Is it bad to take science courses at Community College?

[copon]

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I will only be taking BIO 1 and Chm 1 at the community but will this effect my chances at med schools?

 

[TexasPhysician]

Didn't hurt me one bit.

 

[mspeedwagon]

Based on what I've read here over the last few days, it seems to not matter in TX. I contacted a few schools in CA (since I took G-chem I at a cc) and they strongly suggested I take G-Chem II at a 4 yr school. This was even after I completed the o-chem sequence at uc-berkeley (both o-chem classes with an A- or better).

I should say that taking bio and chem at a cc if you are student there and will eventual go on to a four yr school won't matter. In my case I was taking the classes as post-bac classes (and the schools seemed to care more).

 

[BrainBuff]

Didn't hurt me one bit.

Things are very different now days than when you applied (must have been over 5 years ago, at least)

- Yes. It will hurt you to take CC science courses...or any courses for that matter, because it will make you less competitive.

 

[CougarMD]

Everyone loves to make this a blanket yes or no question....but is it really?

Are you telling me that someone who starts out at a community college then transfers and gets a bio or chem or physics degree by taking a ton of upper division science classes is screwed if they took Chem I at community college?

That can't be right.

 

[mdbound1987]

Things are very different now days than when you applied (must have been over 5 years ago, at least)

- Yes. It will hurt you to take CC science courses...or any courses for that matter, because it will make you less competitive.

I am not sure if this is true for every school, but I agree that this is true at a lot of schools. If you can, take it at a 4 year school, if not, just keep it moving and don't dwell on how it can hurt you. Just make sure you prove that you can do just as well in science classes at a 4 year school. They may bring it up in an interview so be ready to discuss it. My girlfriend took only physics 2 at a CC and she was asked about it in her interviews, but she was also accepted to 5 schools because she did well in all her other pre-reqs at a 4 year school. Maybe LizzyM will chime in because she will have THE answer. I can only speak from my gf's experiences.

 

[manraj76]

Taking science courses maybe but other classses shouldn't be a problem as long as you maintain those grades in your 4 year. But this is coming from a student as most of these answers are. Hopefully LizzyM will give us the actual answer.

 

[BrainBuff]

Everyone loves to make this a blanket yes or no question....but is it really?

Are you telling me that someone who starts out at a community college then transfers and gets a bio or chem or physics degree by taking a ton of upper division science classes is screwed if they took Chem I at community college?

That can't be right.

There is no blanket yes or no answer to anything related to the med school admission process. However, the quality and rigor of the undergraduate institution definitely play a role. One course is not going to make a difference, unless you are being compared to someone who has your exact same credentials and took it elsewhere...and what are the chances of that happening?

 

[rockaction]

My school says that if you take science classes at a CC, they recommend you take upper-level ones at a 4-year university. Probably a good rule of thumb. But really, if you only take those two classes at a CC and take the rest at a 4-year uni, you'd probably be ok. Just take some extra bio classes (which you'll want to do anyway) and maybe a biochem class or extra chem class.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

There is no blanket yes or no answer to anything related to the med school admission process. However, the quality and rigor of the undergraduate institution definitely play a role. One course is not going to make a difference, unless you are being compared to someone who has your exact same credentials and took it elsewhere...and what are the chances of that happening?

This response is troublesome. Taking a chem class at a CC versus taking a chem class at a lower tier school with a high curve versus take a chem class at tier one class. Not all community colleges are created equal and this is most certainly the case with 4 year colleges.
To honestly say that all cc courses will make you less competitive is a very general statement. This is however not the case in States like mine ( MD) or VA where the state university is the both the cheapest and at the sametime one of the hardest to get into. So in all honesty, at Maryland CC's you have many extremely qualified and intelligent teachers.
However this isn't the case probably in Pennsylvania for example where there are much easier requirements to get into their state university. In that state Community colleges are basically really crappy ( which could very well be wrong). But in all honesty community colleges are economically a great choice for most people. I know that my friend who goes to GWU said he'd pay for 1 summer class the same it cost me for a whole semester.

