<p>Hi folks,</p>
<p>Quick question. If a class is listed as a pre-req for Medical School X, but is outside the standard list (e.g. Humanities, Behavioral Sciences, other non-Science, etc.), can those classes be completed online? How about at a community college?</p>
<p>I realize that it is likely to be school specific -- I fully intend on checking with the particular schools that I am talking about -- but I was wondering if anyone here had any ideas as far as general guidelines go. I know that all of the major pre-reqs should be completed in the Fall/Spring at a 4-year university, but I have never heard similar advice for additional pre-reqs.</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>If you want to apply to School X, then that extra pre-req----it needs to be taken at your home school and during the regular semester. (For example, some med schools require an upper level humanities class for admission. The expectation is that it will be taken at your home college.)</p>
<p>Med schools are extremely suspicious of any online classes of any sort. Avoid those if at all possible. Even for coursework that isn’t specifically a med school pre-req.</p>
<p>Yeah. I doubt this is school specific. Do as wowmom says.</p>
<p>That’s unfortunate.</p>
<p>I am a non-traditional, and there are several schools that I would like to have as an option that require coursework outside of the basic medical school pre-reqs, but I am having no luck finding a school in my area that offers any classes that meet the requirements that accommodate my work week (e.g. a night Psychology class). There are plenty of online and community college offerings, but none at the local 4-year state school (or any other 4-year institutions, private or public, within driving distance).</p>
<p>I would not want to exclude these schools – schools that I hope to be competitive for (so far so good) – simply because I cannot fulfill the extra pre-requisites.</p>
<p>Do these factors change your advice at all, WoW?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>I think what WOWMom was trying to say is that doing the prereqs at your university is ideal and is expected. But clearly, life happens, and that can’t always be accomplished–seems to be the case here. Might as well make the best of what you have and then apply as you see fit. You’ll have an opportunity to describe why you took the classes you took should you make it to interviews.</p>
<p>If your only options are online/community college vs not applying to those schools, I think what you’re weighing is whether the time, money, and effort required for those classes is worth a shot at those schools. Do you think you’ll be competitive there otherwise? If so, it really might be worth it to gamble with the prereqs at the CC. If you won’t be competitive anyway (eg Harvard’s one of the schools and you’re applying with a 3.6/30), then I’d say save the time and money and nix the schools. Sure it would be awesome to have all options open to you, but unfortunately it doesn’t always work out that way.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks kristin, that is roughly what I was thinking (although honestly I thought that it would matter less in the case of “extra” pre-reqs vs. “regular” pre-reqs, so it is good that I got that cleared up), but I just wanted some other opinions. I have some time before I need to pull the trigger on anything, but this advice will surely help.</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Non-trads have a harder route. </p>
<p>If you need an intro psych for one school and there is no possible way to take it at your home college, then you need to take it where you can. At a 4 year as a non-degree seeker would be best, online at at your home college might work also. (Check. Sometimes if you take an online class thru your home college, it doesn’t appear on your transcript with an online notation. But policies vary.) At a CC would be the last option.</p>
<p>I would still avoid like the plague any for-profit online colleges for any course, even a non science pre-req. Med schools are very suspicious of those types of schools and some (many?) med schools won’t accept credits from them as a matter of policy. </p>
<p>You really need to check the policies of those schools you’re serious about w/r/t online coursework.</p>
<p>For example, the policy at D1’s school (which is 40% non-trads) states:</p>
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</p>
<p>And like kristin says–you need to pick your battles. If the school with the odd pre-req really isn’t within the realm of possibility, then don’t stress about getting the odd pre-req done.</p>
<p>Thanks again, WoW!</p>