My community college question.. Need Opinions...

Nontraditional Premed Discussion
1

Good morning, all! I’d like some opinions on my circumstances… I’ve read the debates on community college credit, and I know that the general rule is to avoid it. But I’m looking for some opinions on the following plan--

  1. Given that I completed some of the pre-reqs when I obtained my original bachelor’s degree (granted, that was 12 yrs ago… but I did complete 15 hrs of Bio, 4 hrs of Gen Chem, and 3 hrs of Calculus–All A’s and 1 B) AND

  2. Given the fact that evening science classes don’t seem to be available at any of the 4 year programs around me, (I work full time)


    I’d like to spend my first pre-req year re-taking 8 hrs of Bio, 8 hrs of Gen Chemistry at a local community college(for MCAT review only) and then switch to a 4 year university to take classes that are new for me… (Organic Chem and Physics)


    I’d love your opinions on whether that would be damaging or not? I’m trying to get the opinions of the 4 Tennessee Medical Schools that I have my eye on, but I’m learning that feedback from people who’ve ‘been there…done that’ is pretty valuable as well. So what do you think?


    Thanks so much! Hope your Monday is going well!
2

It sounds logical to me. You already have credits on your transcript from a 4 yr college, you reviewed them at CC as they are 12 years old, then you register for upper level courses at a 4 year college.

3

The caveat - since you already took them, you NEED to get A’s at the CC.

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  • carrieliz Said:
Good morning, all! I'd like some opinions on my circumstances... I've read the debates on community college credit, and I know that the general rule is to avoid it. But I'm looking for some opinions on the following plan--

1. Given that I completed some of the pre-reqs when I obtained my original bachelor's degree (granted, that was 12 yrs ago... but I did complete 15 hrs of Bio, 4 hrs of Gen Chem, and 3 hrs of Calculus--All A's and 1 B) AND

2. Given the fact that evening science classes don't seem to be available at any of the 4 year programs around me, (I work full time)

I'd like to spend my first pre-req year re-taking 8 hrs of Bio, 8 hrs of Gen Chemistry at a local community college(for MCAT review only) and then switch to a 4 year university to take classes that are new for me... (Organic Chem and Physics)



Rule 3: It Depends!

I will give you my schizophrenic views below

I mostly disagree the previous posters. As has been discussed at length the CC courses generally have a minor to moderate negative impact, retaking courses that you previously took at a 4 year school, even if 12 years ago, could severely increase that impact. It could be viewed by adcoms as going "backward" in your abilities. The logistical reasons for doing so may not carrying much if any weight with the committees

However, retaking the classes at the CC is much better than not taking them at all. Showing a consistent pattern of earning A's at both the CC for the intro classes AND earning A's at the 4-year school for the advanced is vital. Not too mention a really MCAT and a mention of this in your application narrative are required.
5

Hmm… all great insight-- thanks for your thoughts thus far.


I would definitely plan to get A’s on all my pre-reqs… (I don’t do B’s very well. ;))


But in all seriousness… Richard, if the CC route–even for MCAT refresher only–could be potentially damaging for me, I could take chemI and bioI online at a 4 year university, but it sounds like that’s viewed even more critically than the CC route, right?


I am trying to get a meeting with some profs at Vanderbilt (my friend is an oncologist who gave me a name or two there), and I’m hoping they will give me the honest answer about how they feel about this. I’ve never dealt with this process, but my fear is that they’ll say it’s not a big deal to kick the dust off at a CC before finishing my pre-reqs at a 4 year, but then stacked up against others who didn’t go that route, it will suddenly turn into a big waste of my time to have done it that way. Hopefully, the people I talk to at the schools will shoot me straight about it.


I am still baffled that the 4 year institutions in Nashville (both public and private) don’t seem to be offering science classes at night right now. Business and I.T. classes all hours of the p.m…naturally… but no science.


I’ll keep researching… thanks for your continued input, all!

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  • carrieliz Said:
Hmm... all great insight-- thanks for your thoughts thus far.

I would definitely plan to get A's on all my pre-reqs... (I don't do B's very well. ;))

But in all seriousness... Richard, if the CC route--even for MCAT refresher only--could be potentially damaging for me, I could take chemI and bioI online at a 4 year university, but it sounds like that's viewed even more critically than the CC route, right?

