Community College vs 4yr Pre-req

are pre-req’s taken at a community college looked down upon? I am starting my pre-req’s this month and I can take 4 classes at CC vs 1 at 4 yr for same price…


is it a waste of money to take at CC if they are not favored? appreciate any and all advice.


thanks,


mm

Definitely look around the forums a bit, as this is a concern that many of us have had.


The short answer is that CCs have ups and downs. The up is the cost and often accessability; sometimes, they’re also a more personal environment, and sometimes the classes are even more challenging.


The downside is that they are generally not as highly respected as 4-year Universities. AdComs tend to consider most CCs (with the Cali schools being the only general exception, although some states may be familiar with their local programs) as less academically rigorous than Universities.


If a CC still does make the most sense for you, be sure to excel while you’re there, and do your darndest to excel on the MCAT as well.


Either way, good luck!

I agree with pi304 on what you should do, although we differ slightly in reasoning.


I think the core of this community college prerequisites versus four-year college/university prerequisites controversy isn’t about the rigor or the competitiveness between the two types of schools—we all can find posts and anecdotal evidence from instructors and from students praising both kinds of courses in their depth and rigor. What matters I think is how familiar medical school admission committee members are with the schools’ instructors. Realize that community college budgets (with the exception of the open admission four-year state universities which take on the dual roles of community college and state university like Utah Valley University in Utah and Saint Petersburg College in Florida) are smaller than their four-year state college/university counterparts. Because of this, community colleges oftentimes have to have the cheaper seasonal instructors and/or recently graduated adjunct professors teach the premed prerequisites than having the costlier permanent, tenured professors teach them. So when the admissions committee members sit down to discuss candidates’ academic preparation, committee members unfamiliar with a school won’t be able to say, “Oh, I know Professor John Smith at XYZ University. He always teaches a couple of the premed courses and his courses are pretty rigorous. This candidate who took courses from him should be ready.” They will be asking if anyone knows where this school at and who they know teaches there.

this has been really helpful.


i know of several people that graduated from my college (Wallace community college, Dothan, AL) that are in med. school now. we have a thing in alabama called a STARS contract for students who plan on transferring to a 4 year university. i don’t know if other states have other things like that but it plays a big role in the people i know that have gone on to med. school.

Some excellent points made above. Also keep in mind that there is a difference between a student who already has a degree in something who goes back and takes only the pre-reqs at a CC before applying to medical school versus a student who takes their first year or two at a CC and transfers to a 4 year school, usually taking some upper level science courses at the 4 year.


Students do get accepted into medical school every year with CC courses. However, especially for the non-trad just going back to take the pre-reqs, it is important that you realize that taking the pre-reqs at a CC (especially if you don’t take any upper level sciences at a 4 year) may put you at a competitive disadvantage.


As a side note - there are a few medical schools that do not accept community college courses for the pre-requisite coursework. If you have your heart set on a particular school or geographic area, you may wish to call those schools and make sure that they will accept CC credit.

Thanks everyone for the information, I was hoping to save some money, but no such luck…


I start classes in Jun at University of SC with goal of MCAT in April 09. I’ll let you all know how it goes.


thanks again,


MM

  • Emergency! Said:
Some excellent points made above. Also keep in mind that there is a difference between a student who already has a degree in something who goes back and takes only the pre-reqs at a CC before applying to medical school versus a student who takes their first year or two at a CC and transfers to a 4 year school, usually taking some upper level science courses at the 4 year.

Students do get accepted into medical school every year with CC courses. However, especially for the non-trad just going back to take the pre-reqs, it is important that you realize that taking the pre-reqs at a CC (especially if you don't take any upper level sciences at a 4 year) may put you at a competitive disadvantage.

As a side note - there are a few medical schools that do not accept community college courses for the pre-requisite coursework. If you have your heart set on a particular school or geographic area, you may wish to call those schools and make sure that they will accept CC credit.



I could not have said it better.

I think too many want to take shortcuts that seem fine but in reality can end up hurting them.

Advisers (God Love them) at times tell you its ok but they really have no power to admit you to medical school, all that matters is what really will work.