Taking Prerequisites in community college

[lvp0021]

You really need to check on the particular school you are applying to! Different schools different policies. I have AP credits also but some school don't accept them as they have a high score-policy (4or 5) or they just don't accept AP/CLEP/IB. Some don't accept them as an AP credits but will accept if they're posted on your university transcript (the university where you take your prereqs). As for myself, I take all science classes at 4-year U as I know eventhough it's harder but most of the time you learn more and have more lab experiences.

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[NexusMD]

I am currently taking all my prerequisites at a community college. I was told by a couple of schools that this wouldnt be a problem, including one that is out of state.

However, I do know there are some universities (OSU?) that very clearly state that community college credits in certain classes CANNOT be applied.

My advice to you is to call up the admissions committee and ask if community college credit is accepted. Typically, if the course is designated as "guaranteed transfer" to the local state university, it can be considered just as viable as the university equivalent.

EDIT: I do know some universities do not allow AP credit to qualify as a prerequisite. You might also want to check that out with schools of your choice.

My top pharmacy schools of choice right now are Shennandoah, Maryland, Creighton Online, Howard and Pittsburgh. I am in-state at Maryland, and will probably apply early decision there. I know they accept AP credits (as does pitt), not sure about shenn, creighton, or howard. But I will have 8 more credits of bio (genetics, and microbial toxicology), before I enter pharm school. So I will have enough bio credits.

Since I am in-state in maryland, and my community college is also in maryland, it should be ok to take 1 or 2 pre-req science clases at the community college right?

 

[DownonthePharm]

As long as the pharmacy school you are looking at is accepting them CC classes are fine. Just dont go into them expecting an easy ride, just because its CC wont make it a cake walk.

 

[NexusMD]

As long as the pharmacy school you are looking at is accepting them CC classes are fine. Just dont go into them expecting an easy ride, just because its CC wont make it a cake walk.

Im not doing it because its easy, I've taken some tough community college classes (Chem 1, and Engineering and Science Calculus 1). Both over last summer. I am doing it because of of cost. If i took it at my 4 year university, I would need to live on campus and pay the price. If i do it here at the community college, its 10x cheaper, and I live at home. More bang for the buck I think.

My concern was that I dont want schools to look down on my simply because I took the class at a community college. Hopefully it will not be an issue though.

 

[the_labrat]

I honestly don't think it will be an issue, as long as the grades you receive in the course are consistent with what you receive at the U. Since you're taking most of your prereqs at a university, I think you should be ok.

I still recommend you call admissions and check

Good luck!

 

[honeykrown]

since u are in MD, u could go to this website to check for the university of MD http://artweb.usmd.edu/ (its called ARTSYS) i believe Nj has one like that also. This could help u. also u could go to ur schools advisors office and ask for some of the other schools ( i believe my school (PGCC) has for schools in the washington and virginia area).

u could also call the schools they might be able to help. i went to pittsburgh last semester and the lady was willing to look at my school catalog which i took along, tho i wasnt applying for fall 07.

soo call them it would be better. but u'd find the courses for maryland definnately at the site above (it even mention classes u could only take at UMD or a four year college)

 

[NexusMD]

since u are in MD, u could go to this website to check for the university of MD http://artweb.usmd.edu/ (its called ARTSYS) i believe Nj has one like that also. This could help u. also u could go to ur schools advisors office and ask for some of the other schools ( i believe my school (PGCC) has for schools in the washington and virginia area).

u could also call the schools they might be able to help. i went to pittsburgh last semester and the lady was willing to look at my school catalog which i took along, tho i wasnt applying for fall 07.

soo call them it would be better. but u'd find the courses for maryland definnately at the site above (it even mention classes u could only take at UMD or a four year college)

Hey, thanks for the link. I am a current student at UMCP right now so I have to make sure everything I take at MC(Montgomery College) transfers over here anyhow.

 

[honeykrown]

yeah the website could help and make sure u put in university of MD baltimore and not baltimroe county they are two different schools.

I am in PG and UMCP isnt far from where i am. Anyways good luck and i hope it helps. Also make sure u score above a 80 percentile on the PCAT. MD doesnt look at anything less.

