Community college classes vs. 4-Year School

[redwings54]

I just wanted to post portions of the email I recieved from UNECOM regarding taking classes at community colleges. I figured since a lot of schools are starting summer registrations that people could use a little guidance. Here goes:

"While classes taken at any regionally-accredited college count at the technical/administrative level, many members of the Admissions Committee fee that classes at a community college are not taught at the same rigorous pace and depth than those from a four-year college or university. If you are picking up one, possibly two, prerequisite classes at a community college these shouldn't be any cause for concern. But if you have a number of such classes to take, the perception of members of the committee may not be as positive on your overall application. If these are classes beyond the pre-requisites, there really isn't any question or concern."

So pretty much the bottom line that I recieved from the admissions office was that upper level classes were fine no matter where they were taken because they were of a sufficient academic rigor. However, pre-rec classes should be taken at 4-year schools because admissions committees feel they are more up to snuff. Hope this helps people a little bit cause it did help me. See you all in school in the future. Cheers

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[OSUdoc08]

I just wanted to post portions of the email I recieved from UNECOM regarding taking classes at community colleges. I figured since a lot of schools are starting summer registrations that people could use a little guidance. Here goes:

"While classes taken at any regionally-accredited college count at the technical/administrative level, many members of the Admissions Committee fee that classes at a community college are not taught at the same rigorous pace and depth than those from a four-year college or university. If you are picking up one, possibly two, prerequisite classes at a community college these shouldn't be any cause for concern. But if you have a number of such classes to take, the perception of members of the committee may not be as positive on your overall application. If these are classes beyond the pre-requisites, there really isn't any question or concern."

So pretty much the bottom line that I recieved from the admissions office was that upper level classes were fine no matter where they were taken because they were of a sufficient academic rigor. However, pre-rec classes should be taken at 4-year schools because admissions committees feel they are more up to snuff. Hope this helps people a little bit cause it did help me. See you all in school in the future. Cheers

I would like to add that admissions committees weigh the difficulty of the school with the grade. For example, a C earned at a community college, at a state university, and at a competitive private university are really like 3 different grades. You cannot consider them all equal, and neither does the admissions committee.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I took 1 chem class, 1 physics class and 1 bio class at a CC and I had no problems getting invited to many interviews... even at the above UNECOM. It's not a problem - just don't take all 😎

 

[jkhamlin]

I just wanted to post portions of the email I recieved from UNECOM regarding taking classes at community colleges. I figured since a lot of schools are starting summer registrations that people could use a little guidance. Here goes:

"While classes taken at any regionally-accredited college count at the technical/administrative level, many members of the Admissions Committee fee that classes at a community college are not taught at the same rigorous pace and depth than those from a four-year college or university. If you are picking up one, possibly two, prerequisite classes at a community college these shouldn't be any cause for concern. But if you have a number of such classes to take, the perception of members of the committee may not be as positive on your overall application. If these are classes beyond the pre-requisites, there really isn't any question or concern."

So pretty much the bottom line that I recieved from the admissions office was that upper level classes were fine no matter where they were taken because they were of a sufficient academic rigor. However, pre-rec classes should be taken at 4-year schools because admissions committees feel they are more up to snuff. Hope this helps people a little bit cause it did help me. See you all in school in the future. Cheers

Yeah, I remember taking some of my science classes at a CC. It was easier. Let's see, all of the text books were pop ups or coloring/dot to dot, the instructors' qualifications were that they have seen 95% or more of the CSI episodes (some of the older ones were grandfathered in from MacGyver episodes), and they were clearly inadequate because there were no sports teams or fraternal organizations. Oh, yeah, and most of the instructors made us take essay tests instead of the clearly superior scantron tests at universities. 🙄

 

[NeuroDO]

Let's face it people, if you want to be a physician, you shouldn't be taking your science classes at community colleges. I don't understand why any medical school would consider a candidate who had chosen to undertake his or her coursework at a community college instead of an accredited four year institution.

I went to an Ivy League school where the median grade in organic chemistry was set at C+. Any student who got above at D in my organic chemistry class would almost certainly get an A at any community college.

