What's So Bad About This??

[SyrianHero]

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Hello everyone! I keep reading how it's bad to take your prerequisite classes online, but I went to the MSAR website and almost all the schools that I looked at indicate that online prerequisite classes are accepted, so what's so bad about it? I mean if you're going to be a full time employee who doesn't have time to drive and go to lecture everyday, is it really that bad to take prerequisite classes online? thank you all for your input 🙂

 

[Nymphicus]

Accepted =/= Recommended

If you take online pre-reqs, you'd better do extremely well on the MCAT or risk having your app tossed right there.

 

[Aerus]

They also accept MCAT scores of 25. Doesn't mean you should get one.

 

[phikapdoctor]

Hello everyone! I keep reading how it's bad to take your prerequisite classes online, but I went to the MSAR website and almost all the schools that I looked at indicate that online prerequisite classes are accepted, so what's so bad about it? I mean if you're going to be a full time employee who doesn't have time to drive and go to lecture everyday, is it really that bad to take prerequisite classes online? thank you all for your input 🙂

You have 69 posts lol.
Anyways. Don't take online courses if it can be avoided.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile app please excuse punctuation and spelling

 

[xBODOMx]

.

 

[SyrianHero]

So, it may not be detrimental to an MD application if you do well on the MCAT, you guys agree?

 

[487806]

So, it may not be detrimental to an MD application if you do well on the MCAT, you guys agree?

Online classes would be discouraged either way. If you really want to, go for it.

 

[def1]

I took a lot of online courses, the only prereq was calc though. But none showed up as onlinecourses on my transcript

 

[Hemorrage]

Why don't you go ahead and tell us your results? Then we can have prime example of why you shouldn't

 

[Geebeejay]

Sure it's "accepted"...but this is the same as how sending in your secondary november 30th when the deadline for the school is December 1st is accepted. It's "accepted", and they'll happily take your money, but you'll have also have a way lower chance of being accepted compared to if you send it in earlier, so take this information how you will.

 

[Marleynarley]

I have a similar question. My school offers hybrid classes: parts of the class are traditional and parts are online. I have been debating taking some of my prerequisites this way but I don't know how it will look when I apply since they are not technically online ...

 

[Geebeejay]

I have a similar question. My school offers hybrid classes: parts of the class are traditional and parts are online. I have been debating taking some of my prerequisites this way but I don't know how it will look when I apply since they are not technically online ...

I'd say don't get weird with it. If you have to ask "is this going to make me less competitive?", just don't do it. If something seems to you like it might make you less competitive of an applicant, then admissions committees are thinking the same thing.

 

[eaaa]

Which schools were you looking at in the MSAR? On-line pre-req courses may be accepted by some med schools, but I am not aware of any that will accept on-line labs. (I checked a while back, as I really liked the on-line idea, too.) Since most schools require labs for bio, chem, physics, and o-chem, these courses especially will need to be taken at a brick and mortar school. That said, some schools do hybrid online-oncampus courses that have the labs at the school. This may be acceptable, if it doesn't show "online" on your transcript.

Bottom line, it would be a pretty expensive mistake to make (time and money) if the med schools do NOT really consider online equal to oncampus. How many semesters would you be set back if you had to retake these core courses?

 

[wholeheartedly]

I think this depends entirely on the type of online classes and where you take them.

The online classes you see advertised on TV from those for profit companies.... yeah probably a bad idea.

An online class at a brick and mortar state university that shows up the same on your transcript as the on campus version, likely not a big deal.

That said, a few things to keep in mind: (1) as mentioned, labs are a completely different issue, usually you need to take those on campus and in all honesty I think that's best from an educational standpoint (2) online courses are getting better, but some really suck, so choose wisely (3) being in lecture can sometimes give you a better chance to ask questions of your instructors and classmates as well as identify and form study groups (4) you're going to need letters of recommendation and having actual face time with people will make this a lot easier

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

They also accept MCAT scores of 25. Doesn't mean you should get one.

This about sums it up. Think about labs. Really though its not plausible online.