I went to CC for 2 yrs and I am an MD student now...

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FLY

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anyone??

b/c I just don't think it is possible that anyone could do well on the MCAT b/c Community College classes are so much easier... (b/c I took them last summer)... and maybe they are easier b/c I am comparing those classes to Carolina classes, (one tough school)..

I have heard that people usually did well once they transferred back to a regular university, but the success stories in the Med School level are rare..

anyone??

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CC pre-med courses may be slightly easier depending on the definition you use for easier, but they are accepted by almost all schools to satisfy the premed requirements.

In my experience, I took the bio1, gen chem 1, and phy 1 requirements at a CC, and I thought they were more demanding than the second semester that I took at the university.
 
if you do a search, you'll find that many people on this forum when to CC, and they worked hard and had it work for them.
 
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I am what is lovingly called a "non-traditional" student who will be starting med school in August. I had no choice, due to geography and schedule, but to take night classes at the local community college to meet the med school prerequisites. I did well enough on the MCAT to get in (early decision), even with CC classes.

It's all about motivation: If you are motivated to do what it takes, it doesn't matter where you do it. You just do it!
 
I know many docs who started out at the local CC. It works. Have faith. Not everyone has to opportunity go attend Harvard, Yale, or Stanford for undergrad. It's true that most US med schools accept CC credits. Plus, it's not how well the course prepares you for the MCAT, it's how well you prepare yourself for it.
 
i took 1st sem orgo at a cc...and i thought it was a lot tougher...my prof seemed like she had something to prove and made the claass a lot harder than it should have been. I transferred to a Top 10 school and found orgo there to be easier ( i never went to class!!). In the end...it doesnt matter where you go and what type of classes you take....all that matters is whats under ur cranium....
 
Hrm... now mind you I didn't take the actual MCAT(kaplan diagnostic) but I didn't find the MCAT science sections to be extremely difficult. You don't have to know fancy formula's, just have to think some. Only had probs with some of the questions because when I took it I had NEVER taken chem, phys, or orgo and only one semester of Bio.

As an example, when i took the diagnostic I had no clue what Avogadro's # was. If it involved a calculation or specific info, I was screwed, otherwise it wasn't too difficult(there werent too many specific info questions but like i said, it wasnt the real MCAT, what do i know).

I'd score better on the diagnostic if I took it now(still a freshmen) and am pretty confident I'll do well on the actual even though I'm taking CC classes.

EXCEPT... verbal. Damn. Takin the diag when I did I expected to bomb bio and phys sections but do well on verbal. Instead I scored 8's on the sciences with a crappy background and a 5 on the verbal when I've always scored well on verbal sections. It seems i try and infer the answers way too often instead of just takin the answer right in front on me. I hope i do better next time. hahaha

But I really got off track. CC colleges use the same books. It's up to the student. If you want to be a doctor and go through a CC, no reason why not. Else... I'll be very sad when I'm hit with the rude awakening. :(

hehe ok, enough ramblin :)
 
I know a guy who went to a CC, then transferred, and got into a VERY GOOD CA School. He found his motivation after graduating high school (he was always smart) and kicked ass after transferring, and kicked ass on the MCAT. It's possible.
 
I dropped out of high school in 10th grade and worked lame retail jobs for 2.5 years. Outta nowhere I just went, took the GED, enrolled in school(had to be a CC w/ my past duh) and... became motivated. School compared to the workforce- NO COMPARISON!!! I shall be a student forever. :)
 
The fact that CC courses are easier is a wives tale. I am not sure where it was started. In actuality the course can be harder at the CC level (I am only talking about the courses that are transferable in their entirety not just as an elective, like biology or gen chem). The material is exactly the same at the university level and the CC level, but here is the problem. At the university level you get the prime teachers, the cream of the crop. Very few teachers set off to work a CC, so most of them are the ones that didn't make the cut for the universities. Not to mention the fact that universities have incredible resources as compared to a CC. Both my brother and I found it easier at the university level and both of our grades improved at that level...I don't know why people beleive it is easier at CC. Perhaps because it allows them to elevate themselves by thinking that they had to work so much harder than everyone else.
It is a fact that the material offered in these classes is exactly the same. The only difference from school to school is the teachers and the resources. Therefore you would think people at stanford and harvard would have an incredible advantage.
 