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

 

[jkhamlin]

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

Actually you are just making yourself look like one of the pre allo dorks that run around trolling about other people's "clearly inferior degrees." 🙄

 

[OSUdoc08]

Actually you are just making yourself look like one of the pre allo dorks that run around trolling about other people's "clearly inferior degrees." 🙄

Perhaps, but he's right.

 

[katiedid919]

Let's face it people, if you want to be a physician, you shouldn't be taking your science classes at community colleges. I don't understand why any medical school would consider a candidate who had chosen to undertake his or her coursework at a community college instead of an accredited four year institution.

I went to an Ivy League school where the median grade in organic chemistry was set at C+. Any student who got above at D in my organic chemistry class would almost certainly get an A at any community college.

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

I think its a big generalization to assume that all community colleges are shady. I think making comments like that is discriminatory to those who may have attended community colleges for reasons other than lack of intelligence (i.e. poor finances). I agree that all premedical prerequsites should not be completed at a community college if it can be avoided...but honestly, having taken a one semester of a pre-req at a cc you get what you make out of it. If you work hard and learn the material required in all of your pre-reqs and demonstrate your knowledge on the MCAT, have great ECs, etc, then you have earned your place in a medical school regarldess of where you took classes. Obviously CC classes aren't the same as 4 year colleges, so i wouldn't recommend taking all pre-req at a CC...but one or two isn't going to hurt you.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I went to an Ivy League school

I would have never guessed... 😀

 

[Funkdoctor]

Let's face it people, if you want to be a physician, you shouldn't be taking your science classes at community colleges. I don't understand why any medical school would consider a candidate who had chosen to undertake his or her coursework at a community college instead of an accredited four year institution.

I went to an Ivy League school where the median grade in organic chemistry was set at C+. Any student who got above at D in my organic chemistry class would almost certainly get an A at any community college.

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

You need to seriously step off of your high horse for a minute and think about how arrogant you sound. The only prereq I have not taken at a CC is general physics 1 & 2 (I have $ issues, and no choice in the matter). I know a kid who took gen chem. at the same CC I took it at and he earned C's in both 1 & 2, then he took orgo at a 4 year school and recieved 2 A-'s. That same university produced a kid I know who was a biochem major with a 3.74 gpa and he bombed his MCAT (imagine that). The ultimate judge of the quality of education that you recieve from a school is the MCAT, the MCAT doesn't lie. I have not taken the MCAT but I will be sure to post me score when I do take it. I am acing all of my classes while working full time and keeping my body looking like a ferrari. I know a couple of CC's not far from where I live that are notorious for being "easy", but not mine. Even someone who attends a so called "easy" CC can still get a quality education if they choose to put in the work and study. So you can't paint such with such a broad brush.

Besides, you wouldn't last a week in my neighborhood, so just because your ivy league doesn't mean that you have the highest aptitude or best attitude to become a doctor. By the way I am not trying to knock you, I applaude you for getting yourself into an Ivy league school, I'm sure your very smart. I just think you need to be a little more understanding of people who come from different backgrounds than your own!

 

[clc8503]

Let's face it people, if you want to be a physician, you shouldn't be taking your science classes at community colleges. I don't understand why any medical school would consider a candidate who had chosen to undertake his or her coursework at a community college instead of an accredited four year institution.

I went to an Ivy League school where the median grade in organic chemistry was set at C+. Any student who got above at D in my organic chemistry class would almost certainly get an A at any community college.

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

Harsh, but true

 

[oldManDO2009]

I took courses at a CC and the classes were smaller and the instructors actually spent time on the material before and after class. The times worked with my job and family and I enjoyed the experience. My graduate degree was a different experience all together - here is the syllabus and the test is on this date - good luck. Now I realize that is part of the graduate degree experience - critical thinking and time management. But I still enjoyed the one on one environment of the CC. As for the big difference - I have worked with people from both environments and it is what the person takes from the experience - I have worked with some dangerous people and the 4 year degrees.

