Two year post-bac program courseload

[Sndalt]

Recently decided to pursue med school but I need to go back to college to earn my pre-reqs (all of them). I did very well in college but did not take any science courses as I was a Sociology/Public Health major.

I am intelligent and a good student, but have always struggled with math. Plus, I have zero background in chemistry and higher level math classes (a tad of pre-calc, college algebra, although I have taken graduate courses in biostatistics).

Will I survive a two year post-bac courseload and still come out with good grades? Specifically the chemistry and physics classes? Should I "prep" for these classes? I have two years before I will enroll in a post-bac program. What can I do to help myself out?

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[DrMidlife]

Take one reasonably difficult math or statistics class at a CC and get an A. If you can't do that, then yes, you should be very concerned about your prereq grades.

You might find that your perceived math difficulties have evaporated with age. Generally a willingness to work/suffer through boatloads of problems is the key. If you're assigned 10 problems at the back of a chapter, do all 50 instead.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Sndalt]

Take one reasonably difficult math or statistics class at a CC and get an A. If you can't do that, then yes, you should be very concerned about your prereq grades.

You might find that your perceived math difficulties have evaporated with age. Generally a willingness to work/suffer through boatloads of problems is the key. If you're assigned 10 problems at the back of a chapter, do all 50 instead.

Best of luck to you.

I will be taking a graduate level biostats course this upcoming fall in my MPH program, but I think you make a good point.

Would you suggest taking a difficult math course like physics or calculus, or chemistry instead? Chemistry intimidates me.

 

[DrMidlife]

Don't take physics, calculus or chem until you know you can kill a regular math/stats class. Look for an "intro calc" or "intro probability" class at a CC that is for pre-science majors. Do enough investigation to know you're not taking "math for English majors" or similar. A class that the kids hate because there's a lot of homework is EXACTLY what you want.

 

[Sndalt]

Don't take physics, calculus or chem until you know you can kill a regular math/stats class. Look for an "intro calc" or "intro probability" class at a CC that is for pre-science majors. Do enough investigation to know you're not taking "math for English majors" or similar. A class that the kids hate because there's a lot of homework is EXACTLY what you want.

Would it be futile to do this online?

 

[kraskadva]

Would it be futile to do this online?

For a math class, not necessarily (though best not to for the pre-reqs) since you'll be doing your hw outside the classroom anyway.
But if you've been out of the classroom for a while, then getting back into the swing of learning through lectures is also something you need. Because that's how you'll be taking the rest of your classes.

 

[Sndalt]

For a math class, not necessarily (though best not to for the pre-reqs) since you'll be doing your hw outside the classroom anyway.
But if you've been out of the classroom for a while, then getting back into the swing of learning through lectures is also something you need. Because that's how you'll be taking the rest of your classes.

I just graduated with my bachelors and start a masters program in a month. I think it would make sense for me to do it online. Cheaper, but less resources if I need help.

 

[DrMidlife]

Yeah, online would be okay, because it's a single barometer class where the transcript result is less interesting than your own evaluation of your capabilities. Signing up for an online class is a terrific way to find out if you have discipline (that's humor).

It would be preferable to take a classroom class for a variety of reasons, and don't kid yourself into thinking you can do the prereqs online because you can't. For this first barometer class, having access to a live teacher might be helpful, or it might be awful. Having classmates to talk to, same thing: might help, might hurt. One online class isn't going to hurt anything.

You have to be the grownup in charge of beating your perception that you're not good at math. I doubt you're actually bad at math. I expect you had some crappy teachers, or you took some negative feedback too seriously, or you had a sister who got the smart label, or you had work ethic issues. Here's that famous Gladwell article explaining why rice paddies made some societies better at math.

 

[Sndalt]

Yeah, online would be okay, because it's a single barometer class where the transcript result is less interesting than your own evaluation of your capabilities. Signing up for an online class is a terrific way to find out if you have discipline (that's humor).

It would be preferable to take a classroom class for a variety of reasons, and don't kid yourself into thinking you can do the prereqs online because you can't. For this first barometer class, having access to a live teacher might be helpful, or it might be awful. Having classmates to talk to, same thing: might help, might hurt. One online class isn't going to hurt anything.

You have to be the grownup in charge of beating your perception that you're not good at math. I doubt you're actually bad at math. I expect you had some crappy teachers, or you took some negative feedback too seriously, or you had a sister who got the smart label, or you had work ethic issues. Here's that famous Gladwell article explaining why rice paddies made some societies better at math.

