Please help answer my question of taking summer classes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Maryann462]

Hello, this is my first time posting. I looked through some pages of posts and didnt see my question already asked, well at least not exactly. I currently go to the University of Michigan(Ann Arbor) and I was wondering would it look bad if I take a couple of med school prereqs at a 4 year college close to home during summer. Grand Valley State University is a lot closer to me and cheaper. I dont know if it looks bad if I take a couple of classes there instead of UofM. I know if I take them there, the grade wont transfer but I will still get credit. Does it matter if the grade doesnt transfer, because wont the Med School Admissions board still see the letter grade on my transcript from that school?

PLease any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

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[njbmd]

Hello, this is my first time posting. I looked through some pages of posts and didnt see my question already asked, well at least not exactly. I currently go to the University of Michigan(Ann Arbor) and I was wondering would it look bad if I take a couple of med school prereqs at a 4 year college close to home during summer. Grand Valley State University is a lot closer to me and cheaper. I dont know if it looks bad if I take a couple of classes there instead of UofM. I know if I take them there, the grade wont transfer but I will still get credit. Does it matter if the grade doesnt transfer, because wont the Med School Admissions board still see the letter grade on my transcript from that school?

PLease any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

When you fill out the AMCAS (ACOMAS) application, you are required to submit a transcript from every school that you have attended post secondary school. You would have to submit a transcript for the courses that you take outside of your home institution.

It doesn't make much difference that you have taken your pre-med pre-reqs during the summer as long as the courses are in sufficient depth and breadth that you can do well on the Medical College Admissions Test. In addition, you need to perform well in them meaning no grade less than B+.

Also, keep in mind, that summer courses often move much faster than courses during the regular term. This can be problematic if you are a student that requires some extra "thought time" in order to master coursework. It's also not much of a problem if you are very organized and disciplined in your study routine.

There isn't much time to do anything other than your schoolwork during the summer session. This means that it is virtually impossible to work and do summer coursework. This can lead to "burn out" which may carry over into your regular sessions. Some folks just need that summer time to do other things (make some money; mental rest) so that they can perform well during the regular session. Again, you have to know your learning style and your vacation needs.

As long as your summer grades are good; your knowledge base is sound and you are able to get the depth and breadth of coursework that you need for a good MCAT performance, summer courses closer to your home won't hurt you in terms of your application. You might be asked why you took the courses at another institution which you could explain that you wanted to do some summer work at a location close to your home so that you could get ahead.

 

[WolverineDoc13]

Hello Fellow Wolverine.

ditto to njbmd.

Also, since you go to Michigan, I must say that I wouldn't recommend taking a semester of orgo at Grand Valley and then a second semester at Michigan, because the two orgo semesters are closely linked to each other. If you take any course away from Michigan, I would take physics. Just a thought.

Good luck! and visit the Career Center! I work there.

 

[Dr Lyss]

As long as the school is a 4 year school & accredited you should be fine to take some classes there. If the school you will be taking some summer courses is not comparable to your university in terms of "quality" of education I wouldn't suggest taking too many of the important prereqs there (ie orgo, intro bio, etc) but even that isn't a huge deal.