At a community college for 4 years, did I mess up?

[Launcelot]

Alright guys, here's the deal:

I've been at an undisclosed CA CC for three years (going on 4 beginning this Fall), and I plan to finish it up at one of the UC's (Cal hopefully), for a total of 6 years worth of undergrad.

I was originally accepted to UCD, but upon realizing that it would've taken me 3 years to graduate at UCD (vs. 1 yr at a CC then 2 at UCD) because of me not having taken o-chem, I turned it down and re-enrolled at my local CC for financial reasons.

I've got a a bunch of EC's under my belt during that time, and I will begin as EMT-1 during this year too... But I'm still worried, will I catch hell at interviews for this? Or worse, be screened out (despite, say, a decent MCAT score)? 3.7 GPA, by the way.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[KindofBlue]

Probably not, as long as you continue to maintain a good GPA with upper division classes (at least that's what I've learned from reading posts by more experienced posters in this forum).
If you can take upper division science classes and still do decently, that would probably prove that you can handle harder science classes to the adcom. A 3.7 at a CC does sound a bit weak IMO, but like I said, as long as you maintain that throughout the next 2 years, I wouldn't think there'd be too much of an issue. Plus you were attending CC due to financial reasons, so you can explain that to the adcom I guess.

 

[Launcelot]

Probably not, as long as you continue to maintain a good GPA with upper division classes (at least that's what I've learned from reading posts by more experienced posters in this forum).
If you can take upper division science classes and still do decently, that would probably prove that you can handle harder science classes to the adcom. A 3.7 at a CC does sound a bit weak IMO, but like I said, as long as you maintain that throughout the next 2 years, I wouldn't think there'd be too much of an issue. Plus you were attending CC due to financial reasons, so you can explain that to the adcom I guess.

Ouch, my manhood.

I guess that I have my work cut out for me, I've got to own the other gunners out there at the 4 years if I want to even get a chance at being accepted in CA.

 

[KindofBlue]

Ouch, my manhood.

I guess that I have my work cut out for me, I've got to own the other gunners out there at the 4 years if I want to even get a chance at being accepted in CA.

Sorry, didn't mean to hurt your feelings..
I know getting all As in CC is not easy, but I guess that's what people tend to expect from you. I've got plenty of Bs during my CC years, so don't feel bad.
At least from what I've read here, taking courses at CC is no where near as bad as having a bad GPA, so I really wouldn't worry too much. But med schools sometimes have different CC course policies, so make sure you talk to med schools before applying. I've taken most of my GE from CC, so I'll be speaking from my experience this time next year whether or not CC courses affects your chances significantly. Anyway, good luck in college!

 

[Launcelot]

Sorry, didn't mean to hurt your feelings..
I know getting all As in CC is not easy, but I guess that's what people tend to expect from you. I've got plenty of Bs during my CC years, so don't feel bad.
At least from what I've read here, taking courses at CC is no where near as bad as having a bad GPA, so I really wouldn't worry too much. But med schools sometimes have different CC course policies, so make sure you talk to med schools before applying. I've taken most of my GE from CC, so I'll be speaking from my experience this time next year whether or not CC courses affects your chances significantly. Anyway, good luck in college!

Its okay, I thought it too, it just hurts when someone actually says it

Thanks for the reply

 

[CoolRX]

"A 3.7 at a CC does sound a bit weak IMO"

I'm always amazed how people could come here and expect answers from random people with no real expertise on admission. While SDN is a great resource for mapping a study plan of action, or getting a boost when morale will surely get low during these trying times, or even to deflate from hectic schedules, I have also read many crazy comments that have little to no bearing on admissions lest the unique circumstances of said individuals. Each school will have specific requirements, the OP is to go on said websites or call to inquire. Don't let random people who is in the same boat as you paint illusions of a weak application due to a wanton disregard for facts.

To say a 3.7 is a bit low is completely outrageous. I say 3.7 is a fantastic GPA as long as it translates well into a great MCAT or that it was achieved with a fairly hectic schedule as in university. Good luck!

P.S. Though kindofblue elaborated a little on his 3.7 CC gpa comment, there are many others who make comments and just leave it at that. But hopefully, the point is well taken. My reply in no way question the credibility of kindofblue, just that applicants are to be careful with a few comments here.

