I Wasted 2 Years Taking Classes That I Didn't Have To

2 years ago I started at community college and visited a counseler, told him I was pre-med and wanted to become a doctor and we planned out classes. I was stupid, trusted him, and didn’t make any counseler appointments after that and just busted through the classes while working full time. Now 2 years later, 51 units in, I go to a counseler who tells me the only class I took that actually matters was Calculus and Chem 31 and everything else is irrelevant. Now I have to start from square 1 with chem, anatomy, bio 4, etc. I took Bio 31 but that is for nursing.

I feel so stupid I’ve been beating myself up over this for a week and I’m kind of giving up. That counselor has since left the college. Maybe I should change majors. I dont know what to do ):

What courses have you taken? What majors are you considering (pre-med students may be almost any major)? Also, other posters will know know what your course numbers mean unless you give course descriptions or name your college.

Note that many medical schools do prefer that pre-med science courses, or more advanced science courses, be taken at a four year school.

If you want to major in biology, you probably need to take all of the pre-med courses except for statistics and upper division biochemistry at the community college, since they are prerequisites for the biology major. But you will then take many upper division biology courses at the four year school. If you want to major in chemistry, that is similar, except that you do not need to take biology at community college (saving that for when you are at the four year school may be preferred by medical schools).

If you want to major in somethings else, you may want to take calculus, general chemistry, physics, English composition, and social studies at the community college, leaving biology, organic chemistry, statistics, and biochemistry for when you are at the four year school (along with upper division courses for your major).

You may want to visit the pre-med forum section for more specific pre-med questions.

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Thank you so much for your reply. I was told by the counseler that to be pre-med I have to major in Molecular and Cell Biology. I had no idea that you could pick a different major. I’m so clueless so I will check out the pre med forums for sure. Thank you

Medical Schools don’t care about your major but you must have some prerequisite courses such as Organic Chemistry. Make sure you take all those requirements whatever your major. This may mean that you will need to take more Calculus too.

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