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switching to pre-med as senior- What should my next step be?
- Thread starter syk92
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First, you aren't really nontrad based on what you've written. People who decide on med school in or within a year of college are more or less the traditional route. You haven't written that you are above the average age of matriculation, a career changer, someone with kids or any of the other things that suggest that you don't have more in common with the pre-allo crowd.
Second, options 1,3 and 5 are preferable to 4, which is preferable to 2.
Second, options 1,3 and 5 are preferable to 4, which is preferable to 2.
Hello! You seem to be on a similar boat as me; I'm also in my last year of college and decided recently to shoot for medicine. I'm not an expert by any means, but I would say either do a UCLA extension or apply to career changer post-bacc programs with financial aid. From what I understand, financial aid in post-bacc programs are not quite as generous as the packages we can get in college, but good programs are highly structured and helpful in navigating the mess of med school applications and MCAT prep. Don't take courses in CC, as med schools frown upon it and/or don't accept CC courses at all.
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Your best options are 1 or 3.
As to money, it you're old enough to choose and pursue a professional career, then you're old enough to take on your own debt. If your parents have already paid for 4 years of school, then be super grateful and pay for the 5th year yourself. If you're still in your first degree, then it shouldn't be a major issue to take out your own student loan. Go talk to the Fin.Aid office.
also, as Law2Doc said, you're not really non-traditional. Most people here have been out of undergrad for several years or decades, have families, have had other careers, etc. You're still very young and have plenty of time to work things out. So good luck. And fyi, you will likely find more people in your shoes over in the regular pre-allo forum.
As to money, it you're old enough to choose and pursue a professional career, then you're old enough to take on your own debt. If your parents have already paid for 4 years of school, then be super grateful and pay for the 5th year yourself. If you're still in your first degree, then it shouldn't be a major issue to take out your own student loan. Go talk to the Fin.Aid office.
also, as Law2Doc said, you're not really non-traditional. Most people here have been out of undergrad for several years or decades, have families, have had other careers, etc. You're still very young and have plenty of time to work things out. So good luck. And fyi, you will likely find more people in your shoes over in the regular pre-allo forum.