Dont also forget to visit ur advisors office and ask for a list. I know they are friendly at the advisors office in MC of Rockville

 

[Utterdevotion]

Hey, thanks for the link. I am a current student at UMCP right now so I have to make sure everything I take at MC(Montgomery College) transfers over here anyhow.

You should join our Pre-Pharmacy Society @ UMD (if you haven't already)! They are very helpful!

 

[NexusMD]

You should join our Pre-Pharmacy Society @ UMD (if you haven't already)! They are very helpful!

actually planning to join this spring.

 

[JClay]

After getting a B.S. in Psych, and going through a semester of law school, I am back to the drawing board.

I have signed up for Chem I and Bio I this summer at a local community college. They offer all the pre-reqs I need for pharm school. If I pursue pharmacy school, as of now, I am considering taking all my pre-reqs at the community college (cheaper and closer).

Will this hurt me in anyway? Does anyone have any experience with community college (hopefully positive)? I know an old roommate of mine did all his prereqs at a CC and got into UF Pharm school without a hitch (but he got all A's and aced his PCAT). I want to hear from more people so not to rely on an anecdotal story.

I would likely apply to UF and NOVA.

Thanks

 

[tashka]

JClay, I did all my science prerequisites in the community colleges. I applied to UNC and got an interview last week. I have previous degree too. When I attended UNC information session, they told us that CC classes are absolutely accepted, but they have to be equivalent to UNC classes (there is list of equivalences on UNC web site for NC community colleges). Also they said that if you go to CC, your GPA has to be much higher than the university's student because the level of rigor is different. Good PCAT is helpful too. My experience with CC was mostly very positive. My teachers were great, demanding, and always available to help. Some were PhDs who also teach at local universities. In one CC I had organizational problem: they cancelled the class because very few people signed up and notified me when registration was finished everywhere in my area. So, make sure, that CC has good university transfer program which students are interested in. And of course, contact your prospective pharmacy schools and ask what the requirements are.
If I may ask, why did you quit law school? I have a good friend who is about to graduate law school, and she told me, she is absolutely incapable of doing science, and any science class makes her cringe. Pharmacy and law seem to be very different fields.

 

[airen]

JClay, I did all my science prerequisites in the community colleges. I applied to UNC and got an interview last week. I have previous degree too. When I attended UNC information session, they told us that CC classes are absolutely accepted, but they have to be equivalent to UNC classes (there is list of equivalences on UNC web site for NC community colleges). Also they said that if you go to CC, your GPA has to be much higher than the university's student because the level of rigor is different. Good PCAT is helpful too. My experience with CC was mostly very positive. My teachers were great, demanding, and always available to help. Some were PhDs who also teach at local universities. In one CC I had organizational problem: they cancelled the class because very few people signed up and notified me when registration was finished everywhere in my area. So, make sure, that CC has good university transfer program which students are interested in. And of course, contact your prospective pharmacy schools and ask what the requirements are.
If I may ask, why did you quit law school? I have a good friend who is about to graduate law school, and she told me, she is absolutely incapable of doing science, and any science class makes her cringe. Pharmacy and law seem to be very different fields.

i know a person who received his Pharm.D degree, decided it was sort of mundane, went to get his law degree and now using both area of expertise in his work. He's making $300K/year. Nice! There's a lot of liability in pharmacy or in the health care in general, so law (specifically for the health care industry), goes hand in hand with pharmacy. It's just my opinion.

 

[JClay]

Tashka,

I went into law out of what I thought was necessity. I graduated with a B.S. in psych, and needless to say, my job prospects were not very promising. Honestly, the only reason I got into UF Law was my LSAT score.

I equated law with money and prestige, and that was the sole reason I applied. Turned out I absolutely hated the classes, especially legal research and writing, which is generally regarded as the most applicable class you take. Even worse, I soon started to hate the idea of being a lawyer.

Long story short, I went in uninformed, and for the wrong reasons. I decided that it was not worth completing. It was a rash decision, and it is impossible to say if there is an area of law I would later find and enjoy. I just knew for a fact that I hated what I was doing, and where, subjectively, I believed I was going.

