Community colleges classes.

NaCksm

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Hi,
I'm going to go to community college first and then transfer, then go to pre-med.
What classes should I take in community college? I was planning to take most of my pre-reqs there, but I read it is bad to take pre-reqs at CC, since med schools won't like.
What classes would I take in a CC? What are some pre-reqs I should and should not take at a CC?


Oh, and I have to go to a CC. I knew that from my freshie year in HS, so I didn't take much challenging classes. My brother is 2 1/2 years older then me and he goes to CC to save money. If I go to a college we will go broke haha. Since it would be the same time my brother leaves for college.

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Usually, they'll have a set plan for you to follow. Especially if you plan to transfer to a four-year university--you'll have to take basic classes that are required of freshmen at unis, you'll have to take College 101... And if you want to go pre-med, then you can start on your reqs. But as a warning, a lot of people say that science classes at a community college are usually not on par with uni science classes, so you might want to hold off on science classes.

But take all this with a grain of salt. I'm just going off of what I've learned from doing a dual enrollment at a CC. A better person to ask would be a counselor at the CC--that's what they're there for.
 
It is perfectly fine to take some pre-reqs at a CC. Honestly I did a year at one to save some money and did worse there than I did later at my Uni. I took Bio I +II, Gen Chem I + II, Calc I, Psych 101, English, Speech, and a couple other general ed classes at the CC and not one person I have talked to from adcoms has said it would count against me. If you transfer to a uni and do well then they know you can handle classes. really they do understand financial reasons and such so I wouldn't worry about it too much. I would take as many gen eds as possible that will transfer to your uni. This frees up space to take intersting classes at Uni without getting behind. I wouldn't take anything that won't transfer over and I would make sure that you aren't taking anything that you won't be taking a higher level of again (ex. Don't take all the chem you plan on taking there, save a class or two for the uni just to prove you can handle it at that level). I'd get calc out of the way if possible.
 
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Do you know where you want to transfer to? Your CC may have an articulation agreement that makes it practically seamless.

Take your geneds, basic sciences, start a foreign language.
 
Do you know where you want to transfer to? Your CC may have an articulation agreement that makes it practically seamless.

Take your geneds, basic sciences, start a foreign language.
Ah thanks. Do I have to take a Foreign Language? I hate them ARGH! Can I just take Chinese 1 2 3 4 (even if I took it in High school.)

Rofl, and what is Gen Chem in college like? I seriously DO NOT get chemistry. omg I wanted to shoot myself during the final today. I failed. I'll be lucky to get a 40%.
 
Ah thanks. Do I have to take a Foreign Language? I hate them ARGH! Can I just take Chinese 1 2 3 4 (even if I took it in High school.)

Rofl, and what is Gen Chem in college like? I seriously DO NOT get chemistry. omg I wanted to shoot myself during the final today. I failed. I'll be lucky to get a 40%.

I don't know if you have to take a foreign language. Being able to speak a foreign language is a nice thing to put on your app, though not essential.

Going to CC, and taking pre reqs there won't necessarily hurt you if you do the following.

1. Get a good grade in the classes
2. Don't go to a university, and then take your hard classes at a CC because they will be easier (med schools will be wise to this).
3. Take some science classes with labs at the university that you transfer too (they don't have to be prereqs), and do well in them. You want to let the med schools know that you can handle the more rigourous coursework.

If you are really struggling with chem or science in general, you need to make some adjustments in your study habits. Science GPA is one of the biggest indicators of how well a student does in medical school. Med school admins take it very seriously.

I wouldn't trust your CC counselor's any farther than you could throw them. If you know where you want to transfer, talk to a counselor from that school and find out which CC courses they will accept. Getting an associates degree will usually eliminate problems with general ed courses.
 
I don't know if you have to take a foreign language. Being able to speak a foreign language is a nice thing to put on your app, though not essential.

Going to CC, and taking pre reqs there won't necessarily hurt you if you do the following.

1. Get a good grade in the classes
2. Don't go to a university, and then take your hard classes at a CC because they will be easier (med schools will be wise to this).
3. Take some science classes with labs at the university that you transfer too (they don't have to be prereqs), and do well in them. You want to let the med schools know that you can handle the more rigourous coursework.

If you are really struggling with chem or science in general, you need to make some adjustments in your study habits. Science GPA is one of the biggest indicators of how well a student does in medical school. Med school admins take it very seriously.

I wouldn't trust your CC counselor's any farther than you could throw them. If you know where you want to transfer, talk to a counselor from that school and find out which CC courses they will accept. Getting an associates degree will usually eliminate problems with general ed courses.

Thanks, but what do you mean by 2. Don't go to a university, and then take your hard classes at a CC because they will be easier (med schools will be wise to this). What classes should I take at a CC then? Because I read you should not take any pre-reqs at CC, but then thats like no classes to take except general Ed. I'm kind of confused by 2. Do you mean not to take any hard classes at CC or do take the hard classes at CC?
Thanks!
 
Thanks, but what do you mean by 2. Don't go to a university, and then take your hard classes at a CC because they will be easier (med schools will be wise to this). What classes should I take at a CC then? Because I read you should not take any pre-reqs at CC, but then thats like no classes to take except general Ed. I'm kind of confused by 2. Do you mean not to take any hard classes at CC or do take the hard classes at CC?
Thanks!

I believe he means don't go to a regular university first and then wimp out and go to a CC for the hard classes to breeze by. You should be fine on this since you are going for monetary reasons and will be going to Uni after CC. My suggestion to you is to get courses like english, foreign language, etc out of the way at the CC. If you do take science course there, make sure when you get to Uni to take upper level science courses so that you prove that you can do well in tougher courses at a regular Uni level as opposed to just at the CC level.
 
It is perfectly fine to take pre-reqs at a CC especially in the terms you stated. If you go to CC and make good grades and then transfer to a university and maintain your grades there will be no argument of you going there. The grades from the university will show that you are a good student. I'm taking my first year in CC and I'm taking general classes. Math, English, Biology, Psychology.
 
Just to kind of add to what I said earlier, the main reason people suggest not to take prereqs at a CC is because adcoms will notice that those courses were probably easier than at a regular Uni. The way to nullify this is to take upper level science courses to show them that you weren't doing those courses at a CC to take the easy route, but rather to save money. Also, have you thought about going to a different branch of a state school? I know of a friend who is at one of the Penn State side branches. This is a good idea because it will save you money and I would assume it would be easier to transfer when you are ready.
 
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