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Doing undergrad program with Athabasca University

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Notepad Newbie

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Hi, has anyone here have done their undergrad program with Athabasca ? Do medical schools consider full-time programs completed by distance education ? Please comment.

 

(Note: The program is Human Biology, and there are lab components in science courses, basically you have to travel to Athabasca and do the lab work on-site, in like 1 week or less, but it's really intense. Also, the courses are relatively on the same difficulty level as on-campus courses). The reason I'm doing my program with Ath U, is I'm full-time at work and I have my son going to school (my mom lives with us), and i'm doing weekend volunteering. I won't quit my full-time job until I get in to medschool.

 

Please comment, is anyone on the same boat (or close) ?

Thanks much.

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Hi, has anyone here have done their undergrad program with Athabasca ? Do medical schools consider full-time programs completed by distance education ? Please comment.

 

(Note: The program is Human Biology, and there are lab components in science courses, basically you have to travel to Athabasca and do the lab work on-site, in like 1 week or less, but it's really intense. Also, the courses are relatively on the same difficulty level as on-campus courses). The reason I'm doing my program with Ath U, is I'm full-time at work and I have my son going to school (my mom lives with us), and i'm doing weekend volunteering. I won't quit my full-time job until I get in to medschool.

 

Please comment, is anyone on the same boat (or close) ?

Thanks much.

 

The program is a B.Sc. Degree but not Honours, I forgot to add that to my question. I already had my Honours degree though (before I had a son).

 

So, do you think doing my 2nd undergrad degree in General B.Sc. (non-honours) by distance education acceptable to medical schools. Please comment. If they only take into account my 2nd degree in GPA calculation cut-offs, what happens to prereq courses that were part of the 1st degree ? Thanks again.

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Darla Newbie

Darla

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If they only take into account my 2nd degree in GPA calculation cut-offs, what happens to prereq courses that were part of the 1st degree ? Thanks again.

 

This depends on the school. McGill has an "expiry date" on their pre reqs but Ottawa & Western doesn't. It's worth emailing the schools to ensure that things are still the same.

 

I have 2 degrees. My grades will be considered using whatever applicable formula the school uses. My prereqs just get checked off as completed (if the school doesn't have a time requirement).

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Notepad Newbie

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why aren't you using your honor's degree to get into meds? That would be much easier...

 

Of four years (including summers), only two years are full-time, and only one barely meets the cutoff. I now have to do a 2nd undergrad (with full-time courses), but I need to do very well on both (to maximize my chances), but since I need to work full-time, it will have to be done by distance education --- so I can work, take care of my kid, and do the weekend volunteering. What I'm not sure of though is how adcom will view the program (if unfavourable or just the same like everyone else's): The 2nd undergrad is not Honours, AND it is by Distance Education.

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Jochi1543 Newbie

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Just a side note - I was less than thrilled with my Athabasca experience. I took Organic chem there and physics and withdrew from all of them. The orgo tutor was useless (how much orgo can you explain over the phone?) and also went on like a 3-week vacation during which time we were not given another tutor as a replacement. As far as physics, I was supposed to get a lab kit in the mail and complete the labs at home, but when I called the library about a month into my study period to ask to borrow one, they said I had to wait 2 months! Which meant the kit would arrive like 2 weeks before the end of my study period and I'd have to do like 10 labs in 10 days.

 

Anyway, I withdrew from all their courses, and now I'm attending a regular university part-time. I couldn't get my head around Athabasca orgo, but now I'm one of the best students in my orgo class (if not the best, period). Having a helpful prof and avalaible tutoring (face-to-face, not over the phone) made all the difference.:rolleyes:

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Monalisa Newbie

Monalisa

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Im sooo glad I found this thread..bc I have the same question..if med schools favor normal schools over distance education. I am in a similar situation with the whole "have to work" thing. So far it seems that doing degree online isn't the best way to go.:( anybody here who actually finished their degree online and got into med school? or know of anyone who did..

This is a road that is less travelled for sure:cool:

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Jochi1543 Newbie

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has anyone taken biochem through athabasca? i guess there are no lab components, eh?

 

Yeah, there's no lab there for that class. However, at a lot of brick-and-mortar schools there also isn't a lab required for intro to biochem - it's usually a separate course that only majors or aspiring grad students must take.

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