Upset--can't get into classes this summer

[mcclesm]

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I intended to attend UCF this summer as a non-degree seeking student to begin my post-bac classes to apply for med school next year. So early in the process, and it's already proving to be difficult. The classes I need this summer are already full (as a non-degree seeking student I can't register until 2 days before classes start). So, I applied as a degree-seeking student for Fall...and UCF is "unable to offer acceptance at this time".

I just applied to a community college--this may be my only option at this time. I plan on taking what I can at UCF and everything else at the CC.

Am I royally screwed? I'm combating a low undergrad GPA as it is; I need all the help I can get. I'm afraid classes from a CC aren't going to help my cause. I don't want to delay another year because I'm not getting any younger!

 

[Nevadanteater]

Go to the first class and try to manually add whatever courses you can't enroll in right now.

Each university has different procedures for doing this, but it should be possible. Call UCF's registrar and find out how you can do it.

 

[njbmd]

I intended to attend UCF this summer as a non-degree seeking student to begin my post-bac classes to apply for med school next year. So early in the process, and it's already proving to be difficult. The classes I need this summer are already full (as a non-degree seeking student I can't register until 2 days before classes start). So, I applied as a degree-seeking student for Fall...and UCF is "unable to offer acceptance at this time".

I just applied to a community college--this may be my only option at this time. I plan on taking what I can at UCF and everything else at the CC.

Am I royally screwed? I'm combating a low undergrad GPA as it is; I need all the help I can get. I'm afraid classes from a CC aren't going to help my cause. I don't want to delay another year because I'm not getting any younger!

Attempting to do any "damage-control" coursework as a nondegree student will put you at the end of the line when it comes to registration. At large private schools, this isn't much of a problem but at state schools, it will cause delays. At this point, you have bought yourself a delay.

If you are attempting to raise a mediocre uGPA, community college work is not particularly a great option. If it's your only option and you are willing to spend the money, then take it but do realize that some medical schools are going to look at your low uGPA + community college and rank you lower than if you had done your makeup coursework at a university.

One year is not much of a deal if you are successful in the long run. Gaining admission to medical school (especially trying to overcome a low uGPA) is not going to be rapid or easy. You can't afford to put yourself at a disadvantage a second time around. Using CC to replace previous university work(if it was pre-med) is not a great idea either.

Try to get what you can fall semester as a non-degree (some people drop during the first couple of days) do well and leave the community college work for courses that are not pre-med prereqs like math. Take your time and do excellent work (nothing less than B+).

Apply early next year as a degree-seeking student (second bachelors). You do not have to complete the degree but you want to be in a degree program in order to get the earlier registration. Good luck!

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

Go to the first class and try to manually add whatever courses you can't enroll in right now.

Each university has different procedures for doing this, but it should be possible. Call UCF's registrar and find out how you can do it.

This is the best advice you've received so far. I experienced similar circumstances when I did my pre-med coursework as a non-degree seeking student at a HUGE public university, but, everything always worked out in the end (every semester.) Sometimes I had to go ask the professor/department in person, sometimes I needed to sit around during registration/add/drop periods logged into the registration system, looking at the course schedule (where it tells whether sections are closed or not,) hitting "F5" for hours, but I eventually got all the classes I needed. If the classes you need are lectures, the former approach that I described will probably work. Labs are more problematic (there are physically only so many lab stations) so you will probably have to resort to the latter approach.