Have a chance to take an Advanced EMT class.  I'm in Indiana and just got Certified as a NREMT last summer.  Tell me if becoming an AEMT would be beneficial and what I can expect.  Would really like to become a Paramedic someday, but it may be above my education level to take.

Any insight or advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

NRAEMT in Ohio here. I took the Advanced class because it was paid for by my department and it was a great stepping stone for me. I've always planned to get my medic and probably will at some point, but for now Advanced gives me the ability to further patient care. With that said, it is ALOT harder than my basic was because of being so fast paced. Not to scare you away from it because I think it would be a good stepping stone for you as well, just a warning that it is more than I expected. As far as taking it vs going to get your medic now that is going to be your call. I wish I would have just went straight to Paramedic, but I do feel that becoming an advanced has helped me gain experience that will make going through medic school slightly easier.

What do you want to do when you grow up?
Any education in a field you enjoy will make you a better, more valuable employee, plus your skill set travels with you if you change employment. Don't short change yourself on the medic training, take advantage of the advanced class, get some field experience, then as your confidence level increases look to a medic class. Your advanced skill set will make it easier (not easy), if you go this route.
Good luck!

I can't speak for the east coast but out west here no body will touch you for employment unless you are at least an A under the new NR guidelines.

A wasn't much for me as I was already an I-85 when I had to take it. I wasnt that bad when I went through it. Paramedic was a nut buster, here at least. I went to the much more demanding school of the 2 here. Patho nearly washed me out but I got through it. YMMV but do not go basic to medic. You will regret it.

So, do you want to EMS for a living? If you want to be a Paramedic, it isn't a part time endeavor. It takes a full time commitment and a lot of extra training and education. Advanced can include a lot, and can mean a lot of different things allowed by your service.
I can't tell you if going from Basic to Paramedic is good, bad or otherwise. I would say it is fine. HOWEVER, it takes a strong basic to become a decent Medic. You will pay your dues one way or the other. Pay them with a knowledgeable partner who can and will guide you in the right direction. It takes more than classroom and a few ride outs to learn the minor and subtle things that the better folks pick up on, and how to address them.
Not a lot of advice, but some things to ponder that may help in the process.
Good Luck

I would wait awhile to see if it is for you.

I got my NREMT Basic certfication in 2009 and by 2011 I was done with it and gave up my license.  I was just part time but the training and classes just took too much from my real job.  If I actually enjoyed it that would have helped but I didn't enjoy it at all.

In the end it wound up being a lot of wasted time, money, and stress for me for basically nothing.  I am glad that people enjoy it and make it their career but I am not one of them.

It's a waste of time in oregon.  Unless you are a vol dept member.

Better to just go all the way and get your medic if you are planning on getting a job with a fd.  

There are only a handful of departments that do not transport.

EMS sucks.

You better love what you are doing. Mad props to people that do it.

I hated it. Glad I have training though.

I've been an AEMT for about a year. Biggest difference between me and a medic is cardiology and some meds.

If you're goi going to w ork for a no transport fd and can work at that level your incoming ALS will treat you like a god if you get them a line and stare als care before they get there. I work for a transporting agency and I can tell you medics would rather work with me over a basic. My pay price s half way between basic and medic wages so it's fair enough suppose.

I'm couldn't fit medic class and to my schedule so I did AEMT. I don't regret it.

I just finished up NREMT Basic last December and was thinking about taking the Advance course, But two things kept me from taking it,

1. I just finished and I'm really new to the EMS world, So I wanna get better and fine tune my skills (still a long way to go )

2. the area where I live in PA doesn't have any NRAEMT classes yet due to PA being new with the NREMT stuff, Also no one around me has any training other then EMT or Medic.

I would suggest to wait a couple of years to get the basics down before you take on more responsibility, I myself just got a job at a local hospital as a PCA which is kinda like an EMT, that way I can practice my people skills as well as working on my basics.

I follow the old philosophy:
Crawl before you walk, Walk before you Run

I will probably end up some point taking a AEMT class but that won't for a long time

A whole lot more than that. I used to think the same thing, until I did medic.

I strongly suggest an anatomy and biology course before medic school, the pathophysiology will bury you otherwise.