Anyways.. I digress, not all CC's are created equal. Not all CC teachers are created equal. This is why we have the Mcat.

 

[ownage]

Hey,

There is nothing wrong with taking science courses at CC. Just make sure you get your bachelors in some science field and do good in upper level science courses. Because that will put their concerns to rest knowing that you can perform well in science in university.

And also try to not let ur GPA drop in univerisity because that will look bad too. If you really want to impress them get like 3.8ish at CC and get 3.9isha t university. that will make your c3.85ish look even better.

 

[CougarMD]

This response is troublesome. Taking a chem class at a CC versus taking a chem class at a lower tier school with a high curve versus take a chem class at tier one class. Not all community colleges are created equal and this is most certainly the case with 4 year colleges.
To honestly say that all cc courses will make you less competitive is a very general statement. This is however not the case in States like mine ( MD) or VA where the state university is the both the cheapest and at the sametime one of the hardest to get into. So in all honesty, at Maryland CC's you have many extremely qualified and intelligent teachers.
However this isn't the case probably in Pennsylvania for example where there are much easier requirements to get into their state university. In that state Community colleges are basically really crappy ( which could very well be wrong). But in all honesty community colleges are economically a great choice for most people. I know that my friend who goes to GWU said he'd pay for 1 summer class the same it cost me for a whole semester.

Anyways.. I digress, not all CC's are created equal. Not all CC teachers are created equal. This is why we have the Mcat.

Quoted for awesomeness.

There was no way financially I could have taken my prereqs anywhere but a CC. To say that irrevocably makes me a bad applicant is just spreading the cancer that is the idea of the "traditional path" being the only right way. Not everyone gets there the same way.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Quoted for awesomeness.

There was no way financially I could have taken my prereqs anywhere but a CC. To say that irrevocably makes me a bad applicant is just spreading the cancer that is the idea of the "traditional path" being the only right way. Not everyone gets there the same way.

Well thats the thing. The traditional path/ route is no longer something many want to or are willing to take. I mean I got into a expensive university but got 0 cash and 0 financial aid. I realize that I don't want nor do I need 250k debt prior to getting another 300k+ debt in medical school.
The traditional path is archaic, not everyone can afford to go to Yale or some private university for the sake of saying that my education was better then the guy at the public school. Not to mention in this economic period? I mean everyone who didn't get a major scholarship(s) is going to cc's. This is the trend that will only increase as people realize that the huge debt is simply not worth it. The truth is that medical schools are bound to realize this and will accept a non traditional path because it is truly the only possibility for so many people.

 

[UNMorBUST]

The truth is that medical schools are bound to realize this and will accept a non traditional path because it is truly the only possibility for so many people.

I hope that becomes the case.

 

[BrainBuff]

Quoted for awesomeness.

There was no way financially I could have taken my prereqs anywhere but a CC. To say that irrevocably makes me a bad applicant is just spreading the cancer that is the idea of the "traditional path" being the only right way. Not everyone gets there the same way.

Amazing, but not a surprising comment coming from these forums. No one has been that dramatic. You are not irrevocably a bad applicant, but you are DEFINITELY less competitive than someone who has taken all courses at a more rigorous and prestigious school.

Adcoms are known to question students during interviews about WHY they took CC courses, especially pre reqs. It has always been a red flag, especially if they are taken while you are enrolled at another institution. If there is a reasonable explanation or life story, then things change a bit.

 

[BrainBuff]

Well thats the thing. The traditional path/ route is no longer something many want to or are willing to take. I mean I got into a expensive university but got 0 cash and 0 financial aid. I realize that I don't want nor do I need 250k debt prior to getting another 300k+ debt in medical school.
The traditional path is archaic, not everyone can afford to go to Yale or some private university for the sake of saying that my education was better then the guy at the public school. Not to mention in this economic period? I mean everyone who didn't get a major scholarship(s) is going to cc's. This is the trend that will only increase as people realize that the huge debt is simply not worth it. The truth is that medical schools are bound to realize this and will accept a non traditional path because it is truly the only possibility for so many people.

