Schools Questions about edX (opencourseware) on college resume?

[Ascendant78]

This coming semester, the only courses I have left to finish my AA are Calc III, Physics II, and ODE. So, I figured I would take some additional opencourseware since I will have the spare time. On that note, I was hoping some of you might give me insight into some questions I had regarding opencourseware from edX that awards you certifications on completion:

1. Is it worth earning the certifications on edX or just audit at your own pace? Do colleges really consider those types of "badges" to have any accreditation at all?

2. Tying into question 1, is it worth putting completed opencourseware on your college resume for grad schools? If so, should it only be ones you can back up with certifications? For example, I took MIT's physics 8.01 in conjunction with my college's course to complement it, but only audited it (no cert.). Should things like that be added to the resume?

3. I know for physics majors, grad schools like to see linear algebra, which is one of the courses I plan to take on edX soon. Would that be acceptable as having learned it, or should I have the course on my college transcript?

Anyway, I know regardless of what grad schools think of it, the OCW is a great addition to my education. It's always great seeing courses from another perspective where there are different focuses. The MIT OCW is also far more comprehensive than my college's courses. I'm just wondering what would be the best way to display that additional education to grad schools?

 

[Sentin3l]

1) No. Colleges in general don't consider them valid.
2) No. Courses that you took at your university are all you need for your transcript.
3) Have it on your transcript (actually take it at your university). Like #1 said, colleges don't consider online courses very reliable.

OCW is a great supplement to your education, don't let it replace it. While it's great in concept, it is not the same as actually taking a course on the material.

 

[Ascendant78]

Well at this point since I'm going to a state college, OCW can't do anything but help, lol. I mean some of my professors are great, but it's still hard to compete with the MIT courses. Besides, since I have no problems getting all the material down from my courses, I figure I might as well learn as much extra as possible. But I hear what you are saying as far as not letting it replace it, that's why I am using it to complement it.

I was just hoping for some way to express my self-motivation and additional education on my resume somehow for grad schools. Though my BS will be through a university, I want to make sure they are aware that I optimized my education as much as possible even while in a state college.

I also hear what you are saying about linear algebra. I was a bit concerned about not having it on my resume myself. The reason I was hoping to just do the edX course though is I figured it would open those credit hours for other courses I could take.