u/Just_Be_Happy08

I’m planning to commute instead of live on campus since I live really close to 5 of my top schools. I’m pre-PA/pre-health, so I know GPA matters a ton. Part of me wants to take as many classes online as possible, but another part of me is worried I’d be making a mistake if I took too much online, especially for important science classes like chemistry (which I don’t think i'd be allowed to take online tbh). I've also been homeschooled for the last 4 years so doing a lot of classes online for college is kind of depressing to think about lol.

Like, I can’t tell if taking online classes is just being practical… or if I’m sabotaging my education/social life before I even start.

If I do end up taking multiple online classes, which ones should they even be? Easier gen eds online and harder classes in person? Or should I mix them so I can still be on campus without needing to be there 5 days a week?

Does that sound reasonable for commuting pre-health students? Or did anyone regret taking too many online classes?

This is gonna be a long one yall 😩. *TLDR at the end*

Ok so, I'm trying to decide between Old Dominion, Virginia Commonwealth, Norfolk State, Virginia State, and Hampton Uni. for pre-med, but specifically pre-PA.

I’m a homeschooled, VERY non-traditional student and I’ll be commuting, not living on campus (non-negotiable personal choice lol). I also plan to take as many classes online as possible and only go in person for the classes I absolutely have to (bio labs, chem labs, orgo, etc.).

I reallyyyy wanna go to an HBCU, even though I'm not interested in getting the full “live on campus” experience. So Hampton, NSU, and VSU are all really appealing to me for that reason. At the same time, I’m also trying to be strategic about GPA, PA school prep, and clinical opportunities.

Part of why I’m debating between a PWI and HBCUs is because im not sure if the HBCUs in my area have the strong reputations in pre-health academics....there are so many mixed opinions online. I know the things that matter most for PA school admissions are GPA + clinical/patient care hours though.. So maybe in the end the school i pick wouldn't even matter as long as i keep my grades up and get enough clinical experience??.

ODU and VCU seem stronger medically/reputation-wise but y'all, I went to PW schools my whole life up until I got pulled out.... its time for a change of scenery bby  😭. Also, VCU woild probably the most stressful commute-wise since it’s about 1 hr 15 mins away from me.

From what I’ve seen online, I honestly like the campus life/vibes at NSU and VCU the most, but ODU is definitely up there too.

Hampton is closest to me (literally 10 minutes) but is the most expensive option since it’s private. ( I think its important to add that I’d likely get a full ride based on my stats). NSU and VSU are definitely more affordable too.

For anyone who went to any one of these HBCUs for pre-med/pre-PA:

• How was your GPA?
• How hard was it to maintain your GPA?
• How was the pre-med advising/support?
• Was getting clinical experience difficult?
• Which school do you think will give the best balance between opportunity and sanity?

I know this post was a lil all over the place but I got a lot on my mind right now...any advice is appreciated!!

Would especially love advice from commuters, online-heavy students, transfers, or anyone who got into PA/MED school from one of these schools.

TLDR; Trying to choose between ODU, VCU, NSU, VSU, and Hampton for pre-PA.

Commuting + mostly online classes, only in-person for labs (bio/chem/orgo).

Want HBCU culture (NSU/VSU/Hampton), but also thinking GPA, clinical hours, and PA school prep.

I’m currently a homeschooled rising senior on a very non-traditional timeline. My graduating class is technically the Class of ’26, but obviously I haven’t graduated yet lol. I’ve been stuck in an accredited program called Abeka for the last 4 years. The program lets you accelerate as fast as you want, but it has this weird rule where you can only receive your diploma at least 6 months after purchasing enrollment.

So even if I finished their program in 2 months, which is honestly very realistic for me, I still wouldn’t receive my diploma until November. That normally wouldn’t be a problem, except I want to attend college for the Spring 2027 semester. The application deadline for the school I want to attend is November 15, so I’m trying to have everything finished before then.

From what I understand, Penn Foster gives you your diploma once you complete all your classes, finish your remaining balance, and they process your work.

I took a couple months off after finishing 11th grade because my mental health honestly wasn’t in a good place. I’m doing a lot better now and should be starting again sometime this June (fingers crossed). I’m planning to transfer the maximum amount of credits possible (15, right?), so I should only have around 5–6 credits left to complete with Penn Foster before I’m eligible to graduate.

My only question is: how realistic is it for me to finish in 2–3 months? Has anyone here been able to finish that fast without their account getting flagged?