Easier or not??

[pharmgrl5]

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Not trying to stir up a debate but would like some honest input from people who have experience with this. I'm wondering how the difficulty level of community college courses are compared to a 4 year university.

Thanks for any input or thoughts! 😀

 

[UES Girl]

Not trying to stir up a debate but would like some honest input from people who have experience with this. I'm wondering how the difficulty level of community college courses are compared to a 4 year university.

Thanks for any input or thoughts! 😀

This topic has been discussed before very extensively. If you search for it, you'll probably find like a hundred threads.🙂

 

[meowmeow]

In my opinion, classes at a 4-year university are harder, but only because a lot of questions cannot be answered as easily as it would have been at cc. At cc, I guess its considered "easier" because if u have any questions, u can ask the professor right away and he or she can answer u. In CC, theres a much smaller class size so theres a good chance ull meet ppl n can work in a group but its harder to do that at a 4-year.

BUT also at 4-year unis, they curve... so who knows?

 

[AngelaCL]

It totally depends on the institution and the professors. I took most of my pre-reqs at Purdue University main campus, but took the last couple (physics, micro, organic chem) at an extension school. I found the extension school classes to be very challenging, even though I graduated Purdue with a 3.97. People generally think community colleges are easier, but in my experience this isn't so. Actually, I learned a lot more at c.c. because the classes are 25 people instead of 500 and I can actually talk to my professor much more easily.

There are 4 students from my extension school that applied to pharmacy school this fall. Every one of us got in.

 

[redley]

I think it depends on which CC it is. Around here, there's one that high school students refer to as "13th grade." But there's another one with really difficult courses and professors that will definitely prepare you for pharmacy school.

If the CC is located near a large state school, or if it has several branches, it's probably the one with more difficult courses.

 

[RNtoPharmD]

It really depends on "the instructor".

 

[lwang81]

It really depends on the professor but if it's going to be a science class, most of the time it's the same. Math is math and organic chemistry is still organic chemistry, no matter where you take it. The thing I noticed around here though is no curve at community college and curve at UCLA.

 

[mrblah]

at a jc, I feel it is alot easier because its:
1. usually a semester system vs. quarter system (in california)
2. not curved
3. professors have a more hands on approach in teaching
4. test you more often (so you're grades don't depend on a midterm and final).
5. your class size is way smaller 50 vs 400.

Cons of a JC system:
1. funding, some cc/jc schools lack funding, and lack classes
2. Your class may range from incompetent to competent (i.e your classmates).
3. it tends to feel like the 13th grade.
4. location, campuses located near big 4 year institutions, usually have better instructors (i.e. moonlighting professors from the big 4 year campuses, and in that case, you are getting a very good return for your money), and other campuses do not.

In terms of transfering to pharmacy school from a JC, I found those that have the grades, have the ambition, and motivation, they would have transfered regardless of the institution they were attending. At the JC I was attending there were 4 of us who made it into pharmacy, 2 got into dentistry ( post-bac classes), and 1 vet. school ( post-bac classes). All of us, were on the top of the food chain. It would have been no different if we went to a 4 year institution.

However, I am not saying people should choose a JC over a 4 year institution. A JC should be the last resort, because it really is for people who don't have any other chance of getting a higher education, or are there to tie up some loose ends before moving on to graduate school. This means, you don't have room for error (if you screw up at a 4 year, you can just change majors, or take classes at a JC. If you screw up at a JC, you may not even make it to a 4 year institution, let alone a pharmd program).

 

[pharmgrl5]

Thanks for the replies. 🙂 My school is a 4 year university that is rather small with around 7,000 students (which includes undergrad, graduate, nursing, law, allied heath, business, etc. ) and the average class size is 25 students. The largest class I've been in was around 40. The smallest was 15. I really like the small class size and have found that I've been able to actually get to know my professors there. And they actually have the time to meet with you! So on that front my school is really good. The tuition is higher than the state universities in the area but it's still really not that bad for instate students. Tuition is higher because it's a private school.

