Doing Science Pre-Reqs at Community College

[Timbo0984]

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I currently go to The George Washington University and have a 3.4 but I did all my science pre-reqs at community college. Do you think adcoms will think I wanted to take the easy way out or will they just look at my grades?

Tim

 

[nebrfan]

Yes. (to the easy way out)

 

[Law2Doc]

I currently go to The George Washington University and have a 3.4 but I did all my science pre-reqs at community college. Do you think adcoms will think I wanted to take the easy way out or will they just look at my grades?

Tim

Unless you have a really good explanation as to why you did so, it will look to adcoms like you were shopping around for an easy A. May not be fatal, but probably doesn't look as good as it would if you took the classes at GW.

 

[stoic]

The only saving grace would be if you have upper level bio classes that you've taken at GW and done well in. But yea, I mean, everyone - including adcoms - knows that community college classes are generally a little easier than university classes.

 

[hardy]

if you have to ask that question then you basically know the answer, even though you probably don't like it.

 

[shiraz84]

I currently go to The George Washington University and have a 3.4 but I did all my science pre-reqs at community college. Do you think adcoms will think I wanted to take the easy way out or will they just look at my grades?

Tim

Out of curiousity, why did you take them at a community college? 😉

And are those the only classes you took there? If so, the adcoms will see that you probably wanted relatively easy As (IMO).

 

[Timbo0984]

Thanks guys for the replies, that was insanely fast. One reason i took classes at a CC was to save money, and another is because i took 3 sciences in 1 semester and if i would have done that at GW i prob would have failed. At community college I managed to take all 3 (chem, bio, physics) with lab and get an A in all three. May be it can be seen as ability to handle heavy course load rather than a cop out.

 

[DrBowtie]

Thanks guys for the replies, that was insanely fast. One reason i took classes at a CC was to save money, and another is because i took 3 sciences in 1 semester and if i would have done that at GW i prob would have failed. At community college I managed to take all 3 (chem, bio, physics) with lab and get an A in all three. May be it can be seen as ability to handle heavy course load rather than a cop out.

Not quite...Many people on here take 3 and even 4 science courses at a time at their university. You're trying to spin it to look like you didn't take the easy way out when both you an I know you did. To answer the question...yes it will look a bit suspicious unless you have some upper levels at GW with A's as well.

 

[iraqiamerican]

I just finished my first 2 years at a community college too. I hope it wont go against me. I had no choice, needed to save as much money as possible to send back home for my relatives. Anyways, I am taking many bio classes at Wayne State U starting this Summer semister because of my bio major so I hope everything will balance out for me.

I cant believe all of you actually think all science classes are eaiser in CC (community college) then a U. I am taking my first 2 bio classes at a U this semister and man its a cake compared to the 2 years of chem and bio I took at CC.

 

[Law2Doc]

I just finished my first 2 years at a community college too. I hope it wont go against me. I had no choice, needed to save as much money as possible to send back home for my relatives. Anyways, I am taking many bio classes at Wayne State U starting this Summer semister because of my bio major so I hope everything will balance out for me.

I cant believe all of you actually think all science classes are eaiser in CC (community college) then a U. I am taking my first 2 bio classes at a U this semister and man its a cake compared to the 2 years of chem and bio I took at CC.

Your situation is different. The OP was talking about going outside of his designated college to take classes at a less competitive place.

 

[DrBowtie]

There is a difference between starting out at a CC full-time then transitioning to a Uni. and starting at a Uni. and taking your pre-reqs at a CC.

And yes, I do actually believe classes are harder at a Uni. They are weed out classes meant for people to fail. No one intentionally tries to fail you out of a CC.

 

[iraqiamerican]

And yes, I do actually believe classes are harder at a Uni. They are weed out classes meant for people to fail. No one intentionally tries to fail you out of a CC.

but the majority of my class for example in orgo where getting C and lower. If you get an A in these classes I think you have proven yourself. No?

 

[Timbo0984]

As someone who has seen science student at GW and now I am taking them at a CC, i can assure you the exams at comparable. But then again, NVCC is considered a very competative CC. I know how it looks, but i am hoping adcoms will look past the fact and enjoy the A. I mean, I dont think a B from GW would look better, plus, it would cost alot more. Another thing is, is that taking 3 sciences over the summer, which i am also doing, would never work with University schedules, too much of an overlap.

 

[shiraz84]

but the majority of my class for example in orgo where getting C and lower. If you get an A in these classes I think you have proven yourself. No?

Difficulty varies among different CCs & universities. It also depends largely on the professor and/or TA.

