Bryn Mawr or state school?

[torsten]

hi everyone, this is my first post on this forum and i'd appreciate any advice you might be able to give me!

i am currently 26 and would like to enter med school at 28. i majored in political science for ug so i haven't taken any of the prerequisite classes. the way i see it, i have 2 options in front of me:

(1) start taking the prereqs at my local state school this fall and attempt to get them all done with in time for the august MCAT, which would in theory allow me to start med school in Fall 2008 at age 28. i would take GenChem I, Physics I, and Bio I fall semester, and then hope to find a way to circumvent the prereq requirements and take GenChem II, Physics II, Bio II, and Orgo I spring semester. i would then finish up with Orgo II in the summer session and take the MCAT immediately afterwards (the whole time i will obviously be a full-time student and not hold a job)

does this option sound too ambitious? not trying to brag at all, but i feel that i have the brainpower to do it (1500+ SAT, PBK in ug, etc). my main concerns would be (1) getting them to allow me to register for Orgo I in the spring semester, and (2) the fact that i would only have one shot at nailing the MCAT. if this plan fails, i would have to wait until i'm 29 to start med school

(2) continue working this year, and then apply this fall and (hopefully) get accepted to either bryn mawr or goucher's class of 2008 and participate in their linkage programs which would allow me to skip the glide year. this might be the safer play, but it would cost a good deal more money than my state school. in addition, there is the risk that i would be accepted to neither program, and in that case i would have to find another postbacc program that offers good linkage options (can anyone name any?)

if anyone can tell me whether option 1 is realistic and which option appears better i'd appreciate it. also, can anyone speak to how hard it would be to get accepted to an MD granting school after completing my prereqs at an average state UG school? assuming that i emerge with ~3.7 GPA and can get over 30 on my MCAT, how much volunteer work/research would i have to do? would volunteering in the ER sometimes cut it, or would more be necessary? i'm also unsure of what kind of research options i will have at my local state school, which is another problem, and how MD schools will look upon coursework completed there as opposed to Bryn Mawr or Goucher. thanks for any advice!!!

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[braluk]

you might also want to ask this in the postbac forum

 

[torsten]

you might also want to ask this in the postbac forum

already done

 

[Mooby]

My own experience as a post-bacc would be not to rush it. I took the MCAT without completing Org II, Micro, or Genetics. I needed a high score due to a somewhat low average in engineering, but only got a 30.

Your class schedule looks fine, but unless you can pump in Genetics and Micro before the exam, you'll be hard pushed to do well on the Bio portion. I'd also suggest physiology. Due to the high volume of students coming in as biology, biochem, and chem major, the biology portion can be pretty rough as a non-biological sciences person. You'll need at least the base classes.

One other option that saves the year is that you could study up with that brainpower and AP/CLEP out of the Intros to Bio and Chem. Then, you can start off 1st Semester with OChem 1, Phys 1, Micro, and Physiology. Then, Schedule the Electronic MCAT right after a Spring Semester of OChem2, Phys 2, Immunology, and Biochemistry.

 

[MDMAMA]

Bryn Mawr's program is excellent and geared to people like yourself. If you get in,
they will help you with the rest of the process of applying to med school. If I were your age and ability, I would apply to Bryn Mawr and take out loans to complete the program in a timely way. It's a great way to make friends because your peers will be very much like you. I have never regretted the graduate work I did at Bryn Mawr. Good luck.