Hello new here and so confused-need advice

Hi I am new on this forum and this is the first time i am posting here.
I am in a dilemma about which college to go for my online bachelors. I come from a family of doctors and i have always wanted to be one but could not die to various reasons.I know it is too late now to go to medical school and i do not even have a bachelors to start with.
I was interested in becoming a medical aesthetician and to own my own medical spa someday.I am planning to start an esthetician's program soon as that is the basic first step.I am still not sure about this career option and i everyday think about new choices.I know the other important thing for me is to get a bachelors as soon as i can.I am confused about which college to go to and whether i should get my bachelors in a field that i want to pursue or get the quickest one so that i can have a bachelors at least for further education.
When i think about owning a medical spa,i also dabble with the idea of becoming a naturopath or nutritionist as i feel these 2 go hand in hand.
I was looking at Clayton College of Natural Health for this but have read some really bad reviews about their legitamacy.
As you can see i am confused as hell and would love some advice on where i should begin.
The main objective for me is that i want to start and finish my degree soon.
Excelsior college i know is a good option but then again i am confused.

 

Excelsior College is a good choice along with Thomas Edison and Charter Oak. I'd look at the admission requirements for the graduate programs you would like to attend and choose an appropriate program, which will likely be available at one of the three schools.

Here is a better way to go, in my opinion. BEFORE enrolling in any program take a few classes from LSU---only $229 per class---see what your talents and interests and then choose a program that meets your needs. The classes will transfer to about any college and you will not have committed yourself to a particular program or school. Very often students will enter college with one set of goals and choose a different path once they begin taking classes. This is especially so with the children of professional who would like to follow the path of their parents when they enter but change their minds along the way. I met one student who felt certain she had always wanted to be a physician until she took an art appreciation course and ended up with a fine arts degree in photography.

 

Adoncia,

I like what the first respondent said - take a course locally. Maybe, like me, you can start with a local community college Biology 100 level course with laboratory which will give you some down-to-earth college credits that will always help you out, and every single college wants a science course with a laboratory, usually a 4 credit course. This could be fun as a way to learn about the science, in any case. Then you can transfer a real, live credit from a school. Even the wise ones here wonder about how to do a "lab" course online. The basics can be done at a local, state-funded community college.

Best of luck, don't be in such a huge hurry! (Speaking as one who knows how that feels!)

 

Adoncia,

If you have already done the coursework I have suggested above, please excuse me - make that a "200 level" course in biology/science!

I'm a 54 year-old "junior" in college again and am still signing up for 200, 300 level courses. The basic idea I was trying to say, in agreement with the previous suggestion you received, is to get some "classroom time" in laboratory work - which can always be used to transfer credits. (I was pleasantly surprised to find that every school to which I've sent my thirty-year-old transcripts, has accepted my biology, genetics and chemistry with laboratory classes from 1970! These are generally "foundation" courses for the degree you want. That is why I suggested the inexpensive way to start the process. )

Best of luck to you!

 

Don't even CONSIDER Clayton. It is an unaccredited school with a substandard curriculum that is spending bazillions of dollars lobbying to prevent states from properly regulating naturopathic and holistic physicians to prevent people from being hurt or killed by them, as is happening all too frequently.

Clayton has a long history of claiming bogus accreditation from various fake accreditors, and is owned by the same sleazebag that runs Chadwick U and the now-slightly-more-respectable ACCIS (which was wrongly granted DETC accreditation in violation of DETC's own written policies.)

If you're looking for quality holistic medical education, the only options in the US right now are the residential naturopathic schools. Of those, Bastyr and National are the two most well known.

 

Thanks for the advice.
Anthonym I searched for LSU,is that the Louisiana State University? I cannot find anything related to distance leaning here on their site. I am seriously considering Excelsior amongst the big 3. Their BS in liberal arts covers general science subjects so maybe that will be helpful to me if want to take up a health care field later on.
What do you think?
Longwaytogo,I like the idea of attending community college for some credits with practicals.are they expensive? I have taken the Clep English and Clep Natural Sciences exam already,so i can enroll for some other subject maybe Math or Humanities.
Chip,thanks for warning me about Clayton.After reading so many articles that mentioned how they have been cheating people,i had guessed this college is a fraud one.
Thanks all and waiting for more replies.
Adoncia

 

Hi Adoncia,

Here's Independent Studies Site for LSU (yep, it's Louisiana State U):

http://www.is.lsu.edu/

From there just click on 'college level' to find course listings and other information.


