I know that you shouldn't do CC classes for prereqs but..

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
P

psychwanderer

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
18
Reaction score
1
Points
4,551
  1. Pre-Medical
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hello everyone,

I am planning on starting down the pre req road this summer. I was initially going to take my classes during the evening at my local university, but they don't offer the classes that I need when I need them. So my plan is to take Chem 1 at the local CC and Chem 2 at the local university during the evenings. This will probably also be my plan for biol and physics if I can't get the schedule to work out for me. The local university offers Ochem at night so I am good there. I am sitting on a 3.82 GPA from AMU which I got while I was in the military, so I have that working for me (or maybe against me since it's an online school)? I am just wondering if I do well in all of the prereqs both from CC and the university and do well on the MCAT, if I will even have a chance? I have an interview at a hospital lined up to start volunteering and I am trying to find a job since I am unemployed after getting out. I was originally going to go to school full time on the GI Bill but I am married and need to get a job that offers some kind of benefits, but it is what it is. Thank you for any advice.
 
Some schools care more than others, but if you can only do cc then do it and do it well

Don't sweat things you can't change
 
Thank you for the encouragement. I, which I assume is the way everyone else in this situation feels, am very nervous about starting down this road. Part of me wishes that I didn't want to start down this path of becoming a doctor; but I have a nagging feeling that this is what I want and it will not go away. As the old saying goes: It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.
 
psychwanderer said:
Thank you for the encouragement. I, which I assume is the way everyone else in this situation feels, am very nervous about starting down this road. Part of me wishes that I didn't want to start down this path of becoming a doctor; but I have a nagging feeling that this is what I want and it will not go away. As the old saying goes: It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.
Click to expand...

I'm rehabing a cumulative gpa on my way to my first bachelors (former dropout) but all my lab classes are at a cc because I have a full time job and my local university hates evening and weekend classes 😉

It would be better to take them at university but all I can do about it is keep getting A's at cc in science...it is what it is
 
psychwanderer said:
Thank you for the encouragement. I, which I assume is the way everyone else in this situation feels, am very nervous about starting down this road. Part of me wishes that I didn't want to start down this path of becoming a doctor; but I have a nagging feeling that this is what I want and it will not go away. As the old saying goes: It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.
Click to expand...

+1

Also, don't forget the famous saying: try not; do or do not.

You can do this. I have a feeling that you went through much tougher things in the military than you will go through in premed classes. (Coming from someone that was not in the military, but knows a lot of people that were). If you can survive a military term, then you can survive this path to become a physician.

Rock those pre-reques and crush the MCAT!

I do have a little concern that you are taking both terms of chemistry at the same time. There are things that you learn in the first term that you need to use in the second term. Without taking chem I first, you may get a little lost in chem II. It would be better to take chem I at the uni, and bio at the CC, or however it can work out best.

Even better would be take all the pre-reques at the uni, and any other classes you want at the CC. before I started the application process, I took A&P at a CC and had a good experience.

Good luck. 🙂 and thank you for serving our country. I truly respect the men and women that protect us.

dsoz
 
dsoz said:
+1

I do have a little concern that you are taking both terms of chemistry at the same time. There are things that you learn in the first term that you need to use in the second term. Without taking chem I first, you may get a little lost in chem II. It would be better to take chem I at the uni, and bio at the CC, or however it can work out best.


dsoz
Click to expand...

dsoz,

Sorry I was probably unclear. I am going to take Chem 1 this summer at the CC and Chem 2 during the fall at night at the university since they don't offer any pre reqs at nights during the summer. Thank you for the encouragement!
 
