Advice about UC Extension vs community college classes

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rtj6365

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I just graduated from a UC, but come this September I will be starting an informal postbacc until I apply for formal postbaccs next application cycle (Jan-March 2017). For those of you who don't know what an informal postbacc is, it basically means taking classes at any university or college to help increase your GPA and/or show and upward trend in grades. Anyway, I need some advice on what my best option is for where I should complete my informal postbacc, given the situation that I am in. My choices are to stay near the university and take UC extension classes or go back home and take classes at a community college.

Here is my situation: If I stay near the UC, I would have to be working a full time job to pay for rent while taking extension classes at night (it is possible, I know others that do this). If I went home, I would most likely be working a part time job while taking classes at a community college. My main concern is that after having just graduated from a 4 year university, if postbacc programs/med schools will value UC extension classes more than community college classes. Does taking UC classes over community college classes (doing well in both) make that big of a difference to an admission committee?

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First post... wondering the same thing. Finishing undergrad in January 2017 then considering whether to pursue UC extension program or go back home to CC for pre-reqs. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
The extension courses are tougher than CC courses, but they are also a lot more money. If you're doing retakes I would just do it at a CC, since you should be getting an A the second time anyways.

I graduated from a UC but I didn't even consider taking extension courses because I was just fed up with it and wanted to get the GPA boost from grade replacement (im applying DO only)

I know this doesn't really answer your question but the money thing is important!
 
I am/was in the same situation that you are in. Graduated from Cal last year, decided to do a postbacc through UC Berkeley Extension. If I decided to stay, I would work full time and attend evening classes. If I went back home, I would go to school full time at my local CC and work part-time.

Grades alone are not enough. What that person in the admission's committee will be looking at when they/she/he are/is reviewing the application is how and where you got the grade. A person who takes all their prerequisites at a community college where the workload may be less rigorous than at a four-year university will not look nearly as impressive as that person who was able to have a full time job and be in school (even if that meant taking a class or two per semester). I do not mean to talk down on community colleges, and from the research I have done, taking a few classes at a community college will not ruin your chances of getting into medical school. If you do decide to take classes at a community college, then take the more advanced classes at the university. It will not look too sexy when you take general chemistry at a place such as UCB X and then decide to take orgo at your community college. Also, I read somewhere( I believe I read it from Berkeley's website https://career.berkeley.edu/Medical/PrepPrereq) that you should finish a sequence of classes at one school, meaning that if you're going to take chemistry at a school, then it's advisable to take all the chem courses there and not to be jumping around schools.

Grades are not everything. Even if you do decide to take all your classes at CC and end up getting a 4.0 gpa but do not do as well on the MCAT, then that will be very telling of how rigorous your classes were and might affect your chances of getting into medical school. If you read the course descriptions of a few classes at UCB X, you will find that each class is designed for students in the prehealth/premed fields.

Last piece of advise--not very related to your question--be aware that the quality of teachers at UCB X varies. Some teachers are great and set you up for success while others will try to weed you out, trying to trick you on the exams and having unrealistic expectations. Avoid Dr. Chunmei Li. Even though I have to admit that she was funny at times, was very organized in class and very prompt with grading, her exams did not reflect the assigned homework, and she lectured from powerpoints. The exams were difficult and timed, making it hard for you to finish the exam in time.
 
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