Post transferring GPA

[BlueCircle]

When transferring from a community college to a four-year institution, how much emphasis or attention to adcoms give to your GPA prior to and after transferring? Is cumulative GPA significantly more important then the post transfer trend?

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[GiveMeThatMD]

I believe that taking higher-end courses (Gen/Org/Bio Chemistry, A&P, and Biology) at Community Colleges are viewed as a little less prestigious than the University counterparts, as they tend to be a bit easier. That being said, credits transferred from Community Colleges should not significantly impact your application so long as you show you're more than capable within a University setting.

 

[Goro]

Continued excellence is always good.

A decline if you hit the post-transfer school is always bad.

A rising trend is always good.

When transferring from a community college to a four-year institution, how much emphasis or attention to adcoms give to your GPA prior to and after transferring? Is cumulative GPA significantly more important then the post transfer trend?

 

[virtuos locust]

Continued excellence is always good.

A decline if you hit the post-transfer school is always bad.

A rising trend is always good.

You may not be able to answer this question , but it wouldn't hurt to ask...
Are there any adcoms who may place a high value to CC's with a competitive reputation and/or well-known curriculum?
For example, is it possible that UCLA Medical School adcoms may distinguish an in-state applicant's enrollment at the #1 transfer CC in California -which also happens to be allied with UCLA- and factor that into their decision making ?

Or is it a general rule of thumb to all/most adcoms that CC credit is secondary (especially in upper div. courses) to any universitys' ?

Thanks.

 

[Goro]

I have no problem with CC coursework; there are some out there that can be as rigorous as any four year school. And Adcoms do not have a problem, in general, with CC coursework being done prior to finishing at a four year school. The majority of med schools in MSAR have no ban on pre-reqs at a CC (Baylor being the one exception I can think of off hand).

LizzyM has expounded on avoiding taking the pre-reqs at a CC while you're at a four year school...it gives the appearance of avoiding the weeding courses.

That said, I have a few Adcom colleagues who look down on CC coursework. I have to arm wrestle them at Adcom meeting time to salvage decent candidates they'd otherwise wait-list.

You may not be able to answer this question , but it wouldn't hurt to ask...
Are there any adcoms who may place a high value to CC's with a competitive reputation and/or well-known curriculum?
For example, is it possible that UCLA Medical School adcoms may distinguish an in-state applicant's enrollment at the #1 transfer CC in California -which also happens to be allied with UCLA- and factor that into their decision making ?

Or is it a general rule of thumb to all/most adcoms that CC credit is secondary (especially in upper div. courses) to any universitys' ?

Thanks.

 

[TooMuchPressure]

I have no problem with CC coursework; there are some out there that can be as rigorous as any four year school. And Adcoms do not have a problem, in general, with CC coursework being done prior to finishing at a four year school. The majority of med schools in MSAR have no ban on pre-reqs at a CC (Baylor being the one exception I can think of off hand).

LizzyM has expounded on avoiding taking the pre-reqs at a CC while you're at a four year school...it gives the appearance of avoiding the weeding courses.

That said, I have a few Adcom colleagues who look down on CC coursework. I have to arm wrestle them at Adcom meeting time to salvage decent candidates they'd otherwise wait-list.

I started out at a community college because I did dual enrollment in high school. My GPA is like an upside down bell shaped curve. Started out strong, transferred to university, failed miserably first year, but I am climbing back up. I did 1 year of gen chem and 1 year of bio at the CC. Doing the rest of the pre-reqs at uni. How bad is this?

 

[Goro]

I can't sugar coat it: uneven performances are worrisome. We need consistent evidence that you can handle med school.

I started out at a community college because I did dual enrollment in high school. My GPA is like an upside down bell shaped curve. Started out strong, transferred to university, failed miserably first year, but I am climbing back up. I did 1 year of gen chem and 1 year of bio at the CC. Doing the rest of the pre-reqs at uni. How bad is this?

 

[TooMuchPressure]

I can't sugar coat it: uneven performances are worrisome. We need consistent evidence that you can handle med school.

I understand. I prefer you don't sugar coat anything to be honest. I'm going to be a senior and I have to take 2 more pre-requisites and a couple of other sciences like genetics and microbio. Assuming I do well in all those classes and I have a 3.6+ overall/science would it still be considered worrisome or would it be a at least somewhat successful rising trend?

 

[Goro]

I think that you'll need at lead 1.5 solid semesters of 3.6+ to allay worries. And a solid MCAT.