A few questions, just finished up my first year at a community college here in California. I am majoring in business yet I have some room to knock out some prerequisites for med school as well. Academically I am motivated to complete the prerequisites and feel like I am on the right track. I finished with straight As both semester and one B in Calc II. Anyways, at this point the only class I can take is Chem or OChem at the community college next semester, but I heard the series of classes has to be taken consecutively. This may be an issue and I don't know which class to tackle first in the scheme of having to take them at a University instead. Any advice or insight?
Prerequisites at a community college
- Thread starter gibson777
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You have to take Gen Chem 1 and 2 before Organic Chem 1 and 2 since they build on each other. Make sure those classes transfer to the university you are going to. You can take gen chem at the cc then organic at he university. Or you can take them all at the cc. Doesn't matter.
Also, make sure that you look at the prereqs for the 2015 MCAT, since they are changing.
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Some schools don't accept community college courses, while others do not look upon them favorably. I would try to take your science pre-reqs at a 4-year college if possible. If not, I would look into which med schools are sticklers about that.
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This may be worth looking into a little more. And it highly depends on your own situation.
I went to a 4-year university right out of high school, but I wish I had gone to the local community college. Any med school I've asked said it didn't matter to them. It would have saved me thousands of dollars in the end.
Lots of students go to community colleges for various reasons that keep them from being able to attend a university right off. I would think adcoms know this and can understand.
The above poster does have a point in that there are SOME med school who will not accept CC credits for prereqs. Those that tend to look down on them, but will still accept them, may be persuaded if you take upper level courses in those subjects at a university.
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This is what I found from a quick search, from SUNY Upstate:
"Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two pre-requisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges."
My advice was to take the pre-reqs at a 4-year college, not necessarily enroll full-time and complete a degree there. I did my post-bac at a public school in NY, having not completed the pre-reqs during regular undergrad, and it was VERY affordable once I became a resident of NY -- in line with community college tuition. Look into your state school if possible.
"Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two pre-requisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges."
My advice was to take the pre-reqs at a 4-year college, not necessarily enroll full-time and complete a degree there. I did my post-bac at a public school in NY, having not completed the pre-reqs during regular undergrad, and it was VERY affordable once I became a resident of NY -- in line with community college tuition. Look into your state school if possible.
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You can take your pre requisites at a community college. If you want to transfer and your major, for example is biology, you have to those take those med school pre reqs to transfer. At least that's how it works in California.
Yes there are some schools who look down upon them but again most schools will understand that not everyone can go to a 4 year straight from high school.
This topic has been discussed numerous times and I believe the general response is to not take them if you are already enrolled in a 4 year as adcoms will think you are taking courses the "easy" way.
Yes there are some schools who look down upon them but again most schools will understand that not everyone can go to a 4 year straight from high school.
This topic has been discussed numerous times and I believe the general response is to not take them if you are already enrolled in a 4 year as adcoms will think you are taking courses the "easy" way.
Well from my research on here most seem to agree that it doesn't matter where you take them, albeit some believing it was in the past. Either way, unless I stayed at CC for a 3rd, which I don't see any reason for, I think I'd only be knocking out Chem and still responsible for the other prereqs at the 4 year. I am more than likely going to be transferring to a UC and I know they accept the "Pre Med' classes from my college.
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Good back up degree.
What area of business are you planning to go into? (BTW stay away from business management major, there is too many people out there with this degree that can't find a job). I don't know if you want to follow how I'm gonna do it, but I'm planning start taking most of my pre-reqs in my junior year, so the material would be fresh in my mind. But I have already took bio already.Good back up degree.
Well degree wise my classes fall under Business Admin but because of all the classes I've already taken/different school requirements, I'll be able to apply as Business Admin, Business Econ and Econ/Accounting depending on where I apply. I figured this was a good back up as well and I didn't want to be stuck with a Bio degree if things didn't work out.
