Application Times and more questions

[mathlegend]

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When I enter my first year in university, I'll have 81 units from my community college (taken during my high school years). Podiatry schools requires 90 units completed to apply, so if I apply during Dec/Jan, will I be at a big disadvantage to those who apply in Sep? What if I have a good MCAT score (25+, at least, I'm pretty sure) and a GPA of at least 3.7?

And kind of random, but for CSPM, they need liberal arts electives. Are those anything in the liberal arts or they have to be part of the GE requirements for the school? It's giving me a headache. And what exactly would be counted as liberal arts electives?

And for CSPM, they also require Biochem. Is that seriously a requirement? It doesn't say so on the aacpm site.

EDIT: Actually, I forgot the summer after my senior year in high school, so I'll have perfectly 90 credits. Though does it change anything that I have the bare minimum while applying, all credits are from a community college, and not all prereqs are met yet?

 

[smartman716]

When I enter my first year in university, I'll have 81 units from my community college (taken during my high school years). Podiatry schools requires 90 units completed to apply, so if I apply during Dec/Jan, will I be at a big disadvantage to those who apply in Sep? What if I have a good MCAT score (25+, at least, I'm pretty sure) and a GPA of at least 3.7?

And kind of random, but for CSPM, they need liberal arts electives. Are those anything in the liberal arts or they have to be part of the GE requirements for the school? It's giving me a headache. And what exactly would be counted as liberal arts electives?

And for CSPM, they also require Biochem. Is that seriously a requirement? It doesn't say so on the aacpm site.

I am not familiar with the application process at CSPM but some things are similar in all schools. I will only attempt to answer those questions that are in bold (1-2, top-down)

1. Probably not. December and January aren't too far off from September. If your file is complete and you're competitive, and the spots aren't filled in your school(s) of choice, you have a good chance of getting in

2. There are basic requirements for all schools, and specific requirements for each school. If a school specifically states that they require a course, then they require it. Occasionally, they may grant a waiver on a case-by-case basis. In your case it might be harder since you have the minimal 90 hour requirements

If you choose to apply in December, most of your credit (please correct me if I'm wrong) would be AP credit . I would suggest that you find out from CSPM what their policies are on AP credit and how those credits would transfer.

 

[mathlegend]

Thanks smartman. Actually, all of my credit is community college credit. I'll have perfectly 81 when I graduate from high school, but 90 after the summer. I should edit that in my main post.

 

[smartman716]

Thanks smartman. Actually, all of my credit is community college credit. I'll have perfectly 81 when I graduate from high school, but 90 after the summer. I should edit that in my main post.

EDIT: Actually, I forgot the summer after my senior year in high school, so I'll have perfectly 90 credits. Though does it change anything that I have the bare minimum while applying, all credits are from a community college, and not all prereqs are met yet?

That may change the dynamics a little bit. But then again you still have the bare minimum (and from a community college) and you have not completed all the prereqs. Study very well for the MCAT.

 

[dtrack22]

First thing's first, finish your pre-reqs before you:

a) apply to pod school
b) take the MCAT

I honestly don't know how well your CC classes prepared you for the MCAT. you'll need some additional O-chem (IMO) as well as physics and Biochem. A good chunk of the questions in the Biological Sciences section are Biochem related. Also, many of the stand alone Q's in that same section are evolutionary and physiology based. If you want to nail the MCAT an upper div animal/human phys class would be helpful.

If you ignore any/all of this advice then all I can say is study hard for the MCAT because you are putting yourself at a big disadvantage by trying to take it before you are even exposed to curriculum at an undergraduate institution. Either way good luck, and apply to pod school even if you score an 18...if G-father can, so can you.

 

[Darklord]

LOL, another high schooler in podiatry school. This is uber funny.

I'll have around 50 credits (a mixture of real university, community college, and AP) when I graduate, but I will, of course, be taking the "hard sciences" next year, which includes: Chem 1&2, Bio 1&2, Physics 1&2, O-Chem 1&2, Biochem, Anatomy, ect

Smartman Liberal Arts usually includes: the Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, ect ) and the Humanities (History, Philosophy, English).

Basically look at the IGETC, or go to your Community College Counselor to evaluate your transcript for Podiatry School Requirements.

