Should I stay away from community college at all costs?

[Toffey]

Hello!

I'm currently a junior at a 4 year university, chemistry major, 3.8 cGPA, 3.6sGPA so far. I've been taking some online classes at a community college just for fun and to prepare for the new MCAT (intro psych, intro sociology, ect).

I was planning on taking a couple more classes this summer in subjects I was interested (bioethics, abnormal psych, stuff like that) in and maybe a science class or two to boost my sGPA. However, people on here have scared me into thinking CC will hurt my chances

Should I avoid even taking the 3-4 online classes I wanted to take this year? What do you guys think is the max amount of units I should have from a CC when applying? (I'll have a bachelors from my actual university as well of course)

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[Glandzburg]

Some med schools do not allow prerequisites to be taken at CCs, but taking other classes at CCs likely wouldn't be seen as negative.

 

[Theafoni]

Not at all. Taking Intro to psych or even bioethics shouldn't be an issue.

 

[dextertrip]

Some med schools do not allow prerequisites to be taken at CCs, but taking other classes at CCs likely wouldn't be seen as negative.

Does msar indicate this? If not how can we find out which schools don't allow pre reqs at community college? I took physics at one over the summer simply because it cost 12%? of the price of my state university's summer program. If I took advanced physics based classes like circuits do you think that would serve to as a prereq in this case?

 

[Goro]

Most MD schools, according to MSAR, are OK with CC credits.

Some med schools do not allow prerequisites to be taken at CCs, but taking other classes at CCs likely wouldn't be seen as negative.

 

[Promethean]

I did all my pre reqs at CC. Some schools aren't down with it. Others don't care so much.

LOTS of students take CC courses because they are so much less expensive. Schools know that not everyone can afford to pay top dollar for university courses. And in general, SDN is more critical of, well, most everything than actual adcoms are.

Having taken some classes at CC, especially for enrichment and intellectual curiosity, is not a black mark in and of itself. Schools might say that you need to have taken your pre-reqs at a university, but they won't see your CC courses as a red flag if they aren't pre-reqs. Check the websites of the schools you are interested in. If their requirements are not clearly listed, pick up the phone and call them. Ask admissions if they accept CC credits for pre-reqs, if that matters to you.

 

[Toffey]

I did all my pre reqs at CC. Some schools aren't down with it. Others don't care so much.

LOTS of students take CC courses because they are so much less expensive. Schools know that not everyone can afford to pay top dollar for university courses. And in general, SDN is more critical of, well, most everything than actual adcoms are.

Having taken some classes at CC, especially for enrichment and intellectual curiosity, is not a black mark in and of itself. Schools might say that you need to have taken your pre-reqs at a university, but they won't see your CC courses as a red flag if they aren't pre-reqs. Check the websites of the schools you are interested in. If their requirements are not clearly listed, pick up the phone and call them. Ask admissions if they accept CC credits for pre-reqs, if that matters to you.

Ya, all my prereq's are at my university. Good to know.
I feel like people on here get a little out of control with the cc hate. I'll probably graduate with about 20 units in CC, in addition to my Bachelor's, so I hope that won't be too much.

 

[MrLogan13]

No.

I did all my pre-reqs except physics at a CC. Hell, I had ~136 CC units before transferring to a university. Chill out.

 

[amad01]

Hello!

I'm currently a junior at a 4 year university, chemistry major, 3.8 cGPA, 3.6sGPA so far. I've been taking some online classes at a community college just for fun and to prepare for the new MCAT (intro psych, intro sociology, ect).

I was planning on taking a couple more classes this summer in subjects I was interested (bioethics, abnormal psych, stuff like that) in and maybe a science class or two to boost my sGPA. However, people on here have scared me into thinking CC will hurt my chances

Should I avoid even taking the 3-4 online classes I wanted to take this year? What do you guys think is the max amount of units I should have from a CC when applying? (I'll have a bachelors from my actual university as well of course)

taking online classes just for fun?

as batman says above me you will be fine. People will say "some schools don't allow cc pre-req's" which may be true, but if anyone is making this statement please cite sources (Glandzburg).

