taking physics at a community college?

[ronaldo23]

im currently at a 4 year universty and a sophomore, and I need to take physics over the summer as I have other requisites to take next year....my college has no summer term, and no local 4 year colleges around where i live except a community college......

is it okay to take physics I and II at a CC or is this not advisable?

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[maristella]

i did this (in my defense, i'm a non trad, i didn't know i wanted to go to med school at the time) and had to deal with the repercussions, i.e. some people thinking i took the easy way out, and doing poorly on the physical sciences section of the MCAT. this may be purely anecdotal, but if you have the time to take summer classes and you must take it at a CC, take an english or a psych course that isn't a core pre-req

 

[ronaldo23]

anyone else?

 

[beats]

I did it, hasn't seemed to hurt me too much. I've only had one interviewer ask me about it.

I don't think it was the best preparation for the MCAT PS (I ended up with an 11), but my cc prof was a retiree and had previously taught physics at Penn State.

 

[LizzyM]

The situation is thus:

some adcom members will think that taking the courses at a community college was an end-run around taking the courses at your undergrad institution. If the courses are well known at your undergrad institution as "weed-out" or very difficult, then taking them at a community college is considered a chicken's way out. (why risk a B at "home" when you can make an A with ease at the CC?)

Furthermore, right or wrong, some adcom members consider community college classes to be easier, particularly for very talented undergrads (you mght stand out as the very best the instructor has seen in 10 years at the CC, whereas the same perfomance would put you at the middle of the pack at your undergrad institution).

It doesn't sound as if you planned well...


These comments pertain specifically to those who take CC classes during the summer while still students at their home institution. It does not apply to those who begin at a CC and transfer to a 4 year school or those who go to a CC for a post-bac.

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

I have taken one course at a Community College (Physics II) and the rest at my undergrad institution. If they think that I took the easy way out, they can go #$@# themselves. The class was just as hard as it would have been at my 4 year. Same type of tests, same book, everything. Not only that I got a 13 on the PS section so that better make them not worry about my CC Physics course. Also, I took Physics I in the spring of my sophomore year and my undergrad didn't offer physics II until the next fall.

 

[87138]

I took Gen Chem I, Physics II, and both Orgo I and II at a CC. The Gen Chem was because I was doing an internship that semester but needed that class that Fall and was away from my regular school. The other 3 were the summer after I graduated, basically an informal post-bacc. I'm poor and couldn't possibly afford these courses elsewhere.

I have 5 acceptances, and the CC classes almost never came up during my 7 interviews.

Overall I'd avoid this if you can, but know that having CC courses as your only option definitely won't prevent you from reaching your goals. Nail the MCAT and the adcoms will realize you've got the smarts.

 

[alfred4442]

I took physics 2 at a CC and felt that i didn't know the material well enough for the MCAT.

I don't think the adcoms will think much of it, if it's just one science course that you took at a CC one summer. The only thing I would be worried about is knowing the information well enough for the mcat.

 

[Concordia]

I took first 2 yrs of generals at a CC, including 3 semesters of calc and both physics there. I haven't had that come up, but it could just be me. If this is the only way you can organize your schedule, well, that's what you have to do.
Just make sure that you do really well in your CC courses (preferably As) and make sure that your grades don't suffer once you continue on at your 4-yr. If your performance seems to be stable, you can explain your CC courses as a scheduling necessity if it comes up in an interview.

 

[Concordia]

And as far as MCAT: if you have a decent textbook for you CC course, you should not have any issues as far as the material is concerned. Plus, if you end up taking a course like Kaplan or Princeton (or buying some books to study for the MCAT) you will have all the resources you need to do well.