I'm in the same boat. An undergrad premed advisor at my graduate school said that, because I'm looking to overcome poor undergrad science grades, she strongly recommended I take pre-reqs at a university rather than a CC. I took Bio1, Chem1, and Chem2 at the same CC... and Bio 2 at a local four year university - which cost me 3x the money, but I was trying to mix it up. Now that I have Physics 1+2 and Orgo1+2 to go, I'm going to continue taking them at a CC purely for financial and scheduling reasons -- CCs tend to offer night classes that work with a full time working schedule, and you really can't beat paying ~$160 per class vs. ~$1000. I have also noticed that at CCs, you have the opportunity to get to know professors very well in small ~30ppl size classes vs. 200+ in a state university class. The university profs I've had have also been more focused on their research and less interested in interacting with students (I saw TAs for the most part). That is just my experience, I'm sure others have fared better. On the plus side, almost all of my CC professors thus far have been PHDs and/or teach at the university level as well. Could it hurt my application like the advisor said? Possibly. But this 10+ year process is going to be an expensive one and I need to be saving money for it - for now, this is what works best for me. So long as I do well in the classes, rock the MCAT, and get great letters of recc from professors I got to know in a smaller setting - I'm hoping it won't count too much against me.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
It's an urban legend amongst pre-meds that AdComs think taking CC classes are bad...we don't and they're NOT. As long as you don't do it one smeester a year for several years, which doesn't give us any indication that you can handle the heavy course load of medical school.

Your plan is fine. Good luck!


psychwanderer said:
Hello everyone,

I am planning on starting down the pre req road this summer. I was initially going to take my classes during the evening at my local university, but they don't offer the classes that I need when I need them. So my plan is to take Chem 1 at the local CC and Chem 2 at the local university during the evenings. This will probably also be my plan for biol and physics if I can't get the schedule to work out for me. The local university offers Ochem at night so I am good there. I am sitting on a 3.82 GPA from AMU which I got while I was in the military, so I have that working for me (or maybe against me since it's an online school)? I am just wondering if I do well in all of the prereqs both from CC and the university and do well on the MCAT, if I will even have a chance? I have an interview at a hospital lined up to start volunteering and I am trying to find a job since I am unemployed after getting out. I was originally going to go to school full time on the GI Bill but I am married and need to get a job that offers some kind of benefits, but it is what it is. Thank you for any advice.
Click to expand...
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
I think the issue is about being a non-trad--or at least how "much" of a non-trad you are and what things you can do to limit anything that could work against you. I say this, b/c I know schools are supposed to look at the whole person/application, but the truth is, I have seen ageism be an issue in general. So if a person is well above 30 or 40, and a school's statement is something like "preparing the next generation of physicians," that may clearly indicate a bent or lean toward younger students, even though they could not be pinned down on it for legal reasons.

So, to try to overcome that possible and maybe even probable reality, such a nontrad IMO has to not risk anymore things on the application that could get a questionable look from the reviewers. Hence, it may help your case to take as many pre-req's through a solid univeristy as compared with CC. I think I'm talking about trying to help one's odds. It may or may not make a difference, but there is the possibility of "it may."

There is a school to which I want to apply, and I heard their mission on TV or the Internet, and basically it used the words, "next generation." The implication to me suggests younger applicants. Unfortunately people do have prejudice about presumed expiration dates on people. I think we are all being a bit naive to think otherwise. Thus as a non-trad, I guess depending on how much of a "non-trad" you are, well, you have to really go out of your way, b/c you are competing with those that are younger, who are considered the "next generation."

Ageism is alive and well, b/c it so prevalent in our whole society--even in terms of approaches to medical practice. It's hard to get people to look at the individual truly as an individual apart from certain demographics. It shouldn't be, but it is.
 
Goro said:
It's an urban legend amongst pre-meds that AdComs think taking CC classes are bad...we don't and they're NOT. As long as you don't do it one smeester a year for several years, which doesn't give us any indication that you can handle the heavy course load of medical school.

Your plan is fine. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks for this clarification, Goro. That helps a lot of us in that situation. In your opinion, what if students take the classes at a slower pace but are also working full-time or are a full-time graduate student? I started taking classes while a FT grad student so took Bio1 at a CC 1st semester, Chem1 (at a CC) and Bio2 (at a 4year) 2nd semester, and since then have been taking the rest of the classes one at a time at a CC because my FT job only allows for evening classes.
 
Hinestly, I've never been impressed with the logic of "I worked full time and went to classes at night" Pulling 6-8 units a semester awhile working is very different from pulling 40-50 units, which is what my students have to deal with. It's like getting amaster degree every semester.

