Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are making it
easier for high school students to explore the choices offered in college
before they ever apply.
According to a report from U.S. News & World Report, MOOCs allows high school students to gauge
their interest in potential majors and gain exposure to courses and instruction
at the college level.
Taking a MOOC can also provide the extracurricular
activities college admissions officers like to see. Experts say students should
list MOOCs they’ve completed on admissions applications, or at least mention
they’ve taken the classes in the “additional information” section of the
application.
“They’re
really one of many activities that students can do to enrich their learning,
and that’s really how we look at them,” said Stu Schmill, dean of admissions
and student financial services, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge.