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cookmg

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Hi All,

I have an Economics degree from UC San Diego with a few pre reqs already complete. I'm considering returning to school to complete O Chem and Bio. For the nontraditionals out there: How do Med Schools treat these classes being completed at a community college? While I know the courses will be easier at a CC, they are far more flexible for someone working -- not to mention cheaper! I suppose an equally important question is, are CC courses typically sufficient prep for the MCATs?

Thanks in advance.
 
cookmg said:
Hi All,

I have an Economics degree from UC San Diego with a few pre reqs already complete. I'm considering returning to school to complete O Chem and Bio. For the nontraditionals out there: How do Med Schools treat these classes being completed at a community college? While I know the courses will be easier at a CC, they are far more flexible for someone working -- not to mention cheaper! I suppose an equally important question is, are CC courses typically sufficient prep for the MCATs?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Cost, and work related reasons for going to a CC is a perfectly fine reason to complete your pre-reqs. HOWEVER, it would be best for you, at a later time, take upper division science courses at a 4-year university since you did not have a science degree (not a bad thing!). Just want to show the adcoms that you can handle other science courses in addition to the pre-reqs. Some schools (specifically UCD) requires an upper division bio class...so something to think about.

In regards to preparing for the MCAT, from my own experience, as a transfer student, I found CC courses up to par with any 4-year. You might face more competition at a 4-year however the subject material is still the same. I did perfectly fine on the MCAT with CC OChem/Physics/Bio knowledge.

Anyway, you might hear some people put down CC courses, but in reality, I have never heard of a school looking down upon pre-reqs at a CC. If that was the case, a lot of people that are transfer students wouldn't be physicians. So yea....therefore in summary, pre-reqs at CC is fine, but recommend taking additional challenging courses at a 4-year. Perhaps a UC Extension through open campus enrollment (really expensive!), or even a CSU if an official post-bacc is out of the question.
 
That's right, CC courses are sufficient enough for MCAT. However, be careful when you apply to some MD schools. You should make sure they're OK with those classes.

relentless11 said:
Cost, and work related reasons for going to a CC is a perfectly fine reason to complete your pre-reqs. HOWEVER, it would be best for you, at a later time, take upper division science courses at a 4-year university since you did not have a science degree (not a bad thing!). Just want to show the adcoms that you can handle other science courses in addition to the pre-reqs. Some schools (specifically UCD) requires an upper division bio class...so something to think about.

In regards to preparing for the MCAT, from my own experience, as a transfer student, I found CC courses up to par with any 4-year. You might face more competition at a 4-year however the subject material is still the same. I did perfectly fine on the MCAT with CC OChem/Physics/Bio knowledge.

Anyway, you might hear some people put down CC courses, but in reality, I have never heard of a school looking down upon pre-reqs at a CC. If that was the case, a lot of people that are transfer students wouldn't be physicians. So yea....therefore in summary, pre-reqs at CC is fine, but recommend taking additional challenging courses at a 4-year. Perhaps a UC Extension through open campus enrollment (really expensive!), or even a CSU if an official post-bacc is out of the question.
Click to expand...
 
cookmg said:
Hi All,

I have an Economics degree from UC San Diego with a few pre reqs already complete. I'm considering returning to school to complete O Chem and Bio. For the nontraditionals out there: How do Med Schools treat these classes being completed at a community college? While I know the courses will be easier at a CC, they are far more flexible for someone working -- not to mention cheaper! I suppose an equally important question is, are CC courses typically sufficient prep for the MCATs?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Hi there,
There may be a couple of potential problems with taking pre-med courses at a community college. First, community colleges vary in the content of these courses. One CC may present a course that is more than adequate for the MCAT while another barely skims the surface.

Second, some medical schools may not take community college pre-reqs. You have to consult the schools that you are interested in applying to to be sure that you are not wasting your tuition money.

Go to the MCAT website and look at the subject matter that needs to be mastered. Then go to your prospective CC (meet with the instructor and look at the course syllabus and text) and see if those subjects are sufficiently covered to give you a working knowledge of the material. The MCAT asks you to apply your pre-med knowledge to problem-solving. You need to be facile at doing this. A mediocre MCAT score coupled with pre-reqs at a CC could be a huge death-blow for your application.

Do your homework and get answers before you spend the money and the time. In the long run, you want to be successful.

njbmd 🙂
 
I took my pre-requisites - Bio I & II, OChem I&II, plus an extra English at a CC. I had no problems in the application process and was never asked about it at any interviews. Of course, I was not applying to any California schools or the Yales, JHs, etc. I did get accepted into my #1 choice school, so it worked for me.

As far as learning the material in the classes for the MCAT, it might help you some (especially OChem), but I wouldn't stress too much about it. If you get A's in the courses, you should know the material to a sufficient level. Plus, if you use a MCAT review book like Kaplan, it will cover any potential deficiencies.

