How am I doing so far?

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SN1

SN1

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  1. Pre-Health (Field Undecided)
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Just finished my fourth semester at brookdale community college and only have 1 more semester left there (fall 2011) to get an associate degree while finishing up physics II and Calculus II. I will be transferring to Rutgers University New Brunswick for spring 2012 to take upper level classes such as microbiology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and etc.

Prerequisites completed:
Gen Chem I A
Gen Chem II A
Gen Bio I A
Gen Bio II A
Organic Chem I A
Organic Chem II A
Calculus I A
General Physics I A


I also took some other classes like world civilization, general psychology, microeconomics, trig, and algebra.

Overall GPA and Science GPA: 4.0 and 4.0 respectively.

Zero extracurricular activities related to medicine except that I worked as a pharmacy technician for a few months.

Now when should I even think about studying for the MCAT ? I am not even sure when I will be graduating. I would say at least 2 years after I transferred.

Thank you
 
SN1 said:
studying and going to the gym:laugh:
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If you're planning on applying in a year, then you should probably get on top of loading up on ec's to show that you're not just a bookworm. The GPAs are impressive though 😉
 
Not to be a downer, but you spent two years at a CC and didn't get any ECs in? You need to start building up that aspect of your application ASAP!
 
Excellent work on your GPA. Keep it up!

I can tell you're from New York/New Jersey area, like me (Rutger's - New Brunswick is a thirty minute ride from my house. Too bad I don't go there). There is a bunch of extracurricular/community service work you can do. For example, Mount Sinai has an excellent volunteer program; you may wanna check it out.
 
EphemeralRose3 said:
Excellent work on your GPA. Keep it up!

I can tell you're from New York/New Jersey area, like me (Rutger's - New Brunswick is a thirty minute ride from my house. Too bad I don't go there). There is a bunch of extracurricular/community service work you can do. For example, Mount Sinai has an excellent volunteer program; you may wanna check it out.
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Yeah. Not much I can do while at a community college. I am only a member of Phi Theta Kappa. I can't wait to transfer to RU so I can maybe join some clubs or maybe volunteer.
 
did you really need to go on a forum to ask a bunch of people if your 4.0 is good?
 
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SN1 said:
Yeah. Not much I can do while at a community college. I am only a member of Phi Theta Kappa. I can't wait to transfer to RU so I can maybe join some clubs or maybe volunteer.
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I'm at a CC also, I know it's hard to get research, but there is still a ton you can do. Look around your community, and you should be able to get some non-clinical volunteering at least. I found a really good adult literacy program through the local library, and my local hospital accepts volunteers. Hopefully you can find some things like that. It looks like you are going to need to do lots of volunteering, and some shadowing next year, while studying for the MCAT and doing your first year at a university; good luck.
 
SN1 said:
Yes. I wanted to brag and show off my 4.0 GPA.
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While I congratulate you on the great grades, they were achieved at a community college. Life is much different at a a 4 year school.

I've also heard that taking any sort of rigorous classes at a community college is looked down upon, since they are much easier to do well in.
 
probably the worst 4.0 I've seen. you should probably take some upper level science classes at rutgers, and start getting on your ec's
 
Palam said:
While I congratulate you on the great grades, they were achieved at a community college. Life is much different at a a 4 year school.

I've also heard that taking any sort of rigorous classes at a community college is looked down upon, since they are much easier to do well in.
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Yeah I thought this was the general consensus, not quite sure.
 
TommyPickles said:
probably the worst 4.0 I've seen. you should probably take some upper level science classes at rutgers, and start getting on your ec's
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you can say whatever you want. Plenty of people got into medical school after CC. "worst 4.0" :laugh: That's oxymoron *******.

I bet my GPA is higher than yours.
 
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Palam said:
While I congratulate you on the great grades, they were achieved at a community college. Life is much different at a a 4 year school.

I've also heard that taking any sort of rigorous classes at a community college is looked down upon, since they are much easier to do well in.
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IF they are easier to do well in, why Rutgers University New brunswick (ranked 65th nationally in the country) accept all the credits? Why is there a law in NJ that all 4 year universities in NJ must take credits from cc in NJ? I also have plenty of friends who got into cornell, penn state, UNC, Tulane, etc.

