HELP WITH DILEMMA REGARDING LAST REMAINING PREREQUISITE COURSE!!!

[oldpremed38]

Hi everyone. I have received 5 interviews at this point and 4 of the schools do not require Biochemistry. However, 1 of the schools does require Biochemistry. For the school that requires Biochemistry, I have completed the interview and should hear if I received an acceptance within the next week I believe. I put in my application that I would be taking Biochemistry this Fall. Do you believe that if I was granted entrance into this school, that it would be possible to take Biochemistry in the Spring rather than the Fall? Do you believe that the school would have a problem with this? Would doing something like this cause them to resend their acceptance? I ask this because the main Biochemistry course at my school is full and the only option is a more difficult Biochemistry course that is one more credit. Both courses are regarded as brutal and I believe the teachers give out very few As. What type of grade are you expected to receive if a school accepts you when you have one prerequisite class remaining? Will you get to keep your acceptance even if you get lower than an A minus?

Any input on the above questions is greatly appreciated as I am going to start the more difficult Biochemistry very class soon. Is it ultimately going to be a deal breaker if I get into that school that requires Biochemistry and instead of taking the course in the fall and submitting my grade in December, I take the course in the spring and submit my grade in May (I believe orientation will be in late July)?

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[Medisaint]

I can't imagine any program rescinding an offer for getting a B (failure to complete a pre-requisite or academic misconduct sure). Besides, they would have to replace you after they find out in December which (for rolling admissions) would put them at a disadvantage. If you're going to hear back soon from the program that requires biochem then just wait until next week to see if you get in. If yes (and you want to go there) email them to see if they have a problem with you switching to a spring course. If you don't get in or would rather go to a different program then there switch out of your fall biochem to the spring one if that's what you want to do.

 

[oldpremed38]

I can't imagine any program rescinding an offer for getting a B (failure to complete a pre-requisite or academic misconduct sure). Besides, they would have to replace you after they find out in December which (for rolling admissions) would put them at a disadvantage. If you're going to hear back soon from the program that requires biochem then just wait until next week to see if you get in. If yes (and you want to go there) email them to see if they have a problem with you switching to a spring course. If you don't get in or would rather go to a different program then there switch out of your fall biochem to the spring one if that's what you want to do.

Thank you very much for this great advice! I think what you stated is perhaps the best option. I do not want to start the Biochemistry class without finishing it, however, I do have until September 14 to drop it without receiving a W. Do you or anyone on the board have any knowledge on whether medical schools would be willing to accept a community college course for Biochemistry if it was your last remaining prerequisite? Any input and further advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[Medisaint]

What courses a program would/would not accept would depend on the program itself. That said, you may want to consider sticking with the harder biochem course as the subject matter is useful for med school and the step one (later on in your training it becomes less useful outside of basic science). I would not contact them about this until you've been accepted.

 

[oldpremed38]

What courses a program would/would not accept would depend on the program itself. That said, you may want to consider sticking with the harder biochem course as the subject matter is useful for med school and the step one (later on in your training it becomes less useful outside of basic science). I would not contact them about this until you've been accepted.

Thanks again for your advice! I appreciate you entertaining this question and I definitely will not contact them about this until after/if I get accepted. I know this dilemma is ultimately moot if I do not get an acceptance. Any input from anyone else would be greatly appreciated! Thank you Medisaint!

 

[Rogue42]

1. The biochemistry course does not matter so long as you pass - ESPECIALLY if you’ve already been accepted and it suffices their requirement.
2. It would be completely fine to take it in the Spring.
3. Most schools require that you make no less than a C in any course once you’ve been accepted - though some schools, it’s a B.

 

[DO2015CA]

Get a C

 

[oldpremed38]

1. The biochemistry course does not matter so long as you pass - ESPECIALLY if you’ve already been accepted and it suffices their requirement.
2. It would be completely fine to take it in the Spring.
3. Most schools require that you make no less than a C in any course once you’ve been accepted - though some schools, it’s a B.

Thanks for your advice! How confident are you that it is no problem that I take it in the Spring? Do you believe that 100% of schools have a policy where you keep your acceptance as long as you provide them with the course grade before you matriculate (which is late July in this case)?

 

[oldpremed38]

Get a C

Thanks for your post. Are you confident that close to 100% of schools require that you get a C and not something higher (like a mid B)?

 

[Rogue42]

Thanks for your advice! How confident are you that it is no problem that I take it in the Spring? Do you believe that 100% of schools have a policy where you keep your acceptance as long as you provide them with the course grade before you matriculate (which is late July in this case)?

I’m confident that they only require you to complete your pre-reqs before matriculation. They don’t care when you do it. Therefore, I’m like 99% confident.

 

[DO2015CA]

Thanks for your post. Are you confident that close to 100% of schools require that you get a C and not something higher (like a mid B)?

100%. You can not get a C- because aacom rules say C or greater meet prereqs. If the school wasn’t comfortable with accepting you prior to the biochem being complete then they would waitlist you.

 

[smol9877]

If you are accepted, I really don’t think it matters when you finish your prerequisites as long as it is done before matriculation. But one other thing to consider if you are waitlisted- taking the class sooner and then keeping the school updated at the end of this semester might allow you to get off the waitlist faster once you have the prerequisite completed. If you have received other acceptances I wouldn’t worry too much about it though. At the end of the day you can only pick one school.
If it were me, I would only take the hard route if I didn’t have any acceptances yet or the school that requires biochem is my top school and I haven’t heard back before the first day of classes.