That is pure rationalization. With the current level of competition, med school adcoms have plenty of students to choose from and "qualifications" are the key. Every year GPAs and MCATs are getting higher, ECs are becoming more sophisticated and you better keep up to remain competitive.

 

[mdbound1987]

Amazing, but not a surprising comment coming from these forums. No one has been that dramatic. You are not irrevocably a bad applicant, but you are DEFINITELY less competitive than someone who has taken all courses at a more rigorous and prestigious school.

Adcoms are known to question students during interviews about WHY they took CC courses, especially pre reqs. It has always been a red flag, especially if they are taken while you are enrolled at another institution. If there is a reasonable explanation or life story, then things change a bit.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make above. There is nothing wrong with taking the CC classes because you have to do what you have to do depending on your financial situation. Like this person said though, it will be a red flag and you will more than likely be asked about it even if you do well in your other science classes. If you can handle that, then it is fine. Just don't expect adcoms to see you as the same caliber of student who got the same, if not better, grades than you at a 4 year school. It may not be right or fair because it should not be held against you that you cannot afford a 4 year school, but it is the reality that is the subjective nature of med school admissions.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Amazing, but not a surprising comment coming from these forums. No one has been that dramatic. You are not irrevocably a bad applicant, but you are DEFINITELY less competitive than someone who has taken all courses at a more rigorous and prestigious school.

Adcoms are known to question students during interviews about WHY they took CC courses, especially pre reqs. It has always been a red flag, especially if they are taken while you are enrolled at another institution. If there is a reasonable explanation or life story, then things change a bit.

Well taking a pre-req while enrolled at another university is a red flag in all cases. And your right, an A at a prestigious university is going to be better then an A at your local CC. But that's not the point, medical schools are very reluctant at considering specific classes for admissions. They will in all honesty look primarily at your Cgpa and BCPM gpa, along with your mcat and EC's.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

That is pure rationalization. With the current level of competition, med school adcoms have plenty of students to choose from and "qualifications" are the key. Every year GPAs and MCATs are getting higher, ECs are becoming more sophisticated and you better keep up to remain competitive.

Well by all means, don't act like your free of rationalization. We are all humans and as such have aspects of pride. Obviously someone who's gone through a over priced 'prestigious' university will be proud of it and defend it. I'm simply saying that the traditional path is not the only way and that deviation from it will not bar you from getting accepted.

Yes, all of those things are indeed getting higher and of course going to a private prestigious university will make your chances all the more higher. But like I said that's not the goal of my post.

But regardless, the mcat is the great equalizer for admissions. Don't for a moment believe that because you go to ( insert grade inflated private institute here) your safe from admissions. They know that if you go to Harvard for example where the average gpa is 3.6; they won't be that impressed by a 3.6.

So in all honesty, going to a private school makes you seem like the child of grade inflation. Just in the same way that you believe that going to a CC is negative for medical school admissions.

 

[mdbound1987]

Well by all means, don't act like your free of rationalization. We are all humans and as such have aspects of pride. Obviously someone who's gone through a over priced 'prestigious' university will be proud of it and defend it. I'm simply saying that the traditional path is not the only way and that deviation from it will not bar you from getting accepted.

Yes, all of those things are indeed getting higher and of course going to a private prestigious university will make your chances all the more higher. But like I said that's not the goal of my post.

But regardless, the mcat is the great equalizer for admissions. Don't for a moment believe that because you go to ( insert grade inflated private institute here) your safe from admissions. They know that if you go to Harvard for example where the average gpa is 3.6; they won't be that impressed by a 3.6.

