Are science prereqs taken at a 2-year branch campus of a state’s flagship university treated like community college classes? My state has one of the highest in-state tuition rates, and tuition at the 2-year branch campuses is cheaper. Plus, those courses are by default considered equivalent to the courses at the flagship public university and are unconditionally transferable.
What about community college courses that are part of a state-wide standardized general education curriculum, where the courses are considered equivalent to the same course at the state’s flagship public university (and the others) and would be unconditionally accepted for transfer?
Also, I read somewhere on here that people who are doing a DIY post-bacc (or second degree), should not get their prereqs from a college that’s less competitive than where they got their first degree from. Is this true? If so, it sucks because I’m paying for this second degree (I need the cumulative GPA boost) out-of-pocket and the schools I can comfortably afford are not competitive, and my alma mater is a USNWR Top 10 regional university. I won’t be able to afford to attend any schools that are on par with my alma mater.
I’m trying to figure out what I should do, and I’m sure I’m over-thinking this, but it’s too important a matter to have a lackadaisical attitude about. Should I not worry about this and just attend the most respected of the most affordable colleges?
Welcome Carpe!
Are you persuing a degree from said two year institution? If your intent is to secure your prereqs, I’d say you’re in the clear. Admission Committees are looking at grades and MCAT scores. Generally, satellite campuses carry the same ‘weight’ as ordinary campuses. Just focus on getting good grades and rocking that MCAT. Adcoms won’t keep you out simply for the ‘quality’ of the school, given that it is not a community college. Good luck!
Thank you for clearing this up for me. It’s good to know that satellite campuses carry the same weight as the main campus with adcoms. No, I don’t plan to graduate from the 2 year satellite campus. My plan was to enroll on a biology transfer track at a satellite campus to get the first 2 years of science/math prereqs and then transfer to the main campus to finish the biology degree.
Unfortunately for me, the 2 year satellite campuses for my state’s flagship university has a two-tiered tuition rate. Students with over 75 semester hours pay the same tuition as students at the 4-year, residential satellite campuses. It’s a very small discount from full tuition at the flagship. Since I’ll be self-pay, it’s just not enough of a savings. It’s still cheaper for me to go out-of-state. 
Thanks, again.