summer classes at lower lever college- does it matter to Med School?

<p>D goes to upper level/Ivy college. Interested in taking summer course. If home for the summer, would taking a course at CC or local college/public univ. hurt? Reading in the US New book, it mentions some med schools want you to take classes at your home institution or same caliber (especially reqs). Is this the case?</p>

<p>…anyone have info on topic? I was reading something in one of the premed circulars.</p>

<p>Only if it is a pre-medical requisite course (chem bio etc). Otherwise a couple CC credits aren’t going to be a big deal. It is kind of a pain to get all of the transcripts together when you apply though.</p>

<p>thanks. Summer courses are pretty expensive at top schools, on top of already hefty bill during regular year, but many advise them to get ahead and take an org bio class, etc. Also don’t live near any top schools.</p>

<p>I wouldn’t bother taking summer classes at all. Summers are for extracurriculars. You have 75% of the year to show how good a student you are.</p>

<p>Yes, but to meet premed and possibly doble major/study abroad, they tend to recommend a class in summer. Thus, looking into possible options.</p>

<p>Unless there’s some compelling reason, any double major which forces you to take a summer in classes is not worth it. Strong students should also be able to handle overloads during the school year.</p>

<p>If you absolutely must do this for some insane reason, then make sure to take non-prerequisite classes if you can.</p>

<p>Yes, med schools will notice this and, if they are the premed required courses, they will note this unless it looks like it is just one course. There are kids who take a light load in college to keep their grades high and find a summer program to take their premed courses. It is a strategy often used. And if it is successful, it can work. However, the med schools are aware of this issue and this will work only if you get the grades. At top programs you are likely to be penalized for this. In any program, if there are students who do as well as you and it comes to a tie breaker, you will be the one who gets rejected. </p>

<p>Still there are schools where the premed classes are very difficult. Maybe all of the courses are difficult and some kids just do better living a course, one at a time and 3 hours of chem at a stretch for several weeks in the summer makes it doable with decent results whereas taking it with 3 other courses is compromising grades in all three subjects. If you can do this and do it well, it could pay off. But,yes, the medical schools are well aware of this strategy.</p>

<p>She is looking at probably just the 1 summer course. She takes a full load, but to study abroad, she may take the summer course. Also has freshman and hopefully going forward she is an intern (science), scholar program, etc…so she is doing alot of extra curriculars. From everything I read, many are taking more than 4 yrs and then going to med school (taking MCAT senior yr., etc.).</p>

<p>…anyone know any strong org.chemistry classes for the summer that med schools may approve/accept? Kind of needs to do it in summer to go abroad.</p>

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Is an overload during the school year a possibility?</p>

<p>No, she does alot of extra programs…is in a special scholars program, internship in science (freshman), signing up to do tours for admissions… Thus, going abroad will take time out of the chem sequence.
From the premed advisors at their school,they say many are waiting for the 5th year to finish up premed requirements.</p>