Berkeley Ext vs. Harvard Ext vs. Columbia

[postbacca]

---

Members don't see this ad.

hi all, this is my first post. i'm a bay area resident and i had originally intended on applying to the Berkeley Ext postbac...that is, until i read about so many bad experiences.

so i've narrowed it down to either Harvard Ext or Columbia's postbac if Berkeley's ext is truly that horrible. the reason why i wouldn't mind moving to the east is that i'd like a change of environment and i attended Harvard and had a wonderful experience there. i'd prefer a formal program with individualized attention and one that doesn't break the bank too much (although, not a priority).

i'd appreciate any suggestions. thanks in advance!

 

[drizzt3117]

HES sounds like exactly what you're looking for.

 

[postbacca]

i've heard that the classes at HES are more difficult and that Columbia's program caters more to those who need the basics. also, i've heard that Columbia has a large and very supportive postbacc premed community.

can anyone confirm this please? thanks!

 

[mR LaZy]

can students with a science background do the harvard HES too? or is geared towards students who don't have any science background?

 

[HanginInThere]

i've heard that the classes at HES are more difficult and that Columbia's program caters more to those who need the basics. also, i've heard that Columbia has a large and very supportive postbacc premed community.

can anyone confirm this please? thanks!

I can't speak to how hard or easy Columbia's classes are, but I had a good experience with HES.

I came in with a computer science undergrad degree, undergrad physics from ~10 years ago, and AP Chem in high school ~15 years ago. I was comfortable with my science aptitude, but didn't have recent or extensive coursework. I'd call that "needing the basics," but I don't know how it compares to where you think you are. From that starting point, I took all my prereqs at HES and didn't have any trouble. The classes are challenging but (a) that's good because you're preparing for the MCATs and you want to really know the material, and (b) they really are introductory, meaning they work up from the basics and don't assume more than a high-school level science background going in.

If you're confident in your conceptual/memorization/analysis abilities (you said you were a Harvard undergrad?), I don't think you'll have anything to worry about.

As far as the postbac community goes, I think it's good at HES. I have family and friends in the area so I wasn't relying on my classmates as a support system, but people generally seemed friendly, encouraging, helpful, mature, serious, etc. Not a lot of slackers and not a lot of hypercompetitve gunners, at least in my experience.

 

[HanginInThere]

can students with a science background do the harvard HES too?

yes

or is geared towards students who don't have any science background?

The Extension School is geared toward whatever you want it to be. Classes are open enrollment, which means you can go sign up for whatever you want without having to apply. You can take all the basics with no background, take them all to improve on undergrad grades or refresh your memory, take one or two that you never got to as an undergrad, or whatever.

http://extension.harvard.edu/

The Health Careers Program is the sponsorship program. You take whatever classes you need, and they write your composite letter of recommendation. You have to apply to the HCP, and they have different requirements based on your GPA coming in, but you can do this program with or without a science background.

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/hcp/

There's also a degree option, where you take the 4 sciences and end up with a degree in "Premedical Studies". This gives you some extra perks including the ability to apply for financial aid, but for this you can't have already taken any of the sciences.

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2007-08/programs/hcp/diploma/

 

[oneandonlylo]

I don't know if I would say that Columbia caters to the basics, but it definitely assumes no scientific background and prep classes are offered for those who are nervous about jumping straight into the hard sciences after many years out of school. The community of postbaccs is really wonderful and is my favorite part of the program. Students aren't competitive at all and really work to support one another. I can say however that classes are quite hard. The first years' courses are somewhat easier than the second, but its quite a shock for those who've never taken any college science and the work load is incredible. The second year sequence of Orgo and Bio has thus far been incredibly difficult. Sometimes I think the courses are difficult for the sake of being difficult, which can be really frustrating, but I definitely feel as though I will be overprepared for the science on the MCAT.