community college

[upper]

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I'm going to have to start my first 2 years at a community college, and i know that taking courses like organic chemistry in community college is generally looked down upon by med school.
I'm a California residence, and i was wondering if you could help me with the schedule for the 2 years. I'm about to attend Los angeles Valley college. I'm thinking about transferring to one of the UC's or better. I was looking at UCLA, but their transfer major requirement for biology requires organic chemistry, and i'm trying not to take that during my year at community college.
I'm taking 3 IGETC requirement course this semester, english,music, and sociology. I'm also taking 2 extra class for "fun", i don't know how this will affect me, if at all. Golf skills, and Classical Guitar, they're UC transferrable as well.

If anybody could recommend what science i take semester for semester, it'd be great.


Thanks 👍

 

[Schemp]

If this is your second year of college, take organic chem now. Taking it in community college will not be looked down upon if you are taking higher-level classes at a university in your junior year (and doing well in them). That way you're not just stalling, and as you take those higher level classes, the stuff you learned in organic chem will probably make more sense to you even if organic chem wasn't a prerequisite. Stuff like biochem, physical chem, physiology and other 300- and 400-level biology classes - that kind of thing.

 

[upper]

Im Fresh out of Highschool.
i've heard 2 different stories, one that say it's bad to take science class in junior college, and one that says it's fine. but yours was probably one of the most helpful ones.
i'm still kind of confused about this, but that's why i'm asking you guys with prior experience and/or knowledge in this field.

can you guys also help me schedule my science classes semester by semester?
how about math? does that also apply with the higher level classes rule? how high should i go? which class do i not need to take? which class should i take? i'm planning on being biology,math or music major.
I'm also wondering if back up plan as a dentist would be possible. do they have the same requirement other than the MCAT test? because i'm still unsure which one i like more.

 

[foolz0r]

fwiw I know someone who started out a community college (took ochem there too omgomg) and wound up at UCSF 😀

 

[Schemp]

Im Fresh out of Highschool.
i've heard 2 different stories, one that say it's bad to take science class in junior college, and one that says it's fine. but yours was probably one of the most helpful ones.
i'm still kind of confused about this, but that's why i'm asking you guys with prior experience and/or knowledge in this field.

can you guys also help me schedule my science classes semester by semester?
how about math? does that also apply with the higher level classes rule? how high should i go? which class do i not need to take? which class should i take? i'm planning on being biology,math or music major.
I'm also wondering if back up plan as a dentist would be possible. do they have the same requirement other than the MCAT test? because i'm still unsure which one i like more.

If you have the credit space, I would just take math now. You're more likely to receive help if you need it (and I certainly did in the case of calculus 1-3), and I sincerely doubt med schools value math as much as the sciences. Of course you still want good grades in them, but if I only had 1 class space available, I would take the math at a community college before the science.

I personally took gen chem, biology, and math at a community college.

And from the pre-dental students I know at my university, yes, it sounds like prereqs are the same, or very nearly so. Inexplicably, they still require physics even though it isn't on the DAT.

 

[upper]

okay, so should this be good?

community college
year 1: Freshman
semester 1:IGETC requirement
semester 2:IGETC requirement & calculus
year 2: Sophomore
IGETC requirement & Biology & Chem
Math, Biology & chem

University
Year 3: Junior
O chem,and mcat prep stuff. MCAT
Year 4: Senior
Finish Major, send in application.

Med School
Year 5: Med School Year 1
Year 6: Med School Year 2
Year 7: Med School Year 3 Clinical Rotation
Year 8: Med School Year 4 Clinical Rotation

or dental school

 

[MDtobe31311]

My advice would be to take physics at community college... physics is pretty straightforward anywhere, and the mcat doesn't go too in depth on it. If you had to pick another science to take at community college, go with gen chem/inorganic. I agree that you should take math classes at community college as well (I recommend calc and statistics).

Save the bio and organic chem for 3rd/4th year at whatever UC school you transfer to. I say all this because I personally think that bio and organic are more important for med school. Though I may be biased as a bio major

 

[sike08]

hey im doing the same thing u are doing, OP. I have finished my first year, doing gen chem this summer, and yes, im taking ochem in a year at the same community college. I think you will be ok, but the best idea is to just find a very knowledgeable advisor either at that community college or whichever college you get your degree from. from what i have read and heard, med schools do not discriminate on those terms as harshly as you are thinking. just keep up your grades!

 

[deelau]

You should or need to take all your prereqs (bio, gen chem, o chem, physics) at least by or before your junior year or else you will wont be able to get to your upper div classes if you are majoring in a science. If you take o chem and gen chem 4rth year then you will be in college for a 5th and 6th year. If you are not majoring in science then take it when ever.

 

[PDtoMD]

After high school, I started out at a community college before transferring on to a four-year school.

When I decided to pursue medicine a few years back, I returned to the community college for a number of my pre-reqs for two reasons:

1) I know that this particular institution provides an outstanding educaiton; and

2) I am very indebted to the community college system for the opportunities with which it has provided me. I consider myself an ambassador of this system and it my duty to represent community college students in the face of any bias that may occur.

Since I began to pursue a career in medicine, I've seen a lot of negative things written about community colleges--not only in this forum, but in the on-line literature of some medical schools as well.

Medicine may be the only field that still holds such biases; even elsewhere in science, they disappeared long ago. For example, as of 2004, more than 40 percent of bachelor's and master's degree graduates in science and engineering attended a community college.

I just don't see how anyone can justify black-balling those who have taken pre-reqs at a community college while accepting those done at 4th quartile private 4-year schools who are charging $800/credit. The student body in hard science classes at community colleges often draws a lot of smart people simply because the tuition is so low. On the other hand, I can't see why a bright person would choose a low-ranked expensive private school unless there was substantial scholarship involved.

Community colleges tend to get a bad rap because they have open admissions and let anyone enroll in basic courses. Everyone knows a knucklehead or two that attended a CC due to lack of options. Still, at CCs, the knuckleheads usually don't get past 100 level courses (unlike at the 4th quartile private schools where people need to move along or upper-level courses don't run).

 

[upper]

so basically, i should take organic chem and bio chem my junior year. how hard would it be if i take it together?
my plan for community college now is to finish
the IGETC
general chem, biology, physics, calculus.
sounds good?

 

[upper]

okay, its abit harder than i thought now.
this is my plan for the upcoming 2 years.
http://rapidshare.com/files/262753072/College.xls.html

 

[mrmilad]

Hey Upper,

I'm a CA resident that went to Community College and transferred to UCLA as a Biomajor. I took all my prereq IGETC at community college, and so far I have gotten two interviews. So I dont think it makes a difference at all.

okay, its abit harder than i thought now.
this is my plan for the upcoming 2 years.
http://rapidshare.com/files/262753072/College.xls.html

 

[dru2002]

You should or need to take all your prereqs (bio, gen chem, o chem, physics) at least by or before your junior year or else you will wont be able to get to your upper div classes if you are majoring in a science. If you take o chem and gen chem 4rth year then you will be in college for a 5th and 6th year. If you are not majoring in science then take it when ever.

No you don't. You can take biochem your 4th year after taking ochem your third. Physics isn't really a prereq for much unless you are a chem, physics, or engineering major. So scratch that one. Same for gen chem (except as a prereq fro ochem). You can take bio prereqs your third year and still get all of your 400 level classes completed your fourth.

Just make sure you don't have gen eds leftover when you get to UC??. If you do then you might have trouble finishing in 4 years.

 

[Van Chowder]

so basically, i should take organic chem and bio chem my junior year. how hard would it be if i take it together?
my plan for community college now is to finish
the IGETC
general chem, biology, physics, calculus.
sounds good?

Hey bro, Im in the same situation as you.. I am um in Berkeley, just finished my first year at a JC ( pounded out 50 credits ) heres the thing, med schools know you have to do certain classes to transfer and they dont discriminate for that alone. Where the problems come from is, not getting excelent grades in a JC, and having MCAT scores that do not reflect your grades. In other words, if you get a C ( or even a B for that matter ) in a class at a JC, that is ( from what I hear) really not a good sign to admins.
Another issue is ( say you get a 4.0) not performing on the MCAT, like your grades suggest you would. Make sure both of those are inline and you are good to go.

Credibility: Sitting on acceptances to UC Berkeley, NYU and JHU.

 

[somemom]

It should be fine and even expected that you take those lower division prereqs at your community college, if you are then transferring to a 4 year university to obtain your degree.

It is frowned upon when a student at a 4 year university picks up those tough weeder courses at a CC as it looks like they are trying to avoid the competition. Thus, if you attend UCLA ir Berkeley for all 4 years, you ought to plan to take your med school prereqs there, not in the evening at a nearby CC to get a better grade.

 

[GatorPhD]

I'll pitch in my two cents...

I come from a working-class family and went to a community college b/c I couldn't afford to go straight to a 4-yr school so I transferred after 2 yrs. I ended up getting a PhD from the same school while I was working for the Air Force a few years later.

When I decided I wanted to be doctor when I grew up, I was starting a post-bac program and the two advisers there were debating whether I should re-take physics since I took them at the community college (btw, my BS->PhD are in mathematics). I thought this was silly, but in order to resolve the issue they suggested that I call my alma mater and ask them if their med school would accept the cc credits. Boy, am I glad I did! They said I wouldn't stand a chance even though I had a 3.95 GPA from THAT school from ugrad through grad school.

I learned a good lesson from that experience. If you have questions about what a med school wants, call and ask them. They will tell you.

On a side note, I do believe that medical schools unfairly judge ppl who go to cc's. I find this incredibly insulting as not all cc's are created equal just as not all 4yr schools are either...

Good luck to you, I hope it all works out.

Gator

 

[upper]

Okay, so I should take the class to transfer then retake the class?

 

[GatorPhD]

Okay, so I should take the class to transfer then retake the class?

No. I don't think that taking a class with the intent to retake it in the future is ever a good idea. It costs money, wastes time, and looks weird to anyone checking out your transcripts. For my situation, I had taken physics almost 10 years ago at the cc when I was dual-enrolling as a high school student.

What I am suggesting is that you call some med schools in your state and ask them their take on prereqs taken at a cc.

The most important thing is for you to take classes you enjoy and earn good grades. I've heard plenty of stories about successful candidates coming from a cc. For these folks, anything less than stellar grades from the cc didn't cut it.

Make sense?

 

[upper]

Yeah, basically take the class I need to transfer, and all the leftover premed at the UC and call up med school to ask what their take on cc classes are and which I should retake at a UC