 

[Law2Doc]

Another thing is, is that taking 3 sciences over the summer, which i am also doing, would never work with University schedules, too much of an overlap.

The problem you would face is that most people who apply to med school manage to do college in 4 years and fit all their prereqs within that college. To show that you are going outside of the GW system for a reason other than just to get easy As, you will need to be accomplishing something in the four years that everyone else isn't -- perhaps a second major, or some management/technology combo, or have some extreme financial or health issue, or something of that ilk. If you can't point to some objective reason why you didn't have the time to fit in at least some of the classes at your alma mater (other than that as you have suggested, taking 3 science classes at GW is too hard), adcoms will be totally justified in coming to the conclusion that you were grade shopping.

 

[Timbo0984]

I def agree with you, the adcoms arent stupid, but hopefully it doesnt kill me. Interestingly, some of the sciences I took outside GW arent at CC's but at other universities - which again are prob easier - but hopefully i can make up for that with good EC's and a strong MCAT. I wonder if DO Adcoms would see this differently. My cousin only has his associates + 40 more credits all from community college, 27 MCAT, a not too much EC.....so i dont know how to understand that.

 

[Rzarecta]

I def agree with you, the adcoms arent stupid, but hopefully it doesnt kill me. Interestingly, some of the sciences I took outside GW arent at CC's but at other universities - which again are prob easier - but hopefully i can make up for that with good EC's and a strong MCAT. I wonder if DO Adcoms would see this differently. My cousin only has his associates + 40 more credits all from community college, 27 MCAT, a not too much EC.....so i dont know how to understand that.

Again though, your biggest problem is that you took 3 Pre-req classes outside of your school system. The money reason may be forgivable for taking one, but beyond that ADCOMs would really ask why you go to a school as expensive as GW if this is such a problem? Honestly, you may get the cold-shoulder treatment from med admissions. Looking at this board, where you have the ability to defend yourself,most people still think that you took an easy way out. It doesn't matter if we personally think it is good/bad, but the fact still remains that there are plenty of apps who took their classes at their designated school and did fine. MCATs may be the saving grace, but I still think that unless you take these classes or upper-level science ones at your school, you're going to have a difficult application season. What year are you going to be?

 

[Law2Doc]

I def agree with you, the adcoms arent stupid, but hopefully it doesnt kill me.

I wouldn't give up just yet, but as prior posters have indicated, if you really want to be safe, you should find a way to pick up some upper level sciences at GW and do well, to prove to adcoms that you can hack the sciences without forum shopping.

 

[chan]

I agree with most of the posters on this thread. I really think there are only two possibe reasons why you should take your pre-reqs at a CC.

1. You are a freshman doing your GE requirements at a CC and pick up a few prereqs their (after 2 years @ the CC you plan to transfer to a University). However, when you get to the University you take upper division coursework.

2. You have already graduated from college, and figure out then that you want to go to med school so you take classes @ the CC because you have to work full time, or have a family ect... whatever.

Thats just what I think though.

 

[mshheaddoc]

This topic came up this past weekend at a conference I was at for non-trad students. There were schools there (DO) admissions people/deans/etc. They stated pre-reqs at CC are looked down on but if there are upperlevel classes at the university then it would suffice.

If you went first 2 years to a CC THEN to a university, that is fine. But taking prereqs (and majoring in something OTHER than a science) outside of your school will be considered fishy. Wish you luck.

 

[chan]

This topic came up this past weekend at a conference I was at for non-trad students. There were schools there (DO) admissions people/deans/etc. They stated pre-reqs at CC are looked down on but if there are upperlevel classes at the university then it would suffice.

If you went first 2 years to a CC THEN to a university, that is fine. But taking prereqs (and majoring in something OTHER than a science) outside of your school will be considered fishy. Wish you luck.

I agree with you.. Its most likely looked down on for Non-Trads. However, there are always people in situations that just cant go back to a University after already completeing college, whatever they may be (but adcoms are smart enough to realize this). I think that if your MCAT is good, it will pretty much validate your classes you took at the CC.

 

[Timbo0984]

I would love to take an upper division course at my home school, but if i am applying as we speak, should i register for an upper level course for the fall, schools would only see this course as 'in progress', would that help. I mean, what else can i do. Regarding my sciences, 3 are at community college, 5 are at the University of DC, and all my undergrad and major reqs are at GW.

 

[sunnyjohn]

This topic came up this past weekend at a conference I was at for non-trad students. There were schools there (DO) admissions people/deans/etc. They stated pre-reqs at CC are looked down on but if there are upperlevel classes at the university then it would suffice.

If you went first 2 years to a CC THEN to a university, that is fine. But taking prereqs (and majoring in something OTHER than a science) outside of your school will be considered fishy. Wish you luck.

