<p>In the upcoming fall semester, I will be attending a four-year university. I went to my orientation a couple days ago, which I when I registered for my classes. I managed to score an honors discussion class, intro to stats, English (College Comp.), and a Gen. Chem class. I will also be adding a honors history class during open enrollment. (There is a unit cap for all incoming and continuing students).</p>
<p>The thing is, I am majoring in Biological Sciences and I do not have a Bio class. Many of the major advisers at my university suggested that if I had to choose between Chem and Bio, I should take Chem, because it is a longer sequence. My problem now is, that I am set back one semester for my Bio sequence. I was planning on taking Bio 1 during the spring semester and Bio 2 over the summer at a local community college. Would taking a core class at a CC effect how the admissions at med school view my application?</p>
<p>Does your four-year university offer summer classes?</p>
<p>Medical schools do not like to see people taking premed-reqs at community colleges while enrolled in a four year university, because it often appears you are avoiding a more rigorous option for a less rigorous one.</p>
<p>@Jweinst1 Yes they do, but I most likely won’t be able to afford it. During the summer, my four-year university charges per unit just like the CC, but at a much higher rate. A 5 unit class would be about 2k (including books, etc.), whereas at the CC it would be a quarter of that cost, if not less. Financial aid does not cover those costs for me, so CC would be my best option, financially.</p>
<p>Another reason why I wanted to take Bio over the summer is because my major is going to be impacted during the Fall 2015 semester, so it is best that I get all my pre-major reqs. done so that I can apply for the major as soon as possible.</p>
<p>My $0.02 - for what it’s worth - after inquiring with my local med schools about a similar issue I have and observing the concerns that others have mentioned. </p>
<p>1) If you have an otherwise strong application, and if it’s just one community college course, I don’t see what the problem is - unless you plan on applying to med schools that won’t accept community college credits. </p>
<p>2) The concern about med schools assuming that you’re taking a summer science course at a community college to avoid the more rigorous fall/spring classes shouldn’t be an issue - unless you have a proven record of consistently completing your prerequisite science courses every summer at a community college.</p>
<p>Do not take pre-reqs in the summer even at your college.
Another suggestion is to take Chem. and first Bio in the first semester.<br>
I would drop History. Your goal is normally to take couple hard classes and rest should be easier classes.
I do not know your total credit count for your first semester. In first 2 years the schedule should be heavier so that you can have lighter schedule in junior year (when most pre-meds are preparing for the MCAT in addition to normal academic load) and they go to Med. School interviews (hopefully, if everything has worked fine for them) in senior year. In senior year, you should also be prepared to change your schedule in the last moment if any of the Med. Schools that you already have applied, change their requirements (has happened to my D.). So, while your schedule in first 2 years should be around 18 credits / semester, you should aim at 15 / 16 in junior/senior year.
So, based on what I have said, which was based on my D’s experience (I am not in a position to use anything else, she was the only one who pursued medicine in our family), I would take English, Stats, Gen. Ghem (with lab) and Bio (with lab.) in the first semester. I have no idea about work load in honors discussion class, I have no idea about anything like this, D. did not have anything that resemled this type of class. </p>
<p>A med school app is comprised of a lot of parts all of which are important (GPAs, MCAT, essays, LORs, interview, etc). In my opinion, although not ideal, unless you plan on applying to med schools that won’t accept community college credits, one prereq at a community college (especially ending with a grade of “A”) during summer should not be fatal. You are a biology major which means you’ll be taking several upper division bio courses that assuming you can excel in should minimize the impact of your decision as to this summer bio course. In addition to this summer prereq, I would also try to fill up the rest of the summer with some additional activity (eg volunteering, shadowing, etc.) Good luck</p>
<p>@MiamiDAP The history and honors class are required for the honors program that I am in. Those classes have to be taken in order for me to remain in the program. I will have a total of 17 units this semester. If I were to add a Bio class, I would have 22 units, which is not totally impossible. The only problem is that the BIO 1 course at my school is very impacted and the only ones that are open conflict with the schedule of all my other classes. Thanks for giving me your input though. I never thought about the fact that med. schools could change their admission reqs. </p>
<p>@Jugulator20 Thanks for your feedback! I will be sure to look for some fun opportunities for this upcoming summer. I am looking to volunteering at one of the local hospitals in my area. Preparing for med. school is like going back to senior year of high school!! XD</p>
<p>I agree that History class is ruinning your schedule. D. was also in Honors, but if she did not take the first Bio in the first semester (killer weed out with absolutely keller Lab reports), than she would have not made the correct sequence of Bio classes and her schedule would have been all messed up in regard to preparation for MCAT and senior year, when she had to change considerably because one Med. School added to requirements after D. has applied.
I am saying that you better be prepared to be very flexible in a future, to have some room in your schedule in Junior and Senior year. The more you push back in first 2 years, the more difficult it will be to adjust your future schedule.
Ultimately, you are the only one who will decide. And at the end, who knows, maybe you decide to stay in UG for another year, it is an option also. </p>
<p>@MiamiDAP I am actually churning out my 4-year plan right now. Once the semester starts, I will go over it with my major counselor to see what my options are in regards to missing out on this BIO 1 class and how I can make up for it. Honors gives some great benefits, one of which is priority registration. As a student at an impacted college, having priority registration is going to be a big part of how I am going to get through college in 4 years, hence the reason why I cannot let this opportunity go. You win some, you lose some. I guess my opportunity cost this time is my BIO 1 class.</p>
<p>Hopefully I won’t have to push back too many classes. I think once I get things sorted out and finalize the number of Bio. classes I actually have to take, everything will fall into place by itself. If I have learned anything about life, it is to be prepared for the unexpected, because not everything is going to go your way. I really appreciate all of the advice you have given me. </p>
<p>While I don’t think that taking a single science class will have a negative impact on a medical school application, other than priority registration, what are the benefits of your honors program? Others may disagree, it’s my understanding that you get no additional bonus when your GPA is calculated, and medical schools aren’t going to give any credit for being in an honors program, and it appears the course requirements are causing, and may continue to cause, scheduling headaches for you. You may want to look at being a traditional major with fewer demands on your schedule.</p>
<p>@jalfred I too have pondered about whether or not I should stay in the Honors program and I think it really is worth it even if it creates a slight conflict in my schedule. I will not get an additional bonus in my GPA, but they offer smaller classes of no more than 30 students, which is what I am used to. I come from a very small school (my graduating class had less than 15 students). In addition to having a smaller learning environment, the class is more in-depth with a focus on discussion instead of lecture. The Honors program is more of a personal necessity for my own wellbeing. </p>
<p>I get what you are trying to say though, so thanks for throwing that option out there! </p>
<p>"than priority registration, what are the benefits of your honors program? "
I would stick to Honors (again, based on D’s experience). The Priority registration was very big for her. I do not know if other opportunities were easier to obtain because of Honors, but surely, she had very easy time at her college, while it was practically impossible to get into anything outside of it. Honors or not, I would definitely stick to Honors, but I would move that History into later time and take Bio instead.</p>
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