Community college viewed by medschool admissions?

[Juanlove]

My first semester in big semi-prestigious state university went off to a terrible start. I'm deciding whether to go back to my community college I dual-enrolled at vs. staying here.

Some people tell me that I should stay here because the rigor of a bigger state university will help me better prepare for the mcat, but I feel like the slower pace of the community college as opposed to "you have 2 weeks to fully learn and memorize these concepts and then have 50 minutes to answer 25 questions GO!!!" feeling I get from this big state university, actually helped me retain and learn more, which'll be invaluable for both the mcat, and my gpa. All that in mind, which do you think will help me more when it comes time for the mcat?

Also, do med school admissions care at all about cc history on an application?

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[mybubbles627]

It depends on the school. Not all med school accept community college credit. Some require all classes at a 4 year university. Also, med school isn't slow paced. Even if med schools will take community college credit you need to prepare for much faster paced classes.

 

[deleted127837]

Many medical schools don't accept courses taken at a community college, because for the most part if you can't hack the pace at a major university, you'll never be able to keep up with the pace at medical school, which is substantially faster.

 

[Viktorkrum]

I started out at community college, and have been admitted to several top medical schools. Do what works best for you, CC can be a great launching pad, but you must follow it up with rigorous upper division courses at a prestigious/highly regard Uni - the name on your diploma will get med schools to look at you.

 

[prado]

Students get in all the time with CC credit.

 

[cookiemonsters]

.

 

[deleted248403]

The re-occuring theme of those that did CC and got in places was that they then excelled at a 4-year....

Getting As at CC is fine, but if you then follow it up with Ds at a 4-year then you are demonstrating you can't hack it at a 4-year, and subsequently med school

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

Many medical schools don't accept courses taken at a community college, because for the most part if you can't hack the pace at a major university, you'll never be able to keep up with the pace at medical school, which is substantially faster.

source requested.

 

[survivordo]

To the OP,

As many have said, CC classes are no problem but you must use them as a launching pad to success at a 4 year university/college. If you are having trouble keeping pace but not necessarily with the information than I think you need to work on how you study. There are many resources at your school and online that can help you analyze your study habits and come up with some solutions to help you succeed.

Survivor DO

 

[Juanlove]

Yeah, I was thinking that I'm not really learning here too much, but once I do really well at cc and actually learn and retain material, rather than have a week to memorize it for the exam and then forget it, then I could apply that knowledge to my upper division classes and do better in them.

 

[Juanlove]

I started out at community college, and have been admitted to several top medical schools. Do what works best for you, CC can be a great launching pad, but you must follow it up with rigorous upper division courses at a prestigious/highly regard Uni - the name on your diploma will get med schools to look at you.

Yeah, I was thinking that I'm not really learning here too much, but once I do really well at cc and actually learn and retain material, rather than have a week to memorize it for the exam and then forget it, then I could apply that knowledge to my upper division classes and do better in them.

Also where would "Florida State University" lie in "prestige" category you mentioned?

 

[deleted248403]

Yeah, I was thinking that I'm not really learning here too much, but once I do really well at cc and actually learn and retain material, rather than have a week to memorize it for the exam and then forget it, then I could apply that knowledge to my upper division classes and do better in them.

Hate to break it to you but thats a lot of med school too

 

[Juanlove]

Hate to break it to you but thats a lot of med school too

Sooo what do you do when it comes time for the USMLE?

 

[m0biusace]

Many medical schools don't accept courses taken at a community college, because for the most part if you can't hack the pace at a major university, you'll never be able to keep up with the pace at medical school, which is substantially faster.

To my knowledge the ONLY medical school that refuses to accept CC courses to fill prereqs is Creighton university in Nebraska. A few (like, three) other schools require you to take upper level sciences courses at your 4 year if you completed all your prereqs in CC.

Go to CC. If anything, you'll be at an ADVANTAGE when applying because:

You can show initiative during CC by shadowing/volunteering/etc, since adcoms know that premedical advising at most CCs is nonexistent. My interviewers were always impressed by that.

It will be much easier to get more truthful letters of recommendation from professors that actually know you, and are much more motivated to help you (once you prove yourself, of course. There is a lot of chaff to sort through in CC). I had the same calculus professor for calc 1, 2, 3, and two honors math courses. I have been grading for my general chemistry professor for the past five years (the letter written by her made my mother cry). I have coffee with my orgo professor every few months.

It is much cheaper, allowing you to concentrate on school and not have to balance between your studies and a job. Heck, i'm entering medical school with a mere $10,000 in loan debt.

Can you tell I enjoyed my community college experience?

 

[deleted248403]

Sooo what do you do when it comes time for the USMLE?

A lot of medical school is 'learn and forget, learn and forget, repeat'

Each time a little bit more sticks - and for Step 1 its often 2nd or 3rd (or 4th) time you've learned something.