Take Microbiology and Genetics at comm. college or four year school?

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Should I take Microbiology and Genetics at comm. college or four year school?
I'd rather take it at the comm. college, but I am not sure if adcoms will like that....

I am pretty much done with lower level classes except since I am changing my major and these are lower level classes that are required for me to obtain the degree I am working towards

The community college is closer to where I live and who knows maybe I can better grade taking the classes there...?

If I take it at the four year school I have to bear with commuting..

I want to see if I can take these classes at a community college (one each semester )
while concurrently working towards completing my degree at a university campus near where I live. There is a main campus which is farther away and they have like a smaller campus near where I live.

I think it's usually better to do the 4-year school, but you have to evaluate it for yourself. Commuting/time/money should be your motivation to take it at a community college, not to take an easier class. Will medical schools offer easier versions of gross anatomy at their local community college?

Originally Posted by yellowbird12

The community college is closer to where I live and who knows maybe I can better grade taking the classes there...?

If you think you will learn the material well at the community college I think it would be fine. However, if you only want to take it for the easy A and won't put effort to it don't do it. I just finished genetics today at my 4 year university and it was a complete joke in the summer (I didn't know this going in). I made a 95 average in the class but learned nothing because the teacher didn't make you learn anything. I will now probably spend the rest of the summer reading the book and trying to learn because it is something I will have to know for future classes and, from what I have heard, the MCAT.

Originally Posted by NewYorker9

I think it's usually better to do the 4-year school, but you have to evaluate it for yourself. Commuting/time/money should be your motivation to take it at a community college, not to take an easier class. Will medical schools offer easier versions of gross anatomy at their local community college?

Community college doesn't necessarily mean that the class will be easier. But the class size will go down dramatically. Just go to the CC, get great grades/high MCAT and you should be fine.

I would take Micro at the CC, and genetics at the four-year. Entry level Micro is generally always lower division (200's and lower) but genetics is often 300 level course and not available at CC, and four-year schools will only accept lower division credits from a CC. So the four-year will probably not accept the lower division genetics for the genetics credit.

Am I making sense? I'm not sure if I'm making sense to me. :P

But if both classes are truly 200-level classes, than I wouldn't worry about it.

Originally Posted by NewYorker9

I think it's usually better to do the 4-year school, but you have to evaluate it for yourself. Commuting/time/money should be your motivation to take it at a community college, not to take an easier class. Will medical schools offer easier versions of gross anatomy at their local community college?

This is it. The class material may not be easier, but you won't have to compete with students of your caliber (which is why community college credits aren't favored in medical school admissions). Your motivations should be practical, not academic. If you will face significant hardship by attending the four year institution, by all means, take the courses at the community college. If not, find a good radio station for the commute.

4-year

Originally Posted by FutureDoctor06

Community college doesn't necessarily mean that the class will be easier. But the class size will go down dramatically. Just go to the CC, get great grades/high MCAT and you should be fine.

I would bet my medical school acceptance that 98% of classes at a CC are easier than their 4-year counterparts.


They aren't going to give the same tests and fail 40% of their class. It will be easier/greater curve/etc. I would love to see the ACS chemistry final averages for 4 year vs CC. We live in a society that blames the teachers for poor student performance. Thus, teachers will alter the difficulty of the course so that the class average is at a certain point.

....

both classes are 200 level classes where I am

Originally Posted by Xenops

I would take Micro at the CC, and genetics at the four-year. Entry level Micro is generally always lower division (200's and lower) but genetics is often 300 level course and not available at CC, and four-year schools will only accept lower division credits from a CC. So the four-year will probably not accept the lower division genetics for the genetics credit.

Am I making sense? I'm not sure if I'm making sense to me. :P

But if both classes are truly 200-level classes, than I wouldn't worry about it.

yeah both classes are 200 level classes where I am

Originally Posted by yellowbird12

Should I take Microbiology and Genetics at comm. college or four year school?
I'd rather take it at the comm. college, but I am not sure if adcoms will like that....

I am pretty much done with lower level classes except since I am changing my major and these are lower level classes that are required for me to obtain the degree I am working towards

The community college is closer to where I live and who knows maybe I can better grade taking the classes there...?

If I take it at the four year school I have to bear with commuting..

I want to see if I can take these classes at a community college (one each semester )
while concurrently working towards completing my degree at a university campus near where I live. There is a main campus which is farther away and they have like a smaller campus near where I live.

is the commute over 30 min? an hour?
i don't think taking any science class over freshman level is looked favorably upon by admin committees.
Even our pre-med committee at my university pitches a fit over classes taken at a CC above gen bio.
I would say just be prepared to answer questions about why you chose the CC over university because there's a high chance you'll be asked about it.
I personally wouldn't but I lived 30 min from my university so I never had to deal with the dilemma of a long commute.