Chances of Getting into Post-Bacc Pre-Med With 3 schools:NYU, Columbia Univ, Harvard Extension?

[smilefromwest]

My undergrad is in Computer Science and Master's degree in Information Management which are both taken in Philippines prior to migrating here in US. I have above 3.5 GPA in undergrad as a Cum Laude and 3.8 in Masters. I have worked here in US for 7 years and earned enough money to shift my career. It's really my passion to help people which is proven with my volunteer work at the churches and the community. I want to heal people and really have a strong desire to be a doctor. Thus, I want to shift career from IT to Med.
I am going to volunteer in Scripps hospital here in San Diego for 6 months for at least 100 hours just to have a little bit of sense of the community.
I intend to apply spring 2016. By that time I will be 40.
I am preparing application for NYU, Columbia and Harvard as they have a lot of linkage to med schools.
Is applying to 3 schools enough? What could be my chances?
Anyone here who have been in my situation where credentials are international, from a totally different background and starting the post bacc at this age?

I appreciate your thoughts.

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[remzremz]

I would do a few searches about those programs on these boards. You will find some pretty insigthful information. You should also consider a a place where you will get the highest grades in your post-bacc classes. Harvard, NYU, and Columbia will likely be harder when compared to your local college.

 

[smilefromwest]

Thanks Remzremz, this site is really giving me some insights.

In your case, did you go to schools other than these to get a high grade? However, what if the schools have less linkage or very few linkage med schools and not even worth going into because the school is so far off from civilization.

 

[Gurby]

Harvard Extension doesn't have linkages to any medical schools, as far as I know.

 

[Snivellus]

Agreed with Columbia

 

[DrMidlife]

US citizen or permanent resident? If not, that's priority 1.

 

[TrebleBassFace]

These sound like a waste of money. And NOBODY will think you're "prestigious" if you take post bac classes there. Just do your classes at community college.

 

[Snivellus]

Also linkage doesn't mean automatic acceptance.

 

[smilefromwest]

I was thinking of a good training and program as well as linkage. In one post-bacc school here in SoCal, the linkage is in Wesconsin.
Does it mean that even though the school has no linkage in a certain medical school, I can apply in a med school anywhere? I want to understand the value of linkage schools.

In Harvard Post-Bacc, they posted a lot of linkage schools. Aso, it looks like their schedules are at night. It means I can work in day time.

I will be US citizen by early next year. I am currently resident. I've been working in Cal for 8 years now. I spent too much time thinking about this career switch. It's a lot of investment so I want to make sure, I choose the right post-bacc program.
It looks like the Columbia is not a popular choice. I want words of advice from those who have successfully completed the program also from those who were eaten alive

Thank you. I appreciate your words.

 

[smilefromwest]

I often advise against Columbia, although an excellent program, is highly competitive and at times cut throat. I have had some career changers go there with advanced degrees who were eaten alive. Go the best place you can that you can do well in. I often suggest people look at Hunter in the NYC area

I will check that.
Have you been there? We're you a post-bacc before too or a traditional? Why do you suggest Hunter in NYC?

 

[Gurby]

I was thinking of a good training and program as well as linkage. In one post-bacc school here in SoCal, the linkage is in Wesconsin.
Does it mean that even though the school has no linkage in a certain medical school, I can apply in a med school anywhere? I want to understand the value of linkage schools.

In Harvard Post-Bacc, they posted a lot of linkage schools. Aso, it looks like their schedules are at night. It means I can work in day time.

Usually "linkage" means there is some formal association between schools. Usually it means if you do well at the undergrad school, you get an automatic interview at the med school, or something along those lines.

The schools listed on the Harvard page are just schools that people have gotten into after going through HES. Not linkages.

 

[smilefromwest]

Usually "linkage" means there is some formal association between schools. Usually it means if you do well at the undergrad school, you get an automatic interview at the med school, or something along those lines.

The schools listed on the Harvard page are just schools that people have gotten into after going through HES. Not linkages.

Gurby: you are not in favor of these schools too? What school do you go to?

 

[Gurby]

My undergrad is in Computer Science and Master's degree in Information Management which are both taken in Philippines prior to migrating here in US.

I have worked here in US for 7 years and earned enough money to shift my career.

As DrMidlife mentioned, this might be a much more difficult situation for you for two reasons: 1) If you aren't a US citizen, you might have trouble getting in because you can't take out loans or something. I'm not really sure how that works. 2) Med schools might not accept your degrees from the Philippines - you might end up needing to do a 2nd bachelor degree here in the US...

You should research these two things before worrying about post-bac schools.

Gurby: you are not in favor of these schools too? What school do you go to?

I go to Harvard Extension and I think it's fantastic. It just doesn't have any official linkages (I'm not sure how many post-bacs do, really - I know it's more of a thing with SMP's).

 

[smilefromwest]

@Gurby: I researched in MSAR that there are post-bacc schools that accept International Credentials. I emailed the Columbia and Harvard Extension and they are positive as long as I send my credentials to the International Evaluation Organization e.g. WES. However, of course as suggested by folks here, it is not recommended. I am also reviewing other schools that accepts International credentials. I emailed JHU and advised me that they accept international credentials through WES. Thus, I'm planning to just submit a copy of my transcripts to WES and request them to prepare the evaluation for the selected schools. Are you saying that even if I finish this post-bacc but my credentials are in International, no med-schools will accept me? Just really want to be sure if I should stop right now and not waste my effort.

I am a US resident and been here since 2007 and will be US Citizen by the time that I apply for the program in Spring. I earned some savings and planning to use it but eventually of course I will have to apply for a loan.

Are all of you here natural born US citizen? Are there anyone here in the same situation as I am?

 

[Gurby]

Are you saying that even if I finish this post-bacc but my credentials are in International, no med-schools will accept me? Just really want to be sure if I should stop right now and not waste my effort.

It seems to vary school to school. Some schools want 1-3 years of classes taken in the US, but it seems like it's okay that your degree is from overseas... As long as you do the pre-req's and maybe some other classes here in the USA. As a permanent(?) resident, I think you can take out loans... But I'm not sure about that, and not sure if being a resident vs recent citizen vs "born here" citizen affects your chances of getting in somewhere...

I'm really not a good person to be asking these questions. Maybe @LizzyM or @Goro could give you some advice?

 

[Goro]

Most med schools will want your UG degree to be from a US school.

It seems to vary school to school. Some schools want 1-3 years of classes taken in the US, but it seems like it's okay that your degree is from overseas... As long as you do the pre-req's and maybe some other classes here in the USA. As a permanent(?) resident, I think you can take out loans... But I'm not sure about that, and not sure if being a resident vs recent citizen vs "born here" citizen affects your chances of getting in somewhere...

I'm really not a good person to be asking these questions. Maybe @LizzyM or @Goro could give you some advice?

 

[MedWonk]

Columbia is insanely expensive - I believe the cost per credit hour there is excess 2k with fees - and has a really weird culture: have you read up on the Nunegesser-Sulkowicz situation?

That said, you will probably get in there with a 3.5 from a decent institution - I just do not think it is worth the 75k in fees that it will cost to (maybe) get through their program. At least, after getting admitted to their program but doing a ton of research before enrolling, I did not.

Holy crap. For 75k you might as well do a second bachelor's.

 

[LizzyM]

As far as I know, you need to earn a degree in the US or Canada to qualify for admission to a US medical school. That's a long road..

 

[Gurby]

Thanks, Goro and LizzyM!

OP, there is some good info for you in this conveniently bumped thread: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...us-with-a-foreign-degree-need-advice.1098332/