 

[OSUdoc08]

You need to seriously step off of your high horse for a minute and think about how arrogant you sound. The only prereq I have not taken at a CC is general physics 1 & 2 (I have $ issues, and no choice in the matter). I know a kid who took gen chem. at the same CC I took it at and he earned C's in both 1 & 2, then he took orgo at a 4 year school and recieved 2 A-'s. That same university produced a kid I know who was a biochem major with a 3.74 gpa and he bombed his MCAT (imagine that). The ultimate judge of the quality of education that you recieve from a school is the MCAT, the MCAT doesn't lie. I have not taken the MCAT but I will be sure to post me score when I do take it. I am acing all of my classes while working full time and keeping my body looking like a ferrari. I know a couple of CC's not far from where I live that are notorious for being "easy", but not mine. Even someone who attends a so called "easy" CC can still get a quality education if they choose to put in the work and study. So you can't paint such with such a broad brush.

Besides, you wouldn't last a week in my neighborhood, so just because your ivy league doesn't mean that you have the highest aptitude or best attitude to become a doctor. By the way I am not trying to knock you, I applaude you for getting yourself into an Ivy league school, I'm sure your very smart. I just think you need to be a little more understanding of people who come from different backgrounds than your own!

You are sorely misinterpreting NeuroDO's post. It is a fact that a poor grade at a community college is considered far worse than a poor grade at a state school, and once again even worse if at a competitive private university. No need to argue here---this is what admissions committees do.

You are more than welcome to take as many classes at community colleges without problems, as long as you make A's. If you have a few C's at a community college, it would be like a failure in a university setting. Plan to retake these courses. I didn't retake any C's at my university, but had I made a C in my community college experience, you bet I would have. They are simply considered differently.

 

[Khenon]

I did a year and a half at the CC, including all my gen. chem requirements and my college algebra (amongs all those other 1st year courses everyone else takes). I got 5 interview invites and 1 acceptance. I highly doubt my CC credits were ever the issue as why I was or was not interviewed/accepted to the schools I applied to.

Just like the DO vs. MD argument . . . I feel this CC vs. 4-year instition issue needs to die, die, DIE!

 

[OSUdoc08]

I did a year and a half at the CC, including all my gen. chem requirements and my college algebra (amongs all those other 1st year courses everyone else takes). I got 5 interview invites and 1 acceptance. I highly doubt my CC credits were ever the issue as why I was or was not interviewed/accepted to the schools I applied to.

Just like the DO vs. MD argument . . . I feel this CC vs. 4-year instition issue needs to die, die, DIE!

Yes, but of those CC classes, how many were below a B?





Exactly.....if you do well in the CC, then no problem. If you do poorly, then you are short of luck.

 

[Khenon]

Yes, but of those CC classes, how many were below a B?





Exactly.....if you do well in the CC, then no problem. If you do poorly, then you are short of luck.

Okay, so this isn't a CC vs 4-year school problem, this is a grades problem. If you get good grades you have a better shot at med school. I'll agree to that.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Okay, so this isn't a CC vs 4-year school problem, this is a grades problem. If you get good grades you have a better shot at med school. I'll agree to that.

Yup, but a C at a competitive university is overlooked much more quickly than one at a community college (thus some role is played in where you made low grades)

 

[jkhamlin]

Perhaps, but he's right.

I'd agree, but then all three of us would be wrong.

 

[ssandedoc]

I currently go to a community college primary due to cost, location, personalization, and class sizes. I think I've made a good decision in going here for the first 2 years of my academic career.

Just because someone gets some credits at a Comm. College doesn't mean its easier. I have some professors who are capable of teaching at state schools and a few at the ivy leagues. In fact some professors will go out of there way to make the class HARDER so it is up to par with state schools and sometimes they even surpass that. Seriously, the science department has some real hard ... You know what. 😀

Grades comes down to teaching style, teacher's philosophy on education, your educational background, your time, your motivation, and your competence.