I really enjoyed science, particularly chemistry, in high school. I took two years of it, got A's for the year and a 4 on the AP exam. I went into undergrad (this was 2001) with the grand aspiration of being a doctor (again, money + prestige). I took Chem I with Lab, and Calc I, and decided that the whole premed thing was way to hard, despite putting no effort into it. I get very frustrated when I think back to being 18-22. I was an immature kid, with absolutely no work ethic or practical, realistic goals.

I dropped Chem I, but kept the lab and calc. I got a B+ in both of those thankfully, so at least my science GPA will not be off to a horrible start....the W for dropping chem I does not count, right?

I am not 100% set on becoming a pharmacist. The last thing I want to do is get to far ahead of myself (again) with some steadfast idea of becoming this and making that amount per year. I am trying my best to take things one step at a time. I got a job with CVS this week. I am in the photo lab now, but they agreed to train me as a pharm tech and get me in when there is an opening. Like I posted earlier, I am starting the basic sciences this summer. What I like about pharmacy, and I guess all science fields, is you can get an idea of the later coursework from the prereqs. It is difficult to do that with law. The other thing I am def. going to do is work in a pharmacy somehow. I went into law school without ever setting foot in a law firm, court room, etc.

I *think* I am more predisposed to like science, and with the work ethic I have now, I hope I can do well in the classes. My main goal is not to rush into things, work as hard as I can, and find something I enjoy doing. The pharmacy prereqs seem to open multiple doors, so I am optimistic.

My major fear as getting to organic chem and being one of those people that just doesn't get it. Does this happen to many people? The one thing I am not concerned about is a lack of effort. I know for sure that I am going to give it my all, so at least if I can't do the classes, I know I never could and then move on from there.

 

[JClay]

Also, excusing my ignorance, one more question.

What exactly does it mean, especially as far as admittance, when you "get an interview"?

In all my education, including law school, I have never had an interview.

 

[kiko]

I had a MA in history and had worked for a decade before I went to community college to take ALL of my science requirements. (I had A pluses in calculus from 15 years ago, which my schools mecifully counted.) Most of my community college professors had PhDs from top flight universities - Harvard, MIT, Rice, Notre Dame, etc. - and the instruction, for the most part, was quite good. Many of my classmates were in the same boat as me - prior degree from a "name" college and applying to medical, dental, pharmacy, vet school - which probably wouldn't have been the case at a big flagship school.
I got straight As in community college and a 99th percentile on the PCAT and got into my state's pharmacy school. The dean of admissions told us at our interview that they frown on community colleges, especially if you go to a respected 4-year college and come home in the summes to community college for your prereqs, but I guess my grades and my test scores helped out. I did not get into the out-of-state school I interviewed at, and if I had to guess, I think that the fact I only had the bare prereqs from a cc hurt (as well as no pharmacy experience.) Everyone else at the intervew seemed to have a BA in biochemistry. I also didn't get into the private school in my state, but in that case, the community college wasn't to blame, just a really lousy interview.
Long story short, it is possible.

 

[airen]

Also, excusing my ignorance, one more question.

What exactly does it mean, especially as far as admittance, when you "get an interview"?

In all my education, including law school, I have never had an interview.

Jclay, after you submit your application, everything at this point is on paper. If the school like what they see on paper, your GPA (science and cumulative), EC's, PCAT (if required) scores, pharmacy experience (if any), etc., they will decide if they want to invite you for a face-to-face interview. Each school work differently and the number of invitees varies. I recommend you checking out each school's website. Pharmcas is also a good place for you to get statistical information: number of invites, number of acceptees, average GPA, etc.

Hope that helps.

 

[Gizmo]

I have a BA in psych and took all of my science prereqs at a community college. I think that if you do fine on the PCAT and keep your GPA above a 3.0 you should be fine. Good luck!

 

[tashka]

If you did well in science classes at high school, you definitely have an ability. You already know that most science courses require diligent work. Organic chemistry (and calculus) can be done and done very well. They just require time (for most people a lot of it) and effort. You mentioned that you are going to put effort into your studies, so that is great. Yes, a lot of people drop out of these two classes, but the reasons might be different. Many students have to work full time, sometimes more than one job. There is not enough time to study and master concepts, not enough time to approach the teacher with questions and difficulties. And there are some people who are just not capable of doing science and their talent lies somewhere else. Don't worry about these classes, just budget time for them and do your very best. Personally, I enjoyed organic chemistry more than general and made better grade in it.