Being a full time grad student? If it means taking some rigorous classes while taking the pre-reqs, AND doing lab work, then I have a bit more respect for that.

Overall, we only have a problem with people who take one course/year. I've interviewed people like that and we always low-wait list those.

peanutp said:
Thanks for this clarification, Goro. That helps a lot of us in that situation. In your opinion, what if students take the classes at a slower pace but are also working full-time or are a full-time graduate student? I started taking classes while a FT grad student so took Bio1 at a CC 1st semester, Chem1 (at a CC) and Bio2 (at a 4year) 2nd semester, and since then have been taking the rest of the classes one at a time at a CC because my FT job only allows for evening classes.
Click to expand...
 
Goro said:
Hinestly, I've never been impressed with the logic of "I worked full time and went to classes at night" Pulling 6-8 units a semester awhile working is very different from pulling 40-50 units, which is what my students have to deal with. It's like getting amaster degree every semester.

Being a full time grad student? If it means taking some rigorous classes while taking the pre-reqs, AND doing lab work, then I have a bit more respect for that.

Overall, we only have a problem with people who take one course/year. I've interviewed people like that and we always low-wait list those.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing that up, I've been taking a full undergrad course load with at least 2 sciences each semester while managing a company 50hrs a week and having people tell me I was stupid for needing cc night classes was getting old
 
Goro said:
Hinestly, I've never been impressed with the logic of "I worked full time and went to classes at night" Pulling 6-8 units a semester awhile working is very different from pulling 40-50 units, which is what my students have to deal with. It's like getting amaster degree every semester.

Being a full time grad student? If it means taking some rigorous classes while taking the pre-reqs, AND doing lab work, then I have a bit more respect for that.

Overall, we only have a problem with people who take one course/year. I've interviewed people like that and we always low-wait list those.
Click to expand...
That's good to know, thank you. I think the major problem we face while working though is not course-load wise, but: 1) finding a school that even offers night options for these classes because of lecture+lab, 2) not all schools offer a particular class on an off-semester, and 3) making sure whatever is available doesn't overlap in timing. For me, that's what has made it difficult to take more than one class every semester. So I'm happy that you clarified that the major issue lies with those who take classes as infrequently as you said.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Goro said:
<snipped>Overall, we only have a problem with people who take one course/year. I've interviewed people like that and we always low-wait list those.
Click to expand...

I get that you're being facetious, because, at one course/year those first pre-reqs would become stale before the last pre-reqs were finished. I know something about this, My pre-reqs got stale, so I have to "refresh" all the same course work I paid top dollar for at the university.
Fortunately, the program director actually sent me to the CC with the list, and they offer every class I need. It's still going to cost me 19 months, but CC classes are less than a third the cost of the University offerings.

sigh.
 
Last edited:
Goro said:
It's an urban legend amongst pre-meds that AdComs think taking CC classes are bad...we don't and they're NOT. As long as you don't do it one smeester a year for several years, which doesn't give us any indication that you can handle the heavy course load of medical school.

Your plan is fine. Good luck!
Click to expand...

Goro,

How do you view a heavy online courseload? I basically have two options. The first one is to take a class at a time over the next 3,4,5 years or so until my prereqs are done. Or to take 3 sciences and labs online a semester until next year.

I know in another post you said that working full time isn't very impressive to you. I agree. Do circumstances above and beyond that make a difference though? For example, being married, having children, and serving in the reserves on top of the full time job.

Thanks in advance.
 
DO NOT try to separate the class sequence. If you take one half of chemistry at one cc, make sure you take the second half at the same cc (Ex. Chemistry 101/102 at same college vs Chem 101 at cc and Chem 102 or 1b/1c at local university). There's differences (sometimes HUGE) in the way schools set up their course's content and I think graduate schools will be more discouraged seeing someone take out of sequence courses, than someone who's done their pre-reqs at a cc. However, you might be able to get away with taking a DIFFERENT course at the local university like finishing the entire chem sequence at cc and starting a calc sequence at the local university.
 
