<p>I'm a community college student who was home schooled all through high school....I started community college over the summer and because I never got taught Algebra I had to start taking remedial math classes that will last all this year, and I won't be able to get into College Algebra until next year. I have a 4.0, but so far I've had easy classes...even the classes I've signed up for so far are relatively 'easy' : Life-span Psychology, Biology 1 and lab, Public Speech, Ethics, and Intermediate Algebra (my last remedial math class)...and it bothers me that my socioeconomic status and upbringing is the reason I am not one the competitive and super talented people. I just turned 18 but it still bothers me because the world is getting more competitive and I want to go to medical school so bad...either medical school or unto graduate research for science. Basically my plan to to get my A.A. and transfer to a university, but what bothers me the most is that almost all pre-med guides I have read state that all the pre-med requirements should be done in the first two years of college and that medical schools do not like community college credits....so that seriously leaves me hopeless and confused because I don't want to put off more time to wait to take my science classes until what should be my third year of college....and I want to challenge myself as much as possible. </p>
<p>I live in Florida, and I'm poor. My family's expected contribution is ZERO...therefor I doubt I have to option of transferring to a private school as much as I would love to...but I worry that a university in Florida that also happens to be a bit smaller would not look good to medical schools? Such as UNF? One college I would love to go to is New College of Florida...but I almost feel like..me being a community college student and having to take a bunch of remedial math classes...that I'd feel like I was surrounded by people of 'superior intelligence'. I mean, New College puts a huge emphasis on studying abroad and being that I'd be a transfer student and poor...I doubt I would ever be able to afford that.</p>
<p>I’m not exactly sure what you are asking for help with on here, but I can say this. If you really are poor and your family’s expected contribution is 0, consider applying to a college that guarantees to meet demonstrated need. In many cases you can get grant money or subsidized loans. You don’t know unless you try!</p>
<p>I don’t know about medical schools, so I don’t have much to offer. But congratulations on working so hard, and I’m sure that you can improve your life with your good attitude and strong work habits.</p>
<p>Medical schools don’t want students at 4 year colleges using the local community college to by-pass their schools’ competitive organic chem or bio sequences. They are not discriminating against low income students who attend community college for financial reasons - on the contrary, the AMCAS application asks a lot of questions to identify if you are from a low income background. Second, medical schools don’t generally care where you did your undergraduate degree - they are looking at GPA and MCAT scores first and foremost, then medically-related ECs and your recs. Do not let attending a community college discourage you. Lastly, state medical schools-like University of Florida - give strong preference to in-state residents (14% or so of in-state applicants are accepted as compared to less than .05% of out of state applicants) so you have an advantage here. Finally, medical schools are quite explicit about what level of math they expect you to have completed: Most want to see a semester of college level math but that varies by school. Do some research to see what U of F and comparable schools would require.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to make this a vent post or harp about my problems…I guess I’m just over thinking everything because I really want to go to a good university …I just worry if it would be so bad that I completed Biology 1 and 2 at community college along with General Chemistry 1 & 2 …and then took my Physics, Calculus, and Org Chem requirements when I transferred…because basically I need to take my BIO now…and I plan to make Biology my major anyway…either that or Biochemistry. </p>
<p>The thing that bothers me is that I know UF is supposedly the top university in Florida…but I really don’t like the idea of having all my classes taught by TAs and not getting a really in depth understanding of what I am learning…yet…when it comes to cost…I can’t see my self able to afford a private school right now.
