Are summer classes considered as competative as semester classes?

[TheBiologist]

So I know that the straight answer to this is no, but by how much?

I will have 5 summer classes in my application: Calc I, Differential Equations, Spanish I and II, and Abnormal Psychology. They were taken at a community college.

I know none of those are prereqs for med school (maybe clac but I took three semesters of calc total) but I got all A's in them and it raises my GPA pretty decently.

Is this a superficial raising of GPA or does it actually help me? thanks 🙂

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[efle]

I think being community college classes will affect their perceived competitiveness more than summer vs semester. This will probably only be noticed if your university science class grades are a lot lower.

 

[Lawpy]

I'm more curious how you were able to take differential equations and calculus I concurrently. Usually you need linear algebra and multivariate calc to take diff eq.

Unless I misinterpreted and you did take the prereqs needed for differential equations?

Besides that, i don't think the issue is summer classes, but rather CC vs university classes. How did you fare at the university level?

 

[TheBiologist]

No, I took calculus II and III during the school year; these summer classes are over 3 years total

 

[Lawpy]

No, I took calculus II and III during the school year; these summer classes are over 3 years total

Was "during the school year" at a university or at a CC?

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

Was "during the school year" at a university or at a CC?

I don't know if most schools are really going to care all that much unless you do worse at the university level. If you still perform well what have they got to pick at?

If I take gen Chem prereqs at my CC but go on to do equally well in Orgo 1+2 how does that suggest I am less competitive? Or if I take college algebra at the CC vs calculus at the university level but still get As? In any event the MCAT is going to equalize things regardless.

 

[TheBiologist]

I go to a top 10 engineering school

 

[Lawpy]

I don't know if most schools are really going to care all that much unless you do worse at the university level. If you still perform well what have they got to pick at?

If I take gen Chem prereqs at my CC but go on to do equally well in Orgo 1+2 how does that suggest I am less competitive? Or if I take college algebra at the CC vs calculus at the university level but still get As?

http://www.upstate.edu/com/admissions/faqs.php
- Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two prerequisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges.

It seems that some schools have a stigma against taking prereqs at a CC. I personally don't agree with this, but apparently it seems to be the case. Unless more schools are becoming accepting of CC courses and Upstate is an exception?

 

[ProspectiveKidd]

It seems that some schools have a stigma against taking prereqs at a CC. I personally don't agree with this, but apparently it seems to be the case. Unless more schools are becoming accepting of CC courses and Upstate is an exception?

Im venting somewhat. I just think its silly because if there are gaps in knowledge because of this its going to show in later upper level classes or on the MCAT. And if it doesn't, who's to say it was ever there in the first place?