University vs. Comm. Coll

I know I may need to eventually move anyway to get some classes I’d really like, but for now all we have are satelites of universities here and the closest ones are an hour away. My kids are stable (which is huge after a few years of turmoil) and I’m not looking to move them any time too soon (barring med school of course).


I am actually taking classes at the community college an hour from here and I keep toying with transfering to one of the satelites and I can’t help but to think I’ll be shooting myself in the foot.


This comm. coll is one of the best nursing schools around. Their science wing is superior to anything the satelites may have and for the sake of looking good on an app, I would forfeit an actual education. I’m not sure what the right thing to do is, I do know that I scored above average on the national chemisty final (ACS exam)and actually aced it. I didn’t understand anything about general chemistry before and this has me scared to move knowing how well I did as a result of sitting under these professors, who know what I want to do and push me harder as a result.


Am I shooting myself in the foot staying here?


I’m planning on taking gen chems, o. chems, bio, and physics (w/ any pre req maths involved) here. I know I can take genetics and A&P here as well as microbiology if I wish. But those latter courses aren’t required for the schools I’m wanting to get into. I’d like to take bio chem if I have time and would have to transfer for that, but for now I can get almost everything I need pre req wise to apply.


What are your thoughts?

I will say what I always say when someone has special circumstances: contact a couple of medical schools that interest you and see what they think about your situation. If you’ll apply to schools in your area and they’re familiar with your school’s reputation, that will help you. If they’re not, you need to get a sense of how much your plan will help or hurt you when it’s time to apply. We can only guess here.

Oh, the debate between taking premed courses at community college versus taking them at four-year colleges. This is an eternal debate on this board. Basically, the safe approach is to take your premed prerequisites at a four-year college in order to avoid the hassles and demeaning attitude some medical schools have of community colleges courses. With that said, though, consider the following points which muddles the safe approach: (1) the past Surgeon General of the United States Richard Carmona was a high school drop-out and had only attended community college before entering UCSF medical school; (2) twelve states have authorized their community colleges to become combined community colleges and a 4-year state colleges (like Utah Valley University and St. Petersburg College); (3) many cash-strapped, private 4-year colleges pressure faculty to lower grading standards in order to retain and attract students; (4) by design and policy (California, in particular), career changing and/or part-time and/or evening students are mandated by certain public college systems to only attend community college for their coursework; (5) I remember some study found that half of all the grades given to Harvard and Stanford undergraduates were at least an “A-.”


With that said, I think following list of criteria in order of importance is a more realistic view on how to choose a college to complete premedical prerequisites:


First, is the considered college regionally accredited? If the college isn’t regionally accredited, there is no point in considering it any further.


Second, does the considered college offer the needed premedical prerequisites in a timely manner? A college that will only be offering O-chem five years from now won’t be that helpful.


Third, can you achieve at this college? A prestigious “F” won’t help anybody.


Fourth, can you afford the considered college?


Fifth, does the considered college offer premedical classes at the time of day and during days of the week when you can attend?


Sixth, does the considered college have a rapport with medical schools? Or, to rephrase, does the college have a good track record of getting its students into medical schools? You’d be surprised. As an example, my 4-year college alma mater hasn’t sent a graduate to medical school in over 20 years. The small science faculty of my alma mater readily admits they don’t know anyone at any of the nearby, regional medical schools. Contrast this with the nearby the community college which has sent at least one non-traditional premedical student to medical school every year. The community college biology professor knows several medical school admission committee members and has written plenty of medical school recommendations.


Seventh, if you haven’t narrowed your list to a college after the end of the sixth question, then you should take a 4-year college over a community college to avoid the hassles some medical schools apply to community college credits: As examples, Wake Forest will accept community college premedical science prerequisites as long as a the advanced-level classes of the prerequisites (like biochemistry for o-chem and biology) have been taken. Louisville will accept community college credits as long as a 4-year college has accepted those community college credits. But if you plan on achieving in those advanced-level premedical courses (which is a good idea regardless of which type of college you attend) and transfer your community college credits to the 4-year school where you’ll be taking those advanced-level courses, you’ll be able to prove yourself up to snuff to those elitist medical schools. As an aside, I think the posters OMTDave and craigmire both recently got into medical school having done their entire premedical post-baccalaureate coursework at community colleges.

  • ihopetobeado2 Said:
twelve states have authorized their community colleges to become combined community colleges and a 4-year state colleges (like Utah Valley University and St. Petersburg College); Does automatic transfer to Penn State count? As well as discounts into some of their programs like nanotechnology? They send many of their nursing students straight there for their BSN (which leaves them with few courses left to attain since most are done at the comm. college)

(3) many cash-strapped, private 4-year colleges pressure faculty to lower grading standards in order to retain and attract students; Yeah this place doesn't care to lower standards hence the struggle in math for me. They pride themselves on being tough. (jerks. just kidding)

(4) by design and policy (California, in particular), career changing and/or part-time and/or evening students are mandated by certain public college systems to only attend community college for their coursework; part time helps me get back to get the children off the bus that's for sure

(5) I remember some study found that half of all the grades given to Harvard and Stanford undergraduates were at least an “A-.”hmmm not sure about this

With that said, I think following list of criteria in order of importance is a more realistic view on how to choose a college to complete premedical prerequisites:

First, is the considered college regionally accredited? If the college isn’t regionally accredited, there is no point in considering it any further. again I think this may go back to the readily transferred to PSU?