I was forced into this route due to working full-time. If I could have, I would have done my pre-reqs at a 4-year university. I did not want to give an admissions committee a reason to say, hmmmm....maybe not.

Either way, do the best you can. Good luck.
 
cookmg said:
Hi All,

I have an Economics degree from UC San Diego with a few pre reqs already complete. I'm considering returning to school to complete O Chem and Bio. For the nontraditionals out there: How do Med Schools treat these classes being completed at a community college? While I know the courses will be easier at a CC, they are far more flexible for someone working -- not to mention cheaper! I suppose an equally important question is, are CC courses typically sufficient prep for the MCATs?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

I'm sure they're sufficient prep for the MCAT (though I'd also recommend ExamKrakers or Kaplan etc. to augment your prep), but it seems that many schools like to see those courses taken at a university. You should call the schools you're interested in and ask them directly whether it'll hurt you or not. You never know.

Also, there are no absolutes, I think. If you're juggling a full time job, and you can't take ALL the pre-req's at a university, then certainly you could explain that in your application or interview (the fact that many of us have needed to take as many night courses as possible).

Good luck.
 
I want to take the second part of orgo and physics at a cc due to finaces and work constraints. All of my other pre-reqs were done at a 4 year..is this ok?
 
exigente chica said:
I want to take the second part of orgo and physics at a cc due to finaces and work constraints. All of my other pre-reqs were done at a 4 year..is this ok?
Click to expand...

Looks like the premise is to contact the schools you are interested in and ask.
 
I believe there only a handful of schools that won't accept you if you've taken pre-req's at a CC, which I find riddiculous. However, what you learn at the CC won't necessarily match what you'd learn at a 4-yr. Orgo I would say take at a 4-yr and for bio, you could take it at a CC and learn pretty much the same thing, if not more (depending on your proff). And it wouldn't hurt to take some upper level bio classes at a 4 yr, just to show you know your stuff.
 
exigente chica, hey -- I'm in Boston lovin' salsa too!

If you plan to take your prereqs in Boston, go to Harvard Extension. The majority of the science students are pre-med and pretty friendly.
 
cookmg said:
Hi All,

I have an Economics degree from UC San Diego with a few pre reqs already complete. I'm considering returning to school to complete O Chem and Bio. For the nontraditionals out there: How do Med Schools treat these classes being completed at a community college? While I know the courses will be easier at a CC, they are far more flexible for someone working -- not to mention cheaper! I suppose an equally important question is, are CC courses typically sufficient prep for the MCATs?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

If you're in LA, go to Santa Monica College. They have a very strong Science dept. It's cheap and their OChem & Bio sequences are EXCELLENT. When I took my MCAT review class, I knew so much more OChem lab techniques than anyone else in my class, it hurts. I didn't take Bio there, but I hear from my classmates that they're very challenging as well. Ditto for Anatomy.

From other students, I hear that USC's physics classes and some of the UCLA Extension science classes are really good too.

No matter where you take it, you have to learn the stuff right. Good luck! :luck:
 
I graduated from a 4-year university with a BA in Religion, then decided to pursue medicine. I've had to take my prereqs at a community college because the classes at the university here are generally full. I've done well in all my prereqs, but I'm starting to get scared that taking them at a CC will adversely affect my application in a big way. Anyone had the same problem or has it not been such a big issue?
 
i'm also a non trad who graduated and am going back to do my pre-reqs at a cc and other schools

my question is to those who have been through the application process. as a non trad student, did you list your undergraduate college or did you list your pre req college on the application? and when you go through the interviews do they ask you about your undergraduate school or about the school where you did your pre-reqs?
 
anniemal said:
i'm also a non trad who graduated and am going back to do my pre-reqs at a cc and other schools

my question is to those who have been through the application process. as a non trad student, did you list your undergraduate college or did you list your pre req college on the application? and when you go through the interviews do they ask you about your undergraduate school or about the school where you did your pre-reqs?
Click to expand...

Don't you have to list every accredited college (CC and 4-year) you went to regardless of when, where and what you classes you took...just like what you're supposed to do if you apply to any school? As for interviews, its fair game in what they ask you, and it doesn't even have to be about school.
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
I graduated from a 4-year university with a BA in Religion, then decided to pursue medicine. I've had to take my prereqs at a community college because the classes at the university here are generally full. I've done well in all my prereqs, but I'm starting to get scared that taking them at a CC will adversely affect my application in a big way. Anyone had the same problem or has it not been such a big issue?
Click to expand...

It's better to take them at a 4-year college, if possible.

But, it sounds like this is a moot point for you because it looks like you have already taken most/all of your prereqs. At this point, if you knew that CC courses WOULD be a problem, what would you do (Rhetorical Question.) You'll just have to apply and see how it goes.