 

[isoquin]

I would question why it took you that many years, and would weigh your MCAT score heavily to get some form of standardized comparison to the rest of the applicants. This is not an education where you have the liberty of watching your expenses. If you want to save money in the short term, don't go to med school.

So my best advice to you would be to demolish the MCAT. Best of luck, and keep us updated!

 

[ucsfstudents]

You'll be fine. Just keep up your grades once you transfer and make sure you understand the medical school application process and expectations.

 

[Negrodamus]

I would question why it took you that many years, and would weigh your MCAT score heavily to get some form of standardized comparison to the rest of the applicants. This is not an education where you have the liberty of watching your expenses. If you want to save money in the short term, don't go to med school.

So my best advice to you would be to demolish the MCAT. Best of luck, and keep us updated!

But college isn't medical school. Why shouldn't he be prudent instead of racking up tens of thousands of dollars in debt?

 

[Musclemass]

But college isn't medical school. Why shouldn't he be prudent instead of racking up tens of thousands of dollars in debt?

I agree with Isoquin.

Most applicants achieve an impressive academic record and obtain a BA or BS in 4 years. Many do so at very demanding and selective schools. Someone who only completes community college in 4 years will not, at first pass, be viewed as being on a par with others.

Is it fatal? Doesn't need to be. Does it make the process more difficult? Of course it will.

There are many uses of the word "prudent". You're using it solely in a financial sense. Viewing this as just a financial question is shortsighted. It arguably would have been more prudent for him to get to a four year school sooner and finish sooner, even if doing so would have been more expensive and required loans.

 

[Negrodamus]

I agree with Isoquin.

Most applicants achieve an impressive academic record and obtain a BA or BS in 4 years. Many do so at very demanding and selective schools. Someone who only completes community college in 4 years will not, at first pass, be viewed as being on a par with others.

Is it fatal? Doesn't need to be. Does it make the process more difficult? Of course it will.

There are many uses of the word "prudent". You're using it solely in a financial sense. Viewing this as just a financial question is shortsighted. It arguably would have been more prudent for him to get to a four year school sooner and finish sooner, even if doing so would have been more expensive and required loans.

I would be in agreement if there was some sort of explicate guarantee of matriculating into medical school.

 

[jdok]

.

 

[Morsetlis]

Did you know that the final exam for my psych class at a local CC was online?

And that 50% of the questions were in the practice test?

*boggle*

On the other hand, finish your year or two of EMT work, get some research, some volunteering, and solid prereq GPA's, and you'll be set.

That, and an awesome MCAT of course. If you rock the MCAT, nobody will doubt your coursework. If they do, point to all the humanistic and caring extracurriculars that you did! Albeit, it'll be hard to get a research position being at a CC all the time, but maybe you can buddy up with a CC faculty since there's so little research done there anyway, you could be their only lab assistant.

 

[Launcelot]

Did you know that the final exam for my psych class at a local CC was online?

And that 50% of the questions were in the practice test?

*boggle*

On the other hand, finish your year or two of EMT work, get some research, some volunteering, and solid prereq GPA's, and you'll be set.

That, and an awesome MCAT of course. If you rock the MCAT, nobody will doubt your coursework. If they do, point to all the humanistic and caring extracurriculars that you did! Albeit, it'll be hard to get a research position being at a CC all the time, but maybe you can buddy up with a CC faculty since there's so little research done there anyway, you could be their only lab assistant.

I'll be working EMT for about 8 months before I'll go into a volunteer EMS thing at a UC when I get there. I'm planning to keep my ECs as best as I can (volunteering at hospital PNU and OR, pre-med club president) but I can't really find any research at CC, I'm just hoping to get research done when I transfer.

I'll do my best to keep a strong and confident front if I get interviews, and I'm honestly hoping that the EMT thing will toughen me up for some sort of grilling in the future. I'm frightened by the whole EMT thing too, as well, but I figured that I need money and I need to see if I can handle people at their worst.

One more thing about Cal though, I figured that if I get accepted, I should probably go anyways for the fact that it's one of those one-in-a-lifetime thing being at a school like that. If I can't handle Cal, probably wouldn't even be cut out to qualify for the residency I would want, whatever it may be, anyways. Plus the bay area really does it for me.

This semester:

1st Semester Physics (Cal only needs one semester)
2nd Semester Spanish
1st Semester O-Chem Lecture & Lab
Calculus 3
18 units total + EMT-1 course at technical school & ECs

Thanks guys for the advice!

