<p>So I was recently just accepted as a transfer to UC Berkeley and I'm an English major. I know there aren't many non-science premed students out there, so that's why I'm posting. I've been planning my academic schedules for the next two years and I realize I won't be able to complete all the premed requirements at Berkeley. So I'm taking four of them. And then once I graduate is where my confusion lies.</p>
<p>Is it seriously considered bad to go back to community college after I graduate, just to finish up my premed preqs? I don't see why it should be. I know people always tell me that adcoms look down on premed work done at a cc, but there's no way in hell I can afford a post-bach program AND then pay for med school as well without being in major debt for the rest of my life.</p>
<p>So what do you guys recommend? Go to cc after I graduate Berkeley? My mom was saying how I could always go to a state school after I graduate, like CSUN which is close to my home, but I don't think they let students in just to take classes for "fun" or for premed work like a cc does right? Cause anyone can go to a cc anytime, for anything.</p>
<p>Also, what 4 premed courses do you think I should take at Berkeley? I was thinking Gen Chem I and II, and then OChem I and II.</p>
<p>Thoughts? I'd really appreciate it!</p>
<p>You dont need to fufill Berkeleys permed reqs, just the med school premed reqs that your are applying to which may or may not be close to berkeleys. I dont see why you couldn’t finish them in two years anyway. You should have already completed gen chem and intro bio right? </p>
<p>Sent from my DROIDX using CC App</p>
<p>The Cal States and UC’s offer ‘post-bac’ programs which will enable you to complete the premed prereqs after you graduate. UCSD offers a non-certificate ‘bio’ program for one year. Or, you could just enroll as a special student at UC Extension.</p>
<p>Thanks for the replies guys. </p>
<p>@Dwalker - I was told to save all my premed reqs for a 4 year uni so I’m transferring as an English major and taking as much premed classed there as I can on the side… I haven’t taken gen chem or intro bio, but I at least have all the prereqs needed in order to take the premed classes once at Berkeley.</p>
<p>@bluebayou - I was thinking about a UC Extension, and I know about the post-bac programs, but I’ve looked into a few and they’re so much money, which my mom says isn’t covered with financial aid. So I was just thinking it’d be less expensive to take the rest of my premed coursework at a cc once I graduate Berkeley.</p>
<p>I could also stay at Berkeley for 3 years, since their unit ceiling doesn’t include cc coursework that was completed BEFORE graduating high school, which I’ve done 36 units at my cc before graduating my high school. So maybe that’s another option that way I can keep all my premed at a 4 year uni instead of going back to cc. And then also, I believe since I wouldn’t have technically graduated from Berkeley until my 120 units are up, I will still be covered through financial aid. Idk, what do you guys think? Thanks for all your help!!!</p>
<p>I would not go to a CC, your essentially doing what your were told not to do by taking prereqs there. Taking organ and upper lvl classes at CC is a bad idea. I think it would have been fine taking the intro classes as most transfer them in through AP classes anyway, but that doesn’t matter anymore. I would either take the max course load and summer classes, or post-bac (which is probably more realistic). You will have to pay for a large majority of post-bac, but you can still apply for scholarships and grants elsewhere. When you become a doctor, it wont be a problem to pay back the loans guaranteed lol.