"much easier to do well in?" My teacher have had student who attended upenn who took a class at our community college and couldn't even do well.

I am done with this thread. This place is filled with jealous no-life pre-med. Don't worry I won't post no more.
 
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Palam said:
While I congratulate you on the great grades, they were achieved at a community college. Life is much different at a a 4 year school.

I've also heard that taking any sort of rigorous classes at a community college is looked down upon, since they are much easier to do well in.
Click to expand...


Have you attended a community college? Please don't make any assumption that you have heard this and that if you never attended any. I asked this question to many of my teachers and they all told me that thats BS because classes are not much different in terms of difficulty. She taught both at the university level and community college. The only difference is the size of the classes.
 
You have an impressive GPA, but coming on here and bragging about a 4.0 at a CC isn't going to get you any "tips" or any "YOU ROCK!" comments. Go to a regular school, lose the cocky attitude and you'll realize a 4.0 won't get you anywhere unless you do things to supplement it.

Study hard for class, rock your MCATs and do some extra curriculars.
 
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1) good luck with that attitude in an interview.
2) If you already know how wonderful you are, why are you here?
 
While I agree with the statement that a four-year university is much harder than a CC, I'm sick and tired of people looking down upon CC's and saying that CC's are "too easy" or "easy enough to get a 4.0 in."
Some professors at a CC are better than those at a 4-year, and some classes are difficult. In some instances, CC courses prepare you better for the MCAT.
Some people need a second chance, and they're getting that by going to a CC. Some of them work harder than their 4-year counterparts.

OP, I like your GPA; it is strong and shows your dedication to your studies. However, like others have said, you should get some EC's in.

Cheers.
 
Wafflyw said:
While I agree with the statement that a four-year university is much harder than a CC, I'm sick and tired of people looking down upon CC's and saying that CC's are "too easy" or "easy enough to get a 4.0 in."
Some professors at a CC are better than those at a 4-year, and some classes are difficult. In some instances, CC courses prepare you better for the MCAT.
Some people need a second chance, and they're getting that by going to a CC. Some of them work harder than their 4-year counterparts.
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No one is ragging on community college. The OP comes in all cocky and brags about a 4.0 and says he's better than everyone else... That's why people got angry. Community colleges are fine, and yes, plenty of people get a second chance, apply out to a university, and get into great medical schools. No one discounted that.
 
Palam said:
While I congratulate you on the great grades, they were achieved at a community college. Life is much different at a a 4 year school.

I've also heard that taking any sort of rigorous classes at a community college is looked down upon, since they are much easier to do well in.
Click to expand...

BJJ said:
Yeah I thought this was the general consensus, not quite sure.
Click to expand...
If one isn't enrolled at a 4-year university while taking "rigorous" courses at a CC, it won't reflect badly on them. The idea behind what you're thinking is that if you're at a 4-year and you take the "hard" classes at a CC, you're trying to get out of taking them at the 4-year. However, people that start out at a CC (be it for money, location, or other perfectly justifiable reasons) and take prereq's there probably aren't doing so to avoid taking them at a 4-year, especially when they'll take upper-levels when they transfer.
 
JChait said:
No one is ragging on community college. The OP comes in all cocky and brags about a 4.0 and says he's better than everyone else... That's why people got angry. Community colleges are fine, and yes, plenty of people get a second chance, apply out to a university, and get into great medical schools. No one discounted that.
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I see what you're saying. SDN is not the best place to brag. :laugh:
 
SN1 said:
IF they are easier to do well in, why Rutgers University New brunswick (ranked 65th nationally in the country) accept all the credits? Why is there a law in NJ that all 4 year universities in NJ must take credits from cc in NJ? I also have plenty of friends who got into cornell, penn state, UNC, Tulane, etc.

"much easier to do well in?" My teacher have had student who attended upenn who took a class at our community college and couldn't even do well.

I am done with this thread. This place is filled with jealous no-life pre-med. Don't worry I won't post no more.
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You have a really bad attitude. I went to community college myself and am only relaying what I know to you.

