<p>so i'm thinking medical school... I need advice from those who might know....I read online at my states med school that an undergrad considering pre-med should complete Gen Bio I/II, Gen Chem I/II, Organic Chem I/II, Calc Physics I/II, Calc I/II and advanced work where possible (for me that would be biology and genetics)....Now, here's the tricky part. I've had some academic issues in the past (that's another thread entirely) and have to start at a community college...I can complete (most of) the above courses at my CC...first i wanted to know if hard science courses like organic chem would even transfer to a 4yr towards a degree in bio or would they be counted towards the gen ed reqs but maybe not my major? and if they do transfer i'm worried that completing the foundation courses at a CC won't be looked upon kindly when applying to med school...i am so confused..pls help me!</p>
<p>Our general advice is to AVOID taking science classes at a community college whenever possible. You have reasons why you are heading to a CC, so that's not the issue, your goal now becomes to minimize any potential negative impact from going to a CC.</p>
<p>Obviously there are going to be some science requirements for you to graduate with your AA degree, so you'll have to take something. But, as you've correctly ascertained already, there are issues with transferring credits (which will vary by which 4 year institution you end up at) as well as how med schools view CC classes. </p>
<p>Best case scenario for you is to have a good idea on which 4 year institution you're going to transfer to (so you'll know what transfers and what doesn't), use your CC courses to fulfill non-science/non-medical school requirements you'll have to fulfill at the 4 year institution, and take as few science courses as possible. And make sure that whatever academic issues have plagued you in the past, you have put behind you. You need to come out of the CC with as close to a 4.0 as possible. It will not bode well for you if you come out with a 3.3 from CC coursework. If you must take a science course to graduate, choose either bio or general chem, as you'll follow those courses up with upper division coursework after transferring and can thus prove yourself capable of handling the work.</p>
<p>that's what i was worried about, but i shouldnt take anything other than maybe one sequence of gen bio or gen chem? if i want to get in somewhere other than a state school (which...i would really love to) won't it look suspect if an intended science major has next to no science courses....? and once i transfer, won't i have to stay a bit beyond the usual two years, just to complete say a bio major? i mean, it would be at least a year beyond, and i dont know if i can afford that....is it that community college courses are just not of the same caliber? or is it just perception? becuase if its 90% perception and 10% caliber, i don't so much care....if i'm really losing out on stuff i'm going to need, then it's different.</p>
<p>College admissions are not my thing. Realize though, that just because you've taken upper level classes doesn't mean they will transfer if you go someplace other than a state school. You're really going to have to balance that as a consideration. It also means you may not get done in 4 years regardless of what you do (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). </p>
<p>As for the perception/caliber debate. It's both, though I'm not sure in what %ages.</p>