Top post-bacc programs... & my chances of getting in :)

[Baap]

Hello everyone,

First, I think this is an awesome forum and have been browsing the info for quite some time. Thank you!

I am looking to attend a Post-Bac towards Pre-Med.

Here are my stats:

GRADUATE - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN: Masters in Human Resources
GPA 3.78 (44 hours)

UNDERGRAD - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN: Psychology
GPA 3.40 (115 hours)

SCHOOL DETAILS:
- Took 12 hours at a Community College during high school w/ GPA 2.99
- First two years of undergrad I studied Electrical Engineering w/ GPA 3.31
- I have 2 Withdraw's during Sophomore year (7 hours)
- Net GPA is 3.478

EXAM SCORES:
GRE Total 1270
Math - 790, Verbal - 480

ACT Total 30
Eng 26, Math 31, Reading 27, Sci 34


So I'm looking to get into a good post-bacc program. I have completed Chem 1, and the Physics sequence (though I had a C+ in Engineering Physics 2).

I strongly prefer a post-bacc that would give me a chance to go straight to med school rather than wait a year, but I don't want to attend a poor med school just to save a year.

MD vs DO doesn't matter to me.

I also prefer Illinois or California but am flexible on location.

So what are some good target schools I should apply to, and how do my stats look when it comes to getting in?

Also, I have been working in a non-medical position in an Emergency Room for 6 months, so I have plenty of indirect patient care, but have not done any volunteering beyond this.

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[NewmansOwn]

Hello everyone,

First, I think this is an awesome forum and have been browsing the info for quite some time. Thank you!

I am looking to attend a Post-Bac towards Pre-Med.

Here are my stats:

GRADUATE - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN: Masters in Human Resources
GPA 3.78 (44 hours)

UNDERGRAD - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN: Psychology
GPA 3.40 (115 hours)

SCHOOL DETAILS:
- Took 12 hours at a Community College during high school w/ GPA 2.99
- First two years of undergrad I studied Electrical Engineering w/ GPA 3.31
- I have 2 Withdraw's during Sophomore year (7 hours)
- Net GPA is 3.478

EXAM SCORES:
GRE Total 1270
Math - 790, Verbal - 480

ACT Total 30
Eng 26, Math 31, Reading 27, Sci 34


So I'm looking to get into a good post-bacc program. I have completed Chem 1, and the Physics sequence (though I had a C+ in Engineering Physics 2).

I strongly prefer a post-bacc that would give me a chance to go straight to med school rather than wait a year, but I don't want to attend a poor med school just to save a year.

MD vs DO doesn't matter to me.

I also prefer Illinois or California but am flexible on location.

So what are some good target schools I should apply to, and how do my stats look when it comes to getting in?

Also, I have been working in a non-medical position in an Emergency Room for 6 months, so I have plenty of indirect patient care, but have not done any volunteering beyond this.

In order to get into a good postbac program, you'll need:

1) Higher standardized test scores. I would recommend studying for and taking the GRE.

2) More volunteer experience, particularly medically-related.

Your academic history is long and complicated, and that will definitely raise a few eyebrows. You'll need to convince your interviewer that you will be able to make it through an extremely difficult postbac year without flagging.

Also, you might want to check...Chem I and both Physics courses might be too much for the career-changer postbacs. They normally prefer you have taken minimal or no medical prereqs prior to the program.

Good luck.

 

[Baap]

In order to get into a good postbac program, you'll need:

1) Higher standardized test scores. I would recommend studying for and taking the GRE.

2) More volunteer experience, particularly medically-related.

Your academic history is long and complicated, and that will definitely raise a few eyebrows. You'll need to convince your interviewer that you will be able to make it through an extremely difficult postbac year without flagging.

Also, you might want to check...Chem I and both Physics courses might be too much for the career-changer postbacs. They normally prefer you have taken minimal or no medical prereqs prior to the program.

Good luck.

As per the experience, i've been working in an Emergency Room for 6 months, full time. I haven't been doing patient care, but I do a ton more than any volunteer does, so I feel this is one of my strong points.

The GPA is low primarily due to struggles in Engineering courses. If you look at my last three years of school, 2 of them being the Masters, I have over 3.7. And my Cumulative is 3.47 ish.

I think u have a valid point that with my standardized test scores and GPA, I will not be able to get into a top program. I should rephrase that I want to get into a very good program.

I had a conversation with the AdCon at Mills and she felt I am a typical candidate for their program taking into account my 3.78 during the Masters.

 

[meliora27]

I'm doing the pre-med post-bac program at Loyola (Chicago) and have been very happy there. You may want to call and find out if that's an option given the fact that you have already satisfied some of the pre-reqs. I feel like Loyola likes their students to not have had any of the pre-reqs satisfied before enrolling however I have met people in my program that have taken some of the pre-med classes early on in their college careers so it may be worth a phone call to find out.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think it's likely you've taken too many science courses for the top post-bacs who prefer their students not have much exposure to this, although you would probably want to talk to the admissions people to be sure.

