Take community college classes after graduated university?

de_la_soul said:

I already graduated from a four year institution, a University of California school. I wanted to improve my GPA and re-take some classes I didn't do so hot in (just found out DO schools take the better one). Has anyone tried taking classes at community colleges to improve their GPA after they've graduated? I graduated 4 years ago. This is a top 25 community college (it was ranked 19) in the US...not sure if that matters. They have a lot of bio classes (molec cell and bio, genetics, ecology, zoology, botany...) that I think would help my gpa, and that would show I want to make amends and that I can handle the work. I work full time so it's tough to schedule it but I want to do it if it'll help. There's also a university nearby, but I can't afford to take classes there. That's why I'd like to do the community college route. Well, any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

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I don't think that would be a problem at all, so long as you don't try to retake everything you've already taken at your first university. I think if you're taking more upper-level courses to boost your gpa, then that would look better than retaking all of the courses you scored lower on the first time around (nothing wrong with retaking a couple).

I graduated a year or so ago and took physics at a community college with no problem at all. As for cost, I think most schools realize that community colleges are more practical for the working non-traditional student. Good luck!

de_la_soul said:

I already graduated from a four year institution, a University of California school. I wanted to improve my GPA and re-take some classes I didn't do so hot in (just found out DO schools take the better one). Has anyone tried taking classes at community colleges to improve their GPA after they've graduated? I graduated 4 years ago. This is a top 25 community college (it was ranked 19) in the US...not sure if that matters. They have a lot of bio classes (molec cell and bio, genetics, ecology, zoology, botany...) that I think would help my gpa, and that would show I want to make amends and that I can handle the work. I work full time so it's tough to schedule it but I want to do it if it'll help. There's also a university nearby, but I can't afford to take classes there. That's why I'd like to do the community college route. Well, any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

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Do what you have to do. As long as the class is the same and is worth greater than or equal to the number of credits/units/hours as the first time, it's all good.

de_la_soul said:

....I wanted to improve my GPA and re-take some classes I didn't do so hot in (just found out DO schools take the better one)....

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I don't believe it's the "better" one; rather, it's the most recent one.

scpod said:

I don't believe it's the "better" one; rather, it's the most recent one.

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True story. So you better make sure to go all out this second time!

Punchap said:

I don't think that would be a problem at all, so long as you don't try to retake everything you've already taken at your first university. I think if you're taking more upper-level courses to boost your gpa, then that would look better than retaking all of the courses you scored lower on the first time around (nothing wrong with retaking a couple).

I graduated a year or so ago and took physics at a community college with no problem at all. As for cost, I think most schools realize that community colleges are more practical for the working non-traditional student. Good luck!

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Most CCs only have lower division classes.

their are two cc that are connect with the local univerisities and offer upper division course in my area and you pay the cc tuiton

i am goin to take the same route like the OP....i have a family to take care of and right now i just want to finish my degree. So OP just do what you gotta do...sometimes you have to take a different route to acheieve your goals

Good Luck

If Retaking Classes How Many Is Too Many?

nymetsfan said:

If Retaking Classes How Many Is Too Many?

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Based on what? Perception by med schools? Please explain.

I don't really see the downside if you have time, money, and some low freshman/sophomore grades.

Yeah, The Preception Of Adcom's. I Mean Fresh/soph Year I Did Ok. I'd Love To Go Back And Take Like 4 Gen Eds Over Again. But Haven't Done So For Fear It Would Have A Negative Impact On Any Decisions The Adcoms Would Make. I Don't Want Them To Think "oh, He Obviously Doesn't Get Things The First Time Around"

nymetsfan said:

Yeah, The Preception Of Adcom's. I Mean Fresh/soph Year I Did Ok. I'd Love To Go Back And Take Like 4 Gen Eds Over Again. But Haven't Done So For Fear It Would Have A Negative Impact On Any Decisions The Adcoms Would Make. I Don't Want Them To Think "oh, He Obviously Doesn't Get Things The First Time Around"

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Turn Off Your Caps Lock Key And Your Posts Wont Look Like This.



If you have to retake a class like orgo 3 times, thats not going to look too good to adcoms, as it is generally a weed out class that you're expected to pass to show you can handle the difficult course load. Taking calc 2-3 times isn't gonna be horrible.

I have to take a sociology or antro. prereq for one school I am applying to. I am thinking about taking like a pharmacology class they are offering. I wouldn't mind retaking G-Chem which I got a C in my first semester. I am already in the midst of secondaries. Do you guys think it is worth it to retake and then maybe send a transcript? I do hope to get one acceptance before Christmas break. That would be a sweet Christmas gift

Hi everyone,

I graduated from UCR last year and I'm retaking the whole physics, chem, bio series at several different CC. Is this considered too much in terms of retakes? How can I find out if the classes will count as a retake and completely replace my old grades? I hear that the classes must be exactly the same. After retaking these classes my GPA will improve a lot, from 3.0 to 3.45, if I get straight A's... so I'm willing to give it my all. I would appreciate any input..thanks!!

Jhoa001 said:

Hi everyone,

I graduated from UCR last year and I'm retaking the whole physics, chem, bio series at several different CC. Is this considered too much in terms of retakes? How can I find out if the classes will count as a retake and completely replace my old grades? I hear that the classes must be exactly the same. After retaking these classes my GPA will improve a lot, from 3.0 to 3.45, if I get straight A's... so I'm willing to give it my all. I would appreciate any input..thanks!!

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Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but to find out whether the CC courses are equivalent your UCR courses, you can use www.assist.org.

As to whether taking physics, chem, and bio is considered "too much," I don't think it matters for DO schools, who will take your newest grade for the course. As for MD schools, I'm really not sure. I've experienced various levels of attitude regarding my CC courses, but I'm in a different situation than you are - I didn't retake physics, chem, and bio at a CC; instead, I took them for the first time at a CC.

Are CC classes ranked higher than the same online classes taken through a university?

A few things:

1- Community College or City Colleges are fine. I did my post bac at a city based college and got plenty of interviews. It saved me so much money in the long run. The secret is you have to show that you can handle a large course load. So taking advanced level science courses at least 12+ credits will do the trick. In addition, you have to get A's in all your courses plain and simple. That was what I was told and it scared me. But if you know ahead of time, you know what you have to do. The reason why is because you will be applying with applicants that have done well the first time around. So you have to show why admissions should even look at you over the person who got it right the first time around. If you must get a B, there is room for only one or two. But aim for all As.
2- Please do not repeat any courses you have done if it was a C or better. If you do, you better get only an A. I will repeat, if you do re-take a class, you must get an A! Admissions have more respect for you taking advanced level course work and doing well over in it the first time around over repeating a class that you have already taken and possible not doing that hot. The reason again is that the others in the applicant pool will have done it and well the first time around. Some examples of how you can go around covering crappy grades, if you didn't do so well in chemistry, make sure you take biochemistry and do well. If you did horribly in physics, take medical physics or something equivalent to that. That is what I did and had no problems getting interviews.

What I have said above is from what many admissions directors have personally told me. So please don't take this advice with a grain of salt. This is the same advice I took from them and I went from a science gpa of 2.5 to 3.8 at a city college taking only advanced level coursework (approx 2-3 courses a semester) and working full time. Some of the courses I took were Medical Physics, Cell Bio, biochem, immunology, virology. I didn't re-take any of my classes. And when I went on interviews, admissions spent about 5 minutes of my 1 1/2 hr interview time raising the question of my undergraduate grades. So it is possible to get them to forget the crappy portions of your application if you make the concerted effort to show that you are a good candidate.

Good luck to you. Feel free to PM if you have questions specifically for me.