Review my Pre-med plan

[rangerdad]

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Stats:
31 yrs
14 years military vet.
Puerto Rican
Enrolled in Community College
Biology Major
Full-time student
Volunteer with Pre-Health Conference,
American Legion,
Daughter's Elementary School,
Searching for shadowing opportunities,
Goal: Transfer to a 4 yrs institution in Fall 2016

Fall Term 2014- All of them except SOC300 are pre-requisites. What you think about MATH110 and MATH120 in the same semester. Need to do it to finish on the timeline.


CHEM 300 Beginning Chemistry


ENGWR 300 College Composition


MATH 110 Elementary Geometry


MATH 120 Introduction Algebra


SOC 300 Introductory Sociology


Spring Term 2015- Completing CHEM400 and MATH335 allows me to start BIO.


CHEM 400 General Chemistry


COMM 305 Oral Interpretation


ENGWR 301College Composition and Literature


MATH 335 Trigonometry with Algebra


PHIL 300 Introduction to Philosophy


Summer Term 2015- Trying to stay in time-line. Don't know if MATH350 is offered in the Summer


BIOL 402 Cell and Molecular Biology


CHEM 401General Chemistry


MATH 350 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences I


Fall Term 2015 - What are you experiences taking BIO, MATH, CHEM etc... in the same semester?


BIOL 412 Plant Biology


CHEM 425 Organic Chemistry with Biological Emphasis


MATH 351 Calculus for the Life and Social Sciences II


PSYC 300 General Principles


Spring Term 2016- Advisor said to take PHYS in the community college but I prefer to transfer and complete PHYS and INORG. CHEM at the 4yr institution.


BIOL 422 Animal Biology


CHEM 426 Organic Chemistry with Biological Emphasis


HUM 310 Modern Humanities


MATH 352 Calculus for Biology and Medicine

 

[Mars41]

Be cautious of any uniquely titled courses such as plant and animal biology.

Stick to gen bio, gen chem, physics and orgo. 2 semesters of each and make sure you do them with labs. Pretty much the standard for most med schools. I would just do your prereqs to save $ and time.

Set aside 3 months to study for MCAT and and apply early in the application cycle.

Good luck with everything and thank you for your service to our country.

 

[kraskadva]

Question:
Do you have a bachelor's degree already and are reviewing/finishing med school pre-reqs? Or is this to complete a 1st bachelors (as well as cover the med school pre-reqs)?

 

[Mars41]

PS... The DO route is very non-trad friendly if you are not opposed to that medical philosophy.

 

[Mars41]

Thanks for pointing that out @kraskadva. I was assuming you had 90+ credits.

 

[rangerdad]

Thanks for all the advice. This is the beginning. These are the credits I need before transferring to a four yr. college. I have been researching and planning for the last eight month, but until I enrolled and sat down to write my plan, I didn't realize how many science and math classes I will have to take in the same semester in order to transfer on time.

 

[Mars41]

Just make sure you don't over do it with your course load considering your other comittments. Two A's is better than three B's.

Good luck and keep us all updated on your progress.

 

[kraskadva]

I second this ^^^
Your first semester looks like a good mix of intro classes. Algebra and geometry together don't sound awful to me, but that may be a personal thing. There won't be much overlap between them.
Just make sure you stay on top of everything- i.e. don't wait til after the test to go to office hours or the school's tutoring service, go as soon as you hit something in lecture or homework that confuses you. I went every week my first semester back in school and it was super helpful in getting me on my feet academically and making sure I had the fundamentals down pat. Also be willing to drop a class if it's feeling like too much. Much better to get all As (but fewer classes) than all Bs or worse. Adding another semester or another year is never the end of the world.

Beyond the first semester, I won't give much advice, since it would depend on how you do this semester. All I'll say is, take it a pace that seems challenging but do-able to you.
Best of luck 🙂

 

[rangerdad]

I really appreciate all your advices. This is my full time job so I will be at school most of the day. I will seek guidance and help as soon as I identify a problem.

As per dropping a class I hope I do not have too do it, but I know the option is there.

I learned that my school lets me apply for one class per semester as a PASS/FAIL course, but I will need to apply before the fifth week is over.

What do you think about this course of action? Do I chose a class that is not part of my SGPA? The prerequisite classes? A subject that I'm weak on (Composition)? Or better to W than this option? Maybe to add an easy requirement in which I do t need to spent a lot of effort getting a C?

 

[kraskadva]

I really appreciate all your advices. This is my full time job so I will be at school most of the day. I will seek guidance and help as soon as I identify a problem.

As per dropping a class I hope I do not have too do it, but I know the option is there.

I learned that my school lets me apply for one class per semester as a PASS/FAIL course, but I will need to apply before the fifth week is over.

What do you think about this course of action? Do I chose a class that is not part of my SGPA? The prerequisite classes? A subject that I'm weak on (Composition)? Or better to W than this option? Maybe to add an easy requirement in which I do t need to spent a lot of effort getting a C?

well, neither pass-fail nor W are used in the gpa calculation for AMCAS. So gpa-wise, either is the same.
However, if you have a large string of Ws, you may be asked to explain this later. Also, you do not want to do p/f for pre-reqs, as these grades are important for schools to compare you with everyone else, so you really want to be able to show them these As. Composition is one I would count as a pre-req, since many schools have a English requirement and because you need to have your readings and writing skills at top notch for both the MCAT and for all the essays you'll have to write for the app.
Other classes though, that are only degree requirements and seem fairly easy to you (I.e. you won't be risking a F, but an A would take a lot of work), this might be a way to save some time in the semester. Still though, my opinion is that it would be better to take one less class and have all As. But it's up to you.