 

[vin5cent0]

"A 3.7 at a CC does sound a bit weak IMO"

I'm always amazed how people could come here and expect answers from random people with no real expertise on admission. While SDN is a great resource for mapping a study plan of action, or getting a boost when morale will surely get low during these trying times, or even to deflate from hectic schedules, I have also read many crazy comments that have little to no bearing on admissions lest the unique circumstances of said individuals. Each school will have specific requirements, the OP is to go on said websites or call to inquire. Don't let random people who is in the same boat as you paint illusions of a weak application due to a wanton disregard for facts.

To say a 3.7 is a bit low is completely outrageous. I say 3.7 is a fantastic GPA as long as it translates well into a great MCAT or that it was achieved with a fairly hectic schedule as in university. Good luck!

P.S. Though kindofblue elaborated a little on his 3.7 CC gpa comment, there are many others who make comments and just leave it at that. But hopefully, the point is well taken. My reply in no way question the credibility of kindofblue, just that applicants are to be careful with a few comments here.

It's no secret that CC classes are easier than true university classes in general. I was easily rocking a near-4.0 in CC with little to no studying. That obviously didn't hold true when I transitioned to a real college.

 

[JonnyL]

I don't know how staying at a CC longer would be detrimental to you, especially if you have a good reason (in your case, financial reasons).

CC classes are generally easier, there's usually no doubt about that but when you're trying to transfer out as soon as possible, you're going to have to stack those classes all in a few semesters which can be challenging to some people--especially for people with majors that require a lot of pre-reqs to be completed before transfer. So I don't think getting a 4.0 in a CC is generally as easy as some people like to believe.


Also OP, what are you planning on majoring in? MCB?

 

[Launcelot]

I don't know how staying at a CC longer would be detrimental to you, especially if you have a good reason (in your case, financial reasons).

CC classes are generally easier, there's usually no doubt about that but when you're trying to transfer out as soon as possible, you're going to have to stack those classes all in a few semesters which can be challenging to some people--especially for people with majors that require a lot of pre-reqs to be completed before transfer. So I don't think getting a 4.0 in a CC is generally as easy as some people like to believe.


Also OP, what are you planning on majoring in? MCB?

If Cal, Molecular Toxicology, if UCDavis, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major (Which is actually the name of a single major there at UCD)

 

[Nguyen]

Ignore the people telling you that a 3.7 GPA at a CC is weak. I laugh at them all the time. If you score just as well as those who went to a university on the MCAT than that will compensate for your "CC" GPA. Also, keep your EC's up to date as well since you're going to be taking 6-years to finish a bachelor's degree.

 

[Morsetlis]

If Cal, Molecular Toxicology, if UCDavis, Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior major (Which is actually the name of a single major there at UCD)

Yeah whatever that major is, I recommend it

 

[FunnyCurrent]

Probably not, as long as you continue to maintain a good GPA with upper division classes (at least that's what I've learned from reading posts by more experienced posters in this forum).
If you can take upper division science classes and still do decently, that would probably prove that you can handle harder science classes to the adcom. A 3.7 at a CC does sound a bit weak IMO, but like I said, as long as you maintain that throughout the next 2 years, I wouldn't think there'd be too much of an issue. Plus you were attending CC due to financial reasons, so you can explain that to the adcom I guess.

Well it does. Frankly, there is no reason why you should not have straight A's at a community college. It is very doable if you are even the slightest bit focused. Community colleges, in general, ARE EASY compared to most reputable universities. You typically have no competition whatsoever and the instructors as a result have to water down subjects like general chem or physics.

Score high on the MCAT and it won't matter.

 

[alexandertg6]

You didnt mess anything up, and dont let anyone tell you otherwise, but your choice could raise questions about your academic abilities. Put yourself in their shoes and preemptively answer the question they will be asking: How does OP stack up against the average student at a big name school.

Take a few science classes at a competitive school (like Cal), get As, and you've just shown them that you can out compete the average applicant. Otherwise they may (or may not) doubt your academic ability. Another way of answering the question may be crushing the MCAT. Get a 40 on the MCAT and no one will doubt you are capable of medical school. Personally, I would try to do both.

Good luck.

 

[CoolRX]

It's no secret that CC classes are easier than true university classes in general. I was easily rocking a near-4.0 in CC with little to no studying. That obviously didn't hold true when I transitioned to a real college.

