I would like to go to Medical School but currently Taking Classes in a Community College to Save Costs. Will this work?

2 min read

Yes, absolutely. Many students begin at a community college and successfully gain admission to medical school. In fact, attending community college for the first 1-2 years can be a financially smart strategy if you perform well academically and then transfer to a four-year university to complete your bachelor's degree.

That said, there are a few important considerations:

What Medical Schools Want Most

Medical schools generally care about:

Strong GPA (especially in science courses)
Strong MCAT score
Completion of prerequisite courses
Clinical experience (shadowing, volunteering, patient care)
Research experience (helpful, especially for more competitive schools)
Leadership and service activities
Strong letters of recommendation

Community College Pros

*Significant cost savings

*Smaller class sizes

* Easier transition into college-level coursework

* Opportunity to build a strong GPA

Potential Concerns

* Some medical schools prefer that at least some upper-level science courses be completed at a four-year institution.

* A few medical schools may view community college science prerequisites less favorably, especially if all sciences are taken there.

* Transfer students need to demonstrate they can succeed in rigorous upper-division university science courses.

Recommended Path

Years 1-2 (Community College)

General Biology
General Chemistry
English Composition
Calculus or Statistics
General Education requirements
Maintain GPA of 3.7+ if possible

Years 3-4 (University)

Organic Chemistry
Biochemistry
Physics
Genetics
Physiology
Other advanced sciences
Research opportunities

Before Applying

MCAT
Clinical volunteering
Physician shadowing
Community service
Leadership activities

A Cost Example

Traditional Route

Four years at a university: $80,000-$200,000+ depending on institution

Community College + Transfer

Two years at community college plus two years at a university can reduce costs by tens of thousands of dollars while leading to the same bachelor's degree.

My Advice

If you are currently taking community college classes to save money, I would encourage you to:

Focus on earning excellent grades.
Meet regularly with a pre-med advisor.
Transfer to a strong four-year institution after completing your associate degree or core requirements.
Begin clinical exposure as early as possible.

A student with a 3.7-4.0 GPA from a community college who transfers successfully, performs well at a university, scores well on the MCAT, and gains meaningful clinical experience can be a very competitive medical-school applicant.

Your community-college start is unlikely to hurt you if it is followed by strong performance at a four-year university. In fact, many admissions committees respect applicants who made financially responsible choices and excelled despite financial constraints.