 

[terse]

After getting a B.S. in Psych, and going through a semester of law school, I am back to the drawing board.

I have signed up for Chem I and Bio I this summer at a local community college. They offer all the pre-reqs I need for pharm school. If I pursue pharmacy school, as of now, I am considering taking all my pre-reqs at the community college (cheaper and closer).

Will this hurt me in anyway? Does anyone have any experience with community college (hopefully positive)? I know an old roommate of mine did all his prereqs at a CC and got into UF Pharm school without a hitch (but he got all A's and aced his PCAT). I want to hear from more people so not to rely on an anecdotal story.

I would likely apply to UF and NOVA.

Thanks

What a coincidence. One of my classmates at the CC I'm going to graduated with a poli sci degree, also went to law school, figured he didn't like it then dropped out after 1 semester. He's now taking bio/chem classes and is trying to get into PA school.

 

[sublime86]

After getting a B.S. in Psych, and going through a semester of law school, I am back to the drawing board.

I have signed up for Chem I and Bio I this summer at a local community college. They offer all the pre-reqs I need for pharm school. If I pursue pharmacy school, as of now, I am considering taking all my pre-reqs at the community college (cheaper and closer).

Will this hurt me in anyway? Does anyone have any experience with community college (hopefully positive)? I know an old roommate of mine did all his prereqs at a CC and got into UF Pharm school without a hitch (but he got all A's and aced his PCAT). I want to hear from more people so not to rely on an anecdotal story.

I would likely apply to UF and NOVA.

Thanks

I did all my pre-reqs at a Florida CC, and I got accepted to UF. I didnt get straight A's, but I got mostly A's and some B's. It can happen. I just don't suggest taking very many science and math courses during the summer, because UF discourages it. They don't feel you have enough time to really learn the material well enough in such a shortened time frame. If your dead set on taking summer classes though, I would at least shy away from Organic and Anatomy as summer courses.

 

[rxforlife2004]

I finished MOST of my pre-req at CC though i already transferred to a well-known 4 yr university (due to a change in major...) and i got several inverterview offers from schools in California, as well as out of state. But, to tell the truth, i got most A's at CC (only one B). So if you decide to complete ur pre-req at CC, get as many A's as you could. GPA DOES matter. I rather see an applicant with a very good GPA taking classes at CC than someone who is 2.5 at a very well-known university....

 

[pharmdog]

I am new to this forum so let me tell a little history. I have benn going to school in order to be a CPA but realiize that I will enjoy my life in the future being a pharmacist. long story short, I live in Chicago and live close to a local community college. Do you guys think that I can get the prerequisites done at the community college and still get into UIC (University Illinois Chicago?) My other question is that I will not have a BA yet once I finish. \\Do you think that I have a good chance of getting in taking my courses at CC or should I just try and get in to UIC right away to get the pre pharm out of the way?

Thanks

 

[nerv12345]

a lot of the prepharm courses you can complete at a CC. it will save you money, so you might as well go to a CC and then transfer to UIC...that's just my opinion and that's what i did for my own college career

courses i took at CC that transfered to a university AND were prepharmrequisites:

1-year gchem
1-year ochem
1-year bio
1-year physics
1-semester calculus
1-semester speech
1-semester economics
1-semester statistics

i think that's it...

 

[elynch]

A lot of people seem to go to community colleges to finish their pre-reqs...especially people in my shoes (who have already completed a bach degree and want to go back to school to be a pharmacist)...but I am getting into the game pretty late so I want to do things right the first time around...my question is this...will it help a lot more to do my pre-reqs at a private college (i want st, john fisher) rather than a local community college? I know the classes may be easier at a comm college, but will it look a lot better if I take them at a private school? does it make any difference at all (besides how much ill be paying)?

 

[ForcedEntry]

...I know the classes may be easier at a comm college...

wrong.

Orgo II over the summer we had students from USF come over to our class. They failed at the "hard" school and thought an easy "A" awaited them. They were sorely mistaken. They still failed, or had lackluster grades, and it was their second time taking it.

