDSAS, which requires you to label courses as regular or distance.
Thank you!
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