I have a slight learning disability that hindered my education when I was younger. But honestly I think I just didn't want to do school at that age. I was put in very slow and low level math courses through high school. Senior year I wanted to better my abilities so I took an optional math course and worked my ass off, same with college. I think I will be okay because I have a very good work ethic, but the influx of many difficult subjects at once is somewhat daunting to me.

If I take an online math course I am not required to submit my grade anywhere correct? I don't want to report the grade at all. Like you said, its a barometer class for me. I plan on doing my pre-reqs at an organized two year post bac program in the future.

 

[kraskadva]

I have a slight learning disability that hindered my education when I was younger. But honestly I think I just didn't want to do school at that age. I was put in very slow and low level math courses through high school. Senior year I wanted to better my abilities so I took an optional math course and worked my ass off, same with college. I think I will be okay because I have a very good work ethic, but the influx of many difficult subjects at once is somewhat daunting to me.

If I take an online math course I am not required to submit my grade anywhere correct? I don't want to report the grade at all. Like you said, its a barometer class for me. I plan on doing my pre-reqs at an organized two year post bac program in the future.

Oh yes you do have to submit it. Failure to submit can be grounds for dismissal of the app or revocation of an acceptance.

 

[Sndalt]

Oh yes you do have to submit it. Failure to submit can be grounds for dismissal of the app or revocation of an acceptance.

Really? How would they know if I attended that university if I never reported it? Do they run background checks or something?

 

[kraskadva]

yes they run background checks.
look, mosey over to pre-allo and you'll see a dozen or more threads from last month with kids freaking out because they forgot a one-off course like this. And what they do to fix it is call up AMCAS, report the oversight and apologize profusely. They get forgiven.
If they do a check and find out you deliberately hid something, then you're screwed.
Because you're applying to a profession where you don't blithely sweep things under the rug when they go 'oopsie'. You man up and admit your mistakes, and do your best to rectify them.
This is not a game and you don't get to hide the bits you don't like or that make you look bad.
So go take a real class and when it comes time to submit, send that transcript in too.

 

[kraskadva]

I don't get to hide my 2.7 undergrad gpa, so the only avenue left to me is years of 4.0 post bacc to try to mitigate that damage.
If you're starting off at a good cumulative gpa and a nothing science gpa, then you already have a starting advantage and an easier time of fixing academic mistakes that may happen. So don't whine to me about 1 math class. Even if you bomb the one, you're still ahead. Try budging 4 years of science and math classes- that gpa don't move much at all no matter how many As I pull now.

 

[DrMidlife]

Look, sndalt, you're trying to get ready to take the prereqs for med school. The stakes when you're in those classes are really high. Gotta get A's.

But this is just one class. A warmup class. Low stakes. Even if you get a D, if you use that D to figure out how to get A's, that transcript is rather a thing of beauty.

If you're willing to sacrifice your integrity to get into med school, just go be an investment banker already and be done with it.

 

[Sndalt]

kraskadva, I never received a bad grade in a math course, my undergrad gpa was 3.6 with no science. I am simply asking how the process works.

I think you make a good point DrMidlife, it's just a warm-up class and it can be addressed later down the road if I **** it up, which I don't think I will. I just want to make sure that I am prepared to rock my post-bac classes because I want to be a competitive applicant.

 

[kraskadva]

I never said you got a bad grade. I was talking about future hypotheticals.
Best of luck to you going down the road, but maybe take a look at some of your ways of thinking as you go, reevaluate those assumptions you make, and always make sure to do your research (real research, not only on internet forums).

 

[MrSamrtGuy]

Really? How would they know if I attended that university if I never reported it? Do they run background checks or something?

Sorry for the necromancy, but if you're concerned about this you could consider an MOOC-something like Coursera or Udacity, or look at MIT OpenCourseware (many other universities do this as well). On MIT's website you get: the course powerpoint slides, problem sets (with solutions) and exams (with solutions). You have the syllabus so you can track down the textbook(s), sometimes professors who make their own materials post them. I don't think all the lectures are there though, but you get the idea.

Before DrMidlife tears me to shreds, I want to acknowledge that actually signing up for a course, to go in person, for a real grade on your permanent record is obviously different. In this informal setting it's much easier to cheat yourself and delude yourself into thinking you're more prepared than you actually are. But-if you're that paranoid about creating a transcript paper trail, it's an option. You aren't going to have to report an MOOC or MIT OpenCourseware course you did on your own. If it increases your confidence to sign up for a real class, what's the harm? It's what I'm doing.