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I am a British Citizen now living in the US (permanent resident). I was educated in England, except fot the last two years of my undergraduate degree, which I have completed (GPA 3.92 in Math. Sciences) here in America. I completed this degree in three years because so much credit transferred from high school and university in the UK. Now before I get replies slamming the quality of my education, please be aware that the final two years of high school in the UK are generally spent working solely on three subjects - in my case, chemistry, physics and biology. These courses are at a level that would be around lower level college courses in the US (i.e. 100&200 level, more in certain areas). This is accepted as fact by most international admissions people for undergraduate work.
So when I transferred to the US, the admissions committee gave me credit for about 50 hours of science - chemistry, physics and biology. These show up on my transcript, and are, on average, sufficient for the basic requirements for med school admission. My concern is that the admissions committees may see that these were transferred from overseas, or from high school, and not have a good understanding of the level of these courses, or that they may simply be 'snobby' about where the requirements must be taken (i.e. a 'proper' four-year college).
I would hope that this is not the case. I wish to attend med school where I went to undergraduate, so this might work in my favor as they have all my records on hand. I am not concerned with having to retake the courses to make them 'official', but would wish to do so because I need to brush up on my knowledge (wouldn't the MCAT do this?), rather than because some admissions person is not aware of international qualifications or simply fussy.
I have called the med school just to check, and their reply was 'just apply, and wait and see'. After reading many of the postings here, it would seem that this might be a way for them to get another application fee in the bank.
My transcript shows countless hours of transfer courses, but many are not fully described - e.g. my physics is split up into applied math, materials science, electrical engineering etc, and covers the same material as in a combined college physics course, but would admissions committees actually take the time to notice this, or would they simply dismiss me as not having the basic qualifications?
I know my best bet would be to retake the chemistry and biology courses at college over here...
Any thoughts?
So when I transferred to the US, the admissions committee gave me credit for about 50 hours of science - chemistry, physics and biology. These show up on my transcript, and are, on average, sufficient for the basic requirements for med school admission. My concern is that the admissions committees may see that these were transferred from overseas, or from high school, and not have a good understanding of the level of these courses, or that they may simply be 'snobby' about where the requirements must be taken (i.e. a 'proper' four-year college).
I would hope that this is not the case. I wish to attend med school where I went to undergraduate, so this might work in my favor as they have all my records on hand. I am not concerned with having to retake the courses to make them 'official', but would wish to do so because I need to brush up on my knowledge (wouldn't the MCAT do this?), rather than because some admissions person is not aware of international qualifications or simply fussy.
I have called the med school just to check, and their reply was 'just apply, and wait and see'. After reading many of the postings here, it would seem that this might be a way for them to get another application fee in the bank.
My transcript shows countless hours of transfer courses, but many are not fully described - e.g. my physics is split up into applied math, materials science, electrical engineering etc, and covers the same material as in a combined college physics course, but would admissions committees actually take the time to notice this, or would they simply dismiss me as not having the basic qualifications?
I know my best bet would be to retake the chemistry and biology courses at college over here...
Any thoughts?