 

[Baap]

One issue that keeps coming up is how the adcoms are all number ******.

This really makes me wonder the value of getting into a super competitive program like Northwestern in Illinois and struggling to get A's, versus getting into a solid, above average program and acing everything.

Since the start of this thread, I've been giving far more consideration the second tier programs in Illinois & California (Loyala, Midwestern & SFSU, USC, Mills) over the top Northwestern and Scripps.

Isn't the post-bac about putting yourself in the best position to get admission into med school?

 

[Baap]

I think it's likely you've taken too many science courses for the top post-bacs who prefer their students not have much exposure to this, although you would probably want to talk to the admissions people to be sure.

Well, there is a balance in my case because yes, I do have the physics sequence and Chem 1 complete, but I need to take the bio sequence, genetics, and as much anatomy/physio that I can fit in. The highly structured programs may not be a best fit but any program with a little bit of flexibility should work.

 

[drizzt3117]

One issue that keeps coming up is how the adcoms are all number ******.

This really makes me wonder the value of getting into a super competitive program like Northwestern in Illinois and struggling to get A's, versus getting into a solid, above average program and acing everything.

Since the start of this thread, I've been giving far more consideration the second tier programs in Illinois & California (Loyala, Midwestern & SFSU, USC, Mills) over the top Northwestern and Scripps.

Isn't the post-bac about putting yourself in the best position to get admission into med school?

The top programs are not necessarily the most challenging; for example, Scripps does not use curves in grading in their classes, which makes things pretty relaxed. This is not necessarily true of the top tier, though, and it's certainly not EASY but I would say that your experience in the program would be less stressful than going to a school like Penn, Columbia, NU, etc...

Northwestern is also not a top tier postbac although it's a top tier undergrad and good med school, that's not really how it works in terms of postbac selectivity and "rankings".

The top programs (Scripps, Goucher, Bryn Mawr, maybe Hopkins) are very concerned with the qualifications of their applicants because they put 100% of their students into med school every year. There is obviously quite a bit of self-selection going on. That said, med school adcoms recognize the top programs and realize their students are well-qualified.

The "second tier" of postbacs put a somewhat lower (but still high) % of SPONSORED students into med school (Penn, Columbia, NU, HES, etc) but this is also qualified by the fact that they do not sponsor every student that finishes their program.

 

[drizzt3117]

Well, there is a balance in my case because yes, I do have the physics sequence and Chem 1 complete, but I need to take the bio sequence, genetics, and as much anatomy/physio that I can fit in. The highly structured programs may not be a best fit but any program with a little bit of flexibility should work.

You may want to take a look at HES. The formal programs are pretty set in their curriculum (G Chem x 2, Ochem x 2, Physics x 2, Physio, Intro Bio all with labs in the first year, more flexibility in an optional second year)

 

[Baap]

The top programs are not necessarily the most challenging; for example, Scripps does not use curves in grading in their classes, which makes things pretty relaxed. This is not necessarily true of the top tier, though, and it's certainly not EASY but I would say that your experience in the program would be less stressful than going to a school like Penn, Columbia, NU, etc...

Northwestern is also not a top tier postbac although it's a top tier undergrad and good med school, that's not really how it works in terms of postbac selectivity and "rankings".

The top programs (Scripps, Goucher, Bryn Mawr, maybe Hopkins) are very concerned with the qualifications of their applicants because they put 100% of their students into med school every year. There is obviously quite a bit of self-selection going on. That said, med school adcoms recognize the top programs and realize their students are well-qualified.

The "second tier" of postbacs put a somewhat lower (but still high) % of SPONSORED students into med school (Penn, Columbia, NU, HES, etc) but this is also qualified by the fact that they do not sponsor every student that finishes their program.

Drizz, you've been awesome. I plan on applying to programs that
1) are more supportive than competitive (see Loyola over Northwestern),
2) give me a strong chance to get straight A's (see above),
3) offer some form of linkage, whether formal (Scripps) or informal (USC with their own med school)
4) is located in/near IL or CAL,
5) is affordable (lol mostly they all aren't which blows)
6) starts in the Spring (which would be nice) and
7) is flexible in terms of attending part-time... just in case I need to work.

So right now I am going through aamc's post bac listing and trying to find good matches. My list thus far:
Mills, Scripps, USC, Loyola, Harvard, Midwestern

And schools I still need ot research:
SFSU, Chapman, BrynMawr, Groucher, and perhaps more...

 

[drizzt3117]

If by Chapman you mean the one in Orange County, don't bother. You might as well register for a second bachelors at Illinois State or something like that if you're going to do that. To be totally honest the program that seems to be the best fit for you is HES, which is also really inexpensive.