Hey MShheaddoc, How was the Non -trad conference in DC?????

😀

 

[sunnyjohn]

I agree with most of the posters on this thread. I really think there are only two possibe reasons why you should take your pre-reqs at a CC.

1. You are a freshman doing your GE requirements at a CC and pick up a few prereqs their (after 2 years @ the CC you plan to transfer to a University). However, when you get to the University you take upper division coursework.

2. You have already graduated from college, and figure out then that you want to go to med school so you take classes @ the CC because you have to work full time, or have a family ect... whatever.

Thats just what I think though.

👍

Good post... Good advice.

I would add, if you start the first two years at a cc and then transfer to a uni or state school.

 

[primadonna22274]

I think there are good reasons to take some, but not the bulk, of your prereqs at a community college.
1. much, much cheaper
2. much more flexible scheduling...any of the universities within an hour's drive from me are ONLY for traditional students, 8-noon science classes, M-F, labs in the afternoon, and expensive
I'm a full-time practicing PA (2 jobs actually, work plenty) and the reality is I can't afford to take off several hours in the middle of my work day to take a class. I figure if the adcom looks down on the fact that I spend every Saturday morning for the next nine months taking physics (my only to-do prereq) at a community college when I already have university bio & chem courses GALORE, then so be it.
Lisa

👍

Good post... Good advice.

I would add, if you start the first two years at a cc and then transfer to a uni or state school.

 

[SelfObsessedMik]

Nonetheless, I know a couple of students who went to really obscure universities such as UW-Riverfalls and UW-Stephens Point and they got it. In fact, some state schools no matter where you live are going to look at some students from small rural areas in hopes they will return from their homes and practice medicine. Any chance you live in a rural area ?

 

[DrBowtie]

I understand if you are a non trad worried about cost, but most full-time college students don't pay by the hour. Atleast at my school and many other around, once you hit 12 hours, you don't have to pay for anything above that. Why not work those classes into your regular school year.

 

[primadonna22274]

Makes sense if you're already enrolled f/t, but I'm a non trad with a B.S. Biology, M.S. Physician Assistant, working 60+ hr/wk. It would cost ME money in terms of lost revenue to take time off for "traditional" college classes, and I don't care enough to worry about it. I figure they should be happy that I'm taking the damn physics class.
Lisa

I understand if you are a non trad worried about cost, but most full-time college students don't pay by the hour. Atleast at my school and many other around, once you hit 12 hours, you don't have to pay for anything above that. Why not work those classes into your regular school year.

 

[chan]

Makes sense if you're already enrolled f/t, but I'm a non trad with a B.S. Biology, M.S. Physician Assistant, working 60+ hr/wk. It would cost ME money in terms of lost revenue to take time off for "traditional" college classes, and I don't care enough to worry about it. I figure they should be happy that I'm taking the damn physics class.
Lisa

I feel your pain Lisa. Being a non trad and trying to find time for classes, especially when you work full time, have kids, etc... , makes it hard. For some CCs are the only option available. My cousin for example graduated with a B.S. in psychology.. that was in 2003 I think. He is now married and has a child... so for him, the only thing he could do is go to school at night, 530pm on.

 

[DrBowtie]

Yeah as you read, I understand if your non trad cost is a big factor.

 

[Timbo0984]

Basically, if your non-trad and working or have kids and a family going to a CC can appear reasonable, but in my case, I go full time to a university and took a semester off and did a few classes at a CC and another university to pull off alot of sciences in 1 semester. I guess the best thing is be honest in ur essay and application as to why you chose a CC. The only thing is, is an A is an A is an A, or is an A in orgo at a CC worth less than if I had taken Orgo at my home university and got a B.

 

[DrBowtie]

An A at a CC isn't viewed the exact same as at a Uni.
How much is it compared is unknown. You can't really say it is worth a B at GW.

 

[zhaf86]

to the OP, prepare well for the mcat. very, very well. be absolutely ruthless. you will do nothing less than utterly obliterate it (aka score 36+). best of luck!

 

[Timbo0984]

An here i am, ready to respond to everyone. Thank you for all your advice. I contacted one DO program, NYCOM, and Drexel. I got a return phone call from admissions and both said the following. ---- If you take all of your prereqs at community college, that will not be frowned upon, as we understand that sometimes for financial reasons, student cannot continue to take all of their courses at their home school. That being said, we do encourage you to take your prereqs at your 4 years school as the course material might be a bit more challenging, but again, it is your prereqs and it is best you complete them where is most convinient for you. We look forward to reviewing your application. ----- So, what do you guys think of that?