I think you'll find plenty of people that got into Medical School taking their prereqs at a CC, but when I thought about this issue, I decided to take them at my local 4-year college (even though it was less convenient, and I had to be persistant to get all the classes that I wanted) since taking them at a 4-year certainly wouldn't hurt my application, whereas taking them at a CC might.

Good Luck,

Jota
 
jota_jota said:
It's better to take them at a 4-year college, if possible.

But, it sounds like this is a moot point for you because it looks like you have already taken most/all of your prereqs. At this point, if you knew that CC courses WOULD be a problem, what would you do (Rhetorical Question.) You'll just have to apply and see how it goes.

I think you'll find plenty of people that got into Medical School taking their prereqs at a CC, but when I thought about this issue, I decided to take them at my local 4-year college (even though it was less convenient, and I had to be persistant to get all the classes that I wanted) since taking them at a 4-year certainly wouldn't hurt my application, whereas taking them at a CC might.

Good Luck,

Jota
Click to expand...

If you do well in the pre-reqs and well on the MCAT, and already have a degree, then CC courses probably won't hurt you. It's where there are bad grades and/or MCAT scores that raise questions.
 
SeminoleFan3 said:
I graduated from a 4-year university with a BA in Religion, then decided to pursue medicine. I've had to take my prereqs at a community college because the classes at the university here are generally full. I've done well in all my prereqs, but I'm starting to get scared that taking them at a CC will adversely affect my application in a big way. Anyone had the same problem or has it not been such a big issue?
Click to expand...

Hi there,
Some medical schools will NOT accept pre-recs done at a community college. Be sure to check with the schools before you apply so that you do not waste your time and money. You need to check websites or call the schools directly.

njbmd 🙂
 
njbmd said:
Hi there,
Some medical schools will NOT accept pre-recs done at a community college. Be sure to check with the schools before you apply so that you do not waste your time and money. You need to check websites or call the schools directly.

njbmd 🙂
Click to expand...

This is very true, but there are many more that accept them than don't.
 
This has been my experience with cc vs. university. I took my first Physics at a cc and got a B.
The class was taught by a chinese guy that no one could understand. Very smart though. He gave us 4 problems in each test. Most class ended up getting low grades. He gave no bonuses or extra credit. He also taught the lab which made it harder to get a good grade.
So considering all this I think I did ok.
I am taking Physics II now at a 4 yr university. The professor is from India. Somewhat hard to understand but still not as bad as the first one. The class has four exams. The lowest score is dropped. The exams have 15 problems. Students can pick 10 out 0f 15. Even with that there is a huge bell curve. On the last exam the average score was 5.8 (58 percent). The averarage was brought up to 75%. So students that got 5.8 points ended up with 75%. I got a 10 which was 100%. Now I am no genius but I think this is total bull****.
Second experience Chemistry II. I had taken it in 1999 and got a C at the CC. I figured I will retake it. The same thing applied. the professor was a very hard grader. Most students got Cs. I am retaking it as an online course at the 4 year university. 4 open book exams. The lowest score is dropped. Final is cummulative (mostly from the last two chapters). For every exam there is a 25 point bonus mini exam. It is a sin not to get an A in this class.
While I was busting my ass at the CC, taking these as night classes, I am having a very easy time with these classes at the university. I think depending on your experience, to think that CC is below the level of the 4 yr university is absurd.
 
onmywayRN said:
<snip>

While I was busting my ass at the CC, taking these as night classes, I am having a very easy time with these classes at the university. I think depending on your experience, to think that CC is below the level of the 4 yr university is absurd.
Click to expand...

Pretty much all that you have re-discovered is that what you get from a class really depends upon the instructor, not whether it is a 4-year, a CC, etc. Sites like www.pickaprof.com and/or www.ratemyprofessors.com are great for finding the good and bad when you really have no other info.
 
jota_jota said:
Pretty much all that you have re-discovered is that what you get from a class really depends upon the instructor, not whether it is a 4-year, a CC, etc. Sites like www.pickaprof.com and/or www.ratemyprofessors.com are great for finding the good and bad when you really have no other info.
Click to expand...

I remember watching this video about getting A's in classes. The presenter presented the notion that choosing classes is like a business transaction. The early bird usually gets the worm (i.e. a good instructor). Meaning apply for classes early and use the professor's phone number and present your case and what you are trying to accomplish by taking his/her class. You must be proactive in these classes. I think alot of us focus on taking classes rather than getting to know the instructor. If the instructor does not fit then you must not submit to taking the class. LOL. I mean the money we use for these classes does not grow on trees. I had to drop a class because I felt like the professor did not give the help or the assistance needed. AS I was dropping the class, the old 1996 video about making A's popped in my head. So next semester I am going to investigate these teachers before submitting myself to taking classes under them. REMEMBER WE ARE CUSTOMERS we should expect excellence in what we pay for.
 
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