Should I take OChem at a Community College?
So what do you guys think I should do? I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now. I currently hope to apply to Physician Assistant school. However my GPA is around a 3.2-3.3 which is the bare minimum to even be considered. I'm probably taking a gap year to do more volunteer/clinical work. However, I want to try and finish applying and interviewing by the end of next semester. Who knows, I may still possibly get in. My problem is that as implied, I still have to finish taking at least Ochem 1. I know that if I take the class at my university, I will most likely get a B no matter what happens. Which will take my GPA down further. However, if I do not take it at my university, PA schools look down upon it if I take it at community college. At the same time I won't be able to complete my minor in chemistry. Hence, should I take Ochem at a CC for a chance of getting an easier A and have PA schools look down on me. Or should I take it at my university where I will mostly likely get a B or even C and maybe bring down my GPA, but still get a minor and have PA schools not look down on it as much?
14 Comments • Newest first
[quote=RitoPls]I wouldn't want my doctor to be someone who took all the premed classes in a community college.[/quote]
My current doctor started at community college and he's the best doctor I've ever had.
Do NOTTT take any professional school pre-reqs at a CC.
They do look down on that. All of the advisers and students I have talked to about this said taking pre-reqs for a professional school (PA, MD, Pharm, etc.) at a CC while attending a university looks hella bad. They will just assume you're just trying to take an easier class.
I'd take it at the community college.
Organic chemistry is a weed out course and I don't know what grounds you're using to assume that you'll be able to sail by with a B at the very least. Nothing in the course is inherently difficult, but it's very tedious and time consuming. Remember that it also won't be the only course you'll be taking.
More importantly, I don't think they'll look down on you for taking an organic chemistry course in a community college. Usually for these types of things, letters of recommendation and some form of experience in the field is much more important than your transcript. I can understand that you need to be competitive but I don't feel like the benefits outweigh the risks here. Then again, this is drawing from my experiences which is in a field completely unrelated to yours. I think it'd be best to get opinions from people who are where you want to be or are in the process of going to where you want to be.
I took orgo 1 and got an A-with barely any studying. The next semester I got a D in orgo 2
If you put in the time, you can get A in any class
In my opinion, I would definitely take your ochem I at a university. Like @Squeezy mention, the ochem series is a weed out course. However, you shouldn't take a
difficult course at a community college just because you don't want your gpa to decrease for application to PA school. I know that PA school is quite competitive and that
admissions are looking for those who have strong science background, like any other competitive science majors. If you took a couple science courses at a CC before a university, that's fine; admissions won't take that harshly versus if you took majority of your science courses at an university and then your main important courses at a CC. As you said, you took anatomy +
phys at a CC which I feel like that's crucial that you've taken it at an university because sometimes CC doesn't always give you enough information for future
courses. I've had similar issues with this myself.
I don't know how much ochem I is important for PA school but I think you should consider taking this course at an university. Like @Squeezy also mention, ochem I is very difficult for most students no matter where you take the course. Definitely study early before you are actually enrolled in the course because it does take a huge chunk of your studying time. Basically what I'm trying to say is that if you want to become a future PA, become that competitive applicant that admissions are looking for. Push yourself to take the course at a university, because that's what any future medical-related admissions want to see in an applicant. Think of how you are going to overcome this rigorous this course for the sake of your gpa versus having the admissions look down on you for taking 3 major science courses at a CC. Best of luck with your ochem series and PA applications
[quote=RitoPls]I wouldn't want my doctor to be someone who took all the premed classes in a community college.[/quote]
Lol, I'm applying to PA school. They aren't doctors. Also, I've taken all of my requirements at university already except for anat + phys which I took at cc and ochem which I may take at CC. Thanks for the advice though. I guess you are pushing at taking it at uni too.
I wouldn't want my doctor to be someone who took all the premed classes in a community college.
Noooo...take it at your university.
No matter where you take a class, it's the same curriculum. Community college is no different from a university when it comes down to coursework.
