Community College ---> Medical School

[mynameistino]

I've heard alot of people posting and stating that taking community college classes are bad. So far, I am took calc 1, chem 1-2, english 1-2, psychology, and speech at a community college. Should i stop taking classes at this school and wait untill i get into a university?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[carn311]

I've heard alot of people posting and stating that taking community college classes are bad. So far, I am took calc 1, chem 1-2, english 1-2, psychology, and speech at a community college. Should i stop taking classes at this school and wait untill i get into a university?

I spent 2 yrs at a community college and from the research I have done it wont hurt you assuming the following:

*You do not take any of the premedical courses at the junior college.

*And you do very well, or at least as well as you did at your junior college, at your 4-year.

And always remember Osteopathic schools won't care as much as the Allopathic ones.

PM me if you have any more questions....
This whole junior college thing is very two sided and its hard to find anyone who has an opinion based on experience.

 

[RJSpaulding]

I spent 2 yrs at a community college and from the research I have done it wont hurt you assuming the following:

*You do not take any of the premedical courses at the junior college.

That is really tough to do if you are considering medical school while attending a CC...not taking those courses could set you back a year or two until you transfer to a 4-year. Also most schools require you to have your year of bio, math, and chem done if you plan to transfer over as a life/physical sciences major.

I have heard from a lot of reliable resources (including Judy Levine on ExamKrackers) that med schools will look more at how you did when you transferred from CC to a 4-year. Did you still manage to do pretty well, or did you struggle in the new enviroment? Also taking those upper div bio courses such as genetics will help as well. I am in the same boat as you as well...I was really concerned as I will have completed my year of bio, chem, calc and a semester of Ochem here at my cc by the time I transfer. Just stay strong academically, but I would avoid taking all med school pre reqs at a CC.

 

[spongebob_sq]

I took intro bio parts 1 & 2 at a cc and then took my upper level bios at my 4 year college. No med schools seemed to care too much because I did very well in my upper levels (all As and A-s). I would just be very careful about taking too many prereqs at a cc- I've been told that some med schools will think you are trying to take an easier route.

 

[mynameistino]

That is really tough to do if you are considering medical school while attending a CC...not taking those courses could set you back a year or two until you transfer to a 4-year. Also most schools require you to have your year of bio, math, and chem done if you plan to transfer over as a life/physical sciences major.

I have heard from a lot of reliable resources (including Judy Levine on ExamKrackers) that med schools will look more at how you did when you transferred from CC to a 4-year. Did you still manage to do pretty well, or did you struggle in the new enviroment? Also taking those upper div bio courses such as genetics will help as well. I am in the same boat as you as well...I was really concerned as I will have completed my year of bio, chem, calc and a semester of Ochem here at my cc by the time I transfer. Just stay strong academically, but I would avoid taking all med school pre reqs at a CC.

My A's were Chemistry 1-2, Psychology, Biology 1, English 2. My B's were Calculus 1, English 1, and Speech. I guess my first semester as a freshman i did bad, and that was how i got all those Bs but second semester I am getting All A's. How do you think these scores will affect me? Overall, my GPA will be 3.6 after freshman year.

 

[Wrigleyville]

No one will care if you get a good MCAT score. It validates whatever grades you got from your school, no matter where it was or who has heard of it. If you think you need to go to CC for a couple of years, go for it. It won't hurt your chances.

 

[InNotOf]

When I start at a four-year college, I will have had a year of calculus, a year of inorganic chem, a year of engineering physics, two years of biology, and possibly a year of organic chemistry. If I'm committed to research at a university and I further my knowledge of biology and chemistry by taking further classes in the subject areas, will that hurt my chances at an MSTP?

 

[i77ac]

I spent 2 yrs at a community college and from the research I have done it wont hurt you assuming the following:

*You do not take any of the premedical courses at the junior college.

*And you do very well, or at least as well as you did at your junior college, at your 4-year.