Goro said:
Hinestly, I've never been impressed with the logic of "I worked full time and went to classes at night" Pulling 6-8 units a semester awhile working is very different from pulling 40-50 units, which is what my students have to deal with. It's like getting amaster degree every semester.

.
Click to expand...



Well, if there is any truth in that, it depends upon the kind or work--stress load, brain-power, hours, crazy shifts, etc, in which you are employed full-time. Remember too that many people have outside work and school stressors that are demanding and even overwhelming at times as well.

Kind of unfair to generalize this.
 
suushi said:
DO NOT try to separate the class sequence. If you take one half of chemistry at one cc, make sure you take the second half at the same cc (Ex. Chemistry 101/102 at same college vs Chem 101 at cc and Chem 102 or 1b/1c at local university). There's differences (sometimes HUGE) in the way schools set up their course's content and I think graduate schools will be more discouraged seeing someone take out of sequence courses, than someone who's done their pre-reqs at a cc. However, you might be able to get away with taking a DIFFERENT course at the local university like finishing the entire chem sequence at cc and starting a calc sequence at the local university.
Click to expand...



I have to totally agree with the above. Keep courses and content sequences together to prevent gaps. I'm sure there are exceptions, but generally it's true. Also any gaps you may encounter, work to fill them in in your own time, but by keeping the sequences together it can help in seriously limiting inconsistencies and gaps.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Life's not fair.

jl lin said:
Well, if there is any truth in that, it depends upon the kind or work--stress load, brain-power, hours, crazy shifts, etc, in which you are employed full-time. Remember too that many people have outside work and school stressors that are demanding and even overwhelming at times as well.

Kind of unfair to generalize this.
Click to expand...
 
I have no idea how to access the rigor of online classwork. I know I'd better get used to it, but 100% of my interviewees have traditional classes. If they're taking online coursework, AACOMAS isn't telling....which may actually be a good thing.

I'd automatically have a soft spot for anyone in the reserves, whatever their courseload.

I still can't make to jump from "family + kids + job + doing well with 4 credits/semester" = "doing well with 8-17 credits/semester, +/- distractions."


Allen18328 said:
Goro,

How do you view a heavy online courseload? I basically have two options. The first one is to take a class at a time over the next 3,4,5 years or so until my prereqs are done. Or to take 3 sciences and labs online a semester until next year.

I know in another post you said that working full time isn't very impressive to you. I agree. Do circumstances above and beyond that make a difference though? For example, being married, having children, and serving in the reserves on top of the full time job.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
 
Goro said:
It's an urban legend amongst pre-meds that AdComs think taking CC classes are bad...we don't and they're NOT.
Click to expand...

I think it's a stretch to call it an urban legend. I'm sure there are schools that don't care or regional areas where the local CC's have good reputations with prereqs, but there are definitely many schools where CC's are looked down upon. I know at my school (mid-tier public allopathic) CC's are viewed negatively. While doing one sequence out of the prereqs isn't a big deal, doing all of them at a CC is viewed poorly. Is it enough of a negative to sink an application? Maybe not because applications are viewed holistically at my school as many others. But at many schools if you're trying to prove academic worthiness, you're not doing yourself favors by doing all your prereqs at a CC.

This isn't meant to disparage CC coursework, but the realities of how some AdComs at certain schools think.

Like most things it's always best to contact the schools you think you'll be applying to directly to see how they feel about CC coursework.
 
Last edited:
NTF said:
I think it's a stretch to call it an urban legend. I'm sure there are schools that don't care or regional areas where the local CC's have good reputations with prereqs, but there are definitely many schools where CC's are looked down upon. I know at my school (mid-tier public allopathic) CC's are viewed negatively. While doing one sequence out of the prereqs isn't a big deal, doing all of them at a CC is viewed poorly. Is it enough of a negative to sink an application? Maybe not because applications are viewed holistically at my school as many others. But at many schools if you're trying to prove academic worthiness, you're not doing yourself favors by doing all your prereqs at a CC.

This isn't meant to disparage CC coursework, but the realities of how some AdComs at certain schools think.