Man you're graduating high school with an AA degree. Impressive, hats off to you smartman!

(I'm graduating high school pretty early and will be applying to podiatry school, three years from now, lol 🙄)

I would recommend attending a big public university in the fall (like me), transferring your credits, and getting a degree (BS in Biology). Then applying to podiatry school. I don't think more than sixty credits transfer for requirements.

 

[mathlegend]

EDIT: Actually, I forgot the summer after my senior year in high school, so I'll have perfectly 90 credits. Though does it change anything that I have the bare minimum while applying, all credits are from a community college, and not all prereqs are met yet?

That may change the dynamics a little bit. But then again you still have the bare minimum (and from a community college) and you have not completed all the prereqs. Study very well for the MCAT.

Will it be a disadvantage for me? Even if I get good grades (3.7+ gpa?) I will study (a lot) for the MCAT

First thing's first, finish your pre-reqs before you:

a) apply to pod school
b) take the MCAT

I honestly don't know how well your CC classes prepared you for the MCAT. you'll need some additional O-chem (IMO) as well as physics and Biochem. A good chunk of the questions in the Biological Sciences section are Biochem related. Also, many of the stand alone Q's in that same section are evolutionary and physiology based. If you want to nail the MCAT an upper div animal/human phys class would be helpful.

If you ignore any/all of this advice then all I can say is study hard for the MCAT because you are putting yourself at a big disadvantage by trying to take it before you are even exposed to curriculum at an undergraduate institution. Either way good luck, and apply to pod school even if you score an 18...if G-father can, so can you.

Why finish prereqs first though? Is it really a necessity?

LOL, another high schooler in podiatry school. This is uber funny.

I'll have around 50 credits (a mixture of real university, community college, and AP) when I graduate, but I will, of course, be taking the "hard sciences" next year, which includes: Chem 1&2, Bio 1&2, Physics 1&2, O-Chem 1&2, Biochem, Anatomy, ect

Smartman Liberal Arts usually includes: the Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, ect ) and the Humanities (History, Philosophy, English).

Basically look at the IGETC, or go to your Community College Counselor to evaluate your transcript for Podiatry School Requirements.

Man you're graduating high school with an AA degree. Impressive, hats off to you smartman!

(I'm graduating high school pretty early and will be applying to podiatry school, three years from now, lol 🙄)

I would recommend attending a big public university in the fall (like me), transferring your credits, and getting a degree (BS in Biology). Then applying to podiatry school. I don't think more than sixty credits transfer for requirements.

Uh, you mean mathlegend, not smartman? 😱 So liberal arts courses don't have to be part of the general ed requirement? (I will ask the cc counselor sometime) What do you mean no more than 60 credits transfer? Is that just for the degree?

 

[smartman716]

LOL, another high schooler in podiatry school. This is uber funny.

I'll have around 50 credits (a mixture of real university, community college, and AP) when I graduate, but I will, of course, be taking the "hard sciences" next year, which includes: Chem 1&2, Bio 1&2, Physics 1&2, O-Chem 1&2, Biochem, Anatomy, ect

Smartman Liberal Arts usually includes: the Social Sciences (Psychology, Sociology, ect ) and the Humanities (History, Philosophy, English).

Basically look at the IGETC, or go to your Community College Counselor to evaluate your transcript for Podiatry School Requirements.

Man you're graduating high school with an AA degree. Impressive, hats off to you smartman!

(I'm graduating high school pretty early and will be applying to podiatry school, three years from now, lol 🙄)

I would recommend attending a big public university in the fall (like me), transferring your credits, and getting a degree (BS in Biology). Then applying to podiatry school. I don't think more than sixty credits transfer for requirements.

Correction:
Darklord kudos to mathlegend and hats off to mathlegend and not to me!

 

[smartman716]

Will it be a disadvantage for me? Even if I get good grades (3.7+ gpa?) I will study (a lot) for the MCAT


Why finish prereqs first though? Is it really a necessity?


Uh, you mean mathlegend, not smartman? 😱 So liberal arts courses don't have to be part of the general ed requirement? (I will ask the cc counselor sometime) What do you mean no more than 60 credits transfer? Is that just for the degree?

mathlegend I can't say for sure. It may depend on your community college's reputation. Taking the basic science prereqs at a more rigorous 4- year institution is usually preferred by adcoms.