 

[shiraz84]

An here i am, ready to respond to everyone. Thank you for all your advice. I contacted one DO program, NYCOM, and Drexel. I got a return phone call from admissions and both said the following. ---- If you take all of your prereqs at community college, that will not be frowned upon, as we understand that sometimes for financial reasons, student cannot continue to take all of their courses at their home school. That being said, we do encourage you to take your prereqs at your 4 years school as the course material might be a bit more challenging, but again, it is your prereqs and it is best you complete them where is most convinient for you. We look forward to reviewing your application. ----- So, what do you guys think of that?

What they're talking about is a situation that is different from yours. If you had to go to a CC for financial reasons, you would not take just the science pre-reqs there - that is the difference.

If all you took at the CC were sciences, they will see right through it. Sorry.

 

[emgirl]

Here's my situation: graduated and am doing an informal post bac through my local state school. I want to take ochem all in a summer so I can take the April 07 MCAT instead of August so I can apply early (my stats are average), but the only school that offers ochem all in one summer is my local cc. To me, the cc option is great, it's so much cheaper, the classes are really small (25 vs 400 at the state uni) and well, I can't take it all in one summer anywhere else in my geographic area. However, I continue to stress about how it will look to adcoms - I'm doing the post-bac to both increase my undergrad BCPM and retake some classes that I didn't do too well in during undergrad. I'm afraid it will look sketchy taking ochem at the cc but I don't really have a choice for ochem. I think though as long as one supplements a few cc classes with a bunch of 4 year classes that you do well in, it could work (hopefully!).

 

[Rzarecta]

Here's my situation: graduated and am doing an informal post bac through my local state school. I want to take ochem all in a summer so I can take the April 07 MCAT instead of August so I can apply early (my stats are average), but the only school that offers ochem all in one summer is my local cc. To me, the cc option is great, it's so much cheaper, the classes are really small (25 vs 400 at the state uni) and well, I can't take it all in one summer anywhere else in my geographic area. However, I continue to stress about how it will look to adcoms - I'm doing the post-bac to both increase my undergrad BCPM and retake some classes that I didn't do too well in during undergrad. I'm afraid it will look sketchy taking ochem at the cc but I don't really have a choice for ochem. I think though as long as one supplements a few cc classes with a bunch of 4 year classes that you do well in, it could work (hopefully!).

You have a legitimate explaination for why you need to take the class at a CC. If that is the only school that offers it in your area, then that isn't your fault. So, concerning you CC worries, don't sweat it, just kick some ass and become an Orgogod.

 

[chinki]

I'm finishing up my A.S at NVCC. I just want to say that my school teachs just like university level no more or less. I think it depends on the professor for the most case. If you have a reasonable teacher, then you are most likely to get a good grade, if not you will fail miserable. Believe me, teachers at NVCC are not as easy as people think. Especially, chem teachers most of them are really BS they expect you to be smart just like them. I got an 89.9 in chem and still receive a B for that class. All I got to say is, don't judge community college unless you have takenn most of your science classes here. Thank YOu =)

 

[BigRedPremed]

It's not so much that the material or the exams are easier at CC's, it's that the quality of students (ie your competition) is different. One of my friends from UC Davis showed me some of his orgo midterms. They were not really any easier or harder than the ones I have at Cornell. The difference? The mean on those midterms was a 39 at his school while the mean on similar orgo midterms at Cornell was 60+. In the end, despite harsher curves, it still would've been easier to get a higher grade at the school with less competitive students.

 

[Richard Kimble]

I took classes a CC before transfering. Most of the CC classes were harder than the UC classes. At the UC, a percentage were guaranteed As, Bs, Cs while I was the only one to get an A in my G-chem classes at the CC (both semesters). This was a well known CC (probably comparable to a small university in staff quality). We took the standard ACS exam in O-chem and the class average was around the 75th percentile, so it prepared us well. I went on to graduate in the top 1% at the UC so I don't regret the CC at all. Take home note: IT DEPENDS ON THE CC. I do agree that you must prove yourself at the university level as adcoms don't have good resources at distinguishing good CCs from bad CCs. $0.02

 

[BleepTastic]

I'm just wondering here...how many of you have practical experience with this? If you did take a lot of CC classes (and did well) did it actually come up in an interview? In my personal experience taking classes at a Community(ish) college, it is SOOO much easier. If I had just gone to this school for Undergrad, I'm pretty certain that I would have easily gotten a 4.0 and the resulting attention from medical schools. While the school says they "recommend it", do they actually go ahead and, even informally, equate an A- in CC to a B in a more rigorous university? I don't think so. I think it just matters much more that they see a 4.0 average, not a 3.6 with a qualified rigorous school. If someone can show this is not the case, I'd welcome it.

