Re-taking classes, University vs. Community College

[bluesky]

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So I applied this year and, sadly, my chances at getting an interview are decreasing by the day...

So here's to next year! Does anyone know if (in general) classes are weighted less if students re-take them at a community college vs. a university? I hope that raising my GPA will be key for next years application. The community college in my area is waaaaay cheaper (it is also easier, and I know adcoms know that as well). Anyone heard anything?

 

[Ottolove]

I don't think that the classes are weighted less as far as calculating your GPA. I took comm. college classes during high school and my grades have appeared as part of my GPA and science GPA for lots of schools. I think that it would be stronger, though, to enhance your resume/GPA with classes from a university. The point is to communicate that you can handle the classroom portion from vet school so even though your GPA may be higher, I don't know how convincing those classes would be (thanks to the easier curriculum at comm. colleges, as you mentioned). Hope this helps and keep your chin up! 🙂

 

[InfiniVet]

This is a subject thats near and dear to me.

I took 80 hours at my comm college, and have taken 20 hrs at university level. When I switched over to taking university level, my GPA dropped from 3.8 to 3.65. This is my 1st time to apply to vet school and out of 5 schools I applied to, I've gotten 3 interviews so far.

My fiancee just got accepted into 3 dental schools around the nation and he took every single hour at comm college, and only has like 40 hrs because he only took the pre-reqs and nothing else, but has a 4.0.

My thinking so far is that grad schools seem to not care where you went to school, but that you've got the GPA, and the required courses.

I give a big cheers to comm college - by taking classes there I was able to work, unlike university with its horribly ridgid class schedule, and at my comm college the professors worked at both the comm college and at the university and told us they ran the classes exactly the same. I feel very prepared by comm college, and I think adcoms know why people choose comm colleges (flexible class times, smaller classes, substantially cheaper), and couldn't possibly discriminate against that.

If I could complete my degree at comm college, I would, but I can't because my major is Animal Science, so it's university for me now.

 

[mkata]

I think where you go to school counts as the subjective portion of your application. So if you do very well at a community college, then you have the GPA covered no matter what, and then just make sure that your extras are great too.

 

[agr1365]

I would try and take any prerequisites for vet school at a university. However, taking any humanity type courses would be fine at a junior college or community college. A lot of vet schools look at where your courses were taken, but I don't know how much of a factor it really makes when considering you for a seat in their class? In my opinion, be safe, show the admissions committee that you can do well at a 4-year school and I think they are more apt to consider you as a competitive applicant.

 

[Emio]

i lean towards saying "definitely university," based on where you want to go.

my undergrad school explicity told me not to take any biology-related (my major) courses at the community college before attending the 4 year school. as the post above me stated, they suggested taking general requirements, humanity-type classes if i wanted to get ahead. their reasoning was simply that they did not feel community college adequately prepared a student for a rigorous 4 year program. granted, the classes i did take, i thought prepared me just fine for the subsequent classes during undergrad, but i did feel like it was just another high school class, only on a different 'campus.'

whether thats the same for vet schools, i don't know. but that's my experience.

 

[silverelf]

we were always told at my college to take things like humanities and social sciences and other distribution credits at comm college if needed, and we were also told to take physics there over the summer if possible, since its not an "important" pre-req. I was also told by an admissions director at a vet school to NOT retake a course, but rather take an upper division course in that field and do well. For example, if you get Cs in physics, then take a 300 level physics class and do well to prove that you can handle the material. She told me that vet schools (in general) much prefer that to retaking a course. Unless, of course, you got below a C in which case you need to retake it in order for it to count

 

[are_jay]

I'll second what posted--vet school prereqs are better done at a 4-year school. I did a couple of years of community college before I transfered to a 4-year school for my 1st bachelor's degree, and that was fine. So I already had math, chem, and some physics done. I did the rest of my bioscience at a 4-year school. Unfortunately, almost by definition, CC's don't have "upper division science" and that is the sort of work that is important to demonstrate in a competitive environment. That sort of answers the other question, about retaking courses--my impression would be that retaking at CC would be like moving down a level. Also, a lot of ad-com folks tell people to be careful retaking classes, and that it is better to add some more science, perhaps in a similar area but not retaking the same class. I'll stop now before I lose any hint of coherence, been a long day.

 

[CookieBear]

It may depend alot upon where you wish to apply to.

Penn told me last year that I should not take ANY science course at a community college, for example. I think they were OK with a math course there, but not a "science."

 

[mtrl1]

It may depend alot upon where you wish to apply to.

Penn told me last year that I should not take ANY science course at a community college, for example. I think they were OK with a math course there, but not a "science."

Hmmm, that's interesting. I spent a lot of time at my JC before transferring, and completed my chem, math, and general bio requirements there. It was a fabulous JC and I certainly wouldn't be a chem major at UC Davis now if I hadn't had such a great o-chem experience there. So even with all my A's in upper division biochem, genetics, micro, labs and o-chem classes, they might frown at my JC classes?

mtrl01
UC Davis Class of 2007, Chemistry