From what I been hearing.. I think it could be done (getting into med school with mostly CC classes).. but then again, the percentage of people who tried that route and never got in would be much higher than people who tried a 4 year university route... And I afraid there won't be anyone hanging around on the Pre-Allopathic form to inform us of their disappointment...
 
or the allopathic form for that matter..
 
I think it can be done. There are excellent teachers at both the community college and university levels. In fact, my Microbiology teacher was a MD with a Master's in Microbiology. Yet, he taught at the community college level because the nearest university was an hour away and he did not want a full-time faculty appointment. The class was extremely difficult. In fact, only 4 of us out of 35 stuck the class out. Many of those who dropped later took Micro at the University and said that it was a breeze compared to his class. Of course, the community colleges in my state are directly affiliated with the state university system which dictates that the coursework must equal the level that which is taught on the main university campus. That may make a difference, but anyhow, a good percentage of the students that matriculate into medical school from this state do have some community college credits behind them.
 
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I *WISH* classes at CC were easier. In fact most of my teachers are so hung up on this idea that the make the class extremely difficult to pass. They brag about the number of students they fail. I think some that CC students are at a disadvantage because of this, a B in gen. bio at a CC versus an A at the local University even though the CC class is in fact much harder.
Just my 2cents.
I'm so happy I'm out of there in the summer! :clap:
 
I'm living proof that CC classes can get you into a good school. I got my BA from a major university, then chose to do my pre-med pre-reqs at a CC. I got a 4.0 in my science classes, and got into 5 schools including Hopkins and UCSF. Don't believe the myth that CC classes are easier...

PB
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by postbacchus:
•I'm living proof that CC classes can get you into a good school. I got my BA from a major university, then chose to do my pre-med pre-reqs at a CC. I got a 4.0 in my science classes, and got into 5 schools including Hopkins and UCSF. Don't believe the myth that CC classes are easier...

PB•••••You got into HOPKINS??? <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[Lovey]" title="" src="graemlins/lovey.gif" />

Please, elaborate! Tell us more....we beg of you.

--
Mr. :mad:
 
There is nothing wrong with CC. I went for two years and graduated with an AS (associates in science). My GPA allowed me to get a full scholarship to a local university and I'm now in med school.

As for it being substandard or easier, it isn't if you don't let it be. Yes, it is easier if you're taking ENG 095 but, like posted before, if your classes transfer then obviously the University they transfer to see them as being equal so why shouldn't you. I personally took Zoology taught by a PhD and other classes by PhD's and respected people. Also, like much of life, you get out what you put in.

Finally, no matter what you go into you will always find people who started at CC. Not all of us had the vision, direction or money to start at a university. That doesn't mean that you can't end up there. :clap:
 
Yep, I did.

I got my BS and MS in a non-science field and then worked for 8 years before realizing I wanted to be a doctor. Took my prereqs at a CC, did well on the MCAT and am in my first year at UTMB in Galveston.

Take care,
Jeff
 
Community College Pride!!!!

I'm wondering if I should finish all my prereqs at the CC right now tho as it stands. I should have my AA after summer(3 semesters total) but I'm wondering if I should tackle physics, calc, and orgo before going. My CC has a strong Science department, its cheaper, I know the teachers now... and... finishing those classes would just mean I was at the CC the standard 2 years like everyone else... only that I'm working on the fun stuff that last year. So... hmmmmmmmmm?
 
Yep, I am another med school via community college MD. I didn't really feel is was that much easier just a whole hell of a lot cheaper. :D
 
I have taken all my med school requirements at a local community college also. One benefit I find is that teachers from bigger universities sometimes take side jobs at CCs. For example, our organic chemistry teacher also teaches at Cornell.
 
