Summer school

[paniwani]

I'm currently an undergraduate at Duke as a rising sophomore and I'm considering taking summer school in California. I plan on majoring in BME and I'm premed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking summer school outside of Duke? I've heard that you should not take med school requirements outside of the school you are enrolled in if you are premed. Is this true? I'll most likely take one year's worth of organic chemistry at Santa Clara University. Thanks in advance.

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[adoggie]

i've heard that you shouldn't take pre-med courses over the summer because it is more condensed. taking a non pre-med course at a higher ranked university would probably work in your favor. good luck!

 

[sillydoc2230]

I've also been told that it looks like you're clearing up your science reqs for the year when you're taking more than one class a semester.

 

[Law2Doc]

I'm currently an undergraduate at Duke as a rising sophomore and I'm considering taking summer school in California. I plan on majoring in BME and I'm premed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking summer school outside of Duke? I've heard that you should not take med school requirements outside of the school you are enrolled in if you are premed. Is this true? I'll most likely take one year's worth of organic chemistry at Santa Clara University. Thanks in advance.

Med schools generally have no problem with summer classes. The one exception is where you are taking them at an objectively easier school than your undergrad -- then it just looks like you are going elsewhere for the easier A. I would also caution that most summer programs compress the same material into substantially less time, making the course go very rapidly. which for some is harder - if you have trouble with a concept there is likely not enough time to work through it. Also bear in mind that the distractions over the summer and in California won't be insubstantial compared to Durham.

 

[Mbekweni]

I'm currently an undergraduate at Duke as a rising sophomore and I'm considering taking summer school in California. I plan on majoring in BME and I'm premed. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking summer school outside of Duke? I've heard that you should not take med school requirements outside of the school you are enrolled in if you are premed. Is this true? I'll most likely take one year's worth of organic chemistry at Santa Clara University. Thanks in advance.

I did this, and went from a top school to do the o-chem at Santa Clara in a mini post-bac. They have a great program, and it must be the most painless o-chem series around. Brian McNeilis is one of the best chem professors I've met, and he should be teaching it again this year.

If you are doing it to get better grades only then you might have some trouble explaining it in the app process. My justification was because my undergrad had a tremendously consuming 2 year o-chem series, and by skipping that I was able to do a lot of other language training, a minor, research, varsity athletics and extra stuff. I buy it, but only time will tell if that will fly with the med school adcoms. If this will help you to be a happier, more well rounded pre-med then I'd go for it. Not all, but perhaps the right med schools for you will agree.

 

[paniwani]

Are there any other opinions?