Take Organic Chemistry I at a university. It is probably one of the most important classes you'll take as a chemistry or medical profession major. Not only is it a "weed out" class, but it's essential to your core understanding of learning that goes beyond just chemistry. The reason it's a weed out class is that it teaches you beyond just basic chemistry, memorizing how to do simple dimensional analysis and pka to pkb stuff, whatever. I just took Organic Chemistry II and I still don't remember chemistry I or II material. If you just put the effort into understanding the material and go further than just memorizing then you'll get an A in it. I took organic I chemistry during an 18 hour semester and I got a B. But that was just because I transferred to a new school and had to adjust, while being pressured to take 18 hours to keep up with my pre-requisites to be able to apply for Pharmacy school on time. At the end of Organic I, I hated myself. Everything was so simple. Literally just nomenclature, simple reactions and mechanisms, stereochemistry, and acidity trends. I just summed up organic chemistry I for you. It really is a class you look back on and realize, wow that was easy and I'm really stupid. During Organic II, everything learned in Organic I became stuff you just needed to know and stuff that you use mindlessly because of how easy it was.
[quote=pinoymystic]@Phong128992: okay, the best thing you can do is see which course is transferable.(so go to your counselor) and god, no. sometimes it is easier, sometimes it's not. there's actual classes that actually go under UC categories/UC level (usually science classes and math classes).
what i'm trying to say about that comment is that people think a lot of crap about CC's when all they do is just hear from a lot of people. the only bad part about CC's is that it's extremely impacted due to local people trying to get science classes. (depending on your region). but universities are more accepting than you think. (which is why i was talking about how universities are actually okay with people with 3.0 GPAs in CCs.) it's not really directed to what you're saying, but i'm just stating that universities are accepting of community colleges despite the myths about cc and that it's so called "easier" than it is. it is just totally different from high school, so don't worry about it being "easier"/"not able to get accepted" because universities wont allow it. just talk to your counselors about which specific O-Chem you need to take.[/quote]
Again, I'm applying to a GRAD program to try and get my MASTERS degree though. This has nothing to do with transferring credit or with how universities look at it. I'm already a senior in college. I'm talking about GRADuate school and how they look at college classes. Not how general undergraduate universities look at the classes. Oh just nvm lol......
@Phong128992: okay, the best thing you can do is see which course is transferable.(so go to your counselor) and god, no. sometimes it is easier, sometimes it's not. there's actual classes that actually go under UC categories/UC level (usually science classes and math classes).
what i'm trying to say about that comment is that people think a lot of crap about CC's when all they do is just hear from a lot of people. the only bad part about CC's is that it's extremely impacted due to local people trying to get science classes. (depending on your region). but universities are more accepting than you think. (which is why i was talking about how universities are actually okay with people with 3.0 GPAs in CCs.) it's not really directed to what you're saying, but i'm just stating that universities are accepting of community colleges despite the myths about cc and that it's so called "easier" than it is. it is just totally different from high school, so don't worry about it being "easier"/"not able to get accepted" because universities wont allow it. just talk to your counselors about which specific O-Chem you need to take.
[quote=pinoymystic]lmao that's so false. i'm from community college and they are MORE accepting of kids that get a 3.0 GPA in CC than those who go to high school. so no. go for it.[/quote]
Sorry. I shouldn't have said "most". One thing I can say though, after taking sciences classes at my university and local CC, is that the classes at CC are much easier. I'm also not sure I understand your whole 3.0 in CC than those who go to high school comment. I'm not sure how that applies to me applying to grad school and how it justifies me taking ochem at a CC.
[quote=Phong128992]They look down upon it because it's much easier to get an A at a community college class than it's at most university. It's the same reason why Med schools don't let pre-med students take their pre-reqs at community college (except pa schools allow it)[/quote]
lmao that's so false. i'm from community college and they are MORE accepting of kids that get a 3.0 GPA in CC than those who go to high school. so no. go for it.
[quote=WontPostMuch]Why would they look down on it? Talk to a counselor and find out if this will be an issue. It shouldn't be though, honestly![/quote]
They look down upon it because it's much easier to get an A at a community college class than it's at most university. It's the same reason why Med schools don't let pre-med students take their pre-reqs at community college (except pa schools allow it)
Why would they look down on it? Talk to a counselor and find out if this will be an issue. It shouldn't be though, honestly!