How to complete pre-reqs without taking at Community College?

[Solomon]

Everyone says you shouldn't take Pre-reqs at CC, but if you waited until you transfer to a University, it'd be too late. So how do you complete all your pre-reqs without having to take them at a CC? Someone suggested being a guest student. Is there anything other way?

I only ask because I may end up having to do 1-2 years at a CC and then transfer to a 4 year due to problems with my transcript.

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[sonofva]

Why is it too late to take them after you transfer?

 

[Solomon]

Why is it too late to take them after you transfer?

If I were to transfer in 2 years, I'd be a Junior. which seems way to late to try and take pre-reqs by then. Even in 1 year would be tough.

 

[sonofva]

If I were to transfer in 2 years, I'd be a Junior. which seems way to late to try and take pre-reqs by then. Even in 1 year would be tough.

What's your planned major? I mean you could take low level bio and gen Chem at comm college. I mean if you get an associates
In science at cc, it seems like you'll have most prerequisites done anyway in 2 years

Just FYI, I did all my prereqs in a year. Chem in the summer. Everything else in2 semesters.

 

[Solomon]

What's your planned major? I mean you could take low level bio and gen Chem at comm college. I mean if you get an associates
In science at cc, it seems like you'll have most prerequisites done anyway in 2 years

Just FYI, I did all my prereqs in a year. Chem in the summer. Everything else in2 semesters.

Major is undecided at this point.

I was wondering because it seems like everyone discourages taking any pre-reqs at CC at all. I was unsure how truthful this was.

 

[sonofva]

if i were in your shoes, i would knock out as many of the prereqs at cc as you can. then you can take some upper level science courses at university.

i think adcoms will be more impressed that you can crush a higher level bio course at the university level than they would be at biology100.

 

[nysegop]

Yes. Take upper level science classes at university, lower level at CC.

 

[AlteredScale]

Everyone says you shouldn't take Pre-reqs at CC, but if you waited until you transfer to a University, it'd be too late. So how do you complete all your pre-reqs without having to take them at a CC? Someone suggested being a guest student. Is there anything other way?

I only ask because I may end up having to do 1-2 years at a CC and then transfer to a 4 year due to problems with my transcript.

Some universities require that you do the pre-reqs at a CC so they have an observing block to compare you to other transfers.

Some questions to ask:
Is the 4 year a quarter system? Are the rigors of the pre-preqs harder there?

If you said yes to these, I'd say take the pre-reqs at the CC, it'll speed up the entire process of you being able to take the MCAT and fit time to complete meaningful EC's. I am only assuming this because you are on the Student Doctor Network and I am assuming you are pre-medical. Best of luck.

 

[callcar]

Don't take the pre req classes at cc.

 

[nysegop]

Don't take the pre req classes at cc.

We know...

 

[Beargryllz]

For me, the choice was between a local university charging $700/credit hour or a community college charging $75/credit hour

Guess which one I went for

 

[nysegop]

For me, the choice was between a local university charging $700/credit hour or a community college charging $75/credit hour

Guess which one I went for

I'm guessing community college.

 

[callcar]

Yeah I was just backing up what others said. Take the English and bs classes at cc and then save the fun stuff for the university. You can save a lot of money and then transfer to a more prestigious school with the money saved! Wishing you the best in your future endeavors.

 

[callcar]

Also, transfer as soon as possible. I assume you have a lot of the core classes done? Buckle under and just transfer, you will have to do it anyway. Don't stress it, it will pay off...

 

[AlteredScale]

Everyone says you shouldn't take Pre-reqs at CC, but if you waited until you transfer to a University, it'd be too late. So how do you complete all your pre-reqs without having to take them at a CC? Someone suggested being a guest student. Is there anything other way?

I only ask because I may end up having to do 1-2 years at a CC and then transfer to a 4 year due to problems with my transcript.

AdComs for medical school have no preference for where you take your pre-reqs, just how well you do in them. These classes will be oh-so-important as (if you are a biology major) it will be the vitality of the MCAT. Primary application cut-offs are all set on this statement "we only want applications above __ GPA and ___ MCAT score", not "We only want applications who took pre-requeisite courses from 4-years, not CC's".

In reality, AdComs won't even look at your transcript past the your cGPA and BCPM GPA as well.

I took my courses at a CC and found them to be more challenging than upper division courses at UCSD! Mainly because these pre-req classes at the CC now integrate upper division labs and other fun little obstacles to make getting an A a near impossible feat. There is no z-score calculation at CC's however and so expect a lot of B+/A- scores as a "top of class" type high schooler.

But you should still take them there, they will better prepare you for the rigors of medical school than a hugely curved pre-req course at a 4 year. Might as well get used to how hard classes will be from the get go.

Best of luck!

 

[Solomon]

AdComs for medical school have no preference for where you take your pre-reqs, just how well you do in them. These classes will be oh-so-important as (if you are a biology major) it will be the vitality of the MCAT. Primary application cut-offs are all set on this statement "we only want applications above __ GPA and ___ MCAT score", not "We only want applications who took pre-requeisite courses from 4-years, not CC's".

In reality, AdComs won't even look at your transcript past the your cGPA and BCPM GPA as well.

I took my courses at a CC and found them to be more challenging than upper division courses at UCSD! Mainly because these pre-req classes at the CC now integrate upper division labs and other fun little obstacles to make getting an A a near impossible feat. There is no z-score calculation at CC's however and so expect a lot of B+/A- scores as a "top of class" type high schooler.

But you should still take them there, they will better prepare you for the rigors of medical school than a hugely curved pre-req course at a 4 year. Might as well get used to how hard classes will be from the get go.

Best of luck!

Thanks, It's good to here it from someone that has actually done it before