 

[Toffey]

taking online classes just for fun?

as batman says above me you will be fine. People will say "some schools don't allow cc pre-req's" which may be true, but if anyone is making this statement please cite sources (Glandzburg).

I freely admit that I'm a total nerd

 

[NonTradJp]

In your case, CC classes sounds great. You already have your pre-reqs at your university and a great gpa.

 

[darkeon]

CC OK

 

[Glandzburg]

taking online classes just for fun?

as batman says above me you will be fine. People will say "some schools don't allow cc pre-req's" which may be true, but if anyone is making this statement please cite sources (Glandzburg).

My statement comes from my memory of browsing the MSAR (my subscription has since expired). Most schools are fine with them, but there are definitely some that discourage them for pre-reqs (although not the majority). Just be sure to double check the schools you are interested in applying to, OP.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I don't know exactly about this, but I think if you were to take all your prereqs at your university and take some other "interest" classes at CC, that'd be perfectly fine.

 

[Thangbill]

Hello!

I'm currently a junior at a 4 year university, chemistry major, 3.8 cGPA, 3.6sGPA so far. I've been taking some online classes at a community college just for fun and to prepare for the new MCAT (intro psych, intro sociology, ect).

I was planning on taking a couple more classes this summer in subjects I was interested (bioethics, abnormal psych, stuff like that) in and maybe a science class or two to boost my sGPA. However, people on here have scared me into thinking CC will hurt my chances

Should I avoid even taking the 3-4 online classes I wanted to take this year? What do you guys think is the max amount of units I should have from a CC when applying? (I'll have a bachelors from my actual university as well of course)

I had plenty of CC credits and still got in a T-20 tier school. Just make sure you do well in those classes because, when you apply, you need to submit your CC transcript along with the main one.

 

[amad01]

3) Some schools, less than above will not accept CC credits for fulfillment of prereqs

who? I'm honestly just curious...

 

[gyngyn]

who? I'm honestly just curious...

elitists.

 

[gyngyn]

You would think

SUNY Upstate (http://www.upstate.edu/com/admissions/faqs.php)
"Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two pre-requisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges."

Interesting, several of the elites school either no longer have a specific prohibition or in fact are now actively accepting them

Johns Hopins http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/admissions/md/application_process/prerequisites_requirements.html
"Beginning with the 2015 admissions cycle, the School of Medicine will accept prerequisites completed at the community college level."

Elitists are only randomly elite.

 

[Goro]

As my learned colleague states, after browsing through MSAR looking to see who accepts CC credits and who doesn't, there is no rhyme nor reason to it.

Elitists are only randomly elite.

 

[Señor Chang]

I think it's a huge myth. I took all my prerequisites at cc's. this was before, during, and after I went to a 4 yr institution. I did very well this cycle. If I had a dime for every time I heard scary stories from premeds...
Oh and I also opted to take a bunch of classes p/np

 

[amad01]

Goro, gyngyn and myself are not premeds. Additionally I always try to quote a cite my sources as I have done in my previous post in this thread.

Additionally as I said previously for most traditional students who follow CC with a degree at a 4 year school this isnt usually a large issue, assuming they are a strong candidate.

Lastly fulfillment of prereqs is checked post-admissions/pre-matriculation. Virtually all medical schools require admitted students to have all transcripts sent directly the accepting school for that purpose. I always have students who wind up scrambling for some summer course to makeup a specific prereq that, for some reason, was not acceptable to the medical school

Are you saying someone is accepted then that acceptance is rescinded upon discovering that their Gen chem I was taken at a community college? Even though the school already has had the transcripts since June via AMCAS...

 

[amad01]

The transcript sent to AMCAS are NOT forwarded to the actual medical schools, nor is AMCAS in anyway involved with the question if/how prerequisites are filled. AMCAS uses the transcripts SOLELY to verify the coursework that the applicant has submitted on the primary application.

My point is that the schools can see your transcripts via your AMCAS application. I had an interviewer flipping through mine during my interview, he even asked me why I got a B- in math while I was still in highschool. AMCAS does not solely use transcripts to verify coursework, they are sent to the school. So yes, the school has all the transcripts up to the point of submitting the app.