 

[Khenon]

Yup, but a C at a competitive university is overlooked much more quickly than one at a community college (thus some role is played in where you made low grades)

This still seems like a moot argument. So given 2 completely equal applicants, both with C's on their transcript, but one got a C in CC and the other got the C in a 4-year. Maybe, just MAYBE, the 4-year will have an edge. But this situation rarely (if ever) arises. People get the impression that CC is somehow bad. It's just not true. Given a very specific situation a 4-year transcript grade may have an edge over a CC grade. Is that reason to not go to a CC? No. Save you money people. I spent $150 per semester at the CC for a year and half. You guys can do the math on that, and I did get alot of my pre-req's out of the way. I never regret going to the CC and would advise anyone who ever asked me to go. This still just seems like another "who's better then who" argument. You want to get into med school? Here's my advice:

1) Get good grades
2) Get a good MCAT score
3) Volunteer
4) Get some medical field experience
5) Do some extra curricular activity(ies) that you love
6) Stop worrying about CC credits, that 1 C you got, that 1 W you got, that 1 minute you missed class, etc. etc.

But who am I? I guess my opinion will get filtered in with the rest of the meaningless arguments on this website. 😉

 

[jkhamlin]

I currently go to a community college primary due to cost, location, personalization, and class sizes. I think I've made a good decision in going here for the first 2 years of my academic career.

Which actually indicates that CC students are smarter. 😀

 

[Assistant]

I can see where the perspective that a CC is easier but in reality they can not afford to be easier than a four year institution. If they were, then the students who planned on transferring to a 4 year institution would inevitably perform very poorly in their upper level science courses. This would eventually trickled down to the fact that the CC did not adequately prepare the student for the four-year institution. Therefore, to make generalizations that community colleges are easier than four-year institutions is quite unfair.

I attended and earned a two year degree at a community college that was reputably much harder than the four-year state university in the next town over. I must admit, it was very nice to have good quality instructors who have time to help you with the class material and that classes were not held in large auditoriums. I can see why this would be considered to be easier but then I guess a small four-year private college could be considered easier than a large public university?

Anyways, that email from UNECOM makes me sad that they would make such generalizations about community colleges because not all community colleges are the same and neither are all universities, public or private, the same in teaching pre-reqs.

 

[Nate]

Let's face it people, if you want to be a physician, you shouldn't be taking your science classes at community colleges. I don't understand why any medical school would consider a candidate who had chosen to undertake his or her coursework at a community college instead of an accredited four year institution.

I went to an Ivy League school where the median grade in organic chemistry was set at C+. Any student who got above at D in my organic chemistry class would almost certainly get an A at any community college.

It makes us all look bad if osteopathic admission committes are going to let people in with shade credentials from shady community colleges.

What a load of horse-dung. There was something I heard about Ivy though... oh yeah, that thing called grade inflation.

 

[Funkdoctor]

Yup, but a C at a competitive university is overlooked much more quickly than one at a community college (thus some role is played in where you made low grades)

I'm sure they do look at that, just like they will look at the fact that I am taking heavy course loads (19-21 credits per semester) while I am employed full time. I haven't been through the interview process yet but aren't they supposed to judge you as a whole person once you get pass the initial numbers? Surely what I am doing would be looked at differently than what a kid from old money, taking the minimum hours to be considered a full time student at some Ivy would be looked at? Am I right or wrong in saying that schools take everything into context?

 

[OSUdoc08]

I'm sure they do look at that, just like they will look at the fact that I am taking heavy course loads (19-21 credits per semester) while I am employed full time. I haven't been through the interview process yet but aren't they supposed to judge you as a whole person once you get pass the initial numbers? Surely what I am doing would be looked at differently than what a kid from old money, taking the minimum hours to be considered a full time student at some Ivy would be looked at? Am I right or wrong in saying that schools take everything into context?

Yes, admissions committees take everything into context, but MCAT and GPA have the highest weight. This is especially true for allopathic schools.

Yes, admissions committees consider your GPA and relate it to where your credits were obtained, and then rank students with similar GPAs (i.e. those that went to a harder university get a higher ranking.)

This is simply how it happens.