And always remember Osteopathic schools won't care as much as the Allopathic ones.

PM me if you have any more questions....
This whole junior college thing is very two sided and its hard to find anyone who has an opinion based on experience.

here we go with this topic again. but i just feel so passionate on this topic, since i have gone through it, and been accepted to few prestigious schools, that i have to respond to this.

the first part, i strongly disagree. first off, if you intend to major in biology, which you most like are, requires you take all the premed courses within the first two years. so that would mean you take those classes at JC. you would NOT want to take them AFTER you transfer, since you will be a junior, and you have your hands full with the upper division courses.

REMEMBER THIS:

1. Take advantage of the all the classes, including all the gchem, ochem, physics, calc, bio at the JC. I have, done well in them, did just fine. Why wouldn't you? It cheap as hell!

2. I agree with carn's second comment, in that you have to do well in all the courses. well, is not the same case regardless of anywhere you go? so it is moot to say you have to do well at JC. Of course you have to work hard.

3. Of course, you need to do well on the MCAT. This is important since the med schools need to somehow compare you to other from the Univ. My belief is if you do as well (or better) than those from Univ, you are good to go.

4. It has NOT hurt me at all the fact that I have attended JC. I actually have had interviewers actually praising me for my hard work and was rewarded.

5. As soon as you transfer, make sure you get right to work. Look for research/clinical opportunities as soon as you can. This is one of the common flaws of transfer students.

Do NOT let anyone here discourage you. You have equal chances as anybody. Only drawback you attending a JC is that there are not as much academic/clinical opportunities at JC as one would have at a Univ. But, again, you have plenty of time after you transfer to make up for them.

If you have not gone through this process, you don't know what you're talking about. I have seen many undeserving candidates at 4 year univ, and met some of the brightest people at the JC.

As far as taking course at the JC during the summer while you are currently attending a Univ, I would assume that would be a bad idea. It would seem like you are doing this to boost your GPA (not that it JC is necessarily easire than the Univ).

In brief, you are in the same dilemma as others. You need solid GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, etc. As for taking classes where and when, it simply does not matter.

 

[RJSpaulding]

here we go with this topic again. but i just feel so passionate on this topic, since i have gone through it, and been accepted to few prestigious schools, that i have to respond to this.

the first part, i strongly disagree. first off, if you intend to major in biology, which you most like are, requires you take all the premed courses within the first two years. so that would mean you take those classes at JC. you would NOT want to take them AFTER you transfer, since you will be a junior, and you have your hands full with the upper division courses.

REMEMBER THIS:

1. Take advantage of the all the classes, including all the gchem, ochem, physics, calc, bio at the JC. I have, done well in them, did just fine. Why wouldn't you? It cheap as hell!

2. I agree with carn's second comment, in that you have to do well in all the courses. well, is not the same case regardless of anywhere you go? so it is moot to say you have to do well at JC. Of course you have to work hard.

3. Of course, you need to do well on the MCAT. This is important since the med schools need to somehow compare you to other from the Univ. My belief is if you do as well (or better) than those from Univ, you are good to go.

4. It has NOT hurt me at all the fact that I have attended JC. I actually have had interviewers actually praising me for my hard work and was rewarded.

5. As soon as you transfer, make sure you get right to work. Look for research/clinical opportunities as soon as you can. This is one of the common flaws of transfer students.

Do NOT let anyone here discourage you. You have equal chances as anybody. Only drawback you attending a JC is that there are not as much academic/clinical opportunities at JC as one would have at a Univ. But, again, you have plenty of time after you transfer to make up for them.

If you have not gone through this process, you don't know what you're talking about. I have seen many undeserving candidates at 4 year univ, and met some of the brightest people at the JC.

As far as taking course at the JC during the summer while you are currently attending a Univ, I would assume that would be a bad idea. It would seem like you are doing this to boost your GPA (not that it JC is necessarily easire than the Univ).

