Am I a postbac candidate?

[starl3tte]

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Hi all. I can't believe I have missed out on the postbac forum for all of this time. I hope you can advise me about my situation.

I have a B.A. and I already completed the following at a CC: 1 year bio, 1 year g-chem, 1 year o-chem, 1 year non calc based physics. I was really set on applying to med schools (specifically, CA schools) this coming June for 2010 entrance. However, UC Davis's med school told me that I would need to return to a 4 year and complete another 20 semester units of upper div bio before applying so that I do not "compromise" my application. I'm assuming that the physics I took probably won't cut it as well, so I probably need calc and 1 year of calc based physics, too. I am still waiting to hear back on the other UC med schools regarding their requirements.

So I am probably not a candidate for a post-bac program, right? I'm thinking no because I've already completed most of the lower division pre-reqs, but please correct me if I'm wrong. And if I can't do a formal post-bac program, what else can I do? Would I have to take either extension courses or enroll in Open University?

 

[flip26]

Hi all. I can't believe I have missed out on the postbac forum for all of this time. I hope you can advise me about my situation.

I have a B.A. and I already completed the following at a CC: 1 year bio, 1 year g-chem, 1 year o-chem, 1 year non calc based physics. I was really set on applying to med schools (specifically, CA schools) this coming June for 2010 entrance. However, UC Davis's med school told me that I would need to return to a 4 year and complete another 20 semester units of upper div bio before applying so that I do not "compromise" my application. I'm assuming that the physics I took probably won't cut it as well, so I probably need calc and 1 year of calc based physics, too. I am still waiting to hear back on the other UC med schools regarding their requirements.

So I am probably not a candidate for a post-bac program, right? I'm thinking no because I've already completed most of the lower division pre-reqs, but please correct me if I'm wrong. And if I can't do a formal post-bac program, what else can I do? Would I have to take either extension courses or enroll in Open University?

Why do you think you need calc based physics? That is high risk...you could end up compromising your app to other schools...

I know you have raised this issue on another thread of taking an additional 20 hours of upper level sci at a 4 year university to satisfy UCD, but I personally think it is bulls#it...I would not do it to satisfy their "unwritten" pre-req policy...what if you did exactly what they said and didn't get an interview or offer anyway? And there is the added risk of doing harm to your GPA - 20 hours of classes is a lot - if you aren't already enrolled and taking some of these this term, how exactly would you get all of these hours done in time to submit next cycle?

What you might do: since you have time, take one or at most 2 upper level sci classes and knock yourself out, making As...offer this as "proof" of your ability and readiness for med school...if that isn't good enough for them, then screw 'em...

The wild card is your MCAT, though...a solid MCAT score would be your best defense against the anti CC sentiments, but a sub par MCAT could really screw you up...have you taken the MCAT? If not, I would knock myself out on prepping for it...do a prep course, do intensive study for 3 o 4 months...this is where I would focus my time and effort.

 

[hung]

if that isn't good enough for them, then screw 'em...

It was only that easy.