mini-mesters

[Zhang Ji]

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I am resigned to taking my post-bacc courses at the local community college. I actually started yesterday. (I had a few hurdles to jump through: even though I have a BA from Cornell University, the advisor could not place me in a general bio class because she had no evidence that I can write and read competently. So I had to go to the head of the department for an over-ride ). <end complaint>
The school offers "mini-mester" courses all year round, as well as full semester courses. Which if any pre-reqs could I do in a shorter format without hurting my later MCAT prep?

 

[Meatwad]

The hells a mini-mester? Do you get full credit for the course, or are you just taking these as refreshers?

Don't skimp when it comes to physics, that's for sure.

 

[DrMidlife]

Most med schools require basic sciences to include labs, and they want a full year of each (physics, genchem, ochem, bio) in addition to varying amounts of math, stats, humanities, psych, etc.

So that's one metric: do these mini-mester classes include labs? If you take the full sequence, does it add up to a year?

Another metric to use is whether the mini-mester classes are accepted as prereqs for upper div science classes. So if the CC you're at has some upper-div classes, see if mini-mester classes are listed as adequate preparation. If there's a 4yr university around, see if that university lists the mini-mester classes as acceptable for transfer. (My univ has a list of class equivalencies for all the state CCs.)

Another way to tell is if the textbook is the same as the regular premed courses.

Another way (and then I'll stop) is to check the course syllabi against the AAMC published list of MCAT topics.

My univ offers a full "year" of ochem during the summer, but you have to do the labs separately during regular terms. This "year" is the lower-tier ochem course and it's arguably good enough for med school prep.

And I know you don't want to hear it, but if you look at a variety of med school websites, you'll see that taking your sciences at a CC isn't recommended...

Best of luck to you.

 

[Zhang Ji]

Thanks for the input. As far as I know, the courses are for example 10 weeks instead of 15, but carry the same credit load. I'll check against those very insightful metrics.

I'm getting mixed messages on the CC issue. I'm not slumming on hiatus from a top-notch university, which I know is frowned upon. I am teaching two classes, a series of seminars, and maintaining a full verging on waiting list acupuncture practice. My wife homeschools, and does not work outside the home, so it's really the only option right now.