Calling all non-trads that are taking/have taken their prerequisites at a CC

[TriagePreMed]

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[OBK]

i did my chem at a cc - no one said a word about it. i did not pay since my county waives tuition for volunteer firefighters and emts (i was both and they let me double dip on the tuition credit)

i found the class to be completely satisfactory and rather than sit in lecture with close to 200 kids at my university, i think i took the class with 30...the professors were actually at the lab etc. also, the facilities were superior to my university. however, i did take the rest of the pre reqs. at my school undergrad.

 

[ShoTyme]

I'm taking classes at my CC. Hopefully it will not kill me during application time. Like you I'm doing it because of cost. I can let you know next year how the application process goes.

 

[Bluesun]

Look around at schools you'd want to apply to first to be sure they accept CC credits for pre-reqs, assuming you have not done this already.

Some med schools explicitly state (my top school choice, for instance) that you are highly discouraged from having more than X pre-reqs at a community college. I can't say I agree with this policy, but there it is.

 

[ShoTyme]

Look around at schools you'd want to apply to first to be sure they accept CC credits for pre-reqs, assuming you have not done this already.

Some med schools explicitly state (my top school choice, for instance) that you are highly discouraged from having more than X pre-reqs at a community college. I can't say I agree with this policy, but there it is.

Well, then I will not be attending that institution as I cannot swing the cost. However, I feel strongly that I will be competitive enough to attend somewhere. I have found in life that if I try to please everybody, I end up pleasing nobody. I will do the best I can with the means I have. It will have to be good enough. I choose to believe it will be.

 

[Bluesun]

Well, then I will not be attending that institution as I cannot swing the cost. However, I feel strongly that I will be competitive enough to attend somewhere. I have found in life that if I try to please everybody, I end up pleasing nobody. I will do the best I can with the means I have. It will have to be good enough. I choose to believe it will be.

I don't mean to insinuate that taking pre-reqs at a CC ruins your chances anywhere, but in the world of med school ADCOMS, it makes you a slightly weaker candidate. I am not immediately familiar with your situation, but if your undergrad GPA is solid (3.5+) an you are confident that your MCAT will be competitive, it may not be as big of an issue. Like others have pointed out, though, every little detail counts toward making you a weaker or stronger candidate. If you are weak in any other areas, it may behoove you to consider a 4 year school instead.

A quote from my particular school of interest's website:

If all science pre-requisites were taken at a community college we strongly recommend that you take at least of year of upper-level sciences from an accredited four-year degree granting university within the United States or Canada. If a few science pre-requisite courses were taken at a community college we will evaluate them on a case-by-case basis.

 

[stefspets]

I took most of my prereqs at CC. Both of my science LORs were from CC profs.

I have been accepted to multiple DO schools and got interviews at 11 of the 13 places I was complete at. (5 DO and the rest MD)

I talked to a lot of schools about this. My state MD school said CC was ok because they don't want their students taking on debt before med school. DO schools were all ok with it.

Also I should mention that I believe this was the only "weak" point in my application if you want to call it that. My MCAT was strong, GPA near perfect, good extracurriculars with a mix of healthcare, leadership, and teaching. Little research but I applied to schools that were not research giants, and I did have a bit of it with a poster presentation so it wasn't absent from my application.

So far this has not come up at a single interview. We'll see how the rest of my app season plays out as far as the MD schools go but I don't think it has hurt me personally at all.

 

[ShoTyme]

I don't mean to insinuate that taking pre-reqs at a CC ruins your chances anywhere, but in the world of med school ADCOMS, it makes you a slightly weaker candidate. I am not immediately familiar with your situation, but if your undergrad GPA is solid (3.5+) an you are confident that your MCAT will be competitive, it may not be as big of an issue. Like others have pointed out, though, every little detail counts toward making you a weaker or stronger candidate. If you are weak in any other areas, it may behoove you to consider a 4 year school instead.