CC have the advantage because class sizes are smaller. You can get one-on-one time much more easily. Additionally, the majority of your classes are comprised of adults that work just a tad harder for their dollar than the snot nosed 18 yr old with their parents pocketbook.

 

[confettiflyer]

i'll disagree here...i think CC classes are easier than the 4 year universities i've been in. This is from first hand experience in california. I've never had an open note final and "extra credit" until I attended community college...this would be unheard of at my university.

My friend who graduated with an econ degree at a top ranked 4 year university and completed his science prereq's at a CC (4.0) had trouble getting in (excellent character/pharmacy experience), but he's attending now.

But I don't think the premium of going to a 4yr is worth it unless that 4 year university is ranked top 50/tier 1. Since you already have a BS/BA from a 4yr university, just take the classes at CC. I personally couldn't justify the cost of paying $$$$ just for the "halo effect."

 

[steveysmith54]

i'll disagree here...i think CC classes are easier than the 4 year universities i've been in. This is from first hand experience in california. I've never had an open note final and "extra credit" until I attended community college...this would be unheard of at my university.

My friend who graduated with an econ degree at a top ranked 4 year university and completed his science prereq's at a CC (4.0) had trouble getting in (excellent character/pharmacy experience), but he's attending now.

But I don't think the premium of going to a 4yr is worth it unless that 4 year university is ranked top 50/tier 1. Since you already have a BS/BA from a 4yr university, just take the classes at CC. I personally couldn't justify the cost of paying $$$$ just for the "halo effect."

Not all CC are the same. Santa Monica College is not an easy school. I'd say some of the classes there are harder than CSU and at the level of UC... Prof there have taught at major univ like UCLA, CAL, etc and teach the same way there. No extra credit or open book finals there.

 

[terse]

i took ochem I over the summer at a local CC with a professor that also teaches at UCLA. it was pretty difficult still, but you have to keep in mind how will the adcoms be viewing your application?

i know for USC, they highly recommend you take your pre-reqs at a 4-year since to them, courses at a University are tougher/more competitive. you can disagree all you want, but they won't care (and that is what matters).

 

[ForcedEntry]

USC needs to get their nose out of the clouds.

 

[lee0539]

USC needs to get their nose out of the clouds.

Probably just a generalization, but I would say most CCs are easier then four year universities especially if its in the top 50. There are always exceptions, but I'm sure they take those into account. If you go and tell NASA to accept grads from some no name CC with 4.0 over a MIT student with 3.9 they'll laugh in your face. But health based grad schools seem to be more lenient on what school you go to, so it becomes a coin toss sometimes. In some cases that could be really unfair for going to a more difficult school, in other cases it's right. You can't just base it on professors either, since they base their grades on a curve it depends on the students in the class. Sometimes u might take a CC class with tons of postgrads from top universities or older students who are much more dedicated to learning, other times you have classes with people who don't give a hoot about studying.

 

[morssolis]

i was woundering if i go to a community college for pharm tech and then pre pharm if i do well is there a chance i could transfer to a 4 year pharm school?

i live in pittsburgh pa so i was planning on going to CC first then transfering to pitt.

or would it a lot better to go to a 4 year college for first 2 years then transfer? any info on this would be great thanks

 

[morssolis]

i just did a search and found what i am looking for.

but if some one reads this what are some other things than grades and test scores that you need to get in. one guy said he dint get in he thinks becuase of no exp and no EC. would exp as a pharm tech help? and i never understood i hear people say there EC but what are some examples of some? thanks

 

[FredDurst]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=198059

 

[SCCpharm]

I recommend doing CC (and getting a high gpa) for 2 years and then applying. If you don't get in at this point, you could always transfer over to a university and pursue a bachelor's degree.

I think pharmacy experience is absolutely helpful in getting accepted into pharmacy school. In fact, in some cases where theres a low gpa or low pcat score, having worked at a pharmacy would probably be the deal breaker for some people.

Imagine being in admissions and having someone say to you "i love pharmacy. Pharmacy is a great field!", but having no pharmacy experience. The person is probably thinking: How could you know this if you have never stepped foot into a pharmacy."

Now imagine, another person saying, "I've worked in a pharmacy for the past 3 months and I still love pharmacy. I know now its the right field for me."



anyways, in terms of EC's, join a fraternity or sorority that does community service projects, or just do any community service that you can.