Drizz, you've been awesome. I plan on applying to programs that
1) are more supportive than competitive (see Loyola over Northwestern),
2) give me a strong chance to get straight A's (see above),
3) offer some form of linkage, whether formal (Scripps) or informal (USC with their own med school)
4) is located in/near IL or CAL,
5) is affordable (lol mostly they all aren't which blows)
6) starts in the Spring (which would be nice) and
7) is flexible in terms of attending part-time... just in case I need to work.

So right now I am going through aamc's post bac listing and trying to find good matches. My list thus far:
Mills, Scripps, USC, Loyola, Harvard, Midwestern

And schools I still need ot research:
SFSU, Chapman, BrynMawr, Groucher, and perhaps more...

 

[Baap]

If by Chapman you mean the one in Orange County, don't bother. You might as well register for a second bachelors at Illinois State or something like that if you're going to do that. To be totally honest the program that seems to be the best fit for you is HES, which is also really inexpensive.

I will apply to Harvard, but what other programs would also be a good fit?

My list is thus far:
Scripps - top program, great location, stretch for admission
Mills - see above with better admission chance
Harvard - Good everything besides location (expensive)

Backups:
Midwestern (Which is better IL or AZ?),
USC (spring admission, informal relationship with USC med school)
Loyola (good program, expensive, no linkage)

On the fence/need to do more research:
Goucher
Bryn Mawr

All the other good programs do not seem very supportive, are too difficult/competitive in grades, or do not offer enough assitance from staff.

 

[NewmansOwn]

I will apply to Harvard, but what other programs would also be a good fit?

My list is thus far:
Scripps - top program, great location, stretch for admission
Mills - see above with better admission chance
Harvard - Good everything besides location (expensive)

Backups:
Midwestern (Which is better IL or AZ?),
USC (spring admission, informal relationship with USC med school)
Loyola (good program, expensive, no linkage)

On the fence/need to do more research:
Goucher
Bryn Mawr

All the other good programs do not seem very supportive, are too difficult/competitive in grades, or do not offer enough assitance from staff.

I like that you know exactly what you want. As a Bryn Mawr postbac myself, I can tell you that Bryn Mawr (and Goucher, as well) will not be able to meet all your criteria. Neither program will allow you to start in the spring and (not sure about this) but I think you may have taken too much science for both.

Your point regarding the ER full-time work is well-taken; I must have missed the 'full-time' aspect in your original post. I still maintain some hands-on patient interaction is truly key and, although sometimes hard to find, is definitely doable without any prior medical experience -- especially in underserved locations.

Also, don't forget drizz's excellent point about grades. Basically the same material is taught everywhere, and the competitive postbacs are competitive for a reason -- they really do everything in their power to help you get excellent grades. Some "less competitive" programs are actually much more likely to throw you to the wolves, with little to no support, so try not to think of lower-tiered schools as depositories of guaranteed As -- the exact opposite may be true.

 

[Baap]

I like that you know exactly what you want. As a Bryn Mawr postbac myself, I can tell you that Bryn Mawr (and Goucher, as well) will not be able to meet all your criteria. Neither program will allow you to start in the spring and (not sure about this) but I think you may have taken too much science for both.

Your point regarding the ER full-time work is well-taken; I must have missed the 'full-time' aspect in your original post. I still maintain some hands-on patient interaction is truly key and, although sometimes hard to find, is definitely doable without any prior medical experience -- especially in underserved locations.

Also, don't forget drizz's excellent point about grades. Basically the same material is taught everywhere, and the competitive postbacs are competitive for a reason -- they really do everything in their power to help you get excellent grades. Some "less competitive" programs are actually much more likely to throw you to the wolves, with little to no support, so try not to think of lower-tiered schools as depositories of guaranteed As -- the exact opposite may be true.

I contacted Bryn Mawr and Goucher today and found that there is one problem... I have completed the physics sequence and they do not have any alternative for me. Both programs require taking three courses, and there is no course of substance beyond Medical Ethics that would contribute to med school and more immediately the MCAT.

While this doesnt knock them off the list, ideally I could save the money and time of the third course and focus on getting relevant experience and studying for the MCAT.

The work experience was as close to patient care as I could get without an EMT. Every non-ambulance patient went a very general evaluation by me before going to triage and I was responsible to alert nurses of patients with high priority (i.e. cardiac, stroke, mental health, etc).

Ultimately I am looking for programs that have a supportive environment amongst the student body, as well as from the faculty. Scripps, Mills, Goucher and Bryn Mawr are the best thus far. Loyola and Harvard are in the next tier as they seem a lot more hands off (i.e. they provide assistance for the application process if u want to use them).

