2nd degree Bachelor's?

[becool5]

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Hello,
I have a BA and I am interested in taking several classes to prepare for the MCAT and for application to med school. I don't really need to apply to a formal post-bac program as I have pretty much all of the basic pre-req's. I was just going to register for classes as a non-matriculated student. The problem, however, is that most of the schools in my area have restrictions on what classes you take if you haven't applied to a degree program (not to mention it is possible to get finicial aid).

My question: If I apply to a degree program to get a 2nd Bachelor's, but I drop out of the program after I take all of the classes that I need, will this be looked upon in a negative manner? I have heard that if a student is in a Master's program, he/she should complete the degree program before entering med school, but I am not sure if it is the same for a Bachelor's. Any advice or experience with this would be most helpful. Thank you in advance!

 

[Deepa100]

Hello,
I have a BA and I am interested in taking several classes to prepare for the MCAT and for application to med school. I don't really need to apply to a formal post-bac program as I have pretty much all of the basic pre-req's. I was just going to register for classes as a non-matriculated student. The problem, however, is that most of the schools in my area have restrictions on what classes you take if you haven't applied to a degree program (not to mention it is possible to get finicial aid).

My question: If I apply to a degree program to get a 2nd Bachelor's, but I drop out of the program after I take all of the classes that I need, will this be looked upon in a negative manner? I have heard that if a student is in a Master's program, he/she should complete the degree program before entering med school, but I am not sure if it is the same for a Bachelor's. Any advice or experience with this would be most helpful. Thank you in advance!

I don't think it will be a big deal. I have seen many other do the same thing.

 

[thoffen]

I suppose it depends on how it shows up on your transcript.

 

[jaketheory]

this is not a big deal at all. i just wanted to take prereqs but the school i went to didnt have a formal postbac program. also, i couldnt get financial aid loans unless i was in a degree program. so i applied as a BS student simply to get loans. once youve taken the classes you want, dont bother registering any additional semesters. it didnt say anything on my transcipt, and if it did, i wouldnt care cuz i already have a bachelors. if questioned, just say you did what you had to do to take the classes.

you are right, many schools will not let you drop out of a graduate program so i wouldnt do that.

 

[becool5]

Thanks everyone. This is very helpful 🙂.

 

[eccles1214]

I think that if you get another bachelor's you also qualify for scholarships and programs in which non-bachelor's or grad students are ineligible to participate.

 

[Igni Fera]

I was looking at similar options a few months ago... I decided to go the 2nd bacc route with the advice of the pre-med advisor at the school where I matriculate next month. I will be able to take any upper division classes I need or want (my 1st-bacc classes fulfill prereqs), and can get involved in my degree dept's research projects. I also was able to use up the last bit of UG fed loans available to me to pay for most of my fees for the year. Also, I will be better placed to apply to the school's post-bacc certificate program during the glide year, while filling out secondaries and going to interviews. The cert program is all upper division and graduate level classes like hematology, histology, neuroanat/phys, embryology, biochem, and so on. It seems like really great med school prep and I might choose to go that route come this time next year.

OP, maybe the schools you're looking at have comparable program to this? Is there a pre-med advisor at the school, and will a committee of profs/staff be available to write a LOR for you? Also, a LOR-processing program? These will all turn out to be very helpful in the application process, I suspect, versus being an anonymous non-matriculated student taking a few classes under the radar.

I hope this is helpful to you. Its as much advice as it is reinforcement! 😛

in your decision process...

 

[jaketheory]

I was looking at similar options a few months ago... I decided to go the 2nd bacc route with the advice of the pre-med advisor at the school where I matriculate next month. I will be able to take any upper division classes I need or want (my 1st-bacc classes fulfill prereqs), and can get involved in my degree dept's research projects. I also was able to use up the last bit of UG fed loans available to me to pay for most of my fees for the year. Also, I will be better placed to apply to the school's post-bacc certificate program during the glide year, while filling out secondaries and going to interviews. The cert program is all upper division and graduate level classes like hematology, histology, neuroanat/phys, embryology, biochem, and so on. It seems like really great med school prep and I might choose to go that route come this time next year.

OP, maybe the schools you're looking at have comparable program to this? Is there a pre-med advisor at the school, and will a committee of profs/staff be available to write a LOR for you? Also, a LOR-processing program? These will all turn out to be very helpful in the application process, I suspect, versus being an anonymous non-matriculated student taking a few classes under the radar.

I hope this is helpful to you. Its as much advice as it is reinforcement! 😛

in your decision process...

i dont really think getting a 2nd degree would be of any utility, unless your gpa is so low that you need that many classes to bring it up to a competitive level. if you are going to take enough classes for another degree, might as well get the degree.

also, i think a postbac certificate isnt really valuable either (and many postbac programs are way expensive). all med schools care about are the classes you took and the grades you received in them, they dont care that you happened to receive a certificate for taking those classes. if it costs a lot more money, id avoid it.

again, if you matriculate as a 2nd degree student you can get loans, but you dont have to actually finish the degree. i had no attentions of finishing a 2nd degree. i was able to get involved with research and take whatever classes i wanted, and got LOR. but i wasnt about to stay another 1-2 years to complete another degree when id gotten the course credit, grades, research, and LOR's i needed.

 

[Igni Fera]

never mind 🙂

 

[Deepa100]

I am currently in a Physiology B.A program (second bachelor's). I think I might actually finish this because, other then the pre-reqs, all I need are
cell biology
genetics
physiology with lab

I don't see how these courses will hurt me.