Taking prereqs at different colleges

[krazymackbk]

I'm sure this question has been asked before. But, I would like to know if medical school adcoms frown upon taking prereqs at several different colleges.

I would also like to know, if I attend a very competitive for my major/degree but want to take difficult prereq such as Organic Chemistry at a noncompetitive small and intimate four year college probably not known for pre-med - would medical schools frown on this?

 

[spicedmanna]

I doubt that adcomms would automatically assume anything; a four-year institution is a four-year institution. However, if you consistantly take premedical prerequisites at another college, when you are clearly attending another, it might raise a red-flag. Be prepared to answer why you are doing this.

The only way to be certain how adcomms will view something is to ask them (there is a sticky thread in the pre-allo forum where you can directly address some adcomms: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=361321). If you don't feel comfortable doing this, then it should be a give away that perhaps you might want to reconsider it.

Keep in mind that you need to be strong in your prerequisite classes, so do whatever you need to do to make yourself strong in those areas. The MCAT will test your basic knowledge in addition to your test-taking skills.

 

[Medikit]

No, actually I would call that a best case scenario

 

[Catalystik]

I would like to know if medical school adcoms frown upon taking prereqs at several different colleges.

I would also like to know, if I attend a very competitive for my major/degree but want to take difficult prereq such as Organic Chemistry at a noncompetitive small and intimate four year college probably not known for pre-med - would medical schools frown on this?

You'll be fine. Just get all As. Taking an occasional class at an easy school won't be an issue, though it would not be one's best choice, since you won't learn as much. Your MCAT score will demonstrate if the amount of information you absorbed is competitive, compared with others, or not.

One drawback to keep in mind: it will be a pain in the neck submitting multiple transcripts to AMCAS when the time comes to apply to medical schools.

 

[hattie]

I did this (but with physics, biochem and some upper level bios, all at different schools) and only one person asked me about it, and I still got in there.

However, I went to a small not known for premed liberal arts college for undergrad and I'd ask some of the students there how rigorous their sciences are before thinking that it will be easier... our science classes were at least as hard as classes I took at an Ivy and at a very large big name university in the UK. The one I took that was easy (the physics) was a summer session at a local state university with a whole bunch of kids who'd already failed it once. I did not know this until a week or so into the course, after talking with a few of my new classmates, but it certainly didn't hurt my grade in the long run, and I still learned a bunch (my HS physics experience was less than stellar). So just do your homework first, but good luck, and remember to budget in trying to collect all your transcipts ($ and time-wise)when it comes time to apply!