10-03-2019, 09:45 AM
In response to the last few questions
1. A science with a lab is required. In my case, I used Straighterline's Microbiology w/ lab. They don't provide the lab kit. You have to go to a third party supplier and order it from them, but all the worksheets/instructions/grading is through Straighterline. As I recall, I had to do a DNA extraction (mixing up a couple things in a test tube), build simple models. get some Jell-O and items of my choice to represent parts of a cell and build two cell models (one plant one animal), several drawings of cell stages, chloroform extraction with chemical strips (one I'm certain was "stale" or faulty and I noted that in my turn-in paper as to why it didn't seem to give the expected results. They didn't penalize me.), a lot of sorting beads to work out the probability of genetics and one or two other things. I personally hated microbiology. I chose it because it had the cheapest lab out of the Straighterline options. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pick a different science. Your preference may vary.
2. I took most of my classes BEFORE enrolling in COSC. But not all. There were several I completed while also doing the two semesters of COSC's in-house cornerstone/capstone. They allow you to continuously transfer in courses while you're enrolled. If there's a required slot you're missing, your student advisor will point it out and ask if there's a class on Study.com or Straighterline you want to take to fill it. There is a deadline ahead of graduation after which you cannot transfer anything in. So you couldn't, say transfer in a class 4 days before you graduate. I think it's common sense they need time to process anything you transfer, but not everyone has common sense.
3. You're only required to take one 3 credit cornerstone and one 3 credit capstone. They can't be in the same semester. You have to complete the cornerstone before you are allowed to take the capstone. The cornerstone is a very simple "gatekeeper" course. I would describe it as "how to college." They teach you how to write a research paper. So two semesters at COSC at one class each and you can transfer in literally everything else.
1. A science with a lab is required. In my case, I used Straighterline's Microbiology w/ lab. They don't provide the lab kit. You have to go to a third party supplier and order it from them, but all the worksheets/instructions/grading is through Straighterline. As I recall, I had to do a DNA extraction (mixing up a couple things in a test tube), build simple models. get some Jell-O and items of my choice to represent parts of a cell and build two cell models (one plant one animal), several drawings of cell stages, chloroform extraction with chemical strips (one I'm certain was "stale" or faulty and I noted that in my turn-in paper as to why it didn't seem to give the expected results. They didn't penalize me.), a lot of sorting beads to work out the probability of genetics and one or two other things. I personally hated microbiology. I chose it because it had the cheapest lab out of the Straighterline options. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pick a different science. Your preference may vary.
2. I took most of my classes BEFORE enrolling in COSC. But not all. There were several I completed while also doing the two semesters of COSC's in-house cornerstone/capstone. They allow you to continuously transfer in courses while you're enrolled. If there's a required slot you're missing, your student advisor will point it out and ask if there's a class on Study.com or Straighterline you want to take to fill it. There is a deadline ahead of graduation after which you cannot transfer anything in. So you couldn't, say transfer in a class 4 days before you graduate. I think it's common sense they need time to process anything you transfer, but not everyone has common sense.
3. You're only required to take one 3 credit cornerstone and one 3 credit capstone. They can't be in the same semester. You have to complete the cornerstone before you are allowed to take the capstone. The cornerstone is a very simple "gatekeeper" course. I would describe it as "how to college." They teach you how to write a research paper. So two semesters at COSC at one class each and you can transfer in literally everything else.