A quote from my particular school of interest's website:

I don't know how my MCAT will turn out. I have not yet taken a practice test as I am still learning all of the required material. I hope and pray I do well. I will certainly put in the time. However, at the time of application, I will only have two upper level biology classes taken at the University level - Biochem and neurobio. Everything else will be done at the CC. If I had the resources to take everything at the 4 year, I would certainly do that. But my point is that many nontrads do not have the funds to invest in doing all their classes at the university level due to familial expenses. I would think that adcoms would be sensitive to that; at least some of them. You are surely correct that I will not get in everywhere. But my goal, along with most applicants, is to get in somewhere, not everywhere.

Almost by definition, nontrads are not ideal candidates for med school. We each must make difficult choices depending on our unique situations. We may not be a candidate for certain schools because of our choices; but I have researched enough to believe we will still be competitive at enough schools to give ourselves a fighting chance. That is all I'm saying. And if nontrads get a chance, I believe the majority of us will get in, if given an interview. This is because we have been through many other stressful life situations. We tend to have a perspective not yet acheived by the younger generation. But it seems I am a glass half full kinda guy today. Tomorrow may be different. 😉

 

[ShoTyme]

I took most of my prereqs at CC. Both of my science LORs were from CC profs.

I have been accepted to multiple DO schools and got interviews at 11 of the 13 places I was complete at. (5 DO and the rest MD)

I talked to a lot of schools about this. My state MD school said CC was ok because they don't want their students taking on debt before med school. DO schools were all ok with it.

Also I should mention that I believe this was the only "weak" point in my application if you want to call it that. My MCAT was strong, GPA near perfect, good extracurriculars with a mix of healthcare, leadership, and teaching. Little research but I applied to schools that were not research giants, and I did have a bit of it with a poster presentation so it wasn't absent from my application.

So far this has not come up at a single interview. We'll see how the rest of my app season plays out as far as the MD schools go but I don't think it has hurt me personally at all.

Great to hear!

 

[wookiewookie]

I'm taking all of my pre-reqs at a cc. This is based on cost and scheduling issues as I work full time. I understand there is a risk involved, but it seems almost impossible to find evening/weekend classes for Orgo I or II in my area (I was thinking of doing a couple of the 'hard' sciences at a 4 year).

Funny thing is - my A&P II teacher is a PhD neuroscientist from a major university, CHM I teacher teaches the same class at a private 4 year, and my CHM II class is written by the PhD Chair of the department. The lack of disparity in quality is a joke imo!

Hopefully, I'll be able to get in some of higher levels at a 4 year (it looks doubtful), and I'll have a good test score. I am also planning on having some pretty solid volunteer and shadowing extra-curriculars, (consistent commitments spanning two years).

 

[Slev]

,

 

[TwinsFan]

I have taken 1 prereq at a CC (scheduling issues) and the rest at 4yr institutions so far. I will say this, and the CC was highly reputable in the region, the prereq at CC was significantly easier. There is a reason stigmas exist and I have definitely seen it first hand. It may not hurt your chances at some schools, but it will probably hurt come MCAT time. Same thing as all the 3.8+ students who take easy schedules/classes (rate my prof) and get all the previous test etc and then get mid 20s, challenge yourself now and you'll be ready at the leveled playing field (MCAT). Goodluck!

 

[GAgrl]

I took 1 semester of gen chem and both physics as well as calculus and english at a CC and got 5 allopathic acceptances and I think maybe 10 or 11 interviews. Only one school asked about it and they accepted me. Dont think it matters much as long as you do well and have a degree showing you did equally well at 4 year school.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I'm currently taking Bio II w/lab at CC now. Took Bio I w/lab and got an A. Took Physics II w/lab and got a B+. The classes use the same books as the big university and we all have the same computer-generated tests. The bio program I am in has a specific articulation agreement that allows one to transfer to the local big university as a junior and receive full credit, so it might be deemed sufficient for university purposes.

