I have been trolling the site for a couple of weeks and thought I should take the opportunity to properly introduce myself…
I graduated from high school in Southern California in 1997. I began community college immediately following graduation. Much to my surprise, I did far better in college than I had in high school. I think the structure of high school was too oppressive for me and found the freedom of college a much needed reprieve. However, I still did not know how to study for science and math. I easily achieved B’s and A’s in every other course, but I hit my first wall during the Spring semester my second year at the CC and earned a D in Chem and an F in Trig. Although, this happened very shortly after my boyfriend successfully completed his last rounds of chemo/ radiation, and I was mentally drained, I have to take ownership of those grades. So, I dropped out.
I moved to Arizona with my boyfriend so he could resume his college education. I wasted a lot of time hanging out and working as a waitress, until I decided to take a photo and guitar class at the local CC in AZ. Then I transferred to Northern Az University (declared Bio major). I did okay that semester (3.2 GPA) but I was very unhappy there, I did not like my roommates and just found the school was not a good fit overall. So, I dropped out before the Spring semester and made a bee-line to Costa Rica for a couple of months.
I got married about a year after that to the same boyfriend, now husband, still in remission. We’ve moved back to CA and I resumed at the original CC at which time I changed my major to Psych. I excelled at it and before I knew I transferred and was graduating from UCLA with a BA in Psych (3.3 GPA, not impressive, but triumphant for me nonetheless).
At this time Medical School had been buried deep in the back of my mind, as I had already been accepted into Harvard for a master of education in human development and psychology degree. My rationale was, if I could not do my first choice (medicine) I could be happy doing really well at my second choice, and as we all in this forum have eventually found out, I was way wrong. But, I graduated with a 3.89 GPA, eventually got a teaching job, realized it was not for me and here I am.
So, I enrolled at the local CC here in TX, my current residence. I sought advice from the pre-med advisors who suggested I retake Bio I and Chem I since it has been 10 years since I first took them and need to reinforce my foundation for the MCAT and subsequent courses. So, for all intents and purposes, I am at square one, which I am okay with. For pragmatic and financial reasons, I am going to take Bio I, II; Chem I, II; Trig; and Pre-Calc at the CC. I will enroll for the remaining courses at the local state university.
I called 12 med schools (allopathic and osteopathic) last week and asked the “CC verses Univ.” question and I got mixed responses. Some did not care at all, others discouraged it, but the overwhelming response was IF you HAVE to go to the CC, only straight A’s are acceptable. AND, try to do some of your pre-reqs at a univ. just to prove you can be “successful in a rigorous academic environment.”
I know this is long-winded, but I wanted to put it out there, because I know there are so many others whom can relate. I do not really have any specific questions right now, but just wanted introduce myself before I start asking.
Thanks for reading and any input you may have.
P.S. I know being in the medical field, many of you might want to know… my husband was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. He had a golf ball sized tumor in his spinal column lodged between T7 and T8. He underwent a year of chemo and 8 weeks of accelerated proton radiation. This December we will celebrate 10 years of remission. His hair never grew back, he obviously was going to go bald anyway, but we still joke with the oncologist that “we are still waiting for it to grow back.”
Welcome!!!
You are in good company! Good luck to you as you move forward!
- In reply to:
So, I enrolled at the local CC here in TX, my current residence. I sought advice from the pre-med advisors who suggested I retake Bio I and Chem I since it has been 10 years since I first took them and need to reinforce my foundation for the MCAT and subsequent courses. So, for all intents and purposes, I am at square one, which I am okay with. For pragmatic and financial reasons, I am going to take Bio I, II; Chem I, II; Trig; and Pre-Calc at the CC. I will enroll for the remaining courses at the local state university.
many medical schools do not have a math requirement anymore. You should find out from the schools directly. Also, the info on CC vs 4 years helps us confirm the general opinion that CC generally make you a weaker candidate in a side to side comparison.
Thank you so much for sharing what you found out regarding taking pre-reqs at Community College vs. four-year. I know it might be easier to take the classes - of which I have to take all except English, as I was an English major in undergrad - at a four-year university, but I am very worried about the financial side of all of this. I’m not going to let it hold me back, but I want to make smart choices.
Mostly, I worry about going to CC because I have a decidedly non-scientific and non-mathematical background. It sounds like starting off at a CC and then transferring is a good idea. I am definitely going to consider it.
I am also trying to do some legwork by getting in touch with schools. Did you find calling the medical school’s admission office to be the fastest and most helpful?
Thanks, again.