Here's is a link from SDN

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/04/community-college-and-professional-school-admissions/

I hope it helps.

 

[mathlegend]

mathlegend I can't say for sure. It may depend on your community college's reputation. Taking the basic science prereqs at a more rigorous 4- year institution is usually preferred by adcoms.

Here's is a link from SDN

http://www.studentdoctor.net/2009/04/community-college-and-professional-school-admissions/

I hope it helps.

Thanks, I read that. Still kinda vague. 🙁 I'm hoping to get more opinions. I emailed the admission director and the dean for CSPM. Hoping to get answers soon.

 

[air bud]

I emailed the admission director and the dean for CSPM. Hoping to get answers soon.

This is always the best idea. Don't ever be afraid to ask.

 

[Darklord]

Sorry Smartman and Mathlegend. So it looks like we have 3 high schools now on the pod forum?

They need to teach us general education classes when we start high school, because we won't know what AP classes and CC classes count.

Look at your universities general education requirements (the one you need to get a degree from). Usually all of the requirements are pretty similar: 2 English classes, one art, one math, two-three science classes, two-three social science classes, two-three humanities classes, ect

 

[mathlegend]

Actually here in California, they have assist.org, which shows you which courses are required for transfers to UCs/CSUs and which fufill the general education requirement for each school. On the course catalog, it says if the course is transferrable to UC/CSU or not. I think most schools (at least UCs) don't accept AP credit to fufill general ed.

 

[Darklord]

What the hell is wrong with you. Of course APs count towards general education.

My friend is going to Berkeley with Sophomore status (and taking O-Chem) because he took a crap load of AP classes in high school.

I just got 6 credits for passing the AP European History exam (6 credits that fulfill the humanities requirement, get it)

I mean logically, if AP doesn't count towards general ed, then why do we take them?

(Of course some schools tend to be selective and only award credit to 4s and 5s)

 

[Smile786]

Darkload is right.

AP's count! You paid for those exams and studied your butt off for it; so why wouldn't they count. First, have those AP credits transferred to any undergrad program (not community college). Although, some undergrad institution don't accept specific AP credits based on their curriculum. If you have excellent scores on your AP tests and they are not accepting it, then CLEP out of it which is a test you take in college to test out of a course.

Once you have all the pre-reqs, apply to pod schools from an undergrad instituition.


I hope I helped. Good luck.

 

[mathlegend]

Hmmm my bad. Sorry about that. I dunno where I read that...

 

[kale sannis]

your ap units will count, but depending on your undergrad, a 3 and 4/5 might count for different classes. you should just email/call the schools to ask.

the aacpm site has a list of certain hours for each class/subject that you need. a very important thing to remember is that if you apply to other professional programs, they will require that you actually take the classes at a university or community college.

 

[dtrack22]

I hope you guys don't think that a pod school will accept whatever your undergraduate institution gives you for AP credit...Here's my example.

You get a 3-5 on your AP Lit test and your college of choice accepts that score and gives you credit for English 101

Make sure to check your transcript because this credit will most likely show up as a "Z" or "P" or "S" or any other letter denomination that means "NON-COURSE EQUIVALENCY". They are saying you've satisfied the requirement in their eyes but you DID NOT earn a grade that counts towards your GPA.

Here's the problem. Many pod schools (I counted once since I had this problem my last semester of college this spring, but now can't remember) DO NOT ACCEPT anything other than a traditional A,B,C in any of your pre-reqs.

You have to have all your pre-reqs to apply...make sure your school(s) doesn't care if you get a a non-course equivalency credit in your pre-reqs or you'll end up taking 6 freshman english credits as a senior...trust me 😀

 

[dtrack22]

PM me if you are confused, but the bottom line is TAKE the pre-reqs from an institution where you can get a letter grade (i.e. A,B,C) or you'll be kicking yourself when you can't get accepted because of a formality.

 

[mathlegend]

I hope you guys don't think that a pod school will accept whatever your undergraduate institution gives you for AP credit...Here's my example.