 

[TwinsFan]

See, that's surprising to me because I'm taking a class at Cal and it's a joke. The class I'm taking at a Community College is way too intense.

What class is it at Cal that's a joke? It is a solid school, I guess I would assume that prereqs are fairly tough and graded on the curve (10-15% As)?

My 4yr experience:
I know for the physics classes I took, which were calculus based for engineering/physics majors, the competition was stiff and the curve was just enough to pass (C- or better) half the class. We even had a final with a 55 average, no curve, just a big fat F for the average student. I assume this is fairly normal for rigorous courses at solid schools? Ended up with a B+/A- on my physics combo, VERY few got As (<10%).

My CC experience:
At the CC I was very well prepped for the bio course with a great study schedule, scored the highest in the class on every test and ended up with ~105% in the class due to several slight curves (5-7%). I was much better prepped and more motivated than my physics courses, but I went into each test knowing about 10 times as much info as was asked and only missed several questions all semester. It was just easier, and definitely less competition. Now I'm finishing Bio at a state university and my study habits/skills are their best ever and scored low 100s on the first test with a slight curve. In my experience it is definitely a notch harder than the CC class (but still not too tough).

The toughest part of any of the natural science classes I've taken so far is the last 10% needed to secure an A, it is just a bunch of random mintua, but I don't know if this is specific to 4 yr science or not? The engineering courses were usually moderately to fairly tough conceptually without such a focus on random detail and memorization.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I wish any of my science classes offered a curve. None of them do. We recently had a bio test on DNA->protein with a class average in the 40s. I got a 77, which was one of the top 5 scores. The prof had us take the test questions home (ungraded, we did not know which answers we got right or wrong) and do it as a take home test, which he then averaged with the first try. Some people got in the 30s the first time and in the 80s the second time but still got an F on the test. I ended up with a solid B. With a curve I would have had an easy A.

 

[Morsetlis]

i did my chem at a cc - no one said a word about it. i did not pay since my county waives tuition for volunteer firefighters and emts (i was both and they let me double dip on the tuition credit)

i found the class to be completely satisfactory and rather than sit in lecture with close to 200 kids at my university, i think i took the class with 30...the professors were actually at the lab etc. also, the facilities were superior to my university. however, i did take the rest of the pre reqs. at my school undergrad.

I think a lecture hall environment is a rite of passage you should go through...

...probably because that's how med school is done.

 

[avaAdore]

I have friends (4 to be exact) who I attended a cc with before transfering to a 4 year university. They all took all of the pre-reqs at the community college (2 took physics at their universities) and are all currently in med school or residency.


Just adding that in... May or may not be reflective of how acceptable cc credits are towards the pre-reqs. 🙂

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I have friends (4 to be exact) who I attended a cc with before transfering to a 4 year university. They all took all of the pre-reqs at the community college (2 took physics at their universities) and are all currently in med school or residency.


Just adding that in... May or may not be reflective of how acceptable cc credits are towards the pre-reqs. 🙂

I personally know folks now at Einstein who took all their pre-reqs at CCs and are about to graduate.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

I thought long and hard about CC classes before eventually deciding against and enrolling at the local university. I will already be applying with a sub-par GPA; I was worried that attending a CC would give some schools additional ammo to attack my application.

I don't have a family and have held a decent job for the past three years, which means with some careful financial planning and by dipping into savings I should be able to attend for two years without taking out an additional loan.

I still wonder whether or not I made the correct decision, and will probably continue to do so up until the day I am accepted.

To all those taking their pre-reqs at a CC - best of luck and hope that it never becomes an issue!

 

[Bluesun]

I thought long and hard about CC classes before eventually deciding against and enrolling at the local university. I will already be applying with a sub-par GPA; I was worried that attending a CC would give some schools additional ammo to attack my application.

I don't have a family and have held a decent job for the past three years, which means with some careful financial planning and by dipping into savings I should be able to attend for two years without taking out an additional loan.