Of course, as you said, you have an entire semester or two worth that won’t be counted. Thats unique to me because here, it would be counted I believe. But talk to your counselor and see what they say because I am sure they will have the best idea. Matter in fact talk to your pre-med advisor I know they must have experience with your type of issue.</p>
<p>I was told to save all my premed reqs for a 4 year uni</p>
<p>Since you were told this good advice, then why are you contemplating doing your req’ts later at a CC.</p>
<p>That said…**you need to get in writing **that you would still get FA for a 3rd year at a UC. Most transfer students are only given 2 years of FA at a UC (such as Cal Grants and Blue and Gold promise and other aid). there have been kids posting on Col Confidential that they didn’t know that they would only get aid for 2 years and now they can’t graduate on time and they’ll lose their aid. </p>
<p>For your 2 years at Cal, you should be able to take about 65 credits. how many credits do you need for your upper division English classes? About 30? If so, bio, chem, ochem and physics would be about 32 credits. Have you already taken Cal and Frosh English?</p>
<p>Did you complete one year at a CC or two? how many credits do you have so far?</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids - Thanks for responding! I’m contemplating doing as much premed courses as I can (about 4 or 6 courses) at Cal and then doing the rest at a cc because I spoke with a Cal counselors who told me it’s not that bad to take a few of my premed reqs at a cc after I graduate. But that’s good advice to check on the financial aid about the 2 year limit, didn’t think about that. I’m going to Cal to visit this Thursday so I’ll ask. </p>
<p>And I need 40 units for my English major because 12 units of the prereqs for the English major have to be taken at Cal. I’ve taken Frosh English already, but I’ve saved Calc for Berkeley. I have a little over 70 credits at my cc, I went for more than two years, but 36 credits of those I did BEFORE I graduated high school. And at Cal they have a unit ceiling of 120 units until you have to graduate, but there’s an exception for all cc coursework that was completed BEFORE you graduated high school which counts towards your major, but not towards the unit ceiling. So that’s why I believe I can stay a third year there and finish up my premed courses hopefully…What do you think?</p>
<p>a unit ceiling of 120 units until you have to graduate</p>
<p>Are you sure it’s that low? It’s typically more like 160 or so because some kids have changed their majors. Check on that. A 120 limit wouldn’t accomodate an error (a wrong class), major change, or even an engineering major (which are often like 128-130 credits).</p>
<p>You need to check on that 3rd year. If I remember correctly, you only get FA for 2 years if you transfer. You can get Pell for more than 2 years (up to 5550), but not Cal Grant or Blue and Gold promise, etc.</p>
<p>The ceiling is 130 units, 136 if double major. That gives you 2 extra classes I believe. You won’t be blocked during the summer, so thats an extra two courses you can take. You can also appeal but they make it sound likes it pointless.
[Office</a> of Undergraduate Advising: Unit Ceiling](<a href=“http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html]Office”>http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/registration/unitceiling.html)</p>
<p>Extension seems like the best choice in my opinion if you don’t want to go post-bac
v
[Concurrent</a> Enrollment Overview — UC Berkeley Extension](<a href=“http://extension.berkeley.edu/info/ConcurrentOverview.html]Concurrent”>http://extension.berkeley.edu/info/ConcurrentOverview.html)</p>
<p>130-(70-36)=96 units left
96-40=56 units for premed reqs
“Almost all medical schools in the United States require one year each of college-level math, English, biology, and physics and two years of college-level chemistry.”
Each course is 4 units correct?
That means you have 14 courses left
2 in math-calc I & II
4 in Bio at least- Intros I & II/Biochem/Genetics
2 in physics- Gen Phy I & II
4 in Chem- GenChem I & II/ Org I & II
That leaves 2 courses, bio or chem</p>
<p>I would try to get them in at Cal and/or during summer school either at Cal or at your local school.