I am trying to get a meeting with some profs at Vanderbilt (my friend is an oncologist who gave me a name or two there), and I'm hoping they will give me the honest answer about how they feel about this. I've never dealt with this process, but my fear is that they'll say it's not a big deal to kick the dust off at a CC before finishing my pre-reqs at a 4 year, but then stacked up against others who didn't go that route, it will suddenly turn into a big waste of my time to have done it that way. Hopefully, the people I talk to at the schools will shoot me straight about it.

I am still baffled that the 4 year institutions in Nashville (both public and private) don't seem to be offering science classes at night right now. Business and I.T. classes all hours of the p.m....naturally... but no science.

I'll keep researching... thanks for your continued input, all!



Ask the question the other way. Which would be worse: classes at CC or no classes at all? If you dont take classes and you don't apply, you certainly won't get in. But if you take classes, even at a CC, and you do well in all courses, get a great MCAT, write a compelling application and blow away the interview, you might get in.

Even meeting with adcoms, admissions officer, etc, for their views, it will just be opinions. Until you actually apply and get in the pool with the other applicants you don't know.

Lastly, you are considering a route to medicine that with premed, medical school, residency, and fellowship could be 10 to 15 years of effort and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Spending a few years part time in premed, for several thousand dollars is worth the investment. You may decide after a year and half that its not worth it. But you also may decide it is worth the effort, get the grades, take the MCAT, etc. In a sense, this is all hypothetical until you have the actual acceptance letter in your hand. So don't give up in the premed, even at CC. Compared to the few medical training route, premed is just a little time, effort, and money compared to the rest.
7

In addition to options 1 (repeat both gen chem and biology at a community college evenings and weekends) and 2 (repeat both gen chem and biology online) while you continue to work full-time, there is a 3rd option that has not yet been mentioned. Many post-bac students make preparing for medical school their full-time activity for a year or so, through a formal post-bac premed program (if possible at a university with its own medical school). The advantages of option 3 are you would: (1) be optimally prepared for the MCAT in about one year or so; (2) have convenient and ready access to health-related work (paid or volunteer) at the associated medical school’s hospital and clinics; and (3) receive invaluable advice on applying and interviewing from the program’s premed advisor, faculty and fellow classmates with whom you will study, and doctors and medical students with whom you will work. The principal disadvantage of option 3 is you would have less or no income since you could at most work part-time, if at all.

8

Hello, all!! I thought I’d provide a little followup to my original question, given that it’s a topic so frequently discussed on these boards.


The answer (as you all know, but I’ll just reiterate) is that it truly does depend on your circumstances.


In the last week, I’ve had 2 great discussions with the dean of admissions at my favorite 2 medical schools… and both of them whole-heartedly support my plan to start my pre-reqs at the local state community college (in my specific situation).


I told both that I was far more interested in taking the right steps than I was in taking quick ones, and that if the CC route would in any way harm my application, I would be happy to wait until the fall when I could start at a 4 year college…(in my area, Chem/Bio I aren’t offered in the evening–which is when I need them–during the spring semester, so I’d have to wait)… both both deans said it made no sense to wait.


Anyway, both said that because I already had strong grades from the 4-year (and the CC classes would just be refresher), there was absolutely no harm in taking them again at CC prior to tackling the new material at a 4 year college.


One of these med schools is a private program, and one is a state program. They both basically said, “two thumbs up… your plan is wonderful… start in the spring as soon as you can!” Both talked to me for over half an hour about several topics (letters of rec, volunteer ops, suggestions for a competitive app), but neither felt that the CC route in my case would at all hinder my chance at acceptance. One dean even suggested that I just audit those courses before moving on to the new stuff…


So there you go… a few more opinions from deans of admissions. Just thought I’d pass them along for anyone who may be in the same situation. But the biggest take away from my conversations? If you have questions, don’t be afraid to just pick up the phone and ask. This is sometimes easier said than done, but the best way to find out if it will matter at a certain program is to ask the admissions people at that program. You’ll never know for sure until you do…


Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

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  • carrieliz Said:


In the last week, I've had 2 great discussions with the dean of admissions at my favorite 2 medical schools...

But the biggest take away from my conversations? If you have questions, don't be afraid to just pick up the phone and ask. This is sometimes easier said than done, but the best way to find out if it will matter at a certain program is to ask the admissions people at that program. You'll never know for sure until you do...



Absolutely. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain in asking, via email or phone in a professional manner, the med school itself before you start on your path. Not only will you get information straight from the source but imagine if you do that with say 4 to 6 med schools on your list, they know your name a year or two before you apply, they see your progress and may put a name/face to an application when they receive it. As my jewish mother would say, "it couldn't hurt"