I believe I did say "as long as it translates well into a great MCAT or that it was achieved with a fairly hectic schedule as in university."

Wherever you go to school, you make what you want of your education. Do you want to learn? And yes, university load is more than that of a CC. I won't argue that.

 

[Fedekz]

I'll be working EMT for about 8 months before I'll go into a volunteer EMS thing at a UC when I get there. I'm planning to keep my ECs as best as I can (volunteering at hospital PNU and OR, pre-med club president) but I can't really find any research at CC, I'm just hoping to get research done when I transfer.

I'll do my best to keep a strong and confident front if I get interviews, and I'm honestly hoping that the EMT thing will toughen me up for some sort of grilling in the future. I'm frightened by the whole EMT thing too, as well, but I figured that I need money and I need to see if I can handle people at their worst.

One more thing about Cal though, I figured that if I get accepted, I should probably go anyways for the fact that it's one of those one-in-a-lifetime thing being at a school like that. If I can't handle Cal, probably wouldn't even be cut out to qualify for the residency I would want, whatever it may be, anyways. Plus the bay area really does it for me.

This semester:

1st Semester Physics (Cal only needs one semester)
2nd Semester Spanish
1st Semester O-Chem Lecture & Lab
Calculus 3
18 units total + EMT-1 course at technical school & ECs

Thanks guys for the advice!

I wouldn't get too frightened about the whole EMT experience, right when you get out of school go ahead and apply to all the services that do 911 coverage, but chances are you will have to get some experience doing transfers before any 911 service will touch you. Once you have some experience doing that, and get hired on a 911 service doing emergencies ... you will find 1/10 people who call 911 actually need an ambulance...

But good luck with everything, every CC is different ... i did 2 years at a CC, and it was just as difficult as the tier 1 university I go to now.

 

[Morsetlis]

911 services won't touch you until you have 1 year exp... unless you have connections.

 

[Launcelot]

Great! I am looking forward to easy money and long distance transports for the next year.

I'm planning to drop to part-time status for my last semester at my CC, only taking O-chem and Spanish, and working 48 hours a week (The company hires only full time EMTs) on the ambulance and putting in some volunteering time at the hospital if possible, before moving to Cal (or UCDavis).

Is there anything I should know about this before I do drop to part-time? Bad idea or good idea?

 

[Morsetlis]

Great! I am looking forward to easy money and long distance transports for the next year.

I'm planning to drop to part-time status for my last semester at my CC, only taking O-chem and Spanish, and working 48 hours a week (The company hires only full time EMTs) on the ambulance and putting in some volunteering time at the hospital if possible, before moving to Cal (or UCDavis).

Is there anything I should know about this before I do drop to part-time? Bad idea or good idea?

You should get all A's or you'd look stupid taking 2 courses a semester at a CC and not getting A's.

 

[Musclemass]

Great! I am looking forward to easy money and long distance transports for the next year.

I'm planning to drop to part-time status for my last semester at my CC, only taking O-chem and Spanish, and working 48 hours a week (The company hires only full time EMTs) on the ambulance and putting in some volunteering time at the hospital if possible, before moving to Cal (or UCDavis).

Is there anything I should know about this before I do drop to part-time? Bad idea or good idea?

You'll not be gaining any prestige or cachet by transferring to Berkeley after 4 CC years. Instead, maybe consider another approach - transfer to a private school. Places like UOP and St Mary's offer great scholarships and financial aid. Could be cheaper than going to a UC. Plus, they're probably less competitive than a UC and so maybe a bit easier to get A's.

It's free to check, contact them. You may not want to earn too much money working this year, it could disqualify you from higher levels of free support. Or, may not matter. Good luck.

 

[V5RED]

It's no secret that CC classes are easier than true university classes in general. I was easily rocking a near-4.0 in CC with little to no studying. That obviously didn't hold true when I transitioned to a real college.

Did you continue to take freshman/sophomore level classes when you transferred to a full university?

I took my freshman year at community college and then transferred to a full university. My experience was that courses of similar level were of similar difficulty at community college and university. By similar difficulty I mean the tests were similar in difficulty and the courses were similar in depth. I do not mean they were equal in ease of getting an A. Actually getting an A was harder at the community college because none of the classes were curved, so you needed a real A. At university, curves make many classes very easy A's.