Retaking classes at CC?

[Emmee]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I'm sorry if this question was asked already, but I just had a question about re-taking classes at a community college vs. 4 year university.

I would like to retake some classes, but doing so at the university will be very expensive. Do you think it'd be alright to retake these classes at a CC even though it may be "looked down" upon by admission committees? The cost is a huge factor, though.

I'm studying hard for the MCAT right now and I'm aiming for above a 30. My gpa isn't so great at the moment, but nobody wants to hear a sob story. Haha, but I guess my main question is, is taking a few classes at a CC alright post-undergrad? If you did this and it proved to help you in your endeavors, would you mind sharing with me?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I'm sorry if this question was asked already, but I just had a question about re-taking classes at a community college vs. 4 year university.

I would like to retake some classes, but doing so at the university will be very expensive. Do you think it'd be alright to retake these classes at a CC even though it may be "looked down" upon by admission committees? The cost is a huge factor, though.

I'm studying hard for the MCAT right now and I'm aiming for above a 30. My gpa isn't so great at the moment, but nobody wants to hear a sob story. Haha, but I guess my main question is, is taking a few classes at a CC alright post-undergrad? If you did this and it proved to help you in your endeavors, would you mind sharing with me?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

personally i would say most definitely not. taking classes at a CC is one issue, but REtaking classes at a community college with a poor GPA would bring into question your entire undergrad. if you do well it is automatically going to look like you can't handle a university. i think you need to bite the bullet and shell out the money because they are retakes. you need to show you can handle med school.

 

[TriagePreMed]

It depends on what kind of re-take we are talking about. If it's just a few non-prereq courses, that may be okay, but if you're re-doing prereqs, like the person above said, they will be questioned heavily.

 

[Emmee]

Well, it'd be retaking a pre-req class I received a C in (my university doesn't allow retakes with a C)... but this pre-req class would be a class I did well in the other 2 quarters (I got a B- and an A- the first two quarters of physics [b- was due to overloading myself w/ too many things], but a C in the last installment of the series due to some health issues...

I guess the inexcusable one would be to retake my systemic physiology class at a CC. I did really well on the first two exams, but bombed the final because my mom got sick (had a large scare because it was thought she had cancer prior to the operation)...but basically, things happened..it's no excuse...but that's also why my grades are like that...

 

[Emmee]

oh, yeah, so I also received a C in physiology class. Was really working for that A, but yeah...family came first

 

[Chowda]

personally i would say most definitely not. taking classes at a CC is one issue, but REtaking classes at a community college with a poor GPA would bring into question your entire undergrad. if you do well it is automatically going to look like you can't handle a university. i think you need to bite the bullet and shell out the money because they are retakes. you need to show you can handle med school.

I don't see anything wrong with retaking classes at a CC. All of my bad grades came freshman year and even though I ended up with As and Bs in my upper divs, my GPA was still low by the time i graduated so I decided to retake a few at a CC. With my good performance in upper divs and strong MCAT (30+), it was quite clear to the adcoms that I could "handle" med school. The adcoms never criticized me for retaking classes at a CC, but liked how I was being active about my application by working on my weakpoints. They'll understand that retaking classes at a 4 year institution may be financially difficult. It would have been $230 per unit at my university, vs $17 at the local CC - I really didn't have a choice.
That being said, I would definitely focus on your MCAT. After all, GPA varies from school to school, class to class, professor to professor, whereas the MCAT is standardized. There's plenty of ways to show them you can "handle" med school, and retaking classes at a CC won't put into question your entire undergrad.
Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to re-take classes at a CC. Kill the MCAT. (seriously though, kill that kitty)

 

[denco88]

I'm sorry if this question was asked already, but I just had a question about re-taking classes at a community college vs. 4 year university.

I would like to retake some classes, but doing so at the university will be very expensive. Do you think it'd be alright to retake these classes at a CC even though it may be "looked down" upon by admission committees? The cost is a huge factor, though.

I'm studying hard for the MCAT right now and I'm aiming for above a 30. My gpa isn't so great at the moment, but nobody wants to hear a sob story. Haha, but I guess my main question is, is taking a few classes at a CC alright post-undergrad? If you did this and it proved to help you in your endeavors, would you mind sharing with me?

Thanks for your help! 🙂

I think your best bet is to post something like this in the what are my chances forum and hope that Lizzy M or Catalystik answer.. They really seem to know what they are talking about and most likely will be able to give you better answers than all of us! 🙂

 

[TriagePreMed]

physiology is not a prerequisite, whereas physics is. Of preference would be to retake the physics at a 4 year, but you may slide with the fact that it was a 3rd quarter class.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

I don't see anything wrong with retaking classes at a CC. All of my bad grades came freshman year and even though I ended up with As and Bs in my upper divs, my GPA was still low by the time i graduated so I decided to retake a few at a CC. With my good performance in upper divs and strong MCAT (30+), it was quite clear to the adcoms that I could "handle" med school. The adcoms never criticized me for retaking classes at a CC, but liked how I was being active about my application by working on my weakpoints. They'll understand that retaking classes at a 4 year institution may be financially difficult. It would have been $230 per unit at my university, vs $17 at the local CC - I really didn't have a choice.
That being said, I would definitely focus on your MCAT. After all, GPA varies from school to school, class to class, professor to professor, whereas the MCAT is standardized. There's plenty of ways to show them you can "handle" med school, and retaking classes at a CC won't put into question your entire undergrad.
Moral of the story: Don't be afraid to re-take classes at a CC. Kill the MCAT. (seriously though, kill that kitty)

cool. i stand mistaken.

