Teh n00b

[Prozach]

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Hey all,

I had a few issues that I wanted to ask about. First, I'm a senior in high school just outside of Albany, NY and have always wanted to go to medical school. I recently received acceptences to: SUNY Geneseo, Brandeis University, Rollins College, and New College of Florida. I have, for all intents and purposes here, settled on Rollins College in Orlando. During my senior year I took English Composition I and II, General Biology I and II, and Calculus I at a local community college, being aware and all that those were among the med school prereqs. I got an A in all of my classes (thus far) and feel that my education was rigorous and exceptionally good for a two year school (my biology professor was a retiree from the University of Richmond, and she taught like she was still there, hence the 60% failing rate of the class ). I plan to be a biology major next year when I go to Rollins, and the fact that I have all of those credits, plus additional AP and college credit, will allow me to graduate in three years with just a little summer course work. What I wanted to ask is, a) would community college credit be a detriment to my application? b) would finishing in three years at all be a detriment to my application? and c) if you could, answer the previous two questions again, this time considering an intent to apply to SUNY Upstate's Early Assurance program, if you are familiar with that and its curricular requirements. Thanks very much, I look forward to your replies!

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Medical schools do prefer their students to complete prereqs at 4 year institutions.

 

[Brickhouse]

I got in, did all my re-reqs at a community college.


Everything in this process is 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other. For every statement you hear, you will hear it's polar opposite from someone else.

 

[DrMom]

Getting done with a 4 year degree in 3 years shouldn't be detrimental, but keep in mind that not all med schools will accept your AP credits. This means that they would require you to take some additional courses in place of the ones you AP-ed out of.

Some med schools are picky about taking prereqs at CCs, but many are not.

Check around. There are some threads about all of this out there.

 

[Prozach]

Thanks guys, that kind of eases my mind about that issue. As for your comment, DrMom, I'd like to just say that my AP credit wasn't in the sciences. Therefore, all of my medical school prereqs that I have completed thus far are strictly CC credit. Thanks!

 

[DrMom]

I doubt that the CC classes will be an issue as you did well in them..just continue to do well in the university classes, too.

The AP credits may still come into play if they are any non-science pre-req for the med school...but that may or may not end up being an issue.

 

[Prozach]

Originally posted by DrMom
I doubt that the CC classes will be an issue as you did well in them..just continue to do well in the university classes, too.

The AP credits may still come into play if they are any non-science pre-req for the med school...but that may or may not end up being an issue.

Gotcha, thanks Mom! 😀

 

[Bones2008]

Originally posted by Prozach
would community college credit be a detriment to my application?

Absolutely, especially when almost everyone else has taken them at regular colleges. That isn't to say that you can't get in, but it will certainly be much harder to do so. In fact, many medical schools stipulate that pre-reqs in the sciences have to be done at an accredited 4-year college. You will need to do upper-level coursework in all the hard sciences at your college as well as do well on the MCAT to overcome the fact that you took pre-reqs at a CC. It's fairly obvious why this is the case, as CC courses are much easier than their equivalents at a 4-year instituion.

 

[ms. a]

Originally posted by Bones2008
Absolutely, especially when almost everyone else has taken them at regular colleges. That isn't to say that you can't get in, but it will certainly be much harder to do so. In fact, many medical schools stipulate that pre-reqs in the sciences have to be done at an accredited 4-year college. You will need to do upper-level coursework in all the hard sciences at your college as well as do well on the MCAT to overcome the fact that you took pre-reqs at a CC. It's fairly obvious why this is the case, as CC courses are much easier than their equivalents at a 4-year instituion.

But according to the OP, the only science pre-req taken at the CC is bio, and this person plans on being a bio major. Therefore, he/she will be getting all the other science pre-reqs at a 4-year institution, plus plenty of upper-level bio. That leaves calc, which most schools don't care about and some actually don't require, and English. It might be wise to take another English class at the 4-year institution, just to make sure that base is covered. And any interesting Enligh class shouldn't be hard to find, especially at a liberal arts college.