I also know, however, that it is often what people put into their education that they get out of it. </p>
<p>I’ve read that Smith College is very consistent with making sure transfer students get financial aid…and they are also more on the conservative side which is what I think I would prefer as opposes to New College of Florida (spectacular academics but the atmosphere seems less “me”).</p>
<p>don’t look down upon yourself, but I do believe that you might have to stay 3 years in a 4 year college to make up some of your classes before med school will accept you. Its NOT the worst thing happen to you. If you can keep up with the work, med school is in the horizon for you. Go get it.</p>
<p>Be very careful, the Org. Chem in a college normally is a weed out class, that is the break or make of a pre-med hopefuls.</p>
<p>I don’t think in the upper division, all UF classes are taught by TA’s.</p>
<p>It is perfectly OK to take your intro bio, intro chem, organic chem, and college math classes at your community college. When you transfer you will be prepared for the upper-division bio classes, and if you want to take more chemistry you can.</p>
<p>Talk with the transfer counselors at your community college. They will be able to suggest other places that are transfer-friendly for top community college graduates just like Smith is.</p>
<p>*The thing that bothers me is that I know UF is supposedly the top university in Florida…but I really don’t like the idea of having all my classes taught by TAs *</p>
<p>What’s the real situation at UF? How many classes are taught by TAs? And what kind of classes? Intro classes? What? Certainly not “all” classes are taught by TAs…and likely few upper division classes are.</p>
<p>I applaud you for having this ambition. You have to get practical though. </p>
<p>I think you are correct that you probably want to do the premed curriculum at a respected 4-yr college not a community college. However, you are way behind in math. I actually think that taking those easy courses is going to hurt you in the long run. </p>
<p>I think you really have two choices. </p>
<p>Choice number one is to give up medical school and prepare for a career in a allied medical technologies at the CC such as radiology technician or ultrasound technician. This is the quickest path out of poverty. Don’t take ANY premed requirements, and I mean none. You want to take those classes with the students who will be competitive for med school. This will give you a lower middle class career. </p>
<p>The second choice, involves putting full-time community college on hold before you get too many credits that would preclude you from applying to college as a freshman, and really work on getting your math up to where it needs to be. You’ll need college algebra and precalculus. You can take classes or you can just learn the stuff through inexpensive courses through [Online</a> Videos | Online Courses - Math & Science online video courses](<a href=“http://www.thinkwell.com%5DOnline”>http://www.thinkwell.com) and take CLEP exams and SAT II exams. The SAT II exams you will need as credentials to apply to private colleges because you were home schooled. The CLEP exams can actually give you credit at most Florida schools. </p>
<p>Then get an ACT prep guide. I say the ACT rather than the SAT because the ACT measures achievement and you want to verify and demonstrate, both for yourself and colleges, that you can be competitive by being able to get a high ACT score. There is content on the ACT that most people would have learned in high school. </p>
<p>Say all of this takes a year or two. Now you have a good ACT in hand, good SAT IIs, and you have your math up to the point where you’re ready for calculus. Now you can apply to some good colleges as a freshman that will give you good financial aid. At this point, you can begin your premed journey. Basically, I’m saying to fix your high school gaps in math and science before you go too far down a road where having too many mickey-mouse credits will hurt you.</p>
<p>ditto what ClassicRockerDad wrote, with a couple of additions --</p>
<p>It is OK to take PreCalculus at your 4-yr college. About half of all students do, and it will better prepare you for the single most mentioned class as “the hardest course I took in College” – Calculus (O-Chem gets mentioned most by premeds, P-Chem by Physics or engineers, etc)</p>
<p>There is no necessary connection between socioeconomic status and raw talent with memory, test taking, and paper writing. It <em>is</em> possible that your genes have not given you that raw classroom talent sufficient to get into med school… join the crowd…97% of college students aren’t in the top 2-3% that med schools look for. So I do agree with CRD that allied fields in science/medicine are possibly a more realistic target. You’ll know by the end of your first full year at a tough 4-yr. college. You cannot tell yet simply by your performance at a JC.</p>
<p>Regarding finances: there are many schools that will, in combination with the government, make sure a financially poor student can attend and thrive at their institution. The poor, and rich have no problem… the middle class have the most challenges in financially making college work.</p>
<p>Keep your spirits up, and keep driving forward. You will find success, even it it ultimately looks quite different from what you imagine now.</p>
<p>IMHO, it might be profitable to transfer now to a affordable 4 year State School such as FU and basically start over again. AS med school requires lot out of you, especially in the rigors of your classes. CC is good for non-premed students. Don’t worry about TA’s teaching the classes, College Excellence is depend on the student. If you want to learn, you can learn on the side and be successful, lecture does not mean as much as in HS.</p>
<p>My DD for example, had just finished in a class called “AP5 Bios”, you can only take that class if you got AP 5 in HS. Basically, they require you to finish 2 years of Bio in one year and after that are all advanced bio topics.</p>
<p>Many, many students start out at community colleges just like you have, and go on to achieve their goals - med school, law school, whatever. Probably the best place for you to find your current peer group here at CC is in the Transfer Forum. Lots of community college students (and recent transfers from community colleges) post there. Look for anything by entomom or annikasorrensen who are really tapped into the process.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, for inspiration, read through this article: [From</a> community college to Amherst College and Yale Medical School - DailyFinance](<a href=“Stock Portfolio & Tracker - Yahoo Finance”>Stock Portfolio & Tracker - Yahoo Finance) Yes, it can be done. In your case maybe the route would go through your home-state public U and home-state public med school, but you would not be the first person to pursue this particular goal.</p>