So in all honesty, going to a private school makes you seem like the child of grade inflation. Just in the same way that you believe that going to a CC is negative for medical school admissions.

No one is saying that a 4 year school is the ONLY way to get accepted or that a 4 year school guarantees an acceptance. We are simply saying that if you think you are going to be seen as a 100% equal to someone who excelled in their science classes at a 4 year school, you are sadly mistaken, no matter how unfair that may be. You can definitely get accepted if taking a few science classes at a CC, but it definitely leaves you less room for an issue with the rest of your application. Even if you do prove that you can handle a 4 year school, at many schools you will still be asked about it in the interview. Just like I said, my gf took one science class at a CC, got all A's and one B+ in science courses at her 4 year school, had a good mcat, and a 3.8 cgpa and sgpa, yet was still grilled about taking physics 2 at a CC.

 

[morning]

No one is saying that a 4 year school is the ONLY way to get accepted or that a 4 year school guarantees an acceptance. We are simply saying that if you think you are going to be seen as a 100% equal to someone who excelled in their science classes at a 4 year school, you are sadly mistaken, no matter how unfair that may be. You can definitely get accepted if taking a few science classes at a CC, but it definitely leaves you less room for an issue with the rest of your application. Even if you do prove that you can handle a 4 year school, at many schools you will still be asked about it in the interview. Just like I said, my gf took one science class at a CC, got all A's and one B+ in science courses at her 4 year school, had a good mcat, and a 3.8 cgpa and sgpa, yet was still grilled about taking physics 2 at a CC.

Sounds like she was at a 4 year university and yet took physics II at a community college, which WOULD cause adcoms to raise an eyebrow.

Community college ----> University = acceptable
University ----> Community college = unusual

Adcoms DON'T care if you took prereqs at a community college as long as you have taken upper level science courses at a university and have gotten good grades in them. But taking a course at a community college after matriculating at a university is odd and they will ask you about it.

 

[copon]

My brother just finished dental school and i asked him about his science classes, which are about the same as medical, he was telling me that the cc courses were way harder than the university because the cc tries to copy the university exactly. While the university has the guidelines but goes with what works.

It is too bad, if true, that med schools look down upon cc courses.

That being said if you are already at a very prestigious school i can understand you would have the upper hand in being more competitive. There is nothing unfair about that situation.

 

[mdbound1987]

Sounds like she was at a 4 year university and yet took physics II at a community college, which WOULD cause adcoms to raise an eyebrow.

Community college ----> University = acceptable
University ----> Community college = unusual

Adcoms DON'T care if you took prereqs at a community college as long as you have taken upper level science courses at a university and have gotten good grades in them. But taking a course at a community college after matriculating at a university is odd and they will ask you about it.

Good point. I didn't think about it that way.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Sounds like she was at a 4 year university and yet took physics II at a community college, which WOULD cause adcoms to raise an eyebrow.

Community college ----> University = acceptable
University ----> Community college = unusual

Adcoms DON'T care if you took prereqs at a community college as long as you have taken upper level science courses at a university and have gotten good grades in them. But taking a course at a community college after matriculating at a university is odd and they will ask you about it.

👍

 

[CougarMD]

Sounds like she was at a 4 year university and yet took physics II at a community college, which WOULD cause adcoms to raise an eyebrow.

Community college ----> University = acceptable
University ----> Community college = unusual

Adcoms DON'T care if you took prereqs at a community college as long as you have taken upper level science courses at a university and have gotten good grades in them. But taking a course at a community college after matriculating at a university is odd and they will ask you about it.

Couldn't have said it better!👍

That really was my main point in original post; the OP didn't say what the circumstances were for taking CC courses, and my point was only that it "raises eyebrows" only under certain circumstances. And those circumstances need to be taken into account when giving an answer to this question.

 

[cfx]

My brother just finished dental school and i asked him about his science classes, which are about the same as medical, he was telling me that the cc courses were way harder than the university because the cc tries to copy the university exactly. While the university has the guidelines but goes with what works.