I still wonder whether or not I made the correct decision, and will probably continue to do so up until the day I am accepted.

To all those taking their pre-reqs at a CC - best of luck and hope that it never becomes an issue!

Bingo. Same exact reason for me. My uGPA being low makes me a weak candidate, and the fact that I have no real research experience. I'm doing every little bit that I can to give me a better chance. Many people do not make it into med school, and it can be hard to truly appreciate that and realize that you or I could very well not get accepted.

 

[avaAdore]

Bingo. Same exact reason for me. My uGPA being low makes me a weak candidate, and the fact that I have no real research experience. I'm doing every little bit that I can to give me a better chance. Many people do not make it into med school, and it can be hard to truly appreciate that and realize that you or I could very well not get accepted.

Same here. I'll be taking classes at my undergraduate institution to enhance my gpa. All prereqs are done (other than retaking physics), so I'll be taking a bunch of upper division and academically useful courses for the next two years. Which means I'll be borrowing from the federal government yet again. 😎

 

[ShoTyme]

I would have done the same, but the problem is that I have no money.

Because of this, we do the best we can. We grind. We put in the hours... in the end, the choice is someone else's. Control what you can control, ie. grades. Play your hand the way it's dealt and let the chips fall where they may.

 

[Bluesun]

I find it hard to believe that taking courses at a community college is in the top 10 reasons they'll reject. The MCAT is supposed to be the reality check for the usual fantasies about places like Caltech or Cornell. The MCAT scores should be like a wake up call for all the people who assume they would have had a 4.0 if they had just gone to a community college followed by state college.

It may not be a reason in and of itself, no. The real crux of it is just that it makes you a weaker candidate -- nothing more, nothing less. This is not hearsay or conjecture. Some schools explicitly say that they will not accept all prereqs from a CC. If you are already a strong candidate, it may not make much of a difference. But if like me, you are a weak candidate, it is in your best interest to go to a four year school.

Best of luck

 

[DisabledDoctor]

It may not be a reason in and of itself, no. The real crux of it is just that it makes you a weaker candidate -- nothing more, nothing less. This is not hearsay or conjecture. Some schools explicitly say that they will not accept all prereqs from a CC. If you are already a strong candidate, it may not make much of a difference. But if like me, you are a weak candidate, it is in your best interest to go to a four year school.

Best of luck

Bluesun, I think you are misrepresenting what those "some schools" actually say.

Some=Case Western says:

If all science pre-requisites were taken at a community college we strongly recommend that you take at least of year of upper-level sciences from an accredited four-year degree granting university within the United States or Canada. If a few science pre-requisite courses were taken at a community college we will evaluate them on a case-by-case basis.

That certainly is not a blanket policy against CC pre-reqs. They certainly do accept them and there is no blanket policy against them.

Schools=Ohio State says:

Courses completed at a community college: The College of Medicine Admissions Committee strongly recommends that prerequisite courses be completed at a four-year degree-granting institution.

Again, not a blanket rejection policy. I assume if you took all your pre-reqs at a CC but then scored a 38 on the MCAT and have three publications as First Author then they would strongly consider you.

Right?

 

[Bluesun]

Bluesun, I think you are misrepresenting what those "some schools" actually say.

Some=Case Western says:
That certainly is not a blanket policy against CC pre-reqs. They certainly do accept them and there is no blanket policy against them.

Schools=Ohio State says:
Again, not a blanket rejection policy. I assume if you took all your pre-reqs at a CC but then scored a 38 on the MCAT and have three publications as First Author then they would strongly consider you.

Right?

I have posted twice in this thread saying this: Taking your prereqs at a community college does not preclude you from admission to a medical school, but it makes you a weaker candidate. If you are already a weak candidate, it would behoove you to take your prerequisites (or the remainder thereof) at a four year university rather than a community college.

