Hi guys!
I’m new to College Confidential! I’m an aspiring pre med student! I’ve gotten into DeAnza College. I wanted to ask if the transfer rates to a 4 year university are high and achievable. I’ve gotten into numerous universities, but many pre meds before tell me it’s better to save money now, then spend it on Med School when time comes around so I won’t have any loans on me (I know how much med schools cost and all). DeAnza is the #1 best community college in America, and I could save a lot of money now, maintain a good GPA, then transfer into a better university hopefully like an IVY or some UC. If there are any pre meds at De Anza college, could you give me some insight at how De Anza is in terms of classes (how hard are they and is it easy to get the classes you want), is it easy to maintain a good GPA (given I work hard), and any extra curriculars you would reccomend to make my transfer a breeze. Also would a state school like SJSU be better than DeAnza then transfer? Thanks for your input!
Look at the med schools in your state to see if Community College credits would be taken. Medical schools generally prefer 4 year colleges. But if you do, make sure you take some Bio/Chem/Math courses at the 4 year school too to show you can handle the rigor.
Here is an example at CWRU Medical school.
Required Coursework
These are the minimum number of courses we expect you to have completed at the time of matriculation, not necessarily at the time of application. That said, it is to your advantage to have as many of the required courses as possible completed in preparation for the MCAT and to strengthen your application to medical school. ** Community college credits in these courses are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. **
General chemistry: 2 semesters/3 quarters with 2 semesters of lab. AP/IB credit accepted.
Organic chemistry: 1 semester with 1 semester of lab. AP/IB not accepted.
Biochemistry (must include metabolism): 1 semester course, lab not required. One quarter of biochemistry is acceptable to meet the biochemistry requirement, however, a second quarter is recommended in preparation for the MCAT and to have a solid foundation for our curriculum.
Writing/college English: 1 semester. This can also be fulfilled with other expository writing courses in the humanities. Science courses with extensive writing components can also fulfill this requirement. AP/IB credit not accepted.
It is very very very very unlikely for you to transfer to an Ivy. For example, out of 1500 transfer applicants, Harvard took 16. So don’t have that as part of your plan. Your plan should be UCs or CSs as they will take the most
What other Med schools think about CCs:
SUNY Upstate College of Medicine
Frequently Asked Questions | College of Medicine | SUNY Upstate Medical University
“Applicants should avoid taking more than one or two prerequisite science courses during the summer and avoid taking them at community colleges.”
Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Medical Program Admissions Requirements | Icahn School of Medicine
Q: Can I take my courses at a community college, or must I take them at a four-year college or university?
A: We have no requirement about where you take courses, though the Committee on Admissions does take that into consideration in evaluating your application.
Johns Hopkins Medical School
Prerequisites and Requirements| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D. Admissions
The School of Medicine accepts prerequisites completed at the community college level. In order to be competitive in the selection process, we encourage prospective applicants with community college prerequisites to supplement these courses by taking advanced courses in related subjects at their four year institution.
University of Florida College of Medicine
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions » Medical Admissions » College of Medicine » University of Florida
Q: Can I take the prerequisite courses at my local community/junior college?
A: In order to create the most academically competitive application you should take all prerequisite courses at the most competitive bachelor’s degree granting institution where you can gain entrance. You should try to complete your pre-requisite courses at a four-year institution
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
https://www.einstein.yu.edu/educati…pplication-procedure/course-requirements.aspx
Whereas course work at a four-year college or university is our benchmark, if a student chooses to meet a competency component via an alternate route such as through laboratory experience, through an advanced placement course, a course taken at a community college, a course taken abroad (during a semester abroad for which the undergraduate U.S. degree-granting institution gives credit, or for which AMCAS will verify and report the grade), or an online course, he or she should seek guidance from his or her advisor to ensure that the option meets the above guidelines as well as the rigorous academic standard required by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
George Washington University
M.D. Program Frequently Asked Questions | The School of Medicine & Health Sciences | The George Washington University
Do you accept community college credits?
Yes. The Committee on Admissions does accept coursework taken at a community college; however, it is preferable to have the pre-medical coursework taken at a four-year college or university.
