Taking a required course over the summer at an easier instituion

[randombetch]

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My pre-med adviser tells us it's really looked down upon, but I don't really have a choice because of a scheduling conflict (don't want to get too specific, but I HAVE to take one course for my major next fall which is in the same time as another course I need for med school next fall - both courses are only offered in the fall). I want to take this course at the same place I do research over the summer so that I can do research while taking the class.

Is taking a pre-med requirement at an easier institution (the difference is about the same as the difference between Duke and UCSD) looked upon very unfavorably?

Also: my school is on the semester system, and the place I want to take biochemistry at is on the quarter system. Will this pose any problems while reporting it on AMCAS?

Thanks!

 

[randombetch]

Oh, and I did a search, but most of the threads were just about taking summer courses in general... They didn't really talk about the issue of the difficulty differential.

 

[apumic]

Taking courses at an easier institution is not generally the best; however, it won't likely sink your app. You may have 'xplainin' to do at interviews though.

 

[bobsmith]

i did this (similar difference of schools...maybe the difference for my schools was a little bit more) and it only came up in one of my interviews. i explained that it was a logistic thing and my interviewer didn't really seem to mind.

in general, my guess is that if your grades are pretty good overall, they don't bother to look too carefully at where exactly you took every course. it's possible that the only reason my interviewer noticed was because one of my recs was from the substituted course i took

 

[scapermoya]

biochem isn't a core requirement at many schools. it will probably hurt you less than something like bio 1. be prepared to explain it if it comes up, but probably won't be a huge deal.

 

[randombetch]

Thanks all. Anybody able to comment on the quarter/semester difference?

 

[LizzyM]

quarter/semester won't make a difference as long as you'll be getting, in the end, a full year of whatever it is that you are missing (except biostats or biochem)....

If the "other school" sends its undergrads to med school it isn't too bad. What is really looked down on is going to Dunderhead Community College for the pre-req that is notorious for being the most difficult course at your home institution.

 

[randombetch]

quarter/semester won't make a difference as long as you'll be getting, in the end, a full year of whatever it is that you are missing (except biostats or biochem)....

If the "other school" sends its undergrads to med school it isn't too bad. What is really looked down on is going to Dunderhead Community College for the pre-req that is notorious for being the most difficult course at your home institution.

Thanks LizzyM! I was hoping for a confirmation post from you.

The course in question was indeed biochem, haha. I think most schools which require/recommend it just want at least one quarter without labs, right?

 

[LizzyM]

Thanks LizzyM! I was hoping for a confirmation post from you.

The course in question was indeed biochem, haha. I think most schools which require/recommend it just want at least one quarter without labs, right?

I have no idea. My school doesn't require biochem but it is recommended. I'm sure that an intensive summer course would give you what you need to have a leg up in med school which is the point.

 

[Artimacia]

Yea, I did something similar. I took physics 2 at a state college (used to be community college but within the last few years switched into a 4 year state college) during the summer because it fit best in my schedule to take it then but it isn't offered during the summer at my regular school.

 

[Ilovewater]

I did that with physics because I couldn't fit it into my schedule with the other classes due to time conflict. It only came up at my interviews ONCE, and I told her the reason why I took physics at a CC...and she was fine with it. I got accepted to that school, so I don't think the schools really care.

 

[randombetch]

Thank you to everyone who replied.