How much does a single CC pre-req hurt you?

[amakhosidlo]

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Hey all,

I'm in the process of finishing up my pre-reqs, and after Spring quarter I'll only have the 2nd O-chem lab left to take.
The problem is, unlike the rest of the series, the lab is taught consistently by one professor who has garnished a reputation on par with the antichrist.
Needless to say the class reflects her personal philosophy, particularly with regards to her grading policy.
NONE of my pre-med friends with a 3.5+ ochem average have made it out with anything above a 2.7.
I know for a fact that if I take this class, not only will it destroy my upward trend, it will also hand me my first D in a science (That's best-case scenario)

I'll be taking the class SOMEWHERE over the summer, and a MCAT prep course will be my only other committment.

Right now I'm thinking of taking it at a local CC. In addition to the concern expressed above, finanical contraints are playing a major role in the decision-making process. One 3 credit class will come to over $1500 vs. ~250 at the CC.
I know someone will present an argument to the effect of "you'll be in debt in med-school, so taking out loans now shouldn't worry you". Well it does. I've only got a limitted amount of money left for college, and taking a loan out for a class that will hurt my chances of admission doesn't exactly make financial sense.

So my question is this:
How much will ONE CC pre-req impact my app, given that
a. This will be my only CC class
b. The alternative is a guarenteed grade < 2.3

Follow up:
Do I
a. Go ahead and take the class at a CC, knowing that it might reflect negatively on my app
b. Take it at my UG, along with the enormous grade hit
c.Wait until I graduate, and try to take it as a non-matriculated student at a nearby 4 year school (Central ___ U as opposed to U of _____) (along with a few repeats, given that it's a 4 year school)

Quick stats:
3.35 overall
3.1 BCMP
Decent EC's
Weak LOR's (Workin' on it...)

 

[foster033]

Just take it at the community college...it's one class and it's a lab...not really that big of a deal. The labs you do will probably be identical (or at least very close) to the ones you would do at your university.
I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Concordia]

This issue has been discussed quite a lot. A single pre-req at a CC will not hurt you. Neither will several classes at a CC.
However, since you are already enrolled at a 4-yr institution, you should think of a good, solid explanation for your decision to take this one class at a CC in case this might come up in an interview.

 

[nonesuchgirl]

Go for the CC.

Scheduling, $, et al, work in your favour there. Make sure you do well, though.

 

[MSU2012]

One class is not a big deal. I'm sure medical schools realize that students often can't fit a certain course in their normal schedule, etc. I'm not sure I would admit I did it to avoid a notoriously tough professor...that's probably akin to blaming a poor grade on a professor, which is a definitely no-no.

 

[ChiDoc27]

I am all for the CC pre-req thing, and believe me, I totally understand the scheduling dilemma, but just so you know, some schools don't accept any community college credit hours in the pre-reqs. This is the case at Boston U for example and a few others that I can't think of. (This is the link to it http://www.bumc.bu.edu/www/busm/mec/pdf/ARWGFinalReport.pdf). You may want to check into each individual school's requirements for admission before you go the CC route. Hope this helps!

 

[suwaifo]

Sometimes I wonder, do people who question this even remotely think about those who are enrolled full time in a CC? That and if they have ever heard of the search feature. It is possible that these posters can't answer the NoSpam question correctly, and that's understandable considering the question they are asking.

 

[amakhosidlo]

If you'd given the slightest amount of thought to my post before flaming, you'd realize that my situation differs from full-time CC students and that it presents a different set of problems. Also, search results are often either old or conflict with one another. Thoughts and circumstances change. Is it so wrong to seek a fresh set of opinions?

Thanks to everyone else for the info, especially Chidoc; I had no idea schools established official restrictions like that...

 

[decafplease]

[sarcasm] 2.36% decrease per CC class in likelihood of getting accepted anywhere, ever.

Hope that helps. [/sarcasm]

I'm just kidding! I doubt it's a huge deal. Who knows? It's just one class.

 

[gotmeds?]

I am all for the CC pre-req thing, and believe me, I totally understand the scheduling dilemma, but just so you know, some schools don't accept any community college credit hours in the pre-reqs. This is the case at Boston U for example and a few others that I can't think of. (This is the link to it http://www.bumc.bu.edu/www/busm/mec/pdf/ARWGFinalReport.pdf). You may want to check into each individual school's requirements for admission before you go the CC route. Hope this helps!

I don't think that's still the case. I was accepted to BU with a year of gen chem and a year of math from a CC. It's always good to check with the individual school. Most will not have a problem with it, but you have to watch out for the shrewd interviewer who might be curious as to why you went to a CC while you were enrolled at a 4-year university. Most likely, no one will care.

Well, there you have have it. My 1000th post and I didn't even make any sarcastic remarks. I promised myself I'd call it quits at 1000, so that's it for me. Good luck to everyone applying. It really does get better.