Members are discussing their experiences with taking prerequisite courses through Portage Learning, including the structure of the courses, the difficulty level, and the transferability of credits to nursing programs. Some users found the courses to be manageable and helpful, while others had concerns about the quality of education and the mismatch between study materials and exams. There is also discussion about the format of exams, the time required to complete courses, and the importance of checking with nursing schools for credit acceptance.
I am hoping to be accepted to an accelerated nursing program in either Fall 2016 or January 2017 (the nursing program has three start times per year). I have about six classes of pre-reqs that weren't able to transfer from my prior undergrad work. All but two of them can be taken through Portage learning, according to the adviser at the school who I spoke with.
However, I am apprehensive because as good as it sounds (all online! no books! cheaper than the local community college!) I have never taken an online, or even hybrid, course before. They weren't A Thing when I was in school 10 years ago. I am fairly good at keeping myself on track and can keep deadlines and things, but I'm still nervous.
If you used Portage, were you pleased with the results? How often did you get to speak with an actual instructor and would they be people you could possibly get an academic reference from?
I'm using Portage Learning right now for Anatomy & Physiology. The only minor complaint I have is that occasionally things are mis-spelled and I need to double check with Google to make sure I've got the spelling correct. Tests are dead easy as long as you pay attention to the material. I supplement with Quizlet as a way to "interact" with and supplement the material I'm learning. I'm a very self-directed learner and haven't had to contact the professor except for one question so far.... she emailed me back in less than a day with a clear and helpful answer.
I highly doubt you can use the professors as academic recommendation sources, but I have liked it so far and am having no trouble with the program.
Hi,
Did you take Anatomy and Physiology I or II? I have to complete II and have never taken an online biology class with lab. Do you have any recommendations? How many questions are exams typically and are they mostly multiple choice or short answer? How are the labs? Thanks in advance.
Did you take Anatomy and Physiology I or II? I have to complete II and have never taken an online biology class with lab. Do you have any recommendations? How many questions are exams typically and are they mostly multiple choice or short answer? How are the labs? Thanks in advance.
I took both A&P's. It was fine, as long as you are motivated to learn the material. The exams weren't bad at all, I'm pretty sure all except the final had less than 30 questions. Mostly multiple choice, some labelling and short answers asking you to think critically about the material you learned. Easy-peasy for sure though.
The labs were just videos, usually 20-45 minutes. Take good notes on them, because the lab exams are open book and you can use your notes to help answer the questions. All Portage classes I took were very easy A's.
I took both A&P's. It was fine, as long as you are motivated to learn the material. The exams weren't bad at all, I'm pretty sure all except the final had less than 30 questions. Mostly multiple choice, some labelling and short answers asking you to think critically about the material you learned. Easy-peasy for sure though.
The labs were just videos, usually 20-45 minutes. Take good notes on them, because the lab exams are open book and you can use your notes to help answer the questions. All Portage classes I took were very easy A's.
I have taken A&P and Chemistry through Portage. I did not find the A&P to be difficult (as an aside, I have take A&P before, but my school requires me to take it again because of the length of time that has passed). I got an A and enjoyed it. I did find the Chemistry to be more challenging for a few reasons. It takes a long time to enter the information into the tool. It is also difficult to read about this subject and learn through videos if you aren't naturally interested in the subject. I personally would have found it much easier to just go to a class so I could have asked questions in person and written my homework and test answers out instead of dealing with typing all sorts of long problems. It can be an issue on timed tests. That said, the professor was more than helpful if you had any problems or questions, and their is a tutor line you can call for help. My school is a private four-year university and not only accepts the courses, they recommended Portage for prerequisites.
I am wondering the same thing? I need to finish both by August and I am wondering if this is manageable? I will be taking another class and working full time.
I am going back to school for nursing at the age of 52. I just started an Anatomy at physiology course with Portage learning, the 1st module is pretty long. I'm a little nervous, anyone has any advice on how I should be studying for this course.
Should I do the module then test or module lab then test? My pre-test sucked. I plan on using a lot of Quizlet and YouTube.
So far the instructor is very boring, I need some form of examples to better understand and relate this couse work so that I can retain it while working full time and trying to live a normal life.
I have taken AP 1 and AP 2, Chemistry and Micro through Portage. They are definitely accredited and the courses transfer as I have just gotten into my number 1 choice for nursing school. If you dedicate yourself totally you can get through them quickly, and the professor are very quick (within a day if not 2 at most) to grade and answer thoroughly any questions you may have. I have found this program to be an excellent way to get my prerequisites knocked out on my own time! I cannot praise this program enough! It is the best! I also found "Crash Course" on YouTube to fill in some of those "gaps" that I needed filled in from time to time, if that is helpful to you all. The instructor is pretty boring so this "Crash Course" helped me a bit. Flashcards were also a big part of my study habits.
If you have any other questions, I would be more than happy to answer them!!
You can definitely finish the class by August if you put your mind to it. I finished each of the AP1 and AP2 classes in about 5 weeks. If you have any other questions, please let me know. I highly recommend the program for all your prerequisites. I was very impressed!
Thank you for your response and advice! I took nutrition through portage and was happy. I am relieved to hear you had a positive experience with AP1/2. I have about 14 weeks to get both of them finished so I should be ok!
marmar90
10 Posts
Hi,
Did you take Anatomy and Physiology I or II? I have to complete II and have never taken an online biology class with lab. Do you have any recommendations? How many questions are exams typically and are they mostly multiple choice or short answer? How are the labs? Thanks in advance.