 

[chan]

you guys need to realize that some of us who have already graduated from a 4 year university cannot afford going back and spend more money when you could easily take the same class at a CC for much cheaper, with more courses offerd at night

take me for example, I have already graduated from college, gotten married, and had a baby... There is no way I could stop working or cut down on work and afford to go back to a University.

 

[OSUdoc08]

you guys need to realize that some of us who have already graduated from a 4 year university cannot afford going back and spend more money when you could easily take the same class at a CC for much cheaper, with more courses offerd at night

take me for example, I have already graduated from college, gotten married, and had a baby... There is no way I could stop working or cut down on work and afford to go back to a University.

I had 60 hours of credit from a community college.

I didn't go back and take them either.

I did realize that my good grades at University would be more significant, along with my bad grades at the community college, however. You all should too.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

Even if it makes a slight difference in admissions, it will only apply if EVERYTHING else between two applicants is equal... otherwise, TRUST ME, it's not significant where you took a couple pre-reqs. Believe that. (It might be hard to absorb for some who paid 40k at Ivy league but that's the truth and it sometimes hurts)

 

[OSUdoc08]

Even if it makes a slight difference in admissions, it will only apply if EVERYTHING else is equal... otherwise, TRUST ME, it's not significant where you took a couple pre-reqs. Believe that. (It might be hard to absorb for some who paid 40k at Ivy league but that's the truth and it sometimes hurts)

You'd be surprised how similar some applicants are when admissions committees are deciding to throw some out and keep the others.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

You'd be surprised how similar some applicants are when admissions committees are deciding to throw some out and keep the others.

So was my application cycle an exception?

 

[OSUdoc08]

So was my application cycle an exception?

I don't see how that is relevant? You don't have the information that admissions committees did. It is not available to applicants.

 

[chan]

I think that the MCAT is the big indicator... if you took your classes at a CC and score high on the MCAT then it validates your knowledge of the info you learned at the CC.... IF your score is ****ty, then where you took your classes prob is too.

 

[OnMyWayThere]

I don't see how that is relevant? You don't have the information that admissions committees did. It is not available to applicants.

I did not realize you were on the admissions committee. I was pointing out that I had several interviews and acceptances as others mentioned on this thread with some prereqs completed at CCs. It's just for current undrgrad students reading this to realize it's not as much of an issue as people make it . 👍 I would hate for them to be misinformed - PM me if you want.

 

[Ypo.]

I don't really see what's wrong with trying to save money and taking as many of your prereqs as you can at a CC...of course if you are trying to shoot for Hopkins or Harvard, maybe its not a good idea, but for those of us who just want to get in regular medical school, it doesn't hurt. Just make sure that you maintain high grades when you transfer to a 4 year institution. Not everyone is rich enough to afford paying twice as much for the same classes, and I know from personal experience that adcoms are sympathetic to this.

 

[OSUdoc08]

I did not realize you were on the admissions committee. I was pointing out that I had several interviews and acceptances as others mentioned on this thread with some prereqs completed at CCs. It's just for current undrgrad students reading this to realize it's not as much of an issue as people make it . 👍 I would hate for them to be misinformed - PM me if you want.

No need to PM you. I never said you can't get into medical school with community college credit. I did.

I simply said that poor grades in a community college will look much worse than at a University, because the courses are considered inferior. But i've said this multiple times throughout the thread, and people seem to continue arguing with factual information. Interesting, isn't it?

BOTTOM LINE: If you do well at the community college, then fine. If you do poorly, then you better retake them at the University. (If you make a couple of low grades at University, then no big deal.)

 

[OnMyWayThere]

BOTTOM LINE: If you do well at the community college, then fine. If you do poorly, then you better retake them at the University. (If you make a couple of low grades at University, then no big deal.)

Right on... 👍

 

[thirdunity]

I've been to a number of community colleges (moved around a lot). Here's my own experience. I can only advise where it's applicable to *all* CC students, because I'm still only a CC student myself and still learning about the whole premed thing.

Look at how much funding the college has, and the transfer rate - and whether the college focuses on transferring to universities, or on vocational/tech training. Also, look at that school's academic culture.

