Taking Pre-Med prereqs at a different university in the summer

[Medshpep2021]

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[Medshpep2021]

@gonnif Thank you for the feedback! I considered taking the MCAT in my senior spring and always planned so. However, due to stringent personal reasons, I may graduate early and be away from the U.S. in the spring until June. Therefore, I am not planning to take the MCAT in the spring of my senior year and will have to take it in the fall. I am also planning on a gap year after early graduation.

Currently, I have also taken all other prerequisite courses in math, physics, biology and three semesters of chemistry. However, I see that I still need an additional semester of chemistry that may be Biochemistry or Organic II that is required for many schools. Taking just one prerequisite even at a T50 university in the summer is discouraged? I have seen that taking it at community colleges is discouraged, but don't know if the case is the same for a reputable university of slightly less prestige than my undergrad.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

One semester really shouldn't hurt you much. If you on the other hand take the entire organic chemistry sequence at a state school when you are at like Columbia, then yeah that may raise some questions.

 

[swim97]

1. Taking prereqs during the summer and/or away from home institution can raise a question
Frequently Asked Questions | College of Medicine | SUNY Upstate Medical University
Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two prerequisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges.

2. Unless someone is holding a gun to your head, No one is forcing you to take the MCAT next Fall. First you complete the prereqs, plan prep time, and then you take the MCAT, even if that means delaying a year in my opinion (60%+ of matriculants take at least 1 gap year). Why do the supposed best and the brightest, the premeds, put the cart before the horse ?

sorry for reviving old thread. thanks for your help, gonnif.

If you have already taken multiple prereqs in the summer, will taking upper-level coursework in that prerequisite, excelling in MCAT if CHEM/PHYS, and addressing in AMCAS be enough to answer those questions?