Like most things it's always best to contact the schools you think you'll be applying to directly to see how they feel about CC coursework.
Click to expand...

That's true; it depends on the school. For example, Case Western makes it clear on their website that they really discourage CC courses. I agree that taking a couple of the prereqs at a CC might be okay, as long as the majority are at a 4 year university. That way you show adcoms you can handle challenging prereq classes, which is what they want to see. I'm thinking about taking bio 1&2 at a CC this summer because it's close to home and much cheaper. But after that I'd definitely transfer over to a university.

I also agree with the person who said don't separate course sequences. It could cause you to get behind in chem 2 at the university if chem 1 at the CC covered different or less material.
 
Goro said:
Hinestly, I've never been impressed with the logic of "I worked full time and went to classes at night" Pulling 6-8 units a semester awhile working is very different from pulling 40-50 units, which is what my students have to deal with. It's like getting amaster degree every semester.

Being a full time grad student? If it means taking some rigorous classes while taking the pre-reqs, AND doing lab work, then I have a bit more respect for that.

Overall, we only have a problem with people who take one course/year. I've interviewed people like that and we always low-wait list those.
Click to expand...

That's unfortunate you view it that way. Having been a full time undergraduate; a full time graduate student with research; and now a full time employee in a science career type job, also taking 6-11 credits at night (and studying for the MCAT at the moment) - I have to say the work and part time school schedule has BY FAR been the most rigorous and exhausting, mentally and otherwise. Grad school would be second.

Perhaps it depends on the job, but if you're that biased against someone for "only working" and "only taking one class" while doing so, respectfully: you're selling some folks quite short.
 
Elewynne said:
That's unfortunate you view it that way. Having been a full time undergraduate; a full time graduate student with research; and now a full time employee in a science career type job, also taking 6-11 credits at night (and studying for the MCAT at the moment) - I have to say the work and part time school schedule has BY FAR been the most rigorous and exhausting, mentally and otherwise. Grad school would be second.

Perhaps it depends on the job, but if you're that biased against someone for "only working" and "only taking one class" while doing so, respectfully: you're selling some folks quite short.
Click to expand...

👍

Yep. . .and add to that 8-12 credits, maintaining 4.0, working full-time, multiple kids + being a person of the "sandwhich generation," which means you are caring for your seriously and terminally ill parent/s as well. (Quite stressful.) Add to that kids, which are spread out in age, and with the one on the far end being adolescent with oppositional behavior beyond the normal. I totally believe now that nature plays a very big part in personality.

Whatever, everyone will believe as they will. You get back as good as you give when it comes to having understanding toward others in life.

You know your life. I know my life, and everyone should know their own lives. Many things run similar, but there is something powerful in looking at unique experience.

Questa è la vita.
 
Now that I am working, I wholeheartedly agree with ji lin & elywynne. I've been a FT grad student while taking premed classes and now I work FT at a hospital while taking science classes at night... And I have to say that the latter is by FAR more exhausting and mentally draining. I simply couldn't have prepared myself for the energy it takes. In grad school I studied throughout the day, and I don't have that luxury anymore. Now studying takes place after work through the night and I head to one of my schools at 5am to take tests because I can't be present for them due to work. No clue how I'll manage to fit in MCAT studying into this schedule down the road...will cross that bridge when I come to it. I sincerely hope that not all schools scoff at the amount of dedication it takes to maintain this schedule, especially for non-trads who have family obligations. It certainly makes me value what I'm doing much more, but it definitely takes a toll.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

nontrad:PP
Non-science prereqs?
Replies
1
Views
344
wysdoc
wysdoc
J
Doing a DIY PostBacc, but not sure to retake certain classes
Replies
5
Views
2K
Wamuu
Wamuu
G
Nontrad career changer Low gpa old prereqs
Replies
7
Views
1K
FamousPremed
F
Mr.Smile12
Gladstone Institutes Research program for CC students
Replies
0
Views
753
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
returning to University from long hiatus, low gpa/old prereqs
Replies
3
Views
739
karaya
karaya
Top Bottom