 

[kkw002]

I didn't know you can retake classes at CC. How do you do that? I tried but the counselors at CC said I could not retake classes with grades C- or above. Am I misunderstanding something? Please let me know before I spend another $4000 on open university.

 

[TriagePreMed]

I didn't know you can retake classes at CC. How do you do that? I tried but the counselors at CC said I could not retake classes with grades C- or above. Am I misunderstanding something? Please let me know before I spend another $4000 on open university.

Different schools have different policies. My community college lets you re-take a class under certain conditions. One of them is if you took the course 3+ years ago. You still have to petition for it, though. I think there's another exception for folks that need it for work/career advancement needs. "Career advancement" is quite a gray term, but it may be worth it to throw in an application for exception. Just read your CC's policy on re-take.

 

[kkw002]

Different schools have different policies. My community college lets you re-take a class under certain conditions. One of them is if you took the course 3+ years ago. You still have to petition for it, though. I think there's another exception for folks that need it for work/career advancement needs. "Career advancement" is quite a gray term, but it may be worth it to throw in an application for exception. Just read your CC's policy on re-take.

oh wow good to know, will definitely check out all the local CCs around my area. Thanks!

 

[Sinfest]

I retook three classes at a CC after graduating from a UC. I was never asked about it during my interviews.

Just as long as you're not taking a large amount of classes at a CC, I think you should be fine.

Good luck 🙂

 

[CopToEM]

A community college in general doesn't damn you to anything. In fact, I took about 50 credits at a community college before transferring to a 4-year institution. My reasoning? I was dead broke. I was working at the community college at the time and was offered free tuition - why would I not attend?

Additionally, many of the faculty that I had during my time taking classes at the community college were adjunct faculty from the 4-year university I finished my degree at.

I understand the stigma that surrounds community colleges. This is where, as was said before, the MCAT comes into play. Now, with that said, the only pre-reqs I took at the community college were Gen Bio and Gen Chem - both of which were surprisingly challenging. The rest was an array of gen eds.

So, I guess in summary, taking classes at a community college is OK in my book. Prove yourself in upper-level courses at your transfer institution and exhibit a knowledge of the material on the MCAT. Do those two things and I doubt many AdComs would skip a beat.

 

[drpierre]

Im not sure where the sterotype against CC started but I know many doctors who have started college at a CC. Even though the "norm" is to go to a 4 year college then medical school there are plenty who start at doing the first two years and transferring.

I personally dont think admission counselors are really taking points off for doing it else where because if I got a C in biochem @ FSU and someone got an A at a CC, why would they rank mines higher.

 

[st2205]

I got a C- in chem 2, a W the next time I took it (would have had 24 credits otherwise and some grad courses, so it wasn't for slacking) then retook it online through the CC due to scheduling. Never got asked about it, but there also weren't any other flags on my application.

 

[maybreak]

Bottom line:

It's fine.

I had plenty of CC courses on my transcript. I have a good MCAT, a so-so GPA. I had good interviews and in others I got grilled. But you know what? NOBODY asked about the fact some of my retakes were at a CC. I'm batting 3/5 interviews/acceptances with that last 1/5 still to go!

People get too hung up on minor things re: reputation. I guess that's the premed mentality though! Ha!

 

[CopToEM]

Im not sure where the sterotype against CC started but I know many doctors who have started college at a CC. Even though the "norm" is to go to a 4 year college then medical school there are plenty who start at doing the first two years and transferring.

For some, this is the only way that college is even a possibility. I also know many doctors who started college at a CC and that is both DO's and MD's. Some of the best professors and some of my most rigorous education was at my local community college.

 

[Catalystik]

I guess my main question is, is taking a few classes at a CC alright post-undergrad?

Yes.

 

[Fay8]

Hey,

I'm actually doing the same thing. Graduated in '08, now taking a few courses at a CC. I actually emailed one of the schools I was interested in and they told me it was fine.

On a side note, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of my profs at the CC. Small class size, the prof actually teaches the lecture and lab. No discussion. Coming from a huge, competitive undergrad.. it was a nice change.

If you're concerned, I'd recommend contacting the school(s) you're interested in.

Best,

Fay

 

[thomasfx10]

I have to add that some people (such as myself) graduated from a Christian college that did not offer all the science classes. In addition, taking Post Bach classes at a Uni is about $2K a class here in Dallas compared to $200 at a community college.

Note: If you do take some of your sciences at a CC you better do well.