You get a 3-5 on your AP Lit test and your college of choice accepts that score and gives you credit for English 101

Make sure to check your transcript because this credit will most likely show up as a "Z" or "P" or "S" or any other letter denomination that means "NON-COURSE EQUIVALENCY". They are saying you've satisfied the requirement in their eyes but you DID NOT earn a grade that counts towards your GPA.

Here's the problem. Many pod schools (I counted once since I had this problem my last semester of college this spring, but now can't remember) DO NOT ACCEPT anything other than a traditional A,B,C in any of your pre-reqs.

You have to have all your pre-reqs to apply...make sure your school(s) doesn't care if you get a a non-course equivalency credit in your pre-reqs or you'll end up taking 6 freshman english credits as a senior...trust me 😀

Yea, I'm taking the prereqs (well except for physics, english, biochem) at my CC. It's letter graded.

You had to take 6 credits of freshman english as a senior?

 

[dtrack22]

Yeah Mathlegened...and my 12 credit (bare minimum to be a full-time student) semester turned into an 18 credit load. But thats life.

My problem was that I've been pre-med up until this last year. Med schools are sensible and recognize the fact that my writing is graded on the MCAT, I attend a liberal arts University with "writing intensive" upper division science classes that are designated on my transcript and discussed in our committee LOR, and that I have to write them a personal statement. They figure with all that and the fact that my accredited University accepts those AP scores, I have fulfilled the writing pre-req. Pod schools aren't quite there yet I guess and said "you HAVE to get a letter grade in ALL pre-reqs."

Just wanted all of you to be able to enjoy your last semester of college...it's one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. How often do you get to hang out with some of your best friends and a couple thousand other kids your age, have almost ZERO responsibility, and almost no homework/studies?

 

[244869]

I hope you guys don't think that a pod school will accept whatever your undergraduate institution gives you for AP credit...Here's my example.

You get a 3-5 on your AP Lit test and your college of choice accepts that score and gives you credit for English 101

Make sure to check your transcript because this credit will most likely show up as a "Z" or "P" or "S" or any other letter denomination that means "NON-COURSE EQUIVALENCY". They are saying you've satisfied the requirement in their eyes but you DID NOT earn a grade that counts towards your GPA.

Here's the problem. Many pod schools (I counted once since I had this problem my last semester of college this spring, but now can't remember) DO NOT ACCEPT anything other than a traditional A,B,C in any of your pre-reqs.

You have to have all your pre-reqs to apply...make sure your school(s) doesn't care if you get a a non-course equivalency credit in your pre-reqs or you'll end up taking 6 freshman english credits as a senior...trust me 😀

So pod schools don't take a PASS for pre-reqs? Where did you find this? I went through a couple of their websites and I found nothing about requiring a letter grade.

 

[Darklord]

On my transcript it says: Western Civilization 1 CR (credit), do pod schools require social science and humanities are pre-reqs (included in the 90 required hours)?

 

[dtrack22]

From the Western U website:

All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of “C” or better (a grade of “C-” or lower is not acceptable)

I saw this and CALLED the admissions office at the school to confirm that pass/non-course equivalency satisfied this requirement and they said "no". I would recommend you call ALL of the schools you are interested in attending and ask this question or you'll end up like me scrambling to take 6 credits that you thought you had covered.

 

[Darklord]

http://prospective.westernu.edu/assets/prospective/podiatry/dpm-requirements.pdf

General Biology w/ lab

8​

12​

Organic Chemistry w/ lab

8​

12​

General Physics w/ lab

8​

12​

General or Inorganic Chemistry w/ lab

8​

12​

College English/English Composition

6​

9​

Biochemistry, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Zoology & Histology
(not required but highly recommended)

Your BCPM (biology, chemistry, physics, and math) are prerequisites. Liberal arts classes are not included. So, my 6 credits will be useful for a bachelors and nothing else (however it was a very fun class).

 

[air bud]

For people that attend schools that have organic lab separate from the lecture, talk to your school about biochem counting for organic credit. I took 3 credit each orgo I and II. I know for a fact that DMU and Scholl will credit biochem towards filling the 8 hours. Worked out great. I hate organic and heard nothing but bad things about the lab. Biochem was a fun class and much more relevant to your future schooling.

 

[phillypd]

Wow...i loved organic chem.....did better in that class than gen chem.....