Kit

 

Excellent advice. Please, heed it.

 

Adoncia,

I would recommend that you reflect on what really interests you and pursue that. If you desire to be an Esthetician someday, then go for it. If you manage your time properly, you could probably attend Esthetician school and take a couple of colleges courses online at the same time.

I second Anthonym's suggestion regarding LSU courses. The school is regionally accredited and at $229/course, you can't beat the price. With regional accreditation there is a good chance that courses taken at LSU will transfer to another school. Plus, with correspondence courses, you move at your own pace (as fast or as slow as that may be).

Also, if it turns out that you enjoy the courses at LSU, you could also finish an entire degree at LSU, via correspondence courses:

http://www.is.lsu.edu/uidegreeop.asp?nid=105

I would check with your local community college regarding pricing and availability/selection of their Science courses. If you decide to pursue a career in health care, you will definitely need some Science courses with labs. I would recommend taking an intro Biology course (if you haven't already) and then follow that up with a General Biology course with Lab.

BTW, if you decide to pursue a career as a Nutrionist, Kansas State Univ. offers an online Dietetics program, leading to Bachelors in Dietetics.

http://www.dce.ksu.edu/dietetics/

Good Luck!

- Tom

 

Now, Really?

Adoncia: 27 years old and you're too old for med school? Hmm. Hypothetically speaking, if any "old geezers" were actually interested, an older edition of Bears' Guide pointed out that Miami of Florida is pretty good about accepting even the over 40 crowd into their med school. Makes a good excuse for a good four year working vacation at Suntan U, don't you think?

 

Re: Now, Really?

Hi - What Ted said. 27 is definitely not too old to go to Med School. Of course, you will need to get your Bachelor's first, but don't despair. If that's what you want to do, then go for it. Remember, Medical Schools do not require that you major in a hard Science (e.g. Biology or Chemistry). You will need to have a number of Science courses (w/ labs) under your belt. One option, would be to take a Bachelor's degree online in something that interests you, and then take a year of Post-Undergrad courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc.. at a local University. There are many programs designed specifically for this purpose. Often people decide that they want to enter Med School (or Vet school, or Dental school) and they need to complete the Science pre-requisites.

Good luck!

- Tom

 

Thanks for the link Kit.
Tom,thanks,i think i love the dietetics program at KSU.I am going to call them tommorow to find out more.Do you know how long that would take to complete...meaning is it self paced or quarterly?
Ted,yes you are right, 27 is still not old for college, but then i do not even have a bachelors.To begin,I'll have to go get that first,then take the national exam then if i get into college add another 6 yrs...meaning total easily 10 yrs.I don't know if that would be wise.Moreover the tuition is so high for medical program...

 

Hey Tom,you and I posted at the same time.Actually what Ted said has had me thinking.Maybe i should not give up on my original dream completely...and if along the way i decide that i am interested in something else then that would be easier.
I think i will follow this,and take some courses at the community college nearby.
At the same time that will prepare me for the prerequisites for KSU program.
I want to start taking some Clep exams also.If the KSU does not suit me then there is always Excelsior.
Does anyone know the Degree Plan for BS IN Liberal Arts from Excelsior.The Bain4weeks site has the degree plan for BS in General Business but not Liberal Arts.If anyone here has done it then maybe they can help.That way i can start taking the exams and enroll later.
You all are so helpful,I am glad to have found this forum.

 

Adoncia, maybe you should consider a medical school in Mexico or the Caribean. You dont need a previous Bachelor to get in and you can finish between 4 (at UNIBE, Dominican Repulic) and 6 years. They are also a lot cheaper than most schools at the U.S.

 

Hi Miguel,thanks for replying.I wish i could do that but it's not possible for me as i am married and my husband is here in USA on work visa which means i am on dependent visa.He cannot relocate and i would'nt want to live away for 4-5 years.