It is too bad, if true, that med schools look down upon cc courses.

That being said if you are already at a very prestigious school i can understand you would have the upper hand in being more competitive. There is nothing unfair about that situation.

I think that this must vary enormously from cc to cc, which might be part of the problem. Where I went to school, people flocked in droves to the local cc to take course such as physics and calc, that had reputations as GPA-killers at the university, and as being much much easier at the cc. A friend of mine took calc at a cc in another state, and said they didn't even cover derivatives or integrals (what the hell DID they cover?!?). I'm sure adcoms are well aware of disparities between curriculum and rigor at many cc's vs. universities. They're also probably well aware of cc's known to have high standards.

I'd be most inclined to agree with morning's post. If you're enrolled in a cc, and hope to eventually transfer to a university, I doubt it would be held against you. If you're just trying to avoid courses at your university by selectively taking them at a cc, it may very well appear that you're trying to take the easy way out. That said, the vast majority of us are lowly premeds stating opinions...you'd be better off contacting an adcom to be certain.

 

[CougarMD]

I think that this must vary enormously from cc to cc, which might be part of the problem. Where I went to school, people flocked in droves to the local cc to take course such as physics and calc, that had reputations as GPA-killers at the university, and as being much much easier at the cc. A friend of mine took calc at a cc in another state, and said they didn't even cover derivatives or integrals (what the hell DID they cover?!?). I'm sure adcoms are well aware of disparities between curriculum and rigor at many cc's vs. universities. They're also probably well aware of cc's known to have high standards.

I'd be most inclined to agree with morning's post. If you're enrolled in a cc, and hope to eventually transfer to a university, I doubt it would be held against you. If you're just trying to avoid courses at your university by selectively taking them at a cc, it may very well appear that you're trying to take the easy way out. That said, the vast majority of us are lowly premeds stating opinions...you'd be better off contacting an adcom to be certain.

It was the abacus version of calc

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

It was the abacus version of calc

Abacus?

 

[BrainBuff]

Well by all means, don't act like your free of rationalization. We are all humans and as such have aspects of pride. Obviously someone who's gone through a over priced 'prestigious' university will be proud of it and defend it. I'm simply saying that the traditional path is not the only way and that deviation from it will not bar you from getting accepted.

Yes, all of those things are indeed getting higher and of course going to a private prestigious university will make your chances all the more higher. But like I said that's not the goal of my post.

But regardless, the mcat is the great equalizer for admissions. Don't for a moment believe that because you go to ( insert grade inflated private institute here) your safe from admissions. They know that if you go to Harvard for example where the average gpa is 3.6; they won't be that impressed by a 3.6.

So in all honesty, going to a private school makes you seem like the child of grade inflation. Just in the same way that you believe that going to a CC is negative for medical school admissions.

I think that your post is extremely disingenuous and you seem to have a rather bizarre bias against private and other elite schools. This does nothing but to continue to spread myths.

The following is a quote from Dr Nancy Nolan, adcom to an ivy league med school:

....."we also consider the quality and reputation of the undergraduate institution. We know that schools and departments differ in academic rigor and that an A from one school is really a B somewhere else. We have a large database of applicants from nearly every four-year college in the US and can easily see the mean and median GPA from your school. We know the level of difficulty you faced. While your performance on the MCAT will also document this, rest assured that the committee considers the academic bias of your school in our admission decision."

This is the advice that we all need to follow. And as far as Harvard, it is not the GPA what is going to impress anyone, it's the institution.

 

[CougarMD]

Abacus?

It was a joke. It is unclear how it is calculus if you don't do derivatives and integrals.
Abacus:

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I think that your post is extremely disingenuous and you seem to have a rather bizarre bias against private and other elite schools. This does nothing but to continue to spread myths.