In brief, you are in the same dilemma as others. You need solid GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, etc. As for taking classes where and when, it simply does not matter.

You give hope to fellow JCers like me. Do you have a mdapplicant.com profile that I could check out? Another thing I love about my CC is that I have excellent access to some professors who have some amazing backgrounds. A lot of professors seem to like JCs because there's usu. no bs research involved for them to conduct in order to keep their jobs, just teaching their students.

 

[the other Dr.]

I also transferred from 2 years in Community College and have gotten into several medical schools! Don't let anyone tell you that it's not possible. Just remember to work hard. When I transferred to a University, everyone including pre-med counselors put me down for going to Community College and told me that my GPA would go down. This just made me work harder and I ended up with a higher GPA at my University (and actually thought many of the classes were easier). The bottom line is that you need to work harder. Not only in your classes, but to get involved in research, volunteering, and getting letters of rec. I ended up taking three years, but it was worth it, as now I have choices about where I will go to med school and I have learned so much about myself and why I have chosen medicine. Good Luck!

here we go with this topic again. but i just feel so passionate on this topic, since i have gone through it, and been accepted to few prestigious schools, that i have to respond to this.

the first part, i strongly disagree. first off, if you intend to major in biology, which you most like are, requires you take all the premed courses within the first two years. so that would mean you take those classes at JC. you would NOT want to take them AFTER you transfer, since you will be a junior, and you have your hands full with the upper division courses.

REMEMBER THIS:

1. Take advantage of the all the classes, including all the gchem, ochem, physics, calc, bio at the JC. I have, done well in them, did just fine. Why wouldn't you? It cheap as hell!

2. I agree with carn's second comment, in that you have to do well in all the courses. well, is not the same case regardless of anywhere you go? so it is moot to say you have to do well at JC. Of course you have to work hard.

3. Of course, you need to do well on the MCAT. This is important since the med schools need to somehow compare you to other from the Univ. My belief is if you do as well (or better) than those from Univ, you are good to go.

4. It has NOT hurt me at all the fact that I have attended JC. I actually have had interviewers actually praising me for my hard work and was rewarded.

5. As soon as you transfer, make sure you get right to work. Look for research/clinical opportunities as soon as you can. This is one of the common flaws of transfer students.

Do NOT let anyone here discourage you. You have equal chances as anybody. Only drawback you attending a JC is that there are not as much academic/clinical opportunities at JC as one would have at a Univ. But, again, you have plenty of time after you transfer to make up for them.

If you have not gone through this process, you don't know what you're talking about. I have seen many undeserving candidates at 4 year univ, and met some of the brightest people at the JC.

As far as taking course at the JC during the summer while you are currently attending a Univ, I would assume that would be a bad idea. It would seem like you are doing this to boost your GPA (not that it JC is necessarily easire than the Univ).

In brief, you are in the same dilemma as others. You need solid GPA, MCAT, extracurriculars, etc. As for taking classes where and when, it simply does not matter.

 

[DualSuperLead]

OK, I have been accepted to medical school (see signature) and took 70 hours of classes at junior college, including all but 7 of my pre-req hours. My advice is the following:

1. Don't listen to people who think that if you go to JC you are doomed to not get into medical school, they simply don't know what they are talking about. No, I am not going to Harvard or WashU, but I am going to be earn an M.D. from a school I love.

2. Get all A's

3. Maintain your GPA when you transfer. I asked one of my LR writers to point out that I was able to go from JC Organic to 4-year Biochem and do quite well.

4. If asked about JC in your interviews (I was), don't be apologetic.

5. The MCAT is your friend, it balances all.

 

[mynameistino]

OK, I have been accepted to medical school (see signature) and took 70 hours of classes at junior college, including all but 7 of my pre-req hours. My advice is the following:

1. Don't listen to people who think that if you go to JC you are doomed to not get into medical school, they simply don't know what they are talking about. No, I am not going to Harvard or WashU, but I am going to be earn an M.D. from a school I love.