The programs that are competitive amongst the student body is not suitable for me while I am doing the post-bac. I compete hard enough with myself and I do not need extra tension from unsupportive classmates.

Please let me know if I am really missing out on some good programs. Starting in spring is optional. I stated above the top priorities.

 

[drizzt3117]

One thing you should realize that that HES is CHEAP I believe it's like $2-3000 in tuition per semester. Yes Boston is expensive but it's much less expensive than other postbacs. Yes you don't get as much support as other schools but it's still there and it's a well-established program that gets support from med schools.

Mills is not in the same league as BM, Goucher, and Scripps. It has no linkages and is a much larger program with lower percentage of admissions. It's more like Columbia/Penn etc.

 

[Baap]

One thing you should realize that that HES is CHEAP I believe it's like $2-3000 in tuition per semester. Yes Boston is expensive but it's much less expensive than other postbacs. Yes you don't get as much support as other schools but it's still there and it's a well-established program that gets support from med schools.

Mills is not in the same league as BM, Goucher, and Scripps. It has no linkages and is a much larger program with lower percentage of admissions. It's more like Columbia/Penn etc.

My question, than, is which second-tier programs have a strong personal touch (i.e. like BM, Goucher and Scripps)?

 

[AframAnthroMed]

Mills is a fantastic program! There are indeed linkages and the post-bac community is supportive. As well, post-bac lecture sections are intended for post-bacs only which allow for a more focused class as well lectures that apply to medicine. Of course, the Bay Area is gorgeous. Additionally, the Bay holds numerous opportunities for research, internship, employment, volunteering, etc. And the post-bac pre-med coordinator is chock full of data and info regarding medical school and connects the students with valuable resources--such as inviting admissions heads to speak to the post-bacs and MCAT prep.

 

[thez]

I'm an accounting major at a top 50 undergrad private school. I have a 3.86 gpa and my SATs were as follows: Math-660 Reading-580. Being that I really didn't think I wanted to go to medical school until this year I have no volunteer experience but I do have some prestigious internships on my resume at Booz Allen (a selective consulting firm). What are my chances of getting into one of the big three post bacc programs (Bryn Mawr, Goucher, and Scripps)??????? Any and all feedback is welcome!!!

 

[drizzt3117]

I'm an accounting major at a top 50 undergrad private school. I have a 3.86 gpa and my SATs were as follows: Math-660 Reading-580. Being that I really didn't think I wanted to go to medical school until this year I have no volunteer experience but I do have some prestigious internships on my resume at Booz Allen (a selective consulting firm). What are my chances of getting into one of the big three post bacc programs (Bryn Mawr, Goucher, and Scripps)??????? Any and all feedback is welcome!!!

I think your test scores are on the low side, it wouldn't hurt to take the gre to increase your chances.

 

[thez]

hhmmm alright thanks!! I've just recently started looking into medical and post bacc programs--are there any other one year post bacc programs that are linked to med schools where I'll be a more competitive candidate???

 

[drizzt3117]

hhmmm alright thanks!! I've just recently started looking into medical and post bacc programs--are there any other one year post bacc programs that are linked to med schools where I'll be a more competitive candidate???

Penn and maybe mills...

 

[recycledpaper]

Penn and maybe mills...

do any postbac programs grant interviews or spots in their med school if you get a certain GPA? assuming your mcat is great and your only true weakness is GPA, which should be addressed if you can land a 3.8-4.0 in a postbac curriculum.

 

[drizzt3117]

do any postbac programs grant interviews or spots in their med school if you get a certain GPA? assuming your mcat is great and your only true weakness is GPA, which should be addressed if you can land a 3.8-4.0 in a postbac curriculum.

You're talking about SMPs. This post is about formal postbac programs. But to answer your question, some schools have automatic interviews for SMPs, others take everything into account.

 

[recycledpaper]

You're talking about SMPs. This post is about formal postbac programs. But to answer your question, some schools have automatic interviews for SMPs, others take everything into account.

thank you for your reply. what makes me post sound SMP-centric? i thought that this might be true for postbac programs as well... i think it's referred to as linkage? i'm new to this so bear with me haha

 

[drizzt3117]

thank you for your reply. what makes me post sound SMP-centric? i thought that this might be true for postbac programs as well... i think it's referred to as linkage? i'm new to this so bear with me haha

Formal programs are for career changers who haven't taken the prereqs or mcat. Penn special sciences is the only program with linkage for those who have that isn't a smp.

 

[deleted248403]

Formal programs are for career changers who haven't taken the prereqs or mcat. Penn special sciences is the only program with linkage for those who have that isn't a smp.

Only have two linkages, and one you are not eligible for if you have taken the MCAT or gotten any Cs in the prereqs ever (they ignore retakes).

Just a little more info on those linkages but drizzt is spot on so far