Second, does the considered college offer the needed premedical prerequisites in a timely manner? A college that will only be offering O-chem five years from now won’t be that helpful.Yes, I've been told not to skip out on any of the sciences so I don't get off track. The only hang up that may happen is if I skip a semester. Part one is offered in fall every year part two in spring for all the major sciences like chem, bio and physics but they are offered every year.

Third, can you achieve at this college? A prestigious “F” won’t help anybody.Yes, the good thing about the smaller class size is the willingness of professors to help me if I'm stuck. That and access to tutoring if necessary which was costly but well worth the price this semester.

Fourth, can you afford the considered college?Can we afford any college really? Nope, but thank you student loans!

Fifth, does the considered college offer premedical classes at the time of day and during days of the week when you can attend?Yes and offers on campus day care for the baby.

Sixth, does the considered college have a rapport with medical schools? Or, to rephrase, does the college have a good track record of getting its students into medical schools? This I'm not sure of. I think if I recall, most transfer out to 4 year universities, but I'm the first post bacc pursuing a med degree for this school. Their other students have transferred out to universities just fine though. - Wait. Let me rephrase, because it's I'm the only recent. I do remember a meeting w/ my advisor's office where a former retired dean was sitting in and he said they had written letters of recomendation before for other students.

Seventh, if you haven't narrowed your list to a college after the end of the sixth question, then you should take a 4-year college over a community college to avoid the hassles some medical schools apply to community college credits: As examples, Wake Forest will accept community college premedical science prerequisites as long as a the advanced-level classes of the prerequisites (like biochemistry for o-chem and biology) have been taken. Louisville will accept community college credits as long as a 4-year college has accepted those community college credits. But if you plan on achieving in those advanced-level premedical courses (which is a good idea regardless of which type of college you attend) and transfer your community college credits to the 4-year school where you'll be taking those advanced-level courses, you'll be able to prove yourself up to snuff to those elitist medical schools. As an aside, I think the posters OMTDave and craigmire both recently got into medical school having done their entire premedical post-baccalaureate coursework at community colleges.



Thanks for this. It helped me assess the comm college I'm at.

I'm thinking for now I will take all the courses necessary for the D.O. program I want to apply to and if I don't get in transfer then and work on some upper level courses. (I can get all the D.O. program courses through this comm college which does offer some 4 year degrees). I just really think the sciences are pretty competative here and a satelite is not going to give me better for now. Plus it's pretty darn cheap when you commute an hour each way, and pay for all day daycare. That in county discount you're given is pretty hefty and cuts credit costs more than half. (some deal they have going w/ the county school districts). But if I don't get into PCOM, then I can look at moving then to a larger 4 year and seeing about getting some of the higher sciences and maths for some of the allopathic courses (which will still look great for osteopathic school me thinks).

Does this sound good? I know I'm asking a ton of questions. I just want to do this right.

I think students who already have a bachelor’s degree probably do not have so much trouble with CC credits being “presentable” to med schools… if you performed OK in the bachelor’s degree program. You probably have a little more leeway to push med schools to find your CC credits acceptable if you had a bachelor’s degree already, AND especially if you do well on the MCAT.


It definitely is better to do 4-yr vs. CC but if you can’t, you can’t, and you just do your best to present your portfolio in a way that reflects well on what you have accomplished.


Mary

Yeah, I goofed off on my original undergrad, but really most of those poor grades were theology classes required for my school in addition to the reg lib arts and my major courses. But I can’t focus there, must plow ahead and prove that I am not that student anymore…and really, who uses Leviticus when treating patients anyway? Like…ever? Nope not gonna need those classes haha.

Do admissions people know, or even care, whether the courses listed on your AAMC app are community college or not? It’s been my experience that asking an admissions office this type of question just elicits a formulaic response.


I once asked a U-Mass admissions officer whether extension/night school courses were acceptable, and she said no, they have to be daytime courses at a 4 year uni. I then asked what about Harvard Extension and she said, Oh that’s fine.

I would love to hear a definitive answer on that question. In June I plan on taking University Extension courses at night and on the weekends. The pre-med certificate program is EXTREMELY competitive as most students are non-trads or recent grads trying to raise their GPA’s.


Some classes even have the ridiculous grading curve that rules top 25% can only get A’s, 2nd 25% B’s and so on and so forth. It can end up being more competitive than undergrad - which for the sake of knowledge isn’t a problem, but if I can learn the same material at a CC AND have a better chance at getting A’s… then why not?


If anyone has heard any answers about extension/night courses, please respond!