If a medical school makes a point of mentioning community college courses, saying that they "strongly recommend" that you take them at a four year university instead, it's hard to argue that it is not in your best interest to do so.

If you are like me (and many other non-trads) and do not have a pristine academic record, you are already a step behind. To parrot DrMidlife a little bit here, you need to be completely honest with yourself about your situation; do not take it for granted that you will get accepted to a medical school. I don't remember the exact statistics offhand, but for every medical student that matriculates there are many that do not make it. If you feel that you are a strong enough candidate to forgo taking courses at a four year university, by all means do so. However, right or wrong, community college courses are considered a weak point by ADCOMs, and your clone with four year courses instead of CC courses may very well get accepted over you.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I have posted twice in this thread saying this: Taking your prereqs at a community college does not preclude you from admission to a medical school, but it makes you a weaker candidate. If you are already a weak candidate, it would behoove you to take your prerequisites (or the remainder thereof) at a four year university rather than a community college.

If a medical school makes a point of mentioning community college courses, saying that they "strongly recommend" that you take them at a four year university instead, it's hard to argue that it is not in your best interest to do so.

If you are like me (and many other non-trads) and do not have a pristine academic record, you are already a step behind. To parrot DrMidlife a little bit here, you need to be completely honest with yourself about your situation; do not take it for granted that you will get accepted to a medical school. I don't remember the exact statistics offhand, but for every medical student that matriculates there are many that do not make it. If you feel that you are a strong enough candidate to forgo taking courses at a four year university, by all means do so. However, right or wrong, community college courses are considered a weak point by ADCOMs, and your clone with four year courses instead of CC courses may very well get accepted over you.

BlueSun, you're trying to change what you said. You said:

Some schools explicitly say that they will not accept all prereqs from a CC.

However I demonstrated that this is factually incorrect. I think that you should retract that statement. Will you?

 

[Bluesun]

BlueSun, you're trying to change what you said. You said:

Some schools explicitly say that they will not accept all prereqs from a CC.

However I demonstrated that this is factually incorrect. I think that you should retract that statement. Will you?

I think the key word you are missing here is "all". Case, as you pointed out, says

If all science pre-requisites were taken at a community college we strongly recommend that you take at least of year of upper-level sciences from an accredited four-year degree granting university [...]

If all of your science prerequisites are from a community college, they explicitly state that they then want you to take an additional year of science at a four year university.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I think the key word you are missing here is "all". Case, as you pointed out, says



If all of your science prerequisites are from a community college, they explicitly state that they then want you to take an additional year of science at a four year university.

What does "is" mean? Splitting hairs. Waste of time. Later.

 

[Bluesun]

What does "is" mean? Splitting hairs. Waste of time. Later.

It's not splitting hairs. It's carefully reading the admission requirements to avoid unnecessary work. I openly welcome criticism of my understanding of the process of admissions. This, however, is not a new subject of debate and the general consensus seems to be what I have parroted in my previous posts.

Regardless of what you decide, best of luck to you.

 

[LegendaryPunk]

Eh, I think one needs to read between the lines a little bit when interpreting that message. Sure, “we strongly recommend not taking all pre-reqs at a CC” is not the same verbiage as “CC credits not accepted.” Because they will never be that explicit. My gut tells me the number of applications would drop should that be made a rule instead of a suggestion. They will gladly accept your application (and money) even if your chance of acceptance is far below the average applicant.

Furthermore, the final decision is not made by a computer – the final decision is made by people. Like it or not, and despite what the official rules may say, you are bound to encounter people on admission committees who are biased against CC courses. Not fair, but such is life.

Obviously attending a CC isn’t the end of the world, as there are many who do so and are accepted. And like I said in my first post, it’s still a decision that leaves me questioning as to whether or not it will make any difference in my case. Come application time though, it will be one less thing weighing on my mind.