2. Get all A's

3. Maintain your GPA when you transfer. I asked one of my LR writers to point out that I was able to go from JC Organic to 4-year Biochem and do quite well.

4. If asked about JC in your interviews (I was), don't be apologetic.

5. The MCAT is your friend, it balances all.

Wow, thanks to all those who raised my self esteem alittle bit. Right now i have 29 credits and a gpa average of 3.6. Hope thats a good start so far.

 

[AubreyMaturin]

the first part, i strongly disagree. first off, if you intend to major in biology, which you most like are, requires you take all the premed courses within the first two years. so that would mean you take those classes at JC. you would NOT want to take them AFTER you transfer, since you will be a junior, and you have your hands full with the upper division courses.

This is not exactly true, not all premed requirements are also bio reqs... depending on which school you are at of course. You don't have to take all your pre-med reqs at JC, however, they will probably be easier at JC...MedAdmit people know this, and often will consider it...but some medadmit people won't care.

My premed advisor told me that conventional wisdom was that, as long as you excell in "science" classes (not neccesarily premed classes) at your 4-yr school, it won't really matter that you took lots of pre-med/science classes at JC. I consider this to be good advice.

I spend 2 years at Bunker Hill Community College and took Calc I, Bio I-II, Phys I-II, and Chem I. I transfered to Tufts and actually had to re-take Chem I because my JC Chem did not prepare me for Tufts Chem II. Although I did not have to retake Chem I, it payed of because I got A's as a result. So a word of caution for transfering incomplete sequences.

The only pre-med classes I took where Chem and Orgo, but I was a bio major and I had pleanty of opportunity to show I could do well in competitive science classes.

I have also been accepted to many first Tier med schools. I think people
put a little too much stock in where and when they take these courses...

Bottom line:
If you have a 3.6 in JC, and get a 3.6 in 4-yr. You will have no problem.

I think that starting at JC is a good thing, it shows that you had to work harder becasue you had to transfer before you could graduate...rather than just have it handed to you...Maybe I'm just biased.

It does not matter where you start, motivation will prove to be yor best asset.

BTW,
I love to see that there are other JCers that are gaining success in getting accepted to good med-schools. When I was in JC, I was not sure that it was possible to do so well.
Good luck to all you JCers.

 

[Karina]

I've heard alot of people posting and stating that taking community college classes are bad. So far, I am took calc 1, chem 1-2, english 1-2, psychology, and speech at a community college. Should i stop taking classes at this school and wait untill i get into a university?

I went to a Junior College for 1.5 years...I was in the Honors Programs so I don't know if that made a difference or not. Graduated with honors..then moved on to a public 4 year institution that none of the people that have interviewed me have heard of (maybe just NJMS)...and I have had good results in this process..few interviews for both allopathic and osteopathic...few acceptances and I am now waiting on Einstein (which was my first choice going into this whole process)...to let me know (interviewed there 1.5 weeks ago...)

If you do well...do well on the MCAT and have extracurriculars...I don't think they'll treat you any differently...or maybe I'm just too naive..

Karina

 

[fun8stuff]

If you are shooting for a highly ranked med school, you are going to have to transfer to a mid-highly ranked 4yr college, and you will have to do considerably well. If the schools have to pick between a 3.6, 30 from CC and a 3.6, 30 from highly ranked 4yr (all else being equal), they will pick the latter.

 

[medic170]

I've heard alot of people posting and stating that taking community college classes are bad. So far, I am took calc 1, chem 1-2, english 1-2, psychology, and speech at a community college. Should i stop taking classes at this school and wait untill i get into a university?

I did my first 2 years at CC. I even took Biology 1 and inorganic chemistry there, and I did not have any trouble getting accepted. Just get good grades, do good on the MCAT, and be sure to take some science courses at the university level and you will be fine.

