PORTAGE LEARNING

Published

Hi, I wanted to create an updated thread for PORTAGE LEARNING as most are somewhat old, or sporifice-ish. Here can you please answer:

What classes you took?

How easy or hard were the courses?

Are you currently taking courses?

Are the exams proctored/webcam proctored/ or just web page locked by the software they use?

I' am currently in their Nutrition course and plan on taking the rest of my pre reqs there as the program I want to go to accepts them (they are regionally accredited).

PLEASE SHARE =]

I was planning to take patho online with them, has anyone took this course?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

They didn't have pathology until after I asked for it so I took it somewhere else. I wish that I had taken it there because I love their simply module concept. I would say GO FOR IT. The place that I took it was doing the most. It was waaay too much homework. I felt as if I was getting a master's degree.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
On 4/1/2020 at 3:35 PM, Jeff G said:

I teach online introductory Chemistry and general Chemistry at a community college so I have a unique perspective about Portage/Geneva College. Here are a few things one should be aware of.

Portage (like similar institutions) uses adjunct faculty members and not full-time faculty to teach their courses. They do this primarily to increase their "profits". The result is that you may not get quality feedback or help. For example, do not be surprised if you email your instructor and you do not get a response.

The Chemistry courses at Portage do not have an adequate lab component. The Portage Chemistry courses' lab component consists of some watching some videos and taking a test. This lack of a lab component can be a "red flag" as far as transferability goes. When I was designing my online Chemistry and physics courses, I became acutely aware of this issue. My courses do not have this transferability issue since I utilize a lab kit in which the students can do basic experiments safely at home.

***Update***

I started my BSN at South College 2 days ago (with all of my Portage classes). I got in with no problem. I graduate September 2021!

5
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Math.

How many is too many courses to take together at Portage? I am looking at A&P1, Engl Composition 1 & *maybe* Intro to Sociology. Too much with 3?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
5 hours ago, CSesh said:

How many is too many courses to take together at Portage? I am looking at A&P1, Engl Composition 1 & *maybe* Intro to Sociology. Too much with 3?

My understanding is they are self paced.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Chemistry/Physics Teacher at a community college..
49 minutes ago, anewmanx said:

My understanding is they are self paced.

The issue with self-paced courses is that you cannot use federal financial aid with them. So, you have to pay out of pocket. One needs to consider this aspect too.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hello all,

I am just starting my pre nursing journey and am halfway though my developmental pysch course on portage. I figured I wanted to start with an easier course to get an idea of how portage was structured... anyways I had planned on taking the lab courses in person but now due to schools being online I am considering doing all of the pre reqs with portage. There are alot of comments here asking if their choice of school would accept online labs etc. I think now would be the perfect time to take advantage of taking them being that all nursing students have transferred online due to covid. The school I am planning to apply to make it a point to say that online labs would now be considered. Just something to think about

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Chemistry/Physics Teacher at a community college..
3 hours ago, Ashley Symone said:

Hello all,

I am just starting my pre nursing journey and am halfway though my developmental pysch course on portage. I figured I wanted to start with an easier course to get an idea of how portage was structured... anyways I had planned on taking the lab courses in person but now due to schools being online I am considering doing all of the pre reqs with portage. There are alot of comments here asking if their choice of school would accept online labs etc. I think now would be the perfect time to take advantage of taking them being that all nursing students have transferred online due to covid. The school I am planning to apply to make it a point to say that online labs would now be considered. Just something to think about

Online courses and their associated labs are the best option given the current circumstances of COVID-19. Remember that everyone in your cohort is in the same situation. Professional schools (nursing, med, dental, pharm, etc.) will definitely make the exception to accept online courses and online labs as otherwise they will "shoot themselves in the foot", so to speak, and lose a lot students and their tuition $$.

