What determines your premed placement?

[Cyberia]

I'm coming to the island in the may class..After i received a degree in biology, i went back to another 4 year university and "took over" classes that i did poorly in. (Too much parties..not enough going to class) Unfortunately for me, us schools just averaged the initial "D" with an "A" which in the end is just a B or C. So AUA was my only alternative, but no one with admissions can tell me where i will start for pre-med (1, 2, 3, or 4). What criteria is used to determine where i will start? Are there placement tests? Will my 7 years experience in a lvl 1 trauma center help? Any info would be helpful. The reason i ask is that others have posted on the board they're starting at "pre med 3 or 4". I was just hoping to get a rough idea on how long i'll be on the island. Thanks.

[amy1005]

i think it all depends on how your grades are from undergrad. some people i know that were placed in the a semester other than 1st in premed were persons who got a B or above in the class and therefore they did not need to take it over, i think it also depends on your overall performance at your previous school.
i have some friends that took premed 3 and they were already certified nurses and paramedics. the dean of premed also looks at your grades and decides on a "modified" premed programme for you which excludes the classes that you would be given credit for.
as for a placement test, there was one for me when i entered premed. they tested us on pre-calc, chem, and english.
this is really just what i know from my experience, can't speak from an official point of view. hope this helps

[Tipton]

The only way someone in Admissions would be able to advise you is with transcripts. We calculate GPAs in a similar fashion to what you described above: all attempts for a course included. Also the final word is up to the Premed dean. Admissions can usually give you a rough idea based on how the admissions committee has behaved in the past.

[oosemekh]

is it worth it to still apply to basic sciences if most of my pre-rec coursework was done at a community college

[gatornation]

definitely apply to basic sciences, i had a friend who applied to basic sciences and he was missing a few courses or had a 'd' in organic 2 and was put in those premed courses when he got to aua. Applying doesn't hurt, if they tell you that you need certain premed courses then instead of coming to antigua and taking them you can take them in the states and apply for basic sciences once their complete...who knows maybe all your credits will transfer and you will start as med 1...good luck and hope to see you in antigua