What to do after graduation?

[cmt2013]

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I'll be graduating with a measly 2.0 sGPA and 2.9 cGPA from a 4 year university. I definitely need to retake the sciences that I did take in addition to the rest of the pre-reqs.

I live an hour outside of my university which makes it easy for me to help with my family and take care of my siblings. I have a job and really good housing here. I have social support from friends and my boyfriend, who all help me manage my depression. Those reasons make it really hard for me to want to leave this place in order to take those pre-requisites at another university hours away. I figured I'd take the classes here at a CC in order to save money and all those reasons above.

A friend recommended taking some sciences at the CC and then taking the rest at another university at a later time (once I'm less dependent on others and have saved enough money). Do I take the pre-reqs here or just a bunch of undergrad sciences at the CC or do I wait to take those at a 4-year institution? Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[ModernAlchemist]

It is my impression, from everything I've seen, that re-taking classes at a community college that you took at a 4 year university is frowned upon. I would wait if it were me. Good luck!

 

[MedPR]

It is my impression, from everything I've seen, that re-taking classes at a community college that you took at a 4 year university is frowned upon. I would wait if it were me. Good luck!

Agreed. However, I retook classes at CC and am doing well this cycle.

Despite my positive experience (I learned a lot at CC and I believe it helped me a lot on MCAT) I do recommend not adding an unnecessary obstacle by taking classes at CC.

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[cmt2013]

Agreed. However, I retook classes at CC and am doing well this cycle.

Despite my positive experience (I learned a lot at CC and I believe it helped me a lot on MCAT) I do recommend not adding an unnecessary obstacle by taking classes at CC.

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I've looked into formal post bac programs but almost all of them require at least a 3.0 GPA. Is it a bad idea to take sciences (not pre reqs) at a CC or a state college to boost my GPA in order to become eligible for these programs?

Or is it just better to wait to take them at a university later on?

 

[angldrps]

I've looked into formal post bac programs but almost all of them require at least a 3.0 GPA. Is it a bad idea to take sciences (not pre reqs) at a CC or a state college to boost my GPA in order to become eligible for these programs?

Or is it just better to wait to take them at a university later on?

I dont think this would be a bad idea. As long as you are able to show an upward trend by successfully completely the post-bac. program, I dont think taking some of the classes you need to retake at a CC would put you at a huge disadvantage.

 

[TriagePreMed]

Not going to lie to you. A 2.0 sGPA position puts you in a horrible place. You'll have to retake a ton of classes. Some Osteopathic schools frown upon that, so even starting this journey, you should know your chances are limited to perhaps the newest Osteopathic schools. That said, you won't do yourself any favors if you take courses at a CC. You need to go to a 4-year. You can do this through open enrollment.

I think you need to truly give it some thought before you plunge on this. You need to know what your weaknesses were, and you need to evaluate if it's worthwhile to spend all that money and time for maybe DO school from way behind the competition.

 

[MedPR]

I've looked into formal post bac programs but almost all of them require at least a 3.0 GPA. Is it a bad idea to take sciences (not pre reqs) at a CC or a state college to boost my GPA in order to become eligible for these programs?

Or is it just better to wait to take them at a university later on?

It worked fine for me. I think it'll be fine for you too.

I retook all of my Prereqs except bio 2 and organic 2 at a CC.

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[Xlorgguss]

Not to thread hijack but whatever. My situation is that I am planning to take physics 1&2 (algebra based) at a community college this summer. I go to a small public school and there is only one professor who does algebra based physics. I withdrew from her class because she was absolutely terrible. Unfortunately there is no chance of getting another professor so I'm kinda stuck. Ironically enough the community college I would be doing the physics at is twice the size of the four year university I attend. I suppose I could take calc based physics (I am taking calc this coming spring semester) but I honestly like the idea of having the summer to just focus on the physics. Thoughts? I took my Bio when I was in high school and paid for community college credit. All of my chem and upper level bios will be university work. Thoughts?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Not to thread hijack but whatever. My situation is that I am planning to take physics 1&2 (algebra based) at a community college this summer. I go to a small public school and there is only one professor who does algebra based physics. I withdrew from her class because she was absolutely terrible. Unfortunately there is no chance of getting another professor so I'm kinda stuck. Ironically enough the community college I would be doing the physics at is twice the size of the four year university I attend. I suppose I could take calc based physics (I am taking calc this coming spring semester) but I honestly like the idea of having the summer to just focus on the physics. Thoughts? I took my Bio when I was in high school and paid for community college credit. All of my chem and upper level bios will be university work. Thoughts?

You'll probably be fine, but you're not doing yourself any favors by taking calculus based physics. The MCAT tests for algebra/trig based physics, so I'd stick to that.

 

[Springmed1]

Not going to lie to you. A 2.0 sGPA position puts you in a horrible place. You'll have to retake a ton of classes. Some Osteopathic schools frown upon that, so even starting this journey, you should know your chances are limited to perhaps the newest Osteopathic schools. That said, you won't do yourself any favors if you take courses at a CC. You need to go to a 4-year. You can do this through open enrollment.

I think you need to truly give it some thought before you plunge on this. You need to know what your weaknesses were, and you need to evaluate if it's worthwhile to spend all that money and time for maybe DO school from way behind the competition.

Really...' 😳What DO school doesn't like retaking many classes, whats the minimum you can retake ..?

 

[TriagePreMed]

Really...' 😳What DO school doesn't like retaking many classes, whats the minimum you can retake ..?

I've heard it from DMU and UNECOM. I've heard chatter of other schools on these boards, but it's hearsay to me unless a rep says it. The minimum you can retake is zero, but if you're wondering about the maximum, the way they said it to me was "we understand if you have a few retakes, 2 or 3, but if you have too many, there is question as to your capacity to succeed in medical school."

 

[MedPR]

"we understand if you have a few retakes, 2 or 3, but if you have too many, there is question as to your capacity to succeed in medical school."

While this is probably true, there is nothing OP can do about it now. Retaking too many and having a decent gpa is better than retaking a few and having a crap gpa. Worrying about too many retakes is something you do the first time around so you do not have to retake.

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[TriagePreMed]

While this is probably true, there is nothing OP can do about it now. Retaking too many and having a decent gpa is better than retaking a few and having a crap gpa. Worrying about too many retakes is something you do the first time around so you do not have to retake.

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It's definitely something to consider. If your choices of DO school will be severely limited and Caribbean is your best option, maybe it would be good to find an alternate career or at the least inform yourself of what schools will be okay with your retakes.

 

[Xlorgguss]

Oh algebra based at the CC is what I am planning to do rather than the calc based at my 4 year. Sorry if that wasn't clear.