There are actually three major types of online labs that are utilized. (I want to point this out since most people are not aware of how the labs work in an online/distance learning class.) If you are interested, I would be happy to explain as I use these types in my online Chemistry and physics courses at North Central Missouri College.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
22 hours ago, CSesh said:

How many is too many courses to take together at Portage? I am looking at A&P1, Engl Composition 1 & *maybe* Intro to Sociology. Too much with 3?

1 is too many unless you have a guarantee they'll be accepted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
3 hours ago, Ashley Symone said:

Hello all,

I am just starting my pre nursing journey and am halfway though my developmental pysch course on portage. I figured I wanted to start with an easier course to get an idea of how portage was structured... anyways I had planned on taking the lab courses in person but now due to schools being online I am considering doing all of the pre reqs with portage. There are alot of comments here asking if their choice of school would accept online labs etc. I think now would be the perfect time to take advantage of taking them being that all nursing students have transferred online due to covid. The school I am planning to apply to make it a point to say that online labs would now be considered. Just something to think about

I don't think it is that simple. My school offers their own "on-line" lab sciences and still gave grief over portage. To be clear, the transcript says Portage on it enough to let them know "this transcript is a little different". Just because everything is online now, doesn't mean you just sign up at portage without some guarantees.

Unless you have a time crunch, I would recommend a regular school. The structure and the deadlines will better prepare you. You CAN learn this material from Portage if you put the effort in. I even think the Portage classes are harder if you do them properly (which you should if you want to have another person's life in your hands). The portage labs are damn hard, or at least A&P 1 was. Tests are fill in the blank in your own words vs. multiple choice at my brick and mortar school (also online). It took me almost 7 months to do 1 class at Portage, primarily because I had other classes, work, and was trying to do it the correct way. Anybody that says they did it in 30 days or less and got an A, straight up cheated. You can't convince me otherwise.

2 minutes ago, jlmcgrot said:

I don't think it is that simple. My school offers their own "on-line" lab sciences and still gave grief over portage. To be clear, the transcript says Portage on it enough to let them know "this transcript is a little different". Just because everything is online now, doesn't mean you just sign up at portage without some guarantees.

Unless you have a time crunch, I would recommend a regular school. The structure and the deadlines will better prepare you. You CAN learn this material from Portage if you put the effort in. I even think the Portage classes are harder if you do them properly (which you should if you want to have another person's life in your hands). The portage labs are damn hard, or at least A&P 1 was. Tests are fill in the blank in your own words vs. multiple choice at my brick and mortar school (also online). It took me almost 7 months to do 1 class at Portage, primarily because I had other classes, work, and was trying to do it the correct way. Anybody that says they did it in 30 days or less and got an A, straight up cheated. You can't convince me otherwise.

Adding - Most schools haven't accepted classes from Geneva / Portage, so it's not a simple as them just looking it up in their equivalency system to add the course for you. They'll have to research it. Make sure you know 100% they'll take it. I mentioned before, I had approvals first and STILL had to fight to get it accepted. If you're going to a for-profit type like Chamberlain, Herzing, South College, Keiser (not that you can't become a good nurse there), I think they accept them fairly easily.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Chemistry/Physics Teacher at a community college..

You will need to send your school the Portage syllabus in order for the course to be considered an equivalent. (It may take some time for this process to happen.) I have to send my syllabi to other schools to show that my online Chemistry and physics courses are equivalent to an on-ground course.

As far as transcripts go, at the school I teach at there is no distinction made between an on-ground course and an online course. Both show up the same on transcripts.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
53 minutes ago, Jeff G said:

You will need to send your school the Portage syllabus in order for the course to be considered an equivalent. (It may take some time for this process to happen.) I have to send my syllabi to other schools to show that my online Chemistry and physics courses are equivalent to an on-ground course.

As far as transcripts go, at the school I teach at there is no distinction made between an on-ground course and an online course. Both show up the same on transcripts.

I did this, had approved, and still had push-back. I eventually got it thru because I still had the email stating they would accept it. I'm just saying things happen. People really try to push this as Geneva, but the transcript does have portage on it. That's what leads to questions, especially if there has been turnover in the registrar's office.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion