Northwestern SCS

[Oh2051]

Anyone taking evening courses through Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies? Care to comment?

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[rtmadden]

I did my post-bacc through Northwestern University's School of Continuing Studies (SCS) and finished the core Chem, Bio, Orgo, Physics courses in June 2007. I was living and working in Evanston when I began to consider doing a post-bacc, so this was convenient for me. The program REQUIRES one college level math and one college level biology course for entry. Admission is based on numerical data and an essay. More information can be found at their website: http://www.scs.northwestern.edu/pdp/cpdp/health/index.cfm

1) The Pros and Cons of their program

This program is on the QUARTERS (trimesters) system. The program is taught by THE SAME faculty that teach the undergraduate basic science courses. There's nothing "easier" about the SCS classes; in speaking with the professors they noted that the mean exam scores and curves for the undergraduate and SCS classes were overall quite similar. The instruction I received was great preparation for biochem and the MCAT.

All courses for the program are at night (unless you do the 12 or 15-month track), which allows you to work if you want (I did; it was tough but that clinical experience made the difference for my apps).

The cost was less than a Northwestern undergraduate pays in tuition; the difference between the experience of an undergrad and one of a continuing studies student is that the undergrad gets a degree from Northwestern. The SCS program grants a "certificate" (I never actually got one) upon completion of the program.

The competitiveness of the program is pretty high (or at least was with my batch). The students are a mixed bag; some are doing this as a last-ditch attempt at what they view as a glamorous and money-making career; most of them fail out or otherwise soften the curve. Others are highly intelligent, driven professionals or former professionals who are there to get A's and go to Harvard. They tend to make the curve less generous. The rest of us were generally bright and motivated students who worked our butts off for 12 months. I don't consider MCAT the definitive gauge of ability, but just to give you an idea of the caliber of our class, my group of friends had MCAT scores of 30, 31, 35, 35, 36, 36, and 38.

The buildings and facilities are the same used by NU undergrads; that is to say, they are excellent. The labs were really nice (the new organic chemistry lab is sweet).

2) The kinds of classes you've taken and a description.

I took a year of calculus and a quarter of physiology before entering the program. In the program I took the standard gamut of General Chemistry, Biology, Organic Chemistry, and Physics, all with lab. After the program I took Biochemistry, and because certain schools required it (ahem, UIC), a quarter of Psychology and two quarters of English. General breakdown of the courses:

General Chemistry
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1st quarter: intro to chemistry and general chemistry
2nd quarter: general inorganic chemistry
3rd quarter: physical chemistry

Biology
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1st quarter: genetics and evolution
2nd quarter: biochem (briefly) and molecular bio
3rd quarter: physiology (again, briefly) and cell bio

Organic Chemistry
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1st quarter: nomenclature, mechanisms, some reactions
2nd quarter: lots more reactions, syntheses and retrosyntheses
3rd quarter: more syntheses and retrosyntheses, polymers

Physics
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1st quarter: mechanics
2nd quarter: electricity and magnetism
3rd quarter: waves and theoretical physics

3) Something they wished they knew coming into the program

I really wished I had known coming into the program that ANYONE (who can pay the tuition) can take courses as an "at-large" student through Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies. Because I did not have any college-level math or bio courses, I had to wait an additional year to begin the program. However, while I was taking calculus, I could have also been taking physics or general chemistry as an at-large student through the school of continuing studies. This would have saved me either: the hellish year-of-gen-chem-in-8-weeks, or having to take Bio, Physics, and Orgo (and all three labs) at the same time.

4) Something they would like to tell incoming students about your program

If you do this program, know in advance that it is going to be intense. If you decide to work, make sure your work does not demand any of your outside time; you will need it all to study.

5) Tips for students applying to your program

Unless you already have some of the requirements out of the way, start this program as early as possible, and do it over 24 months if your life timeline and financial situation allow. Your grades will be better and you will be more prepared for the MCAT. Taking three hard science classes at once (in addition to three labs, which makes it feel like six classes) is sort of insane. Also, even though they have extended the summer chemistry schedule from 8 weeks to 9, it is still a little too intense.

6) Did it help you get into medical school/dental school/etc.?

Absolutely. The program is affiliated with a "pre-health professional" group that puts on interesting events throughout the year; I happened to meet the director of admissions for the school to which I ended up matriculating at one of these events. Moreover, the academic and MCAT preparation that I got from the program were excellent.

7) Anything else you'd like to add

Be careful when planning your MCAT study, and try not to study for the MCAT at the same time that you're trying to do your coursework. Leave a good solid month (two to three recommended) of absolutely-nothing-else-to-do for your MCAT study; enroll in a prep course if possible, and do ALL the homework for the prep course.

8) A rating from 1-5 (1 being the worst (no recommendation) to 5 (full recommendation)

On a scale of 5, I would rate this program a 4.5. The only ways it could be improved, in my view, would be with a little more robust advising system. There is currently one advisor; she is great but very busy. Overall, I heartily recommend, and I think that as the program ages it is gaining a reputation for turning out bright, well-prepared students.

I found this in an earlier post. I'm currently looking at the Northwestern program for this fall. You in the same boat?

 

[Oh2051]

Thanks for copying that here. That answers just about everything I wondered about.

But I also wonder about taking the courses on a part-time basis. It seems I've read that adcoms frown upon anything less than a full-time course load?

And I wonder what percentage of the post-bacc or "at-large" students are pursuing other health careers like dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, etc.