The following is a quote from Dr Nancy Nolan, adcom to an ivy league med school:

....."we also consider the quality and reputation of the undergraduate institution. We know that schools and departments differ in academic rigor and that an A from one school is really a B somewhere else. We have a large database of applicants from nearly every four-year college in the US and can easily see the mean and median GPA from your school. We know the level of difficulty you faced. While your performance on the MCAT will also document this, rest assured that the committee considers the academic bias of your school in our admission decision."

This is the advice that we all need to follow. And as far as Harvard, it is not the GPA what is going to impress anyone, it's the institution.

Well in all honesty it's not really a bias as much as I personally just find it ridiculous for someone who's goal is graduate school to pay 250k for undergrad. Well that being said, your a victim of your own pride for attending a overpriced institution.
And your post doesn't really disagree with my statement. Most private institutions are so grade inflated that an A at a private school would very likely be a B in a UMD course. ( Of course this is me participating in bias, but hey, I'm only human and I presume you are too).

Have a nice day. ( btw, I hope you realize my post's are laced rather frequently with a bit of humor)

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

It was a joke. It is unclear how it is calculus if you don't do derivatives and integrals.
Abacus:

Goodness I was trying to figure out what the letters meant and forgot to actually read the whole word .

 

[cfx]

I think that your post is extremely disingenuous and you seem to have a rather bizarre bias against private and other elite schools. This does nothing but to continue to spread myths.

The following is a quote from Dr Nancy Nolan, adcom to an ivy league med school:

....."we also consider the quality and reputation of the undergraduate institution. We know that schools and departments differ in academic rigor and that an A from one school is really a B somewhere else. We have a large database of applicants from nearly every four-year college in the US and can easily see the mean and median GPA from your school. We know the level of difficulty you faced. While your performance on the MCAT will also document this, rest assured that the committee considers the academic bias of your school in our admission decision."

This is the advice that we all need to follow. And as far as Harvard, it is not the GPA what is going to impress anyone, it's the institution.

"...an A from one school is really a B somewhere else."

Wha...? How could she possibly make this assumption? Pretty narrow-minded.

It is interesting, though, when you take a look at acceptances on mdapplicants. At the top med schools, top undergrad institutions do seem to predominate.

Anecdotally, a Princeton-grad friend of mine applied to med school with a GPA in the low 3's, and zero (count them...zero) ECs, and still managed to get a decent number of interviews, including top schools.

It was a joke. It is unclear how it is calculus if you don't do derivatives and integrals.

I got it! 🙂

Well that being said, your a victim of your own pride for attending a overpriced institution.
And your post doesn't really disagree with my statement.

Are you saying that, were you to get into Harvard (or sub any top school) UG, you would not do whatever is necessary to find a way to get the money and go?

Is it overpriced? Yes, I'm sure it is. But it's also an incredible opportunity to learn amongst and from some of the brightest minds available.

 

[chman]

OK, so what we are debating, and what the OP's question is are really two different things, not to mention the other issues that have come up here.

The first thing that needs to be considered is whether or not you are a transfer cc student, or a university student who is taking classes at a cc. If you are the first then taking a couple of your pre-reqs at a cc is no big deal. Just make sure to save some for the university so you can demonstrate success at both levels. Now if you are a university student, even if your intentions are good it will look like you are trying to take the easy road (which I don't think it is, but that's a different topic all together).

I have met plenty of people on here who have had success starting out at a cc. I am doing so; I am taking g-chem, physics, and calc at the cc, and leaving orgo and bio for the university. Again, if you can demonstrate success at both levels and have a reason for attending the cc, and started there as a transfer student, it should not be a big deal.

I have noticed that a lot of the people who think that cc's are a death kiss are the people that have never attended one. We are also forgetting about the great equalizer; the MCAT. Don't sweat it OP.