Florida State University College of Medicine
http://med.fsu.edu/?page=mdAdmissions.admissionRequirement
Listed below is the pre-requisite coursework required for all matriculates to the FSU COM. Advanced Placement, CLEP, and dual enrollment credits fulfill the course requirements. However, courses taken in a traditional classroom at a four-year institution are considered to be more academically competitive.
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Requirements | Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Two pre-requisite science courses can be fulfilled with AP credits, community college courses or through a study abroad program.
Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine
How Do I Apply?
Policy on AP Credits, Credits by Exam, and Dual Credit
We generally prefer that applicants take the prerequisite courses at 4-year accredited colleges and universities rather than utilize advanced placement credits, credits by exam, dual-credit, pass/fail course work or community college courses. We do not dismiss these credits; and, if they have been taken, we will accept them toward meeting the prerequisites. In fact, if an applicant has placed out of a required level course, we will also accept another course in that discipline at the same or higher level. Again, our preference is that applicants take graded courses at 4-year institutions, particularly the prerequisites in the biological sciences and the chemistry series.
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
http://www.medschool.vcu.edu/admissions/md/faq/#q43
Are community college classes accepted as prerequisite course credit?
They may be, but the Admissions Committee generally expects students to complete all prerequisite courses at a four-year undergraduate institution.
Yale
https://medicine.yale.edu/education/admissions/apply/premed.aspx
Pre-medical courses must be completed in a U.S., U.K., or Canadian college or university. U.S. Community College courses are acceptable, provided that the courses include laboratory work and are comparable in content to courses at four-year colleges, universities, or institutes of technology.
Weill Cornell
Medical Education at Weill Medical College of Cornell University | About Us
Can I take my prerequisite courses at a Community College?
It is not recommended.
@zapheen . . . Good for you, very resourceful in saving money for med school. And I’ve seen various CVs of MDs and have seen examples like Santa Monica College, UCLA and UCLA Med in their 13th-20th years of education. I don’t think you’ll find many if any De Anza college students on this board. Maybe when the time comes for them to transfer to a four-year. I think it’d be best if you talked with them directly at De Anza…
The only thing that bopper didn’t seem to address was your going to SJSU instead and transferring later presumably to another university that was more of a med-school feeder. If the Ivies, except say for, Columbia are out, and your predominant focus would be on the UCs, then the answer would be a definite NO, at least for Cal and UCLA. Both would rather accept fully rising third-year students from community college than from the CSUs, and you’d have to wait until then in any case. The reasoning is that if someone goes to a competent CSU, then both universities will leave well enough alone and would rather consider and choose those that are needing placement into a four-year.
@zapheen Agree with the above 2 responses. It saves $ and also relatively easier to get into top UC in this path than from HS, especially for hard to get CS and Engg majors. Also check the status of some state bill with new governor to make free or less the community college fees.
- Do most of your General Edu and Major (if not STEM) courses at DeAnza.
- Do as much pre-req courses later at UC. But if you prefer to do some courses (even if you have got AP), do that at DeAnza and do higher level course at UC. For example, irrespective of if you have done AP Chem/Bio, do the intro Inorganic chem/Bio at DeAnza but do a higher level Inorganic chem/Bio at UC (like Molecular or Cell Bio or Genetics).
Bottom line you make sure you have taken classes at UC in BCPM and all the courses the specific UC pre-med office expects in their college.
Either go directly to your college of choice or do DeAnza and your final college. DON’T go to SJSU or CSU and try to transfer later to UC.
As a practical matter, pre-meds who do CC for the first two years need to take some of the pre-med BCPM courses at CC if they want to graduate in four years (two years CC, two years four year school) due to prerequisite sequencing and volume of courses. Obviously, sufficient BCPM courses need to be taken at a four year year school after transfer due to medical schools’ disdain for CCs. Grades need to be high at all colleges attended, and all other pre-med expectations need to be met (MCAT, pre-med extracurriculars, etc.).
For such a pre-med, calculus, general chemistry, and physics would be the most likely BCPM courses to take at CC (along with lower level courses in one’s major and general education requirements), while taking statistics, organic chemistry, biology, and upper level biochemistry and other courses at the four year school (along with upper level courses in one’s major). Of course, if the pre-med’s major requires some of the lower level BCPM courses early, they need to be taken at CC, but then the major is likely to be a BCPM major which includes substantial upper level BCPM courses at the four year school.