 

[Nerdgirl]

Hi there. Is there anyone who got into pharmacy school from a community college? What's your GPA and what school are you in?

I have a business degree from a 4 year university.
Now, I'm at a community college fulfilling my prequisities for pharmacy school.

How do pharmacy school view community college students?

Please share.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Nerdgirl]

Can anyone tell me who was from a community college and got into pharmacy school? Please tell me your GPA, if you already have a bachelor's in another field, and what pharmacy you are in now.

I'm currently in a community college fulfilling my prequisites and want to learn from someone who got into pharmacy school.

Thanks.

 

[pcproduct]

You'd probably get a faster response in the pharmacy section.

 

[cystapharm]

some schools don't care. others do. check on the school. however, its always a red flag if you do good at jc but poor at university. they'll know.

 

[Nerdgirl]

Can anyone tell me who was from a community college and got into pharmacy school? Please tell me your GPA, if you already have a bachelor's in another field, and what pharmacy you are in now.

I'm currently in a community college fulfilling my prequisites and want to learn from someone who got into pharmacy school.

Thanks.

 

[Farmercyst]

Also moved to pre-pharm. I apologize for the lack of the redirect link from Pharmacy, I'm working to find out why that was not done automatically.

When you say accepted from CC, do you mean with only CC credits (no 4 year credits) or do you mean using CC credits for your prereqs in addition to BA/BS. I know most of my credits were CC units, but I also have a BS, so it depends on what you're looking for.

 

[PharmDY]

I know someone who got in straight from a community college. She had a 4.0 cum and prereq GPA, and a bunch of extracurriculars, including missionaries out of state and outside of the country. Almost all applicants these days have a Bachelors, which is why you have to be more than outstanding if you are from a cc.

 

[Revatio]

I am the poster child of non-traditional: an old man of 28yo beginning his science prereqs at community college. I had a stint several years ago taking about 2 semesters worth of general ed - history, sociology, psych, lit, etc. My transcript this will show a huge gap in years between my old self and finally realizing "what I want to be when I grow up".

The students at my CC are a rowdy, undisciplined bunch. Most have the HS attitude of "school sucks" and think that by taking easy liberal arts classes they will make it big, perhaps writing an award winning movie script or becoming the next famous rapper. In English Comp I a serious minded student sitting the front wrote a brilliant essay that the teacher commended and read out loud to the class. Students in the back made insults under their breath that were heard by all. I sat there cringing, embarrassed to be in a class with such clowns. This is not an isolated incident, I could go on and on with similar stories. In direct contrast science classes above level one are almost entirely filled with dedicated students aspiring for an A.

I would like to get an idea of how many others are taking prereqs at CC. It seems to be a less and less popular route, with all the anti-CCism out there - people who think easy As are given out. Thats just not true where I am studying. What is it like at your college?

 

[azPharmD2B]

The biggest mark against CC seems to be grade inflation which is a crock. I know a number of professors at the local univeristy that give brutal exams, yet turn around and grade the exam on a curve (not a bell curve). I also know plenty of liberal arts style instructors that just hand out grades without any real system.

The biggest bonus I see people say of CC is the cost. I disagree. I think the biggest bonus is actually getting face time with a professor on a very regular basis. I took o-chem at the CC level, the instructor was a PhD who wanted nothing to do with research, he just wanted to teach. No TAs, just him and 50 students wanting to learn. He ran our labs as well. During our labs which involve a lot of waiting for things to heat up or reactions to finish, he would tell us about his graduate studies, ask us about our majors and what he could bring to the table that would be more applicable to our careers. You don't see that in undergraduate classes at universities. That professor ended up writing one of my LoR.

The jackassery you experienced is common in most freshmen level courses. As you move higher up you get a greater percentage of people taking the class because they actually want to, and thus they are there to learn.

The biggest use I see of CC classes here locally is university students taking a class or two that they know they'd get a C in at the university, so they take it at the CC. They still get a C in the class at the college, but when its transferred to the univeristy the grade is stripped and doesn't factor into their GPA.

 

[flillia]

I took my first year of prereqs at a CC and I sort of wish I had stayed for the second year.