 

[schofield kid]

I've heard alot of people posting and stating that taking community college classes are bad. So far, I am took calc 1, chem 1-2, english 1-2, psychology, and speech at a community college. Should i stop taking classes at this school and wait untill i get into a university?

I think community college can be a great place to learn. It all depends on what you put into it. The above posts are right, if you do well on the mcat, there won't be much doubt that you are good.

 

[DaveinDallas]

Look, it varies and all depends on the individual. I know of people who took their premed stuff at CCs and scored in the mid 30s on the MCAT. I know of people that did the same and scored mid 20s on the MCAT. I know of people who went to 4 year universities and scored in the high teens on the MCAT and I know of people who went to major universities and scored in the mid to upper 30s on the MCAT.

Depends on you and are you studying for understanding of the concept or studying to get the grade. Even if your prof is a 'gimme' prof who puts in 40 points worth of extra credit so that it's real difficult to fail the class, take it up with the dean and then study your butt off and be the exception to the rule......

and remember, a high gpa and high MCAT will not necessarily make you a good physician. If you can't relate and communicate with people, you may not make it anyway.

 

[Ypo.]

I did my first 2 years at CC. I even took Biology 1 and inorganic chemistry there, and I did not have any trouble getting accepted. Just get good grades, do good on the MCAT, and be sure to take some science courses at the university level and you will be fine.

I agree with Medic. Also, in my experience, community colleges can often be more challenging than university classes-at least, that was my experience. Although I went to LCC (Lansing Community College), which at the time was rated one of the top CCs in the nation. My brother just transferred from LCC to MSU, and he also states that the classes at LCC are better taught and more challenging.

I think that as long as you do equally well in years 3 and 4 at a university, that no one will look twice at it-except perhaps the IV schools.

Also, I think it makes sense to do your prereqs at a CC-it is much more affordable-and that if you mention this in the med school interview, they might just think that you are an efficient and wise person who knows how to work hard and move up in life.
I just don't understand why more people don't just start out at CCs-for some low-income to mid-income people, its really the only option to begin with.

BTW, Medic- I like your new signature!

 

[DualSuperLead]

I just don't understand why more people don't just start out at CCs-for some low-income to mid-income people, its really the only option to begin with.QUOTE]

I couldn't agree more, I am strong supporter of JC's and wish they could improve the way most people think of them.
This may sound out there, but hear me out. I believe that JC's are the best representatives of the American Dream in our society. Most JC's offer ESL and fundamental English and math courses that will literally teach a student from scratch. Of course, JC's also offer most of the same 100 and 200 level classes that you can find at a 4 year university, in addition to many technical training programs.
It is entirely possible for a foreign immigrant with no English ability, or in fact any significant education at all to attend a JC and within a few years earn an entirely respectable income. Furthermore, many states have an automatic transfer policy among state schools. In Texas for example, one could attend a JC and transfer to any state 4-year colleges, including one of 2 first tier schools! (UT Austin and Texas A&M).
Not to mention JC's are incredibly affordable, and often offer generous scholarships.
To say that JC's are bad for medical school, in effect, shuts the door on many lower-income people who have no other choice but to attend JC.

 

[the other Dr.]

If you are shooting for a highly ranked med school, you are going to have to transfer to a mid-highly ranked 4yr college, and you will have to do considerably well. If the schools have to pick between a 3.6, 30 from CC and a 3.6, 30 from highly ranked 4yr (all else being equal), they will pick the latter.

says who?

 

[fun8stuff]

says who?

i was pretty much told at 2 top 10 schools that they favored students from well respected universities. At one place the admissions director came out and told me during an interview that I should have went to a higher ranked undergrad and at another it was not in so much these words... but after I told the ad director what school i went to and where it was they were like, "ohh... okay.".

I'm not trying to make any generalizations, but I believe it to be true. And of course, there will always be exceptions. But regardles of where you go, you are going to have to be exceptional.