Taking Courses @ CC = BAD ?

[kyu516]

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[Ambs]

hey people.

i've been talking to my pre-med advisor today about taking physics and calculus at a community college this upcoming summer. She tells me that the fact I even make a move will endanger my chances at medical schools, especially the top ones (i.e. Harvard, Duke).

to those who've gone, or are going through this process, what's your input on this?

thanks

I didn't take any at a CC, so I can't say from personal experience, but I've "heard" from several advisors that taking courses at CCs isn't a good idea for your transcript.

 

[VPDcurt]

Definitely take those courses at a 4-year university.

 

[tacrum43]

She tells me that the fact I even make a move will endanger my chances at medical schools, especially the top ones (i.e. Harvard, Duke).
thanks

I don't understand? "make a move"?

 

[trinitrotoluene]

i've been talking to my pre-med advisor today about taking physics and calculus at a community college this upcoming summer. She tells me that the fact I even make a move will endanger my chances at medical schools, especially the top ones (i.e. Harvard, Duke).

I see how taking the courses at a community college would be bad, but what other move was bad? I don't get that. You can always withdraw before enrolling.

 

[Ambs]

sorry for the confusion

i left out a couple words..i was intending to say..

"make a move towards a CC"

Didn't you post elsewhere that you go to UMich?

Stay with UMich - it's a great undergrad to be applying out of. I would recommend that you take your pre-reqs only at your fabulous 4 year undergrad.

 

[tacrum43]

ambs, i would if i could. unfortunately, i'm an out-of-state student, and my family's kinda going through tough financial issues right now. staying here over the summer @ UM would be great, but unlikely.

assuming i can't stay @ UM for the summer, would any other 4-year-old institution do (i live in NJ)?

Thanks for clarifying before. So, would you be leaving UMich permanently? Otherwise, I don't think another 4 school would let you take just a few summer courses there. If you were moving back to NJ permanently, Princeton would always be good.

 

[UCLAstudent]

Thanks for clarifying before. So, would you be leaving UMich permanently? Otherwise, I don't think another 4 school would let you take just a few summer courses there. If you were moving back to NJ permanently, Princeton would always be good.

The OP is saying that doing summer school at UMich is not an option.

OP, I think doing summer school at another 4-year school will be fine. I go to UCLA, but for two summers I took classes (calculus and English) at a 4-year school near my home. Med schools never even brought it up. Good luck!

 

[Ambs]

ambs, i would if i could. unfortunately, i'm an out-of-state student, and my family's kinda going through tough financial issues right now. staying here over the summer @ UM would be great, but unlikely.

assuming i can't stay @ UM for the summer, would any other 4-year-old institution do (i live in NJ)?

I see.

I don't see it hurting you if you take the courses at another four year university.

Best wishes!

 

[tacrum43]

tacrum43 - sorry for any confusion i may have caused you =\

i'm from new jersey, and unfortunately michigan's 15K+ tuition and fees for the summer session is something my family can't financially handle right now.

princeton..doesn't seem to be hosting summer courses..at least i don't think.

does it really matter where i take these courses, as long as it's a 4-year-institution?

Sorry, I was just being a smarta$$ about Princeton. Apparently you can take summer courses only at your local undergrad (assuming they would accept you I guess). I didn't know that you could do that. Thanks to UCLAstudent.

I have heard that medical schools don't like it if you take a lot of your pre-reqs at a junior college, but it would probably be okay to take one or two there as long as you do well and take the other semester or quarters at your undergrad. But if you can take them at another 4 year for cheap, that sounds like the best option.

 

[sunnyjohn]

Sorry, I was just being a smarta$$ about Princeton. Apparently you can take summer courses only at your local undergrad (assuming they would accept you I guess). I didn't know that you could do that. Thanks to UCLAstudent.

I have heard that medical schools don't like it if you take a lot of your pre-reqs at a junior college, but it would probably be okay to take one or two there as long as you do well and take the other semester or quarters at your undergrad. But if you can take them at another 4 year for cheap, that sounds like the best option.

Good advice....

Poor folks gotta do what poor folks gotta do!!!! Just make sure you get all A's

Good fortune...

Agape

 

[yogiberra]

I really like it how everyone says I heard this and heard that and a lot of people assume that its accurate. You can put a "I heard" in front of anything. Man, SDN has turned into a ladies bathroom, men's lockerroom if you prefer.

But to the OP, call the medical school(s) or check out their website and find out what their policy is. Quite frankly, if medical schools look down on or flat out reject people who take CC courses to fulfill pre-reqs then I feel that that is a form of discrimination for those who do not come from families that can afford to send their son or daughter to a 4 year institution straight off from college.

So the best advice is not to assume that people's "I heard" statements are gospel, which many people fall into doing, check it out for yourself. I personally know many doctors and medical students that have taken pre-reqs at a CC and gone off to medical school (allopathic) in the United States.

But there is some* truth to CC courses being unfavorable at certain medical schools like Harvard and other top Ivy schools.

Another important thing is to get a second opinion, you will find out that many counselors don't know jack sh-it and actually do you more harm than good. I cannot stress how important it is to get different opinions.

 

[LVDoc]

What does a few courses at a community college, during summer, matter? It is not as if the OP is taking all of his/her pre-medical requisites there. Some institutions demand you fulfill all of your courses at that particular university, and others, such as mine, do not mind as long as the articulation agreements are signed between the two institutions.

Maybe there is some truth to not taking the courses at a CC if you want to get into Harvard, but the point is - whatever you do, be sure to back it up. If you are taking an introductory chemistry class at a comm. college, and your major is science, it is more than likely you will be taking many many more of those same courses at your own university; you will have to prove yourself either way. If you took all your pre-med reqs at a CC, heck, it might not look that good when you apply, but if your MCAT score is strong, what difference does it make? You'll have many opportunities to reflect your knowledge, CC or not. Focus on doing well. That is the main point.