 

[Bluesun]

Of people who complete a bachelor's from UC Berkeley or UCLA, a large number of them did their lower division courses at a community college. If I believed the average opinion on this board, then they would be damaged goods compared to the fresh graduate from anything, as long as it qualifies as a four year university. There are a lot of four year universities in the United States, and the vast majority of them are not more reputable than a community college.

Another variable worth considering is the quality of teaching in lower division courses. Many four year universities, most of which are relatively unknown, get less than stellar feedback about the teaching of lower division courses. I am not cynical enough to believe that it won't matter how well you learn the material, and all that matters is whether or not it looks like you did on an application form.

I took a large number of my undergraduate courses at a local, well respected CC. I think the education I received there was on par with the four year university I attended. It has not been a hindrance to me as far as I can tell, and I was offered a position in my ideal field of work.

Having said that, the competitiveness of med school cannot be discounted. This is what is being debated, not the quality of education one receives at a CC. I have no doubts that many MDs and DOs took some or all of their prereqs at community colleges. It's just one more mark against you, however large or small. In my and many others' position, every little leg up counts towards getting an interview, and ultimately getting accepted over the many other applicants vying for the same spot you are.

This is not an easy decision for many people, myself included.

 

[FiremedicMike]

The simple fact here is that everything stated in this thread is conjecture and opinion. Wanting to get a full grasp on the situation, I chose to actually call the medical schools I was interested in and ask them directly, rather than depend on the internet opinion of complete strangers. What I found is that the question of cc credits is not nearly as awkward as you might expect, and that admissions departments were quite willing to discuss this issue directly. Of the 3 I called, one said they flat out don't care (especially from a non-trad, they understand cc is easier to schedule and cheaper), one said they encourage coursework at a 4 year but would still consider an app with all cc pre-reqs, and one said they would absolutely not consider my application, even if MCAT was high.

So there you have it. If you are really serious about finding an answer to this question, call the schools and ask them, not the Internet.

 

[TwinsFan]

The simple fact here is that everything stated in this thread is conjecture and opinion. Wanting to get a full grasp on the situation, I chose to actually call the medical schools I was interested in and ask them directly, rather than depend on the internet opinion of complete strangers. What I found is that the question of cc credits is not nearly as awkward as you might expect, and that admissions departments were quite willing to discuss this issue directly. Of the 3 I called, one said they flat out don't care (especially from a non-trad, they understand cc is easier to schedule and cheaper), one said they encourage coursework at a 4 year but would still consider an app with all cc pre-reqs, and one said they would absolutely not consider my application, even if MCAT was high.

So there you have it. If you are really serious about finding an answer to this question, call the schools and ask them, not the Internet.

Extrapolating from the information you gathered and others who have done the same (it's on here in some old posts), if you are wanting to apply broadly and have the BEST chance to be competitive at the MOST schools possible then take classes at a 4yr. This describes most of us here...


Plenty of schools will "consider" and accept CC classes but apply a bit of logic here for the people without excellent academic pasts (3.5+ gpa):

You didn't cut it in the past and now "redemption" is attempted a CC, where the average attending student has lower ACT/SAT and grades, even if the tests/coursework and ratios set for curves are the exact same it is still easier to make the grade because the competition is easier. Also, going from a 4yr with mediocre or poor grades to a 2yr to get good ones can only look so good.

People can and do get into med school with CC postbacs, but I think there is no question you improve your chances by doing it at a 4yr. Also, tougher curves/competition and upper level coursework can only help come MCAT time.

 

[FiremedicMike]

You didn't cut it in the past and now "redemption" is attempted a CC, where the average attending student has lower ACT/SAT and grades, even if the tests/coursework and ratios set for curves are the exact same it is still easier to make the grade because the competition is easier. Also, going from a 4yr with mediocre or poor grades to a 2yr to get good ones can only look so good.

Er, I have no "past" GPA, I started working right out of high school. I am not trying to repair anything.