I'm going to look around the forum and see if I can find more threads on this subject but I'd sure love to hear anyone's thoughts if they'd like to add them here also! 😀

 

[AngelaCL]

It really depends on the professor but if it's going to be a science class, most of the time it's the same. Math is math and organic chemistry is still organic chemistry, no matter where you take it.

I really disagree with this. I took organic chem I at one branch of a community college this summer and it was ridiculously difficult. I studied 6 hours a day, got a tutor, went to office hours... still didn't feel like I knew what was going on. The professor was more interested in belittling his students than helping. His teaching style depended heavily on powerpoint slides from the publisher, and he didn't allow us partners in lab and we didn't get any kind of laboratory instruction even if we had questions.

I took organic chem II at another community college and it's totally different. The professor moves more slowly, gives us better notes, actually helps us at office hours, and provides assistance in lab. She is a much better professor and my understanding of the subject has increased exponentially.

The professor can make a huge difference even in math or science subjects.

 

[cystapharm]

I don't know why people say semester sys is easier than quarter. I definitely think quarter system is easier. You just take the exam and move on! I tend to lose interest after 2 months so quarter sys definitely works better for me =).

My mind works better when I study fast so in a semester sys to make myself slow down to the level of the slower paced thinkers sort of diminishes my efficiency.


As far as the materials go I think JC can be just as hard as a university. Maybe over the years I just learn to study better therefore it will become easier as you progress no matter where the classes are taught.

 

[Phrm Girl 24]

From my experience I feel like CC are more intensed and difficult than some 4 year university's.

 

[mike36]

Everytime a take a class at CC, I feel like I am back in high school. I have found that the course difficulty varies widely based on instructor (moreso than at university), but in my experience CC classes have been much easier than university.

 

[jspwinter]

Reason cc feels like another high school is because of all the idiots who can't get into a real university. I used to go to a cc before I transferred to a 4 year institution so i'm not putting down cc's by any means. But you can sense the lack of maturity and focus of the students at a cc to a univ. But back to the topic, it really depends on the teacher. Like Calc I i took at a cc, hard as hell and ended up dropping it. But at a univ, got an A. Didn't know whether I studied more or the exams were exactly like the hw.

 

[Scrubs Fan]

in my experience, I liked the smaller class size at a cc compared to the big lecture halls at a university that had over 400 people. I remember the second day of class at ochem, i raised my hand to answer a question (which is something i never would have done at the university) and the teacher called me by my first name. I was shocked at that, b/c i went to a university for 5 years, and that never happened once. Not even in the small classes w/ 20 people in it.

like people mentioned previously, the smaller classes at the cc gives you more personal attention, and you can ask the teacher directly (not their TA's) questions, and you can do it during class too. I guess i was relatively shy (or wasn't studious enough) at the university, and i almost never went to office hours to talk to the prof.

at the cc, the grade you earned is the grade you get. at the university, i always had a curve. and for a slacker, that's excellent b/c even if you get a 50% on a test, the curve still gives you a C. Unfortunately, my motto was "C's get degree's." unfortunately, there's no rhyme for getting into Pharm school .

 

[mrblah]

also getting letters of rec's from JC/CC professors is much easier because of their approachability.

 

[RxWildcat]

I would say all these factors would vary between schools, and it would really depend on the quality of the two schools that you are comparing.

 

[PharmApp2008]

The tests at my CC for some classses were much harder than for similar classes at my university. For example, Anthropology at my cc had tests with fill in the blank, short answer, etc. At a university that class would have 400 people and would be multiple choice. I didn't take any science courses at cc so I don't know what those are like.

 

[PearLBenzene]

All the more challenging courses that I have taken at a community college have been easier there. Cal 2 and 3? Would never have walked out of the university I attend now with more than a C in those. Thank goodness for cc.

 

[nerv12345]

It really depends on "the instructor".

agreed

some of the professors at the university i attend are WAY easier than some at the community college i transfered from