Definitely verify, in writing, and if you would get aid for a 3rd year, just do that, which would also give you more time to connect with profs for LORS. It will be tough at Cal to connect well enough with the premed prereq profs such that they could write a strong LOR. My DDs chem prof was teaching 1200+ students that term, even with office hours one would struggle to find a personal connection
The math can usually be calc I plus stats.</p>
<p>Thank you guys all so, so much for your help! </p>
<p>@Dwalker - That’s what I’m thinking as well. I have to check with a counselor to make sure I can stay a third year, but I don’t see why not according to the unit ceiling rules and my 36 units before I graduated high school. Thanks for calculating it out!</p>
<p>I think my first semester this fall at Cal is going to be:
English 45B (eng major prereq), English 45C (eng major prereq),
Math 1A (Calculus 1), and Chem 1A (General Chem 1). </p>
<p>And we’ll see where I go from there. Believe it or not, I find that a lot of students at Cal are doing premed from a non-science route, which is relieving to know I’m not alone. I am worried about not being able to connect to my professors and about getting research opportunities, but I’m sure I’ll figure it all out. Thank you all so, so much. Berkeley was my DREAM school since I was a kid, so it feels so satisfying to live it out exactly the way I want (from a premed, English major standpoint).</p>
<p>Depending on your math background, you might also consider Math 16AB. The downside is that it is full of premeds and pre-biz types. The upside is that Math 1 is full of Math-y types.</p>
<p>Students who enter Berkeley as freshmen and declare a single major may take an unlimited number of units if they finish their degree in eight semesters of college work; for those pursuing more than one major, nine semesters are allowed. Transfer students with single majors are allowed four semesters to finish the degree and five semesters for those pursuing more than one major. Note: “Semesters” are defined as fall and spring terms (quarters or semesters); summer terms are not counted.</p>
<p>Students who do not complete their degree within these semester limits are subject to the unit ceiling.</p>
<p>Determining the Unit Ceiling
If you have declared a single major and wish to stay longer than eight semesters (four semesters for transfers), you may continue to enroll until you exceed 130 units (this includes all college work except deductible units). For example, if you have completed 130 or fewer units at the end of your eighth semester, you may enroll in the following semester in as many units as you want. But, if you have 130.1 units, you may not enroll again, and your registration will be blocked. </p>
<p>If you have more than one major, you may continue to enroll until you exceed 136 units (which includes all college work except deductible units). </p>
<p>Students on financial aid should contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if their aid package will cover the cost of additional semesters. <<<< This is VERY important…some students have posted that they didn’t get the needed aid for that extra semester/year.</p>
<p>*I have to check with a counselor to make sure I can stay a third year, but I don’t see why not according to the unit ceiling rules and my 36 units before I graduated high school. *</p>
<p>Your advisor may not fully know the FA rules, so be sure to check with the FA office and get their answer in WRITING thru an email or whatever…and save it.</p>
<p>It looks like there is no ceiling if the transfer student takes as many credits as s/he wants within 4 semesters and summer term.</p>
<p>@mom2collegekids - Thanks for your input! Right, I totally agree with talking to FA and all that about my third year. And I know there’s no unit ceiling to stay only two years, but being premed AND english means that if I wanted to finish in two years and do ALL my premed work, I’m going to have to cram way too many classes in my 4 semesters. so I figure if I stay three years ( there will be a unit ceiling of 130), but for my specific situation, it’s okay, because I completed 36 units at my community college BEFORE I graduated high school. The unit ceiling has an exception for those students who did college coursework before graduating high school, where those course units will not be entered into their unit circle, which is cool for me! So basically, normally transfers enter with 60 units into their unit ceiling at arrival to Cal, but for me, only 24 of my 60 transferrable units will be going into my unit ceiling since I completed 36 of my units before I graduated high school. Therefore, I think now I’m just planning on staying three years, do as much premed as I can in the first two year (about 4 or 6 courses), and then finish the rest of my premed courses in my third year. The only factor I have to keep an eye on in this situation is the one you brought up about whether FA will cover my third year or not for me, which I’ll ask about when I visit at the end of this week and I’ll let you know incase you were wondering. 
</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s help! I think I’ve figured out how to do this now and it is Do-able!
For all you humanities majors out there, it IS possible to be premed and if you really want it, go for it! :)</p>
<p>mom2 gives great advice about getting your sitch in writing. There a lot of well-meaning folks manning the phones and help desks, and they may not have all the correct intell.</p>
<p>Can you do any of your English major req’ts over the summer? If so, that would lighten your load for pre-med classes.</p>
<p>If you can’t take any at Cal because of housing costs, then can you take any at a local CSU?</p>
<p>“If you can’t take any at Cal because of housing costs, then can you take any at a local CSU?”</p>
<p>Do you mean after I graduate Berkeley, go to a local CSU? I’m wondering the same thing. I wonder if CSU’s have an extension program like Berkeley, where people can just take the courses they need without having to be in a major… But ya, if I can do that, that’s another option I have too and a really great one too because I could still live at home and just commute! </p>
<p>Also, do you guys know anything about the grade curves at Berkeley? Like, is it super competitive where it’s almost impossible to get A’s in the premed coursework? Cause I’m really worried about the grade curves being an English major mixed in with a bunch of science and math majors…</p>