Do the certificates from EdX/Udemy/Coursera hold any value in admissions? I’ve taken quiet a few classes and gotten certificates but I haven’t considered if the certificates hold any worth. They have names like MIT and Harvard on them but they’re obviously not the same as a real class. What does CC think?
Thanks in advance!
Not to my knowledge.
No value at all? Shouldn’t verified classes at least do something? 
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I too have taken several courses and thought they would help. However, there are a few things you must keep in mind:
So, at the end, put in those courses ONLY if you have nothing special (like an award in that field, an interesting project you did etc). The courses are not bad, but they aren’t a big deal either.
@determined2300 What MOOC’s did you take that have tons of people? Most of the MOOC’s I have done has issued around 2,500 certificates or so(a few exceptions but not many), obviously everyone isn’t taking. You’re definitely right about app space tho, an award or something would be better but I’m not exactly a prize winning astrophysicist, yet I have a few MOOC’s about it. Is it worth dropping things like hobbies to put it in?
To your last point, I don’t know what MOOC’s have that low of a workload besides ones like “the science of happiness” or other really basic ones that target the general public. Every MITx/Harvardx one that I’ve done has been as much work, if not more, than normal classes. I guess there is no way to show the difference in workload to a college tho.
Thanks for the input!
@MandarinSin
MOOCs are more common than you think. There are hundreds of courses on the internet (EdX, Coursera, MIT OCW, Udemy, Udacity, Nptel for indian students etc). I think Stanford also has one of its own.
Now, each of these websites have several courses in whatever field you are looking into. These courses are also usually offered once every year.
So, when you think about the number of people who might have taken the course, the number reaches a large value. Further, keep in mind that for elite universities, almost every other kid would have done some online course or other. In my very own school, every single US applicant has done something or other. Some have even done the paid summer programs.
In short, MOOCs are good, but not as good as they seem to be. They will definitely add value to your app, but not as much as some other ECs would.
It’s not about workload or showing off; taking MOOCs indicate intellectual curiosity, a quality the colleges really like. They do NOT offset an average GPA, average SAT score, etc.
(“average” here needs to be understood as “in the context of the applicant pool”)
I just devoted a few words to the courses in the additional information section.
I actually think that they help a bit, depending on where you are applying. Like MYO S1634 said, they show intellectual curiosity, especially if you finish a few in a certain area. I did Cryptography I and II from Stanford on Coursera and a few other programming classes on EdX and I had a lot of fun and included it on my applications. I think it should more academic depth and that I was really interested in my major.
So if you see two or three you like and you have time, I’d definitely recommend doing a few over the summer. Just know it won’t help a ton but I think it’s worth it, especially if you want to explore a certain major and your school doesn’t offer a lot of classes in it.