I didn't just pull things out of my butt when I made that post. I went to a good community college and transfered to a good 4 year school. In fact, Rutgers New Brunswick was one of the many schools I got accepted to after CC. We aren't talking about acceptance to universities but acceptance into med school. From what I've heard, it's not a good idea to take harder classes e.g.; Organic, at community colleges.

Just because we gave you advice and comments that aren't to your liking does not make us jealous. In fact, I congratulated you on your accomplishment. You come off as severely immature and angry, which is an entirely different issue.
 
SN1 said:
Have you attended a community college? Please don't make any assumption that you have heard this and that if you never attended any. I asked this question to many of my teachers and they all told me that thats BS because classes are not much different in terms of difficulty. She taught both at the university level and community college. The only difference is the size of the classes.
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Yes, read my above post. Community college was a great experience for me and opened up a ton of doors.

First off, the only difference is NOT the class sizes. Community colleges are riddled with underachievers who lack motivation to do well for themselves. From what I've seen, there is a push from the professors to have the students do well. While there is always going to be grade inflation and curving in schools, I would expect CC professors to be more forgiving.

Here's another thing I can point out right away. When I took Biology I at my CC (the only science class I took there), my professor was my lab teacher and she was American. Both Chemistry classes I've taken at my university, I've had a professor for the lecture who was American but a borderline incomprehensible foreign graduate student for my labs. Things like this matter. At this point, I suppose I'm arguing against big schools VS private schools. New Brunswick is a big school, however.

And class size in itself is huge. Who's more likely to give you an A when you really deserved a B? The professor who heard you speak and saw your face 3 days a week? Or the professor who couldn't pick your face out of a class of 250? I had much more rapport in CC than I do now. I have to fight to make sure I don't get screwed over at my school now.
 
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Palam said:
You have a really bad attitude. I went to community college myself and am only relaying what I know to you.

I didn't just pull things out of my butt when I made that post. I went to a good community college and transfered to a good 4 year school. In fact, Rutgers New Brunswick was one of the many schools I got accepted to after CC. We aren't talking about acceptance to universities but acceptance into med school. From what I've heard, it's not a good idea to take harder classes e.g.; Organic, at community colleges.

Just because we gave you advice and comments that aren't to your liking does not make us jealous. In fact, I congratulated you on your accomplishment. You come off as severely immature and angry, which is an entirely different issue.
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I did NOT mean to come off as arrogant 🙂. If you actually transferred from a CC to a university, what made it so hard at the university compared to a cc? What classes did you take at CC and university?
I do have to agree that there are lots of underachievers in cc.
 
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SN1 said:
I did NOT mean to come off as arrogant 🙂. If you actually transferred from a CC to a university, what made it so hard at the university compared to a cc? What classes did you take at CC and university?
I do have to agree that there are lots of underachievers in cc.
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Remember that I was talking about getting into medical school and not transferring.

It was just apparent to me that at CC the professors really wanted the students to pass. The workloads were a lot more light, for instance. In my Biology class, there were about 20 kids in the entire class. The students would whine if they thought things were too difficult and the teacher would scale things down. That just doesn't happen in a big class of students because typically most people are doing fine.

I got into Uconn (my first pick) but there were a fair number of credits they didn't accept because they weren't considered up to par with the University (not science classes, however). I took a research psychology course at CC and it didn't transfer because it didn't require statistics as a prereq. Things like that.

Don't worry, you're okay. I was just sharing what I had heard.
 
Thread title: How am I doing so far?
Thread content: Bunch of As.

How do you think you are doing? If you only said you are doing well and ask about what type of ECs you should do then maybe people would understand your intention better.

What do you think of a guy who make a thread asking: how did I do on the MCAT score 37? What you think of that guy is what people in the thread think of you.
 
if you ask how am I doing so far you should be able to accept whatever people tell you even if its something you might not want to hear. Like everything in life nothing is 100% but most of the time CC classes do tend to be easier because even if the professor are great they don't have high expectations, that is the truth. Now that doesn't mean you wont maintain your 4.0 at a 4-year college. In life you will encounter this type of thing all the time if you expected just praises you came to the wrong place. Good luck
 
Angry kid. Insecure much?🙄
 
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