Missing one prereq class for my program, should I apply anyway?

[shinee_alpaca]

I was told a while ago that I was missing one class requirement for one of my schools and I missed it because the wording was so similar to what they wanted but it wasn't the same as what they were looking for (my bad, I know...). Everything else on my application looked great when I emailed them my transcript and while my grades aren't super high, I'm still within range of many accepted students from the past but that's the only thing missing - one prereq. It's a science masters program affiliated with the medical school, and I've heard cases where people could still take prereqs the spring or summer before they get in, but my apps are due in January before the new spring semester would even start. Could they scrap my application because of this? I'm worried that if I email them again with more questions I'm bothering them since I've already contacted them a few times for them to recognize my name, but I was curious if I should apply anyway? I'm hesitant to withdraw cause it's my first choice school in terms of concentration and program, so it's bumming me out if I don't get in due to something small like this than just not being a good candidate, but I also am not sure if it'll make me look bad if I apply anyway.

[fuzzylogician]

It's possible that you'll get rejected because you are missing a pre-req (or for another reason). It's possible that you won't. Obviously, we can't know. If your application is good, being rejected won't be held against you if you apply again next year, so if this is your top choice, you have nothing to lose. The easiest way to know is to email and ask the question, but I guess you're not going to do that. You could also call and ask without identifying yourself, since this is a general question that doesn't have to be linked to your name. 

[shinee_alpaca]

I'm considering trying to ask a professor at a local college near my home if I can get a waiver and register straight into his class for the spring semester, but I was curious about my chances, since the class won't be finished by the time I submit my app and potentially get an interview.

I'd be willing to email the program director if it's truly the best way, but I'm just nervous since I feel like I've contacted them with inquiries many times in the last. All this grad school app anxiety is starting to get to my head...

[fuzzylogician]

We can't be more specific here. You didn't tell us what field you are in and what prereq you are missing. Even then, it would depend on the particular school, which you may (legitimately) not want to share with us. Either way, we can speculate but we can't make you any promises. If you can take care of this missing prereq in the spring semester, that would be best. You don't need the class to be finished, you just need to say somewhere in your application that you're taking it now so you will have all the necessary prereqs before starting the graduate program. It's possible that you'll get a conditional acceptance and be required to prove that you've graduated and that you passed this class, but that should presumably not be a problem. Again, if this is your top choice, you have nothing to lose by trying. 

[shinee_alpaca]

It's a biomedical-related grad program, but I'd rather withhold on saying what exactly is the program or which school it is, since it's very niche and possibly small enough to out me. Basically, I'm missing a class involving animal dissection while my other schools allowed it to be waived in place of my regular two-course human anatomy lecture. My other schools said I had all the requirements when I showed them my transcript or said specifically if other classes would be okay in substitution, but my first choice school said the dissection component was something they wanted (which is something I didn't realize because I think they changed requirements just this year and wanted a vertebrate anatomy or comparative higher division class, and I assumed falsely that my lecture-only animal physio class fit the former).

I'll try and list somewhere in my app that I intend to enroll at a local college for it and hope if I take it in the spring it and complete it will still allow me to be admitted in for fall 2016, but I'm just really frustrated that I had to find this out months before my apps were due

Edited December 20, 2015 by ermahgerdd