The amount of CC hatred here at university is amazing. In my intro to pharmacy class one girl was IRATE when she learned that the school admits community college students. I wanted to slap her. I got a 94 on my PCAT after freshman year at community college and she was sitting there constantly studying from her PCAT book because she couldn't break a 70 or a 2 on the writing Just because she went to a fancy school after high school and someone else didn't doesn't mean that they are dumb and don't deserve an education

I miss my teacher face time. All of my science classes now take place in 100+ person lecture halls and none of my teachers know my name or even that I'm in their class. Community college wasn't any easier but it was much cheaper and the teachers were much more willing to provide help.

Yeah, freshmen classes suck. My biology 100 class had over a 50% drop rate and of the 50% who stayed, probably 50% failed. I remember there was one girl who I was friends with. On the last day to withdraw, she and I went over her grades so far in class, looked at how many points were left in the class, and determined that it was literally impossible for her to pass the course. She didn't drop, convinced that somehow she'd pull through with a B Another girl told me that she was retaking biology 1 because she took it at Wayne and failed because she spent all her time on her laptop playing games during class. So what did she do? She spent all her time again on her laptop playing games and failed again. She was very surprised by this somehow.

The thing about science courses though is that you have to actually *pass* the course to move on to the next one, so nearly every stupid freshman was gone by spring semester.

Here at university there almost seems to be MORE dumb freshmen. I don't know how these dumb freshmen have made it into my sophomore level classes but obviously universities don't weed them out as well as CC. So much for CC grade inflation

 

[Curious 138]

I'm doing post secondary right now at a community college (since it's a block from my house). I really want to go into pharmacy and i'm getting started on my prerequisites. The way I planned it, I should finish everything except 1 or 2 courses. I was wondering if schools look unkindly on your app if you finish most of your prerequisites at a community college? I plan to transfer to a 4 year-university after i finish high school. Should I wait till then to take those classes?

 

[rphchase]

From what I gather you are still in high school and you are taking some classes at a CC? That's awesome - you are very motivated - keep up the good work!!

As far as pre-req's go: I have seen it work both ways. There are people I know that did not get accepted into pharmacy school because some of their pre-req course work did not transfer from the CC level - mostly science classes that were the problem. I have also known a few people who completed an undergrad degree at a 4 year univ. prior to applying for pharm school and had to repeat some classes. So prior to taking those pre-reqs at CC, contact a few pharmacy schools and try to get a feel for whether or not you will have trouble. You should be able to speak with an admissions counselor. Some CC counselors are not up to speed and will more than likely tell you the classes will transfer. Each pharmacy school will be somewhat different.

Also, if you go for an undergrad degree that's wonderful - but keep in mind that it is not required.

Good luck!

 

[Farmercyst]

I'm doing post secondary right now at a community college (since it's a block from my house). I really want to go into pharmacy and i'm getting started on my prerequisites. The way I planned it, I should finish everything except 1 or 2 courses. I was wondering if schools look unkindly on your app if you finish most of your prerequisites at a community college? I plan to transfer to a 4 year-university after i finish high school. Should I wait till then to take those classes?

Just check to make sure the courses you are taking meet the requirements. For instance for USC Bio 150/151 meet the anat/phys requirement. For UCSF it had to be Bio 160/161. Even though the only difference was integrating the ana/phys curriculum instead of having anatomy first followed by physiology. It's a fine line, but the pharm schools will make you walk it.

 

[Mike1588]

Very interesting responses, I too am taking some of the pre-reqs at a CC then plan on transferring to a university to finish up. I also find some of the higher level courses (ie. orgo, calc, etc) difficult but doable, and was wondering if the CC grade inflation was actually true to that extent. What university did you guys transfer to, and how would you compare the classes as far as difficulty is concerned to your former CC?

 

[Chill Pill]

I am in my first semester at a 4-year after spending 3 years at a CC.

I think it's a matter of finding the best professors rather than the school. I know one biology teacher at my CC who has brutal; even some UC graduates couldn't hack it. On the other hand my CC chemistry teacher gave A's if he saw improvements throughout the semester.

I can't say much about my university professors. I will say that I was very intimidated at first when I transferred. Now it's not so bad.