Should I take CC classes?

[k12123]

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I'm an incoming freshman and i was wondering if i should take at least one CC class over the summer. I'd like to take college algebra and possibly spanish. Is this idea practical? In a sense that it would help me in the future? Thanks.

 

[2050vlsb]

I'm an incoming freshman and i was wondering if i should take at least one CC class over the summer. I'd like to take college algebra and possibly spanish. Is this idea practical? In a sense that it would help me in the future? Thanks.

You can take JC classes in the summer to help finish some of the reqs that you might not want to do at your four year. I'm assuming you haven't declared a major yet, but start off with a four year plan and figure out how many classes and electives you have/want to take, and whether you can finish them in four years. If you find taking a class during the summer will help, go for it. Just make sure its at an accredited JC and that the credits will transfer.

I don't know what you mean about practical ... but a lot of students, premed and otherwise, take JC classes during the summer. However, it's not going to have any kind of a significant impact on your app for med school, if that's where you're going.

 

[k12123]

You can take JC classes in the summer to help finish some of the reqs that you might not want to do at your four year. I'm assuming you haven't declared a major yet, but start off with a four year plan and figure out how many classes and electives you have/want to take, and whether you can finish them in four years. If you find taking a class during the summer will help, go for it. Just make sure its at an accredited JC and that the credits will transfer.

I don't know what you mean about practical ... but a lot of students, premed and otherwise, take JC classes during the summer. However, it's not going to have any kind of a significant impact on your app for med school, if that's where you're going.

The reason why I wanna take college algebra at a CC is because I want to make my advancement in math as early as possible. I'm starting in a lower level, and I would like to get to calc as fast as I can. Plus, if i cant find a physician to shadow, i guess this would be a great way to spend my free time.

 

[the duck]

The reason why I wanna take college algebra at a CC is because I want to make my advancement in math as early as possible. I'm starting in a lower level, and I would like to get to calc as fast as I can. Plus, if i cant find a physician to shadow, i guess this would be a great way to spend my free time.

This sounds like both a good idea, and a practical one 🙂

Just an FYI math over the summer means a lot of math each day! Community college or not.

 

[k12123]

Just an FYI math over the summer means a lot of math each day! Community college or not.

As that said, is college algebra challenging? I mean afterall, it is a lower level math. I imagine it's like algebra 1 back in hs?

 

[2050vlsb]

The reason why I wanna take college algebra at a CC is because I want to make my advancement in math as early as possible. I'm starting in a lower level, and I would like to get to calc as fast as I can. Plus, if i cant find a physician to shadow, i guess this would be a great way to spend my free time.

In that regard, yes taking some of your lower level math classes earlier will definitely will get you up to calculus faster than if you were taking all your math classes at a JC.

Difficulty will vary based on the instructor and institution, but I would assume it shouldn't be too rigorous, even if you don't have too much experience with math. Check the course catalog and read the description

 

[the duck]

As that said, is college algebra challenging? I mean afterall, it is a lower level math. I imagine it's like algebra 1 back in hs?

This depends a lot on the school. While some CCs are jokes, others have difficult classes, and good teachers. When I took pre-calc at a CC, it took a lot of work to get an A, it wasn't a walk in the park, to say the least.

 

[StudyShy]

It sounds like a good idea. It will hellp you get caught up in some math, but don't assume that it will be easy just because it is at a cc.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[deleted357625]

I'm an incoming freshman and i was wondering if i should take at least one CC class over the summer. I'd like to take college algebra and possibly spanish. Is this idea practical? In a sense that it would help me in the future? Thanks.

Yes it is fine to do that, a lot of people do it

 

[chen an zu]

In my experience, CC classes were harder, required more work, and had more helpful faculty than 4 year schools.

My 4 year school requires I pay ten times the cost for every paper I print and the network is on a total lock down. The professors say "LOL NO 2 BIZY" when asked for letters of rec for scholarships. The classes are taught by students who show up hungover at 8 AM going, "IS IT TOO EARLY FOR ANYONE ELSE HERE? ONLY ME? LOL..."

My CC experience? Every professor taught their class. They were superbly professional and helpful instructors. They would write a 4 page letter of rec on a 1 hour notice from a Sunday. They develop personal relationships with you by design. The internet and facilities are open and they operate on an honor system. A student ID isn't even necessary to use a computer and print off 50 pages.

While getting a degree from a CC allowed for logical negotiations of credit swapping and testing out of certain classes, my four year school required I adhere to a concrete beaurocratic degree path that allowed no room for logical negotiating of any kind to the point where I was required to take Biology 1 before being allowed to take any other biology classes when I matriculated with credits in genetics, endocrinology, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, etc. Absolutely stupid.

 

[Musclemass]

In my experience, CC classes were harder, required more work, and had more helpful faculty than 4 year schools.

My 4 year school requires I pay ten times the cost for every paper I print and the network is on a total lock down. The professors say "LOL NO 2 BIZY" when asked for letters of rec for scholarships. The classes are taught by students who show up hungover at 8 AM going, "IS IT TOO EARLY FOR ANYONE ELSE HERE? ONLY ME? LOL..."

My CC experience? Every professor taught their class. They were superbly professional and helpful instructors. They would write a 4 page letter of rec on a 1 hour notice from a Sunday. They develop personal relationships with you by design. The internet and facilities are open and they operate on an honor system. A student ID isn't even necessary to use a computer and print off 50 pages.

While getting a degree from a CC allowed for logical negotiations of credit swapping and testing out of certain classes, my four year school required I adhere to a concrete beaurocratic degree path that allowed no room for logical negotiating of any kind to the point where I was required to take Biology 1 before being allowed to take any other biology classes when I matriculated with credits in genetics, endocrinology, microbiology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, etc. Absolutely stupid.

This isn't a story that supports how terrific your CC was, but rather it sounds more like the problem is that your 4 year school sucks.

 

[Musclemass]

I'm an incoming freshman and i was wondering if i should take at least one CC class over the summer. I'd like to take college algebra and possibly spanish. Is this idea practical? In a sense that it would help me in the future? Thanks.

If you're a freshman in a 4 year college, taking general credit classes in a CC is fine but taking med school pre-reqs away from your regular school is probably not the best idea.

Med school admissions are a competitive matter. Some med schools don't accept pre-reqs from CCs. Even some that do may look at a record like that less favorably because such classes are viewed by some as being less rigorous and demanding. You can check with the schools you may be interested in to be sure.

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Taking non pre-req classes if you are already enrolled at a 4 year is fine. I would say it makes sense. It won't matter where you take Spanish, and it's always nice to get ahead in summer. Med schools don't care as much about math as taking your actual pre-reqs at a CC. Like others have said, don't assume it will be super easy. I transferred from a CC, and while many classes were easy, a few were challenging. My Bio I class was taught by a Dartmouth internist (took a few years off of practicing medicine to help take care of a family member) and had like a 60-70% attrition rate. College algebra was not very difficult though, just a ton of assigned problems.