Every student who has accepted an offer of admission will need to have his/her transcripts submitted a second time, directly to the schools in the pre-matriculation phase, usually the spring immediately prior to schedule matriculation It is at this point that the individual school will review and see that its specific requirements for admissions have been fulfilled or will be fulfilled prior to matriculation. This could be a missing course, a course taken online, something taken at a CC that is prohibited. Until you are matriculated, a medical school almost certainly retains the right in one of documents that you sign stating that it can withdrawal the offer. BTW, it retains the right after matriculation but typically requires a defined process where you have a chance to "answer charges" so to speak. Additionally, these are usually written in a manner where it is the student's responsibility to make sure that all necessary requirements have been filled. There is also usually an appeal or waiver process but that can vary widely by schools and is often listed as a case-by-case basis. Some schools it is very informal and easy; others are very strict.

And this is not a small issue as pre-matriculation issues of some kind affected nearly 5% of the acceptees in 2014; AAMC data shows 21,355 students accepted in 2014 but only 20,343 actually matriculated. This group of 1,000 students include those who chose to defer as well. Some students defer due to other educational pursuit (fellowship, etc) and some deferred due to trying to clean up loan issues. (BTW deferral policy are very school specific as well). We could speculate that were , at least a few, who were accepted but did not clear up some issue with an prereq, academic record, etc and never matriculated.

Some pre-matriculation issue I have personally dealt with or discussed with colleagues

A student, originally a journalism major with multiple writing courses, and former newspaper reporter and science textbook editor who never had a formal english composition class was being made to take English 101 over the summer. Took an formal appeal to Dean to be waived.

A PhD Chemist who never took Bio II was made to sit in a class and learn about plants summer before medical school with freshman.

A student who planned to take some missing prereq (I think a physics lab) for the summer but the med school he was accepted to too had a June 1st deadline for fulfillment. (I think he was able to defer)

My advice to students who accept an offer of admission and who have ANYTHING other than the "classic" order/type of classes (AP, online, missing course, etc) to immediately find out from the medical school they plan to attend what they need to do to clear it up

Of course not taking a pre-req will put an acceptance in jeopardy. None of your examples have anything to do with a CC class causing an accepted student to be suddenly rejected. And even if they did, it would be anecdotal and the extreme. You are pumping fear into a paranoid pre-med world that is already terrified of the CC myth as it is.

 

[NeuResurgens]

5) A portion imply that students should limit use of summer courses for prereqs

Whoops. Took both physics and a bunch of science labs during the summer. I must be screwed.

Just kidding. It was totally worth not having to do physics alongside organic chemistry or biology.

 

[amad01]

As I cited with links in previous post, some schools still prohibit CC courses used to fulfill prerequisites and/or require additional courses beyond that as substitute. It is up to the applicants to be aware of this as well as any of the other myriad of details that each school has for prereqs. Further I had additionally said (now for the third time in this thread) for most students who go to CC and follow with a 4 year degree this usually isnt a problem and they can discuss it with a medical school once an offer of admission has been accepted to ensure there are no loose ends All rather reasonable in

As for pumping fear, I am not a premed trying to scare off students but rather an adviser who make sure that applicants have a clear understanding of the process, since this thread started with a question/comment taking online classes at a CC.

I'm talking about this statement you made: "the individual school will review and see that its specific requirements for admissions have been fulfilled or will be fulfilled prior to matriculation. This could be a missing course, a course taken online, something taken at a CC that is prohibited. Until you are matriculated, a medical school almost certainly retains the right in one of documents that you sign stating that it can withdrawal the offer."

What school would accept an applicant and then reject them prior to matriculation for having CC credits when they have known such since they day AMCAS arrived? Schools can see CC credits in the primary and many ask for pre-reqs to be listed in the secondary. Why would they send a secondary, interview, and then accept an applicant with CC credits if they are prohibited? Are you saying I need to call all the schools that accepted me and make sure they didn't accidentally overlook my CC credits?