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the university (univ of cal) here is qtr system - so you need 3 qtrs = 1 year - usually not all 3 qtrs are offered in summer - and if they are - they conflict in such a way that you can only take 1 per session, and there are only 2 summer sessions - so you can do 2/3 but not 3/3
the semester-based comm college usually only offer 1 sem worth in summer, not 2
I don't know what the semester-based 4 years do with summer (cal state)
| QUOTE (Boeing @ Feb 4 2003, 02:03 PM) |
| Is such a thing possible? Do you know if anyone offers it? I've found several larger schools that offer 1 semester's worth of a lab science (4 credits) in the summer, but that would leave me needing to finish the second semester in the summer of 2004. |
Don't know where you are geographically...
...at the Penn State satellite that I did my post-bacc courses at, you might be able to get 2 science courses knocked out in a summer. It would be a tough schedule/amount of work.
Have you called the schools that are within commutable distance to see what their summer offerings are? Or, are you unattached enough (i.e. no mortgage/apt, family, job, et al.) so that you can move & go do the dorm thing for a summer?
And keep in mind that even if you have to postpone your application by a year, you could use that year to make yourself into an even stronger applicant by volunteering, working in a hospital, doing research, etc. Again, I don't know quite where you are in the process...good luck!
| QUOTE (Mary Bois Byrne @ Feb 4 2003, 03:09 PM) | ||
Don't know where you are geographically... ...at the Penn State satellite that I did my post-bacc courses at, you might be able to get 2 science courses knocked out in a summer. It would be a tough schedule/amount of work. Have you called the schools that are within commutable distance to see what their summer offerings are? Or, are you unattached enough (i.e. no mortgage/apt, family, job, et al.) so that you can move & go do the dorm thing for a summer? And keep in mind that even if you have to postpone your application by a year, you could use that year to make yourself into an even stronger applicant by volunteering, working in a hospital, doing research, etc. Again, I don't know quite where you are in the process...good luck! |
I'm basically two semesters into the process. This leaves me needing two semesters of Biology, two semesters of Organic Chemistry, and two semesters of Physics. I'm planning on taking Biology and Organic Chemistry concurrently next year (Fall 2003/Spring 2004). That leaves Physics...I was thinking, if I can take it over the summer (Summer 2003, and Summer 2004), I'll be able to get my applications in this year and try for the class of 2004 instead of waiting till the fall of 2005.
The two "hurdles" are getting an 8 credit lab science killed off in summer school (I'm thiking Physics would be my best bet, as it's by far my weakest link) and the MCAT (which is starting to look more like the 800 pound gorrilla as far as this plan is concerned as I'd have to self-study all the bio and organic chemistry needed to take it this August).
Georgetown has an option where you can take 2 semesters of lab classes over the summer. It's hard because they cram 18 weeks into 5 but people do it. (that's for each course)
I don't know where you are located, so I'm not sure if this is an option, but SUNY Stony Brook in Long Island (outside NYC) offers two semesters of science during a summer.
I took general chem there and had a great experience, very good professor, excellent labs, good students, large class size, but very good facilities.
However, I would not recommend summer science to everyone, it was very challenging. While I did well, the vast majority of students did not. I think over 50% of the students failed the first 'semester'. We covered all the material that you normally cover in two semesters in eight weeks, so it was like running a marathon at a sprint. One chapter each class, a test each week.
I think physics is probably the best subject to take on that schedule, b/c it's less memorization, but if it's your weakest subject you should pass. God forbid you take a bit longer to figure something out.
I would also council against trying to work full time while you do this.
q
Both Northwestern and Loyola offer full-year sequences of organic, physics and biology in the summer. I think University of Chicago does also. Spending the summer on Chicago's lakefront is pretty excellent. If you're connected to Boeing, you may even be here already.
In Atlanta, Emory does the same thing.
However, none of these schools have low tuition.
Susan - Chicago
The state school where I did my prereqs, George Mason Univ. in Fairfax, VA, did have a schedule that allowed you to do a year of science over the summer. The schedule was a killer - classes all morning, every morning, followed by labs all afternoon, every afternoon, for 4-5 days a week. Considering that you had to find some time to study, it basically meant that the course was your life while it was going on. I tried to figure out a way to do it because I was in a hurry, too, but finally concluded that I wasn’t so impatient that I wanted to risk divorce, insanity, or both.
Your MCAT plan sounds dicey, too, frankly - if you need to take the prerequisites, you’ll be able to use them as study time for the MCAT. You are FAR FAR FAR better served by taking your time and doing this right - getting good solid grades, getting good MCATs, and giving yourself enough time to get your applications launched thoughtfully and well - than by trying to shave one lousy year off the application cycle.
I appreciate your impatience, because I’ve BTDT - initially when I started plotting out my calendar I thought, “There HAS to be a way to do this in less time!” Well, maybe there is, but the chance of doing it WELL in less time goes down by quite a bit.
One of the reasons I was really impatient was because I didn’t want to get any older before I applied. And then one day it hit me - I was kidding myself if I thought that a school would notice the year’s difference in my age - because it would be the difference between ages 42 and 43!! 
And just as we thought all our parents’ friends were OLD when we were kids growing up, AdComs lump OPMs into big categories, probably something like this: “over 35,” “late 20s to early 30s,” and “conventional.” (that last category includes anyone who’s graduated from college in the past few years)
One other thing, you don’t describe what else will be in your application “package,” but if you apply this year with no grades in bio, o-chem or physics, your application is likely not going to get positive notice. It’s not ONLY about the MCAT - they’ll want to see how you’ve done in this recent coursework.
Good luck!
I am totally confused by your post, if you are only two semesters into the process and need all the classes that you stated above, you would not be able to apply to medical school until 2004 for the entering class of 2005 (unless you are winging the MCAT sans the pre-reqs). If you are thinking about applying for the 2004 entering class you would need to take the MCAT and apply this year…
I can’t help with the choice of schools, but I found myself in a similar situation last year. I had to take a years worth of physics over the summer. It is possible. It would be a good idea to talk with the professor and tell him/her what you’re doing. If it makes anybody feel better, I had to take 10 semester hours of Physics with Calculus (I never took Calculus) in an eight week mini-mester while working two full-time jobs. I got four A’s. Two weeks later I had to take the MCAT. I still managed an 11 in the physical science section.
The point is, you can do anything you set your mind to do. Try laminating some flash cards and posting them in the shower. 
Good luck.
I did something similiar with chemistry.
Last semester I made a call to the chemistry department and got a waiver to take Chem I & II at the same time. Chem II was REALLY interesting until I figured out what molarity was 
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Make a couple calls, and be prepared with an arguement as to why you should be able to take the classes. Can’t hurt.
There's a place in St Louis that offers this. I took Bio I and II, Chem I and II, Physics I and II, and Organic I and II (all 5 hours with labs) in two back-to-back semesters. It is great MCAT prep too.
If you want more info, just post or email me.
Chris