One side note; cc credits are more of an issue at the top ivy schools than anywhere else. If your goal is Harvard, then yes, be a bit weary. But if your aim is any med school, well, go for it. IMO.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

I have always thought that the pre-med coursework grades should be compared with the MCAT. If someone got mostly As in their coursework at a CC and had a 35+ MCAT, it shouldn't matter if the courses were taken at a CC.

 

[cfx]

OT, but several people have referred to the MCAT as an equalizer, but my understanding has always been that it is almost more of a test of logic/reasoning in the framework of the sciences more than how well someone understood the basic science itself. Am I wrong here?

(Note that I haven't taken the test yet, so this is a genuine question)

 

[BrainBuff]

cfx,

"To level the playing field, medical schools are more likely to consider the MCAT scores as more indicative of your performance in comparison to other applicants throughout the country. Admissions views the scores, compares them to the faculty recommendations, and makes an assessment of the applicant's strength compared to others candidates. There are many applicants with excellent grades and references but low test scores.

The perception is a diligent, hardworking student who is probably performing at 100% capacity. These students are probably not brilliant or insightful, just diligent.
MCAT scores are the true equalizer in the admissions process. They back up all of the other evidence in your folder and either support or contradict it. They show your mastery of the material and are an indicator of the strength of your university and professors. Poor performance on them shows you are not competitive with other applicants who aced them ."

 

[JaneAustenFan]

It depends, check with each school you are considering. I took the time to call Stanford, all the UC med schools and Yale and a few DO schools and they all said that taking the preqs at a CC will have no negative impact on your application. An admissions rep at Stanford pointed out that you can normally only take the lower division courses at community colleges any how. There are some schools that don't accept the courses, but you have to check.

 

[jhanago]

It's all about proving your knowledge. Murdering tests like the MCAT in subjects that you took at a CC can show ADCOM's that you learned the same..

For example:

Student 1: Took Orgo series at a CC - Got a 6 on MCAT in that section

Student 2: Took Orgo series at a CC - Got a 13 on MCAT in that section

Obviously, Adcoms can see that student 1 was at a CC for a reason and student 2 could have succeeded at the University level

P.S. I just took my ACS Organic Chemistry exam and got in the 100th percentile. 69/70.. F you admissions committee, I'm every bit as qualified as the kids who could afford to pay their way through universities.

 

[ILikeDrugs]

P.S. I just took my ACS Organic Chemistry exam and got in the 100th percentile. 69/70.. F you admissions committee, I'm every bit as qualified as the kids who could afford to pay their way through universities.

I just finished ochem sequence at a CC, and two people got 70s and someone else got a 69. Pretty sure they cheated though. No way anyone from a CC could do that well. 🙄

 

[FlowRate]

The most common position I've heard (from cali adcomms IIRC) is "If you go to a CC, you need to be the VERY BEST at your CC."

 

[tjquinn]

I took biology, chemistry, physics (calculus-based), and calculus at a community college and was accepted to Medical School (class of 2014). The stigma about community college classes being lower quality is simply not true. In fact, I found this to be quite the opposite.

I have commented on this subject elsewhere, but in short, my community college was NOT curved. Consequently, if you earned a 4.0 then it reflects as a 95%> in a particular course. In comparison, my 4.0s at the University of Washington ranged from 75% to 100% depending on the course. It is my opinion that Medical Schools are aware of the massive grade inflation that occurs at Universities and thus might look favorably on Community College grades.

I should point out that my "excuse" for taking the sciences at a community college was that I was in running-start, and that program is for high school students to take community college courses (as opposed to the academy that allows high school students to take University courses).

 

[chman]

I took biology, chemistry, physics (calculus-based), and calculus at a community college and was accepted to Medical School (class of 2014). The stigma about community college classes being lower quality is simply not true. In fact, I found this to be quite the opposite.

I have commented on this subject elsewhere, but in short, my community college was NOT curved. Consequently, if you earned a 4.0 then it reflects as a 95%> in a particular course. In comparison, my 4.0s at the University of Washington ranged from 75% to 100% depending on the course. It is my opinion that Medical Schools are aware of the massive grade inflation that occurs at Universities and thus might look favorably on Community College grades.