 

[Eli Wiggles]

I am completing all of my pre-req's at a CC. Like other posters above, I called each school that I will be applying to and asked if they would be frowned upon. Of the 5 schools I talked to, only one said they absolutely would not accept them (Tufts) and the other 4 said it would not impact my application negatively as long as the complete package was still competitive.

I have a very competitive uGPA so that definitely helped in my decision. I also live .2 miles from a CC and obviously it's way cheaper --- it was a no brainer for me. My CC classes have been just as difficult, if not more so, than classes taken at my undergrad university. Most of my professors have PhD's and real-life experience.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

It's a little confusing that some AdComs would refuse to entertain CC credits in all cases. Certainly the quality of all CCs are not on the same level. Some are more competitive and some are less competitive. However, all CCs are regionally accredited by the same accreditation bodies as the 4 year schools are.

The CC I am going to has a specific biology program that has an articulation agreement with the local 4 year state university. If you complete all the pre-med (and some other) bio/chem classes at the CC then you can transfer into the 4 year university as a junior, no questions asked. Clearly, the quality of the bio/chem classes at this CC are far superior to others that have no such articulation agreement and have no 4 year university standing behind those CC students. Ergo, it is confusing why some med schools would have such a blanket policy.

 

[Zenfudge]

I'm a current MS2 (an elderly one) that took all of my pre-reqs at a CC.

I had a crappy GPA in psychology from a no name 4-year university ---> repaired GPA by acing all pre-reqs at a CC ---> now tutoring other medical students that went to prestigious universities.

I'm sure my CC experience kept me from a few schools, but more likely it was my still injured GPA.

Bottom line - do well on your MCAT.

 

[TwinsFan]

Er, I have no "past" GPA, I started working right out of high school. I am not trying to repair anything.

That line was directed to the OP citing what you had posted above regarding what schools said about CC credits. I wasn't saying "you" to you but to people collectively who are in the GPA repair situation.

 

[Herk Flyer]

For those of you trying to accomplish "GPA repair" on a budget, how about going to school where you can afford and focusing on boosting the rest of your package? Get a 4.0 at the local CC, kill the MCAT and focus on your ECs. If strapped for cash I would focus more on making your application look interesting. Give the ADCOMs something else to look at instead of only where you took your prereqs. From what I've heard, career and life experience is worth more than you think. That being said you still need to fill a few squares (good post-bacc GPA & competitive MCAT score to name a couple).

I was struggling with the same issue but more for reasons of scheduling rather than money. The 4 year university closest to me doesn't offer classes at night and my job doesn't allow me to take classes during the day. CC at night is my only option, for now.

 

[cmeza83]

I graduated UC Irvine in 2007 as a Psychology major.
I took Gen Chem, Biochem, Physics, and Calc at a community (Cerritos) college because there was no way I could afford those classes at a 4-year institution.
However, some 'strongly recommended' classes such as biochem, quant chem, and molecular biology, werent offered at a community college. I decided to suck it up and pay 3500$ for all three classes through university extension at Cal-State Fullerton.

The point of the story is, I received mostly A's in all my science classes, and despite taking them at a community college, I think I've been competitive this application cycle.

So far, I have heard from UC Davis who granted me an interview. I applied to 10 schools (because I had a FAP waiver), so I'm waiting to hear back from them as well. I've only submitted 7/10 apps thus far, so I think its best to take your time and write good essays instead of rushing things and turning them in asap.

 

[DisabledDoctor]

I think the moral of the story is that most med schools will accept CC credits, some might not and a few absolutely won't.

 

[azerkail]

has anyone here taken the same class twice? like algebra based physics in cc then again at a 4 year? how's that look on your overall sGPA?

 

[DisabledDoctor]

has anyone here taken the same class twice? like algebra based physics in cc then again at a 4 year? how's that look on your overall sGPA?

From what I have been told (correct me if I am wrong), MD schools average the two grades from a retake while DO schools accept the most recent grade.