Most importantly, will *you* succeed at that school? One reason I didn't end up going to San Francisco City College - despite probably being the best CC in the Bay Area, and like a mini-university in itself - is because the classes are huge, and hard to get. The teachers treat you like a number. Everyone else wants to go to SFCC, too.

It's always best for the transfer-minded person in any major to look for the CC that's focused on transfer, more than on voc/tech. If you go to a school that's in close proximity to a major university, for example, that school is more likely to be a "feeder" school. Mesa and City College in San Diego are both very focused on getting people into UCSD, and have good "transfer guarantee" programs.

That said, you can have a good experience even at a "bad" school. One school I went to was Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, CA, which is a poor school, and focused dominantly on voc/tech. The place looks like a prison.

The school is very homogenous. It is Christian to the point that the various clubs have "prayer meetings" at the flagpole and no other religious group is represented. It's not a great place to be either gay, any kind of culturally liberal type of person, or non-Christian, and it's so small that your name will get around if you *are*. Good luck getting your
articles published in the student newspaper if you're known to be a freethinker of any kind - I was a columnist on the paper and had this problem. I was used to the "big city" culture and when I came to LMC, I was in total culture shock and thought I could say anything I wanted. The teachers, fortunately for the "non-fitter-inners" like me, are dominantly urban liberal types.

They have one of the lowest transfer rates in the state. You don't get very much choice of classes. There are virtually no campus jobs available except to people who are on welfare.

But this school was my *best* academic experience. There was a seriousness among the students that I hadn't seen elsewhere. People there were very determined to get *out* of LMC.

During the time I was there, I worked on the school newspaper, and I didn't know anyone longer than a semester before they transferred out - I didn't know *one* "slacker" at LMC. I did not know anyone between the ages of 22 and 40 - people were either 1) transferring out by age 21, or 2) re-entry students. I just did *not* see the throngs of pierced, pot-smoking twentysomethings that I saw at other schools. Everyone was there to *do* something. Nobody exactly went to LMC because it was a cool place to hang out.

There were a number of people there I knew who were pre-professionals (prelaw, premed, predental) whereas at other schools I was at, most everyone was a film major or English major or something. We all know the slacker community college students who give CC students a bad name. I encountered the fewest of these at the "bad" school I went to.

Another great thing about that school was that if you are serious, you truly stand out to the teachers, and they're willing to help you. I met more *truly serious* and dedicated people there, and got more individual, positive attention from teachers (although there were a few schmucks like at ANY school), than I've gotten from any other school. Being a very small school, it was possible to form friendships with the teachers. I always passed teachers in the hall, and they always asked how I was doing even after they were no longer my teacher. Being a school in a small community, I frequently ran into the teachers around town. Forming relationships with the teachers helps in getting those letters of recommendation.

 

[Nate]

Considering this is the pre-Osteopathic forum and we have no Ivy snobbery to contend with in the DO school world as of yet, do all you can with a community college and do your best there. It is cheaper, in my opinion of higher quality than some universities, and a great launching pad for your harder science courses in University. You HAVE to transfer and get a Bachelors degree from a 4-year college anyway and there you will prove yourself again and if that is not enough, you have the MCAT. Just do your best wherever you go and take what pre-meds tell you for what it is worth. I did 90 credits at CC before I did my second 90 credits at Rutgers and was accepted at that same school you go that letter from, UNE.

 

[Funkdoctor]

Considering this is the pre-Osteopathic forum and we have no Ivy snobbery to contend with in the DO school world as of yet, do all you can with a community college and do your best there. It is cheaper, in my opinion of higher quality than some universities, and a great launching pad for your harder science courses in University. You HAVE to transfer and get a Bachelors degree from a 4-year college anyway and there you will prove yourself again and if that is not enough, you have the MCAT. Just do your best wherever you go and take what pre-meds tell you for what it is worth. I did 90 credits at CC before I did my second 90 credits at Rutgers and was accepted at that same school you go that letter from, UNE.

Almost my thoughts exactly 👍 !

 

[Funkdoctor]

I did realize that my good grades at University would be more significant, along with my bad grades at the community college, however. You all should too.