I should point out that my "excuse" for taking the sciences at a community college was that I was in running-start, and that program is for high school students to take community college courses (as opposed to the academy that allows high school students to take University courses).

Hey, I'm planning to transfer to the UW this upcoming year. Would love to ask you a few questions through PM.

 

[tjquinn]

Hey, I'm planning to transfer to the UW this upcoming year. Would love to ask you a few questions through PM.

Sounds good

 

[ThePurpleDuck]

Is it a bad idea to take some random EXTRA (not prereq) math or biology classes at CC to boost sGPA?

 

[Silverman780]

Things are very different now days than when you applied (must have been over 5 years ago, at least)

- Yes. It will hurt you to take CC science courses...or any courses for that matter, because it will make you less competitive.

bullcrap. It won't matter. The stigma of CC being less rigorous than an university is dying. I called a couple of admissions offices and they said as long as the grade is from certified institution within the US they will place no preference if you took pre-reqs at a CC or university.

 

[deleted357625]

I will only be taking BIO 1 and Chm 1 at the community but will this effect my chances at med schools?

No not at all.

It would be fine to take bio 1/2 and chem 1/2, English

Then after you transfer out take physics, Orgo, and upper level science courses.

Just don't take all your prereqs at a CC
And if you do, it's really not a problem anyways.....just make sure to take upper-level science courses at a university to actually prove your ability to handle the course

 

[deleted357625]

Is it a bad idea to take some random EXTRA (not prereq) math or biology classes at CC to boost sGPA?

Nah i don't think it would be a problem, just as long as you take some upper-level courses at a university also just so you can prove you really can handle it.

That's basically all your trying to do, is to show your ability to handle "harder" science courses

 

[leon9]

I went to CC for 3 years and did all my lower division courses [2000 and below..transferred with like 90 credit hours..working on 45 upper divions hours] because the losses from going to the university far outweighed the benefits. I don't think most medical schools would really care as long as you show that you are competent and that you excelled in 3000+ level courses at the university you transferred/went to. I would have had to quit my job because the schedule for all these pre-req classes was so bad. If I had quit my job @ the hospital I wouldn't have done any of the paid clinical research i've done, or the 2k+ hours I have so far working directly with patients [Therapy Tech for an inpatient rehab dept] [i've wiped a few bottoms in my day.. maybe 90 ], the networking with physicians and so much more... It's great now though because since so many people change majors when they hit organic chem the upper division bio/chem courses are fit perfectly into my schedule where i can still squeeze in @ least 25 hours of work + shadowing and research.. I think the MCAT will be the deciding factor. Doesn't matter how good or bad they were at instructing at the community college as long as you were proactive in learning and saying to yourself "hey, maybe I should learn this because I'm gonna need it eventually and if i cant devote myself to a little studying now will i do it later on?" not ... "i hate chemistry/bio/physics so I'll just get a C and take Kaplan or TPR or w/e.. " As for me I learned a crapload on my own just reading the textbooks and being proactive in my education. If I get into medical school or not I will know that I tried as hard as I could and hope that whomever is filling that spot can do it well and with a positive caring attitude.

 

[g8orlife]

Sounds like she was at a 4 year university and yet took physics II at a community college, which WOULD cause adcoms to raise an eyebrow.

Community college ----> University = acceptable
University ----> Community college = unusual

Adcoms DON'T care if you took prereqs at a community college as long as you have taken upper level science courses at a university and have gotten good grades in them. But taking a course at a community college after matriculating at a university is odd and they will ask you about it.

Excellent.

Whenever a pre-med hopeful asks me about this I tell them the exact same thing. There are people who's family/money situation limits them from moving away to a 4-year University for all four years. The most important thing is that you prove yourself with good grades when you do transfer to the more competitive 4-year University.