I didn't know what the hell I wanted to do when I graduated high school..When I was 22 I entered a community college (city college of san francisco)..the biology was weak there, but the chemistry and physics departments were awesome. I did well enough to transfer to UC Berkeley. While at Berkeley, I realized that the upper division chem courses were teaching what I learned at CCSF. I think it depends on the CC you go to . CCSF's chem department teaches to ensure you that you will be prepared to succeed in the UC's and Stanford. (many a berkeley student would come to take chem in the summer at ccsf and drop out).

anyway, i'm in the application process now and am doing quite well.
 
Pawn,
If you are getting your AA then you already have 60 credits the most credits the majority of universities will let you transfer from a two year school is 66. But to be sure call the school you hope to transfer to. Good Luck!
--Beck
 
yah but i can rid myself of the useless credits i've taken. :)

no need to even transfer most of the lower maths to the university, or my web development or autocad classes i took 2.5 years ago. hahaha

im also investigating right now how some out of state schools and privates view CLEPing. i.e.: this semester I'm going to CLEP the humanities(or try, i dont think it'll be a prob) and maybe spanish.

Like I said, AA is after summer semester so I got some time.

Bruce
 
quote:

Originally posted by Dr. Dad:
The fact that CC courses are easier is a wives tale. I am not sure where it was started. In
actuality the course can be harder at the CC level (I am only talking about the courses that are
transferable in their entirety not just as an elective, like biology or gen chem). The material is
exactly the same at the university level and the CC level, but here is the problem. At the
university level you get the prime teachers, the cream of the crop. Very few teachers set off to
work a CC, so most of them are the ones that didn't make the cut for the universities.

I disagree with this statement. Most of the lower division science classes (read med school
prereqs) at the university that I attend now are taught by grad students and have 200+ students in them.
At the CC where I took most of my prereqs, we had professors that left universities where all they were
supposed to do was research. They became frustrated and went somewhere that they could teach. . If the classes were easier at CC it was only
because of the class size (&lt;20), not because the information was dumbed down.
 
Sorry about the typos in that last post. It won't let me edit it now.
 
How about naming some obscure CC names that you have gone to. heres a good one...Wenatchee Valley College...still wear my T-Shirt! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I finally dont have to request transcripts from my 4 undergrad schools any more! yippe! :D
 
I began my undergrad as an athletic training major. By the type I earned my BS, I wanted to go into medicine. I went to a CC for two years, obtaining all my pre-recs (ended up with like a 3.90). To me, inorganic was much tougher than organic. I thought organic was a breeze. But our teacher was unusually hot and that made organic all the better to learn.
As far as quality of the education, everything I saw on the MCAT, I had seen before. I didn't necessarily remember what/how to do it, but I had seen it.
In my opinion, I would do the pre-med classes at a juco then go to a bigger university.

Chris
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by souljah1:
•I didn't know what the hell I wanted to do when I graduated high school..When I was 22 I entered a community college (city college of san francisco)..the biology was weak there, but the chemistry and physics departments were awesome. I did well enough to transfer to UC Berkeley. While at Berkeley, I realized that the upper division chem courses were teaching what I learned at CCSF. I think it depends on the CC you go to . CCSF's chem department teaches to ensure you that you will be prepared to succeed in the UC's and Stanford. (many a berkeley student would come to take chem in the summer at ccsf and drop out).

anyway, i'm in the application process now and am doing quite well.•••••Souljah, I'm a proud CCSF alumni and Berkeley transfer student, too! <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" /> When did you transfer? I transfered 2 yrs. ago. Maybe we took the same classes? Sounds like you ran the Dr. Lin -&gt; Dr. Herman/Dr. Dang gauntlet, too. Unfortunately, Dr. Lin isn't teaching Chem 101A anymore. :(

I concur with everything you said. The average score for the ACS (American Chemistry Society) Test was in the 80th percentile for second semester o'chem for ccsf. And yes, in the summer, Cal and Stanford students usually withdrew by the second week. (Suckers!) However, the bio classes were... well... weak.

Anyway, if you can get though that chemistry department, you can do the MCAT with one hand tied behind your back... :wink: Sounds like you're doing great. Congrats!

Nanon
 
Nanon,

My last semester at CCSF was Spring, 1999. I graduated from Berkeley in 2001. I had Dr. Fong, Dr. Su, and Dr. Herrmann for 101A,101B, and 212A/B. Straight A's baby (along with the Thomas Hynes Scholarship). Yeah, I know all about the ACS exam. We had over 8 people in our class get a 98 or above.

