Awkward Position Need Advice

[number5]

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Hi All,

I am in a rather sticky predicament and need some advice. I graduated with a BS in Microbiology in 2008. I only have a 3.2 GPA, and a low, expired MCAT score (4 years old). I recently got accepted into a post bacc program at UT Dallas, in which I planned to retake some of the medical school pre-reqs over to enhance my GPA. Unfortunately, I can't pay for the program. The program only offers private student loans which I can not apply for because either I am too far into debt (6 figures) or the loan companies do not certify loans for non degree seeking students. My GPA is low because I struggled with the engineering classes I was taking. I was a Biomedical Engineering Major for 4 years before I switched to Microbiology.

Since I will be unable to participate in the post bacc program, do you think medical schools would look down upon retaking the prereqs at a community college vs participating in a formal post bacc program? Of course, I am going to retake the MCAT. Any advice will help!

 

[drewS21]

Could you do a SMP type postbac since you've already taken the classes? You won't get new grades, but this way you can boost your app with the SMP and you'll be degree seeking.

 

[FutureDrB]

This topic has been discussed to death...just search the forums and you'l see all of the conversations relating to this. Some people will tell you to take your pre-reqs at a university, others will tell you it's fine to take them at a community college. I took all of mine at a community college. If you have a valid reason for doing so, then it's fine to take them at a CC.

 

[ShoTyme]

Hi All,

I am in a rather sticky predicament and need some advice. I graduated with a BS in Microbiology in 2008. I only have a 3.2 GPA, and a low, expired MCAT score (4 years old). I recently got accepted into a post bacc program at UT Dallas, in which I planned to retake some of the medical school pre-reqs over to enhance my GPA. Unfortunately, I can't pay for the program. The program only offers private student loans which I can not apply for because either I am too far into debt (6 figures) or the loan companies do not certify loans for non degree seeking students. My GPA is low because I struggled with the engineering classes I was taking. I was a Biomedical Engineering Major for 4 years before I switched to Microbiology.

Since I will be unable to participate in the post bacc program, do you think medical schools would look down upon retaking the prereqs at a community college vs participating in a formal post bacc program? Of course, I am going to retake the MCAT. Any advice will help!

Dude, just go to Collin College. I'll let you know which professors to take. And you will save yourself thousands of dollars. Learn the material. Crush the MCAT. Done. Sho out.

 

[sindadel]

My advice would be to get a job, live frugally (think move back home, live with roommates, cook your own meals, pack lunches etc.) and take one class at a time at a community college while paying down that debt. At 6 figures already, that is a weight which will dictate your career choices forever if you let it. Excellent grades from now on are much more important than where the classes are taken.

Good luck!

 

[number5]

I already have a full time job and live at home. I have taken all of the medical school pre-reqs. I was going to retake them during the post bacc program to enhance my GPA and because some of them are more than 7 years old

 

[ShoTyme]

I already have a full time job and live at home. I have taken all of the medical school pre-reqs. I was going to retake them during the post bacc program to enhance my GPA and because some of them are more than 7 years old

Really man. Why are you going to UTD? You have a mountain of debt. Collin College is the best CC (although they aren't technically a CC... but whatever...) and they are the least expensive. I am going there not because I can't get into UTD. I have a family to think of. Medical school will put you back a pretty penny. Why add to it now? But, in the end, it's your decision. I really feel like many times people ask questions, but only listen to the point of view they wish to hear. Don't mortgage your future any more than you have to. Good luck. Godspeed.

Sho-

 

[rrt]

Really man. Why are you going to UTD? You have a mountain of debt. Collin College is the best CC (although they aren't technically a CC... but whatever...) and they are the least expensive. I am going there not because I can't get into UTD. I have a family to think of. Medical school will put you back a pretty penny. Why add to it now? But, in the end, it's your decision. I really feel like many times people ask questions, but only listen to the point of view they wish to hear. Don't mortgage your future any more than you have to. Good luck. Godspeed.

Sho-

This is so true. Some of my CC professors are assistant profs at the major universities in the area. Same education for much less $. Tuition went up this year, now instead of paying $850 for 15 credit hours, I am paying $1050! Here in San Antonio, all our universities have degree transfer plans set in stone for certain degree plans. You can even get into TAMUSA with taking up to 75 credit hours at the community college level, and transfer just for your uppers.

In your situation, I would take the courses at a 2 yr college level. Especially if they were taken in the past already.

RRT

 

[sindadel]

So you are living at home, employed full time with 6 figure debt and you are thinking of adding to this debt? Medicine may be your dream, but IMHO it would be prudent to get a significant portion of the debt settled before taking on 250,000 more, assuming you do actually get accepted. If you don't you would just have more educational debt from re-doing pre-reqs.

Have you addressed the issues that saddled you with the low GPA and MCAT in the first place? Are you active in leadership and community service? Could you convince an adcom that the 2008 you and the 2013 you are different enough to warrant med school admission?

Take care, and best of luck to you.

 

[Caracci]

I am no adcom, but I wouldn't go the community college route. Several schools I applied to had things on their websites about community college prereqs, I think one that I applied to didn't even accept them. Especially because it's a re-take, you should try to demonstrate as much as possible that your abilities have improved.

If financial aid is an issue, apply to a 4 year university as a degree seeking student. I did that, and it also left me with the opportunity to take additional prereqs while applying if necessary and get them paid for with financial aid (but I'm in DFW now like you, my post-bacc was in Canada 🙂). The upside of doing it in Canada was that federal loans covered almost everything because it was cheap.

Oh and in terms of how to take the prereqs, I'd try to do it in one year if you can, or two. You might run out of steam if you do one course a semester especially since you've already taken them. My year taking all the prereqs was super stressful and it sucks not to be able to work, but sometimes you need to take a leap of faith and live outside your comfort zone to get yourself to the next level 🙂

This is great to hear. You did your post-bacc in Canada? Where? As a non-degree or a degree seeking student? I'm in the same boat... going to take a bunch of prereq and rigorous courses at UofT as a nondegree student...

 

[DrMidlife]

Problem #1: six figure debt before med school
Problem #2: GPA comeback

Deal with #1 before you take on #2.

If all your existing debt is federal student loans, I still advise getting out from under it before you take on more schooling.

As for community college coursework, I suggest using it to master and prove your study skills in math/stats/English/humanities, which are heavy on the MCAT. But wait to take more science until you're out of debt and can do UTD or an SMP. (See the postbac forum.)

Prereqs don't expire at the vast majority of med schools. Just get some fresh bioscience and a killer MCAT to answer for the age of your prereqs.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Only Zool]

If you're going to UTD, do you live in Dallas County? Any school in DCCCD is gonna be $45/hr vs. whatever Quad C charges. Also, I'm not sure how it is in other states, but I don't know of a medical school in the state of Texas that speaks ill of CC credits on their website. Like another poster said, as long as you have a valid reason for doing it, you should be fine. Do what you gotta do.