 

[MrChang]

from miami's website:

Can I take all of my premed courses at a junior college near my home? Most admissions committees feel that there are differences between junior college courses and senior college courses. Whether this view is justified or not, you should contact medical schools in which you are interested to see how they view coursework taken at the junior college level. The Miller School of Medicine will accept junior college courses but much prefers that the premed courses be taken at the senior college level. Perhaps a more important question to ask yourself is how these courses are going to prepare you to take the MCAT and to survive in medical school.

so yes, i think they do care unless you have a good reason, or if you rock the MCAT.

 

[SeminoleFan3]

I graduated from FSU in 3yrs, but then decided I wanted to be a doctor. So, I needed ALL the science classes required for admission. I ended up taking them at 2 different community colleges (because I moved). I did it because they had open sections (unlike the university) and were substantially cheaper. I did well in them, and well enough on my MCAT. I also got 3 LORs from those professors for the process. I was never asked about it in any of my interviews. Sometimes it's a non-issue, as I'll be starting med school in July.

*In my personal statement I might have briefly touched on the issue (like maybe a line or so).

 

[Go Time]

Unless the CC work is the only place where one has stellar grades, I really doubt that having CC work in and of itself is a big deal in the overall process.

FWIW...my application is loaded with CC work...and that was my MCAT prep as well...so I may have a bias. It did not come up in any of my interviews.

One of my multiple year CC classmates did well on the MCAT's and has multiple acceptances (our class sizes were <25).

 

[Krisss17]

I'm just wondering here...how many of you have practical experience with this? If you did take a lot of CC classes (and did well) did it actually come up in an interview? In my personal experience taking classes at a Community(ish) college, it is SOOO much easier. If I had just gone to this school for Undergrad, I'm pretty certain that I would have easily gotten a 4.0 and the resulting attention from medical schools. While the school says they "recommend it", do they actually go ahead and, even informally, equate an A- in CC to a B in a more rigorous university? I don't think so. I think it just matters much more that they see a 4.0 average, not a 3.6 with a qualified rigorous school. If someone can show this is not the case, I'd welcome it.

Actually, what I think is easier at CC's is the fact that because the classes aren't nearly as large as university classes (i.e. 55 students vs. 300 students), if you have questions...you are more likely able to go right to the professor who will work with you so you can understand the concept.

At my CC, there are so many hoops that you have to jump through before you can take the upper level classes like Organic Chemistry, that the majority of your classmates have a vested interest in taking the class, such as getting in professional schools.

But like a few posters have stated, it'll come out on how well you do on the MCAT in the BS and PS scores.

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

As long as your CC grades are good, your GW grades are good, and you score well on the MCAT, your academic ability won't be called into question. Remember, the question is "Do you have the academic ability to succeed in medical school?", but it sometimes comes down to "Is this person more qualified than other academics. I think your academic record is seen as a whole (GPA, MCAT, courses taken, LORs). So, you can make up for a below average piece with an above average piece. Just keep working hard.

Other thoughts:

It's going to be hard to make the cost justification if you only took science prereqs at the CC. Ideally, if cost was an issue you should have taken your science prereqs at GW and other courses at the CC.

 

[NonTradMed]

Whether CC classes are actually on par with university classes isn't the question here....the OP's question was whether his transcript would look suspicious or not if he took all his prereqs at a CC while attending a four year college and thus far, I think the majority of success CC applicants have had legitimate reason to do CC, meaning they didn't do CC b/c they wanted an easy way out or to avoid their tougher university classes.

To the OP, do well on the MCAT (10+ on PS and BS), and start taking some upper level science classes at your university. What was your undergrad major? Did you take ANY science classes at your undergrad? I agree that it does look suspicious if deliberately took only prereqs at a CC and those were the only science classes you took while you were a fulltime student at a relatively expensive private school----adcoms would be mostly likely discount finances as the reason for doing it at a CC.

As for whether it matters doing your classes at a top school or not, well, if you wanted to attended a top med school, or get a scholarship, I've noticed it does help. I attended a selective undergrad, then went back to take bio classes at the local university that did not have a good science program (and yes, I did much better in them), and I noticed that students that scored 3.7+ sciGPA could only get into their state school despite a good MCAT while students at my undergrad with a 3.7+ were scoring multiple med school acceptances, some of them very prestigeous. Again, just my personal experience. I'm sure there are people from Harvard who only got acceptances into their state school and students from CC who got into Stanford med. But statistically? I think the reverse happens more often.