Pre-reqs at multiple schools?

[lilylooloo]

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Does anyone happen to know if taking my pre-req classes at multiple schools will count against me with the admissions committees? I want to take all my pre-reqs at a SUNY school to save myself money, but they only allow you to take 12 credits as non-degree seeking student. I have all the required sciences to take, meaning I'd have to take classes at 2 or 3 different SUNY schools. Thankfully there are at least 3 within driving distance.

 

[ChairmanMao]

Does anyone happen to know if taking my pre-req classes at multiple schools will count against me with the admissions committees? I want to take all my pre-reqs at a SUNY school to save myself money, but they only allow you to take 12 credits as non-degree seeking student. I have all the required sciences to take, meaning I'd have to take classes at 2 or 3 different SUNY schools. Thankfully there are at least 3 within driving distance.

It depends. If all the schools that you took your pre-reqs from are on the same level, then no, medical schools will usually not count it against you.

That being said, I have heard stories of how premed students from schools like Johns Hopkins, Duke, Cornell, MIT, etc. try to take all their pre-req classes at state schools in hopes of upping their GPA. Usually, the admissions committee catch on to that and it certainly doesn't reflect positively on their application. What I mean to say is that it's OK to take pre-reqs at multiple schools, but if you're doing it to avoid the more difficult premed curriculum at your home institution, then I'm afraid that it does somewhat reflect negatively on your application.

 

[Pemberley]

Does anyone happen to know if taking my pre-req classes at multiple schools will count against me with the admissions committees? I want to take all my pre-reqs at a SUNY school to save myself money, but they only allow you to take 12 credits as non-degree seeking student. I have all the required sciences to take, meaning I'd have to take classes at 2 or 3 different SUNY schools. Thankfully there are at least 3 within driving distance.

My pre-reqs were from 4 different schools. Nobody ever commented. N=1.

 

[SCrook]

I'm in the same boat. My undergrad was UCLA, I took some pre-reqs but wasn't that focused on the premed thing. Didn't decide on medicine for sure until the last couple quarters of my senior year and a subsequent internship I didn't like in my major field (geography/environmental science). I went straight into finishing my pre-reqs at San Diego State.

The frustrating thing is it may look like I'm taking the easy way out... but the classes here aren't really easier than the pre-req classes at UCLA. There are a lot more dumb people... but they just fail. I feel like the curve for the top and the cut off for A's and B's is at about the same level. I'm getting A's now because I'm more focused than before (when I got mostly B's). So yeah... I HOPE they don't count it against us!

 

[Lil Mick]

I ended up at several schools for my pre-recs. I was about fourteen when I started school and wanted to do science so I took requirements for a degree at a community college to live at home for a while. I transferred when my family moved--a better school that time. After taking some time off and deciding on medicine, I went to a similar good school and took upper level classes to show that I could handle difficult classes.
During interviews, my transcripts presented problems, as several people took my leave of absence and fulfillment of prerecs at a community school as a bad sign. I had to clarify my age and my situation at several schools. However, except for two places, they seemed to be okay with it.