If Nanon is your real name, I don't know you. It looks like you came out of CCSF the year after I did. We may know each other. So glad to see another ccsf'er. What do you study at Berkeley? I felt many classes at Berkeley were easier, but I also had my share of difficult classes there as well (Biochem and Quant.Analysis).

Give me some hints about you, let me see if I know you.
 
I went to a CC college before transferring to UCLA. I must admit that I did find the CC courses MUCH easier than the UCLA courses. At the community college the students were much less motivated. I too was less motivated. I thought that I was studying hard, but learned a new definition to the term at UCLA. At the CC I was able to get away with much more slacking off then I could at UCLA.

I was recently accepted to Tulane med and UCLA. I'm waiting to hear back from more schools in March (Penn, Yale and others). It is very possible to get accepted to med school after starting out at a JC. I would however advise applicants to take science courses at the 4 year school. I was told two days ago by my Cornell interviewer that if I had taken the science courses at the CC level he would have serious questions about my ability to handle their workload.
 
I fulfilled pre-reqs with CC units along with, **gasp** AP credits and I've been admitted this year. The MCAT is NOT a measure of how much your classes have taught you! That is a really odd misconception. It's a measure of how well you studied beforehand. Those classes just give you a brief and fleeting encounter with the material, the vast majority of learning work is up to you on your own.
 
Ok, this business about cc's being harder than regular unis is ridiculous. I have taken premed classes at a top cc, a good state school and an ivy and make no mistake about a cc is by far the easiest place to take your courses. by their very nature, cc's seek to encourage and enhance their students and not to destroy them. it is the height of ridiculousness to say that a cc would be tougher than an ivy or a good state school - you'd have to be pretty naive to believe that. that said its easiest to fail at a state school and hardest to get an A at an ivy. yup, all the stereotypes you've heard about schools are true because a better quality of student and a better academic reputation are associated with Ivies and good state schools, so of course their classes will be more rigorous and difficult and of course it will be harder to get A's at these schools vs. a cc.

sheez, sometimes the urban myths that get perpetuated on this board amaze me. does anyone fall for this stuff??
 
Daas, I want to introduce you to a very common thing that happens in Ivies..It is called grade inflation. Many ivies have been known *i will not state what ones* to inflate their grades. Think about it. What school would be more probable to churn out straight A students?

When I posted that my CC chemistry classes were taught in a more rigorous fashion than my state school (berkeley) and my ivy school (columbia), I meant it. It may not be true for every cc, but I know it is true for the CC I went to.

UCSF also will tell you that CCSF meets their standards for good science courses. You can ask students there if any of them went to CCSF and I'm sure there will be a few every year who did.

I do agree that overall CC is easier than Universities, I was just saying that CCSF is a rare exception.

Peace.
 
UCLA 2000,

I am in the same boat as you and understand
you completely. My only question is which
classes would you advise JC students to take
at a university rather than at a JC since (if
you're transferring as a science major) there's
a list of lower division courses that you need
to take (eg. 1 yr bio, 1 yr chem, etc.) in order
to transfer. Are you talking about any series
in particular (such as physics, o chem) or are
you trying to say to take courses that are considered upper division at a univeristy such
as organic chemistry and biochemistry? Also, since I'm interviewing in Cornell next week, in case the topic comes up, which classes in particular did your interviewer say he was glad you took at a university?
 
Since this thread is moving along pretty fast..

I will ask a question I previously posted on a different CC thread..

Does anyone know if the CC classes that were taken in high school are factored into the cum. AMCAS gpa??
 
•••quote:•••Originally posted by FLY:
•Since this thread is moving along pretty fast..

I will ask a question I previously posted on a different CC thread..

Does anyone know if the CC classes that were taken in high school are factored into the cum. AMCAS gpa??•••••It looks like every time someone posts that question the thread dies! :p

Mr. :mad: :mad: :mad:
 
I transferred to UCLA without finishing all of the "required" prereqs for transfer students. I would suggest taking most if not all of your science courses at the 4 year college.
 
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