Community College for Pre-Reqs

[AgntFdra]

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Hey guys, so I've been looking around the website and know I'm gonna get hate for this because this has already been asked so many times. But here's my situations. I'm a current sophomore who just transferred to a new university. I took general chemistry 1 & 2 there, but had medical problems in my second semester which forced me to withdraw from general chemistry 2, so I took it online through UNE (and did well) over the summer. Then at the beginning of this year I had a crisis of confidence and dropped organic chemistry 1, but I still know I would like to go the MD route. My school only offers organic chemistry 1 this semester and orgo 2 next semester, so I was hoping to take organic chem through my local community college. This would mean physics and biology would be taken at my current 4 year school. I would like to take organic next year, but with my major (computer science, BS) and all the general education requirements, that would be impossible. Would this be something which could be explained to medical schools?

 

[Catalystik]

Hey guys, so I've been looking around the website and know I'm gonna get hate for this because this has already been asked so many times. But here's my situations. I'm a current sophomore who just transferred to a new university. I took general chemistry 1 & 2 there, but had medical problems in my second semester which forced me to withdraw from general chemistry 2, so I took it online through UNE (and did well) over the summer. Then at the beginning of this year I had a crisis of confidence and dropped organic chemistry 1, but I still know I would like to go the MD route. My school only offers organic chemistry 1 this semester and orgo 2 next semester, so I was hoping to take organic chem through my local community college. This would mean physics and biology would be taken at my current 4 year school. I would like to take organic next year, but with my major (computer science, BS) and all the general education requirements, that would be impossible. Would this be something which could be explained to medical schools?

Gen Chem online will not fulfill the requirement for most MD schools (but is fine for DO schools). OChem through a community college will annoy very few MD schools, provided the course is rigorous enough to prepare you well for the MCAT

 

[AgntFdra]

Gen Chem online will not fulfill the requirement for most MD schools (but is fine for DO schools). OChem through a community college will annoy very few MD schools, provided the course is rigorous enough to prepare you well for the MCAT

So what would be the best option for me for gen-chem then? I got a C- in gen chem 1 at BU then got an A- in gen chem 2 from UNE online.

 

[Catalystik]

So what would be the best option for me for gen-chem then? I got a C- in gen chem 1 at BU then got an A- in gen chem 2 from UNE online.

You've probably read that most med schools require a C grade or better for prerequisites, which forces you to repeat the entire year of Gen Chem.

If your CC is near a 4-year school, you may be fortunate enough to have chemistry courses taught by the same faculty, using the same texts, which will have the same rigor. If this is so, you won't be disadvantaged by taking the cheaper alternative to retake the classes. Even if not, having taken the classes already, you have less excuse for not earning As, meanwhile learning the material in greater depth in your own (if MD is your goal).

An alternative would be to change your timeline for graduation, take the classes at the University, and plan at least an extra year before you apply.

 

[Jack-Kennedy35]

You've probably read that most med schools require a C grade or better for prerequisites, which forces you to repeat the entire year of Gen Chem.

If your CC is near a 4-year school, you may be fortunate enough to have chemistry courses taught by the same faculty, using the same texts, which will have the same rigor. If this is so, you won't be disadvantaged by taking the cheaper alternative to retake the classes. Even if not, having taken the classes already, you have less excuse for not earning As, meanwhile learning the material in greater depth in your own (if MD is your goal).

An alternative would be to change your timeline for graduation, take the classes at the University, and plan at least an extra year before you apply.

What about for the individuals who start out at a community college and take the necessary prerequisite science classes in order to transfer to a 4 year university as a science major? For almost all schools in order to be able to transfer after 2 years at a CC we need to take our lower division requirements which are typical the gen chem, bio, Ochem, and physics series. Is it okay in this scenario to take the prerequisite at the cc if we continue to take science upper divs at the 4 year school.?

 

[Catalystik]

What about for the individuals who start out at a community college and take the necessary prerequisite science classes in order to transfer to a 4 year university as a science major? For almost all schools in order to be able to transfer after 2 years at a CC we need to take our lower division requirements which are typical the gen chem, bio, Ochem, and physics series. Is it okay in this scenario to take the prerequisite at the cc if we continue to take science upper divs at the 4 year school.?

Yes, though you do have the option of changing to a non science major if your school doesn't offer rigorous science classes.

 

[bushido]

What about for the individuals who start out at a community college and take the necessary prerequisite science classes in order to transfer to a 4 year university as a science major? For almost all schools in order to be able to transfer after 2 years at a CC we need to take our lower division requirements which are typical the gen chem, bio, Ochem, and physics series. Is it okay in this scenario to take the prerequisite at the cc if we continue to take science upper divs at the 4 year school.?

I’m at a CC right now, transferring to U of Miami for the next fall semester. The way my CC does it is they prefer we maintain a sequence: our advisors STRONGLY advise against us taking, say, Physics 1 at our CC then transferring and taking Physics 2 at our new 4 year school.

By the time I leave my CC I’ll have finished my Gen. Chem sequence, my Biology sequence, and the other non science things like English and humanities.

Not sure how other schools handle this. Just giving you some insight.

 

[holdthemayo]

Check the MSAR for CC courses. Some schools don't accept them, some weight them less than normal university courses, some don't care. I did most of my prereqs at CC and am an M2 at a USMD. I have no idea of how it may have impacted my application cycle. DO schools won't care for the most part. Get A's.

 

[Jack-Kennedy35]

Yes, though you do have the option of changing to a non science major if your school doesn't offer rigorous science classes.

I guess the rigor of the CC is determine through one's MCAT score right? I took all of my prerequisites at the CC I went to before transferring to UC Berkeley.

-At my CC I had a 3.81 overall and a 3.72 science gpa .
- At UC Berkeley I have a 3.78 overall and a 3.71 science gpa.

-My cumulative Gpa including both institutions is a 3.79 overall and a 3.71 Science Gpa. My MCAT is a 515.

Does my Gpa show that I am capable of performing at an good level at a 4 year school, considering that I started out at a CC? and that I am academically ready for medical school? I just worry about my gpa because I got a 3.81 at the cc and a 3.78 at the 4 year school.

Thank you so much! @Catalystik @gonnif @Goro @LizzyM @gyngyn

 

[Catalystik]

1) I guess the rigor of the CC is determine through one's MCAT score right? I took all of my prerequisites at the CC I went to before transferring to UC Berkeley.

-At my CC I had a 3.81 overall and a 3.74 science gpa .
- At UC Berkeley I have a 3.78 overall and a 3.74 science gpa.

-My cumulative Gpa including both institutions is a 3.79 overall and a 3.71 Science Gpa. My MCAT is a 515.

2) Does my Gpa show that I am capable of performing at an good level at a 4 year school, considering that I started out at a CC?
3) and that I am academically ready for medical school?

4) I just worry about my gpa because I got a 3.81 at the cc and a 3.78 at the 4 year school.[/USER]

1) Yes, essentially, though one's study skills can compensate for a less rigorous CC.

2) Yes.

3) Yes.

4) You did just fine.