<p>I am currently a senior in high school and I was accepted to every single school I applied to but deferred admission until the spring at my absolute number one choice.</p>
<p>I decided to attend a CC for the fall semester because to me, it didn't make sense to go to any college but your number one choice especially if you are able to do so after one semester. There is a pretty big gap between my number one and two school as well in terms of interest.</p>
<p>I searched the boards on here and found that medical schools generally look down upon courses taken at community colleges. I understand why, but I am also a little frustrated because unfortunately, I don't "fit the bill" for the type of kids that go to a CC. (95 avg with honors and AP courses, 1250 SAT, etc.) and I feel like I am being penalized for trying to save money and ultimately transferring to my number one choice college in the spring which is a public honors college. It is only one semester, but it will include gen bio I, gen chem I and calc I. So I am wondering if anyone can set me in the right direction and any help would be appreciated.</p>
<p>PS. Basically I am wondering if I should go to the CC or grind it out both socially and financially at another 4 year school?</p>
<p>I’ve heard the same thing. Well it is only for a semester, you will be going to an honors college in the spring, and you could probably explain later on that the reason you attended a CC was simply because you really wanted to go to a certain college.</p>
<p>I could, but that would put me behind the eight ball. I really would like to stay on track as much as possible to graduate in four years. Yeah, I am in a pretty big predicament right now.</p>
<p>Either take more classes than normal, or stay for a summer, or take another semester off (say, fall senior year) and then graduate a full year late. Really, any of those are a lot better than starting up at a CC.</p>
<p>I’ve always been of the opinion that they would. If many students at a university (say, UCB) take 5 years to graduate, then 5 years is fine. But if that’s entirely unheard of (say, at Duke), then 5 years is a problem.</p>
<p>In other words, I assume it is, but “normal” is defined college-by-college, not in the entire pool.</p>
Ok so you got spring admission to UC berk i presume. I mean you are not really behind the eight ball? Relative to your peers, yes they will graduate a semester earlier than you because they started earlier. But you still will complete 4 years of coursework on time relative to when you started school. Why not take this opportunity to start volunteering or maybe finding some labs up in berks to do research? And if you plan to do classes at the CC, please do not take any premed reqs, wait until you are at berk.</p>
<p>He told me not to worry, and go to a CC to save money.</p>
<p>He said that a semester won’t hurt because the classes I would take are introductory anyways, and medical schools only discourage one from taking more difficult classes over the summer. According to him, that is a red flag to medical schools that the individual is clearly looking to avoid taking the more difficult class.</p>
<p>He also mentioned that he knows several students who have received their associates degree and were admitted to medical school.</p>
<p>I am a little bit skeptical, but this is his job. However, I value everyone’s advice here. Thanks.</p>
<p>^^^ Make sure that you do not take any important science courses nor any of your major courses. That way, you wont give the impression that you took those at CC because it would be easier to get a better grade…</p>
<p>For whatever is worth, I also know several people that got into med school after spending 2 years at a CC. I also know of someone URM, female who did not and she had a 4.0 (2 years CC and 2 years reputable University)</p>
<p>Going to a CC is fine if that’s what you have to do. The OP doesn’t have to do this! I have no idea why he would do so. Is he that desperate for something to do during that time?</p>
<p>I would personally not take any science classes (Bio, Chem, Phys) at a Community College. I was originally pre-med before I switched to finance. Every Med School admissions person I talked to said not to take sciences at a local college or CC, or even during the summer because it just looked bad to admissions. My father, who is in academic medicine and has served both on admission boards of two major Med Schools and as the dean of a major US med school, told me the same thing. I would highly recommend volunteering or something of that sort rather than taking core classes at a CC. If you really want to go to med school and start out at a CC for a semester or year, DO NOT take your core sciences (gen bio 1 & 2, gen chem 1 &2, phys 1 & 2, and org chem 1 & 2.)</p>