True, you responded to a post I had a few months ago. Although I believe that I have worse grades from CC when I was a teenager. That is ancient history that has since been reconciled though!

 

[cee]

i think the important thing to remember here is that if you dont want admissions committees to worry about the potential bad grades you get at community college-- DONT GET BAD GRADES. its as simple as that. as long as a college is accreditted, its legitimate and so are the grades from there. notice how all the people piping up about not being able to get into med school with all prereqs from CC are the same people who havent taken ALL their prereqs at CC. chances are, the people who took all their prereqs at CC havent responded because they are too busy IN MED SCHOOL.

although i know admissions offices can be a bit snooty with what they're looking for, they almost have to put forth crap like UNECOM did on their website to make it look like they hold their application process to a certain degree or standard.. in actuality, A's in community college prereqs will outshine C's from ivy league schools. you can run around all you want saying u went to an ivy and how hard it was to get that C, but guess what? A "C" is a "C"... SCOREBOARD. i dont care what people say, it all comes down to the MCAT because its the only equalizer that we all have that separates us (aside from race, which plays into admissions bigtime as well)..

i, for one, went to a top 25 university and have elected to take prereqs at community college and just like any college, you get what you put into it. sure, i couldve spent double, traveled to class twice as long, only to sit in a huge lecture hall and have a greater likelyhood of falling asleep in back of class..but i'm getting good grades, and i'm treating these CC classes like MCAT prep classes and trying to shovel in as much info as i possibly can.. and after taking quite a few MCAT practice tests, i feel as if i havent gotten a raw deal at all, and i love the personal attention.. its like being at a small private school, with half the price of a public school

 

[Sainttpk]

Ditto post above. Dont foool yourself! I actually know more then a few people who took all of their science prereqs at a C.C. one of them graduted from the Univeristy of Washington med school and another one is currently attending the U of Minnesota.

Just get good grades, and rock the MCAT, do not let others determine what path is best for you. The reality is that CC is much cheaper and convienent for alot of people, espcially those who are starting a second career.

This is just the same as an DO v MD debate. And like the above post stated, alot of schools want to portray their school in the best light they can, so of course some of them are going to say they prefer CC over 4 year, just like most employers would love to say they take only harvard grads. Sorry get off your high horse and take responsibility for yourself.

 

[Sainttpk]

i, for one, went to a top 25 university and have elected to take prereqs at community college and just like any college, you get what you put into it. sure, i couldve spent double, traveled to class twice as long, only to sit in a huge lecture hall and have a greater likelyhood of falling asleep in back of class..but i'm getting good grades, and i'm treating these CC classes like MCAT prep classes and trying to shovel in as much info as i possibly can.. and after taking quite a few MCAT practice tests, i feel as if i havent gotten a raw deal at all, and i love the personal attention.. its like being at a small private school, with half the price of a public school

One last thing I would like to add. I went to a top 20 law school, and all of the same arguments that those who are opposed to C.C. claim here were thrown around by our career placement services. People at the top law schools say the same thing about those who went to lowered tier school. Sure its nice to go to Berkley or Harvard, but having a 3.99 GPA, and making law review looks much better from a 2nd tier law school, then having a 1.9 GPA from a place like Duke or Berkley.

My point is that all of these so called "top schools" and all of these so called great schools are not all they are cracked up to be, sure if you want to go to harvard and hopkins then maybe you should take your classes at a good 4 year school, but if you want to be a Doctor, and do not care whether others look down on you for attending a C.C. then it doesnt matter.

I for one cannot afford to go to my local 4 year school, I have at least 90K in debt from Law school, and I would barely be able to survive at a 4 year school. Going from a top institution to a so called "second rate" insitution has shown me that thier is almost no difference in quality of education.

Like I have said before, get good grades, and prove you can do the material on your MCAT. And if anyone is critical of your decision, tell them to mind their own buisness. One of the great things about life is that we all take a different path to reach our intended goal, some of us will end up being DO's and some will end up being MD's, some will have a second career, some will go to a top school. In the end does it really matter? Do what is best for you and the situation you are in, and do not let others, especially immature premeds tell you whether it is right or wrong. Do your best and that should shut up the critics.