 

[Bones2008]

Originally posted by ms. a
But according to the OP, the only science pre-req taken at the CC is bio, and this person plans on being a bio major. Therefore, he/she will be getting all the other science pre-reqs at a 4-year institution, plus plenty of upper-level bio. That leaves calc, which most schools don't care about and some actually don't require, and English. It might be wise to take another English class at the 4-year institution, just to make sure that base is covered. And any interesting Enligh class shouldn't be hard to find, especially at a liberal arts college.

I was speaking more generally, but you're completely correct. To the OP, if the path towards degree leads you to upper-level sciences, you'll be just fine.

 

[Prozach]

My head hurts

For clarification, I'll be taking Genetics, Cellular Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, and Ecology as my upper level science courses. Would that be enough?

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by Bones2008
Absolutely, especially when almost everyone else has taken them at regular colleges.

It's fairly obvious why this is the case, as CC courses are much easier than their equivalents at a 4-year instituion.

Ugh this has been argued in so many previous threads, but neither of those things are true, for the love of all things holy. How many students can't afford a four year school right out of HS and go to a transfer college? Uh, Like, tons? And they all have taken their basic stuff at a CC....
And as far as CC courses being easier - I think you'd find the same books being used, the same labs required, etc etc ad nauseum, and come on, it's basic biology, how much harder can one be from another? And even still, my JC was renownded for the rigor of its science dept., so much so that people went elsewhere to avoid those basic classes.

OP just keep up your good work, You're gonna be fine! Don't listen to any of the meat heads here - even me!!

 

[Swiper]

Originally posted by Brickhouse
Don't listen to any of the meat heads here - even me!!

That's probably the best advice you'll get all night! 😉

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by Swiper The Fox
That's probably the best advice you'll get all night! 😉

Luv ya Swipes!

 

[Swiper]

Originally posted by Brickhouse
Luv ya Swipes!

You rock, dude...


Ok, sorry OP, back to your situation... do well in your classes, but more importantly, ENJOY the heck out of them. Be an active learner and be excited about the material, and everything else will fall into place - no matter where (CC, 4-yr institution, etc.) you learn the material.

 

[Brickhouse]

Originally posted by Swiper The Fox
You rock, dude...


Ok, sorry OP, back to your situation... do well in your classes, but more importantly, ENJOY the heck out of them. Be an active learner and be excited about the material, and everything else will fall into place - no matter where (CC, 4-yr institution, etc.) you learn the material.

Best advice yet - I take back the part about not listening to anyone. You can listen to Swiper. But not me. Isn't that a Catch 22?

 

[Prozach]

Wow You guys are great, thanks! I think I'll stick with the CC credit and just see what happens. 😀

 

[premedi-kid]

Hey prozach,
are you trying to escape the MCAT? With all your credits and qualifications, it seems that you'll probably be able to get into many medical schools. Why choose upstate???

 

[Prozach]

Originally posted by premedi-kid
Hey prozach,
are you trying to escape the MCAT? With all your credits and qualifications, it seems that you'll probably be able to get into many medical schools. Why choose upstate???

Thanks for the kind words! Why Upstate? Many reasons. First, their Rural Medical Education program would do a great deal to help my eventually get to my goal of international healthcare. Focusing on developing nations would probably be quite similiar to providing healthcare to America's rural, often poverty-stricken families. Second, I *love* their curriculum, particularly the option to do Gross over the summer. It also seemed, when I looked on their website, that too many courses were never given at any one time. Third, the Early Assurance Program does provide some reduced stress later in terms of the MCAT, applications, etc., which could allow me to devote part of my junior year to in depth medical research, when I would otherwise be trying to juggle med school applications. Lastly, and least important, in state tuition is a nice bonus. Everyone keeps talking about the terrible weather, but you Syracuse guys don't have anything on Albany! 😀 Are you an Upstate student? What year?