Transferring to UC from CC without major prerequisites?

[soambitious]

Is it possible to get admitted to a UC from a CC by completing only the IGETC requirements, and no lower division courses required for you major, if I declare no major?

I'd like to apply to med school, and I know med schools value uni based science courses over CC, so I'd like to take those courses at a UC instead of a requirement to admission to my major, which if I were to transfer from a CC to UC with a declared major, I will be doing a heavy majority of pre med courses at my CC.

Is this possible?

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[kexy]

I am not sure if this is an exception, but my friend was just admitted as a junior transfer to UC Davis with a declared chemistry major, but he only took 1 chemistry class in CC (he changed his major at the last possible moment). But I'm confused, are you majoring in a science? Because if you are, you will be really, really behind if you avoid taking these intro classes until your junior year. (My friend is going to need at least 3 years to graduate, on top of his 2 years at the CC).

I don't think medical schools care THAT much (although someone who knows more should correct me). You could take most of your prereqs at CC, and then just maybe save o chem and some upper division bio classes (like biochem) for the university level. If you succeed in these, I doubt it will matter that your lower division courses came from a CC.
If you aren't majoring in a science, then I guess you could get away with not taking any prereqs until your junior year, but you will then probably have to take the MCAT and apply at the end of senior year, leaving you with a gap year.

 

[soambitious]

Yes, I have decided to major in molecular bio. I know I will be behind and it will take me longer to graduate, just don't want med schools to shoot down my application because I took my core sciences at a CC. I also thought the same thing, why would it matter where I took the lower division sciences, when I'm going to kill the upper division sciences at UC? Maybe I can become the exception 😀? Got most of my info from this: http://admissions.ucsc.edu/academics/majors/premedicine.html

I guess transferring from CC to UC and becoming "pre med" won't really make a difference in the big picture of things.

 

[rHinO1]

I transferred from a cc to a UC, and majored in human bio. I did 1/2 of my physics, math, english, lower division biology, and general chemistry at the cc. After I transferred I did 1/2 my physics, organic chemistry, and lots of upper division biology courses.

I was never asked about any of my cc course work in an interview, and I'm matriculating in less than a month to medical school.

Just do whatever you need to transfer, and go from there.

 

[Medicine4Bruhs]

I would at least take advantage of the easier time at the CC and take one of the pre-req series (physics) at the CC and then the rest of the prereqs at the UC. I also recommend taking it during the summer, if possible, so you don't have to double up on them during the normal school year. No adcom will ever question it.

 

[JonnyL]

you can get into a UC without major pre reqs but your chances are extremely low. Mainly because it's tough enough as it is to transfer these days, and everyone who had already taken the pre reqs for their major is going to have a much higher advantage over you. I know for sure some UC's such as Cal and UCLA reject you automatically if you're missing more than 2.

Besides, OP you can take med school pre reqs at a CC. It shouldn't matter as long as you do well on the MCAT and your upper division courses once you transfer.

I don't recommend waiting to take your major pre reqs once you transfer. There's a high possibility you will have to take longer to graduate.

 

[soambitious]

Thanks for the help everyone, very good information! I love this site 🙂 .