School-specific prerequisites, enforced?

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

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Hello all,

I'd searched for this one, and couldn't find any info under past threads.

The question is about the many schools that have slightly different prerequisite requirements, I saw one recently that requires a year of biochem, one school requires an advanced bio course, some schools seem to require more english courses, math, etc.

If a school accepts an applicant, do they typically enforce their own prerequisite requirements prior to matriculation, does this vary by school, do they typically make exceptions if other advanced science coursework has been completed or is this considered on a case by case basis? I'm only referring to courses beyond the typical 1 yr ochem/gen chem/physics/bio.

i.e. with a high vr mcat score, 2 semesters of english comp seems not essential I would guess?

thanks!

 

[buffdoc]

Hello all,

I'd searched for this one, and couldn't find any info under past threads.

The question is about the many schools that have slightly different prerequisite requirements, I saw one recently that requires a year of biochem, one school requires an advanced bio course, some schools seem to require more english courses, math, etc.

If a school accepts an applicant, do they typically enforce their own prerequisite requirements prior to matriculation, does this vary by school, do they typically make exceptions if other advanced science coursework has been completed or is this considered on a case by case basis? I'm only referring to courses beyond the typical 1 yr ochem/gen chem/physics/bio.

i.e. with a high vr mcat score, 2 semesters of english comp seems not essential I would guess?

thanks!

In most cases you will not get a secondary application if you do not meet all of the school's requirements. If you do get a secondary application based on classes listed as Present or Future on your AMCAS application, they will verify that they were satisfactorily completed prior to matriculation. To see about special case exceptions, I would call the admissions office at the school in question.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

In most cases you will not get a secondary application if you do not meet all of the school's requirements. If you do get a secondary application based on classes listed as Present or Future on your AMCAS application, they will verify that they were satisfactorily completed prior to matriculation. To see about special case exceptions, I would call the admissions office at the school in question.

Thanks, that would make sense, just curious if anyone had experience with this as I'm applying broadly & don't want to bug each office with this question, yet. I can finish some courses over that final summer, but am trying to avoid having to take 6 courses over a 10 week summer session or something silly.

Last year I rec'd secondaries to quite a few schools that screened (I recall Oregon, UIC, Iowa, don't recall other names), where I lacked numerous prerequs such as gen chem 1, english comp 2, physics 2, as well as a few school-specific prerequs like biochem & the advanced bio course required by UIC, no school mentioned the lack of courses at any point during the app process, nor did they in "admissions counseling" later. (I think UIC required a year of psychology even?)

ps I've now completed genchem 1, physics 2, cell & molec bio, a&p which hopefully wil be enough for most schools. thx!

 

[Law2Doc]

Hello all,

I'd searched for this one, and couldn't find any info under past threads.

The question is about the many schools that have slightly different prerequisite requirements, I saw one recently that requires a year of biochem, one school requires an advanced bio course, some schools seem to require more english courses, math, etc.

If a school accepts an applicant, do they typically enforce their own prerequisite requirements prior to matriculation, does this vary by school, do they typically make exceptions if other advanced science coursework has been completed or is this considered on a case by case basis? I'm only referring to courses beyond the typical 1 yr ochem/gen chem/physics/bio.

i.e. with a high vr mcat score, 2 semesters of english comp seems not essential I would guess?

thanks!

Schools do enforce their own prereqs, and usually do so fairly inflexibly. You will have to have them done prior to matriculation, so you may be able to squeeze one in the summer before you start if you have to. (so you will still generally get secondaries, but the schools will expect you to have a plan as to how you plan to finish up the necessary courses before you start). The verbal score has nothing to do with english composition. School in particular tend to be sticklers about students having the requisite english courses before matriculation -- I know of folks for whom a literature course not offered by an english department did not count as english, and folks who worked in careers which were writing/publishing intense who still had to take those courses.. And I know of no one who got the english requirements waived because of a high MCAT score. MCAT is not meant to be a substitution for coursework -- it is merely a yardstick by which applicants can be prepared. If you want to attend a school that has additional prereqs, you have to plan on taking those prereqs. sorry.

 

[QofQuimica]

Schools do enforce their own prereqs, and usually do so fairly inflexibly. You will have to have them done prior to matriculation, so you may be able to squeeze one in the summer before you start if you have to. (so you will still generally get secondaries, but the schools will expect you to have a plan as to how you plan to finish up the necessary courses before you start). The verbal score has nothing to do with english composition. School in particular tend to be sticklers about students having the requisite english courses before matriculation -- I know of folks for whom a literature course not offered by an english department did not count as english, and folks who worked in careers which were writing/publishing intense who still had to take those courses.. And I know of no one who got the english requirements waived because of a high MCAT score. MCAT is not meant to be a substitution for coursework -- it is merely a yardstick by which applicants can be prepared. If you want to attend a school that has additional prereqs, you have to plan on taking those prereqs. sorry.

Agree with you, L2D, except that I think you meant to say that the MCAT is a yardstick by which applicants can be *compared*. 😛

OP, I was able to get several schools to waive the *age limit* of my pre-reqs based on my graduate coursework and MCAT scores. However, I had taken all of the med school pre-reqs in college (plus literature, psych, genetics, biochem, and calculus, which are required by some schools), so it was not viewed the same as if I had never taken the pre-req. If you have never taken a course that is required by a school, you basically are going to have two choices: take the course before you apply, or take the course after you apply but before you matriculate. Unfortunately, until you get your first acceptance, the way the admissions game works is that they tell you to jump, and you ask how high. There are just too many great candidates out there who meet all the requirements and then some.

 

[Law2Doc]

Agree with you, L2D, except that I think you meant to say that the MCAT is a yardstick by which applicants can be *compared*. 😛

Yeah, that's the problem with trying to type and think of other things at the same time. And another good reason for those mandatory english courses. 🙂

 

[Mobius1985]

(I think UIC required a year of psychology even?)

About three years ago UIC imposed a new requirement of three behavioral science classes for med school admission. As recently as last year, they were being fairly liberal about what classes would complete that requirement on a case-by-case basis for some. Now that the requirement is no longer "new" they may be more rigid, but calling the admissions office would be the only way to know for sure.