T

 

[sunnyjohn]

...


1) Get good grades
2) Get a good MCAT score
3) Volunteer
4) Get some medical field experience
5) Do some extra curricular activity(ies) that you love
6) Stop worrying about CC credits, that 1 C you got, that 1 W you got, that 1 minute you missed class, etc. etc.

But who am I? I guess my opinion will get filtered in with the rest of the meaningless arguments on this website. 😉

Right on!!!

Does anyone ever look at the "big picture" anymore?

 

[Mastashake]

I'm going to a CC. My family wouldn't pay for crap, and in case you didn't know it's kinda hard to pay for university tuition and your rent for an entire year with $3500 in student loans (max at the university I was gonna go to), and $3500 in pell grants. Even with a full time job this still made me run a debt. I don't see what the big deal is. They're gonna know you knew your stuff if you're taking classes after that which requre it, and still getting A's. And the same goes if you get a good MCAT. You don't guess and get a good score.

I think people who go to more expensive universities automatically think their degree is better cause they want to justify the cost. And that's fine, just know a lot of people will disagree.

Mastashake

 

[drmanyee999]

I honestly don't know how the different schools view CC vs 4 year classes. I would venture to say, depending on the type of class, what's more important - the grades or the quality of the education? For example, for OChem 2 I had a choice of the difficult instructor or the really easy instructor. I took the difficult because he was a far superior instructor and I knew I would need the knowledge for the MCATs that summer. I got a B- and my friends in the easy class got A's. However, when it came time for the MCAT the ochem on the biological sciences section wasn't a big deal for me while my friends were dying. I ended up getting a 10 on BS. I don't know, maybe for some of you my story isn't that impressive, but apparently I did something right.

 

[jkhamlin]

But if you have a number of such classes to take, the perception of members of the committee may not be as positive on your overall application. If these are classes beyond the pre-requisites, there really isn't any question or concern.

Has anyone noticed the disparity between these two statements? I think that this is what the OP was trying to point out.

 

[Lindyhopper]

Has anyone noticed the disparity between these two statements?

In defense of the committee, they do not want to discourage anyone from taking "extra" courses. If two people have taken all or most of the requirements at a 4 year school, & than one goes on to take additional courses at a CC that person should not be penalized. You may not agree, but they have a reasonable position.

 

[redwings54]

Wow, boy had this thread distanced itself from what I first thought it would be when I posted the comments. The main reason I asked UNECOM is because I am going to be taking upper level classes at a CC this summer and I wanted to know if I should shell out the money, not to mention time, down at Harvard Extension or if I would be just as well off taking them at my local CC. What I thought their email said is that upper level classes at fine no matter where they are. Pre-reqs seem to be a little more suspect if they are all taken at a CC but your application also depends on your other grades, MCAT, 4-year classes, ECs, LoRs, etc. I realize that people often have time or financial difficulties once graduated or if you are working/raising a family that necessitate taking classes at night and close to home. This is the case for me. This is why I asked UNECOM. Remember, I didnt ask any other schools so this is only one person in admissions opinion.

But the bottom line that I got out of it was that upper level classes are fine no matter where you take them. This is one thing I wanted to share. The second thing was that pre-req classes might be a little more closely looked at or might be viewed differently, not poorly just differently, than classes taken at a 4 year school. Hope this clears up what I posted and why. Its interesting reading all the comments so keep posting. Cheers.

 

[kaikai128]

Just get good grades and do well on the MCAT. The only way someone would question the quality of your education is if you are a 4.0 student in upper level classes who gets a 20 on the MCAT.

Score consistently with your grades and you'll be good. Take the classes where you like--save your $$ to take time off and study for the MCAT.

I went to a satellite campus of two schools that is a "commuter" school with many of the students using it as a entry school for a first year or two, part time, or for continuing ed. I had interviewers ask me about my school, but nobody seemed to make any negative remarks--more than anything they seemed intrigued.