California Post Bacc?

[Zohaib86]

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I'll be graduating from college with around a 3.1 this spring. I want to go to a post-bacc program preferably in California. I completed 1 semester of biology as well as two semesters of non-science major chemistry (I'll probably end up taking bio over again). I was wondering where are the best options for me to do post-bacc at? I don't want to continue at my current institution because I don't think they will adequately prepare me for the MCAT's or medical school. I was interested in HES because of it's price and it's reputation but living in Boston seems too expensive. I'd rather stay local if I could, but I'm open to anything.

Thanks!

 

[notdeadyet]

I'd rather stay local if I could, but I'm open to anything.

Depends where local is. HES is a great program, but I wouldn't cross the country to attend it.

If you're in northern California, I think the best program is Mills, particularly if you want to attend one of the UCs for med school.

If you're in southern California, I think Scripps is the best program. It has great placement rates too.

 

[Zohaib86]

I don't know if I could get in to Mills or Scripps with my kind of GPA. Are there any other options?

 

[stkyrice]

I don't know if I could get in to Mills or Scripps with my kind of GPA. Are there any other options?

UCSF did a postbac agreement with SFSU a few years ago, but I'm not sure if this is still the case. You might want to check it out.

 

[Brent8927]

It's always worth a shot to apply--I'm at Mills right now and some people come in with lower GPAs; if you have good letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, etc., to make up for your GPA then that could help you out. Give Jo Scullion at Mills a call--she'd be the best person to advise you on whether or not you might be competative.

Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions on Mills--I really think it's a great program. Unfortunately I don't know too much about other post-bac programs--Mills is the only one I applied to. But if you have a dream medical school in mind, certainly apply to that school's post-bac program, if they have one.

 

[snowdoc]

I think a huge factor is your motivation. Post-bacc programs want students who will be accepted to med school. A 3.1 does not show a student who is both capable and serious about entering med school. Why will you do better in a post-bacc than you did in college? Did you have some momentous experience that gave you focus and direction that you previously lacked? Is your GPA just due to a horrible freshman year or are you still hovering around a 3.1 in your senior year?

Your GPA is definitely at the low end, but it is certainly possible to get it to both a post-bacc and med school (I did with a 2.9 undergrad). However, I took time off after undergrad and worked in clinical research for a few years. It was only after that experience that I decided to enter medicine. I had excellent letters of rec from the doctors I worked with and high SATs. Even so, I had to prove that I could handle the courses by taking G-chem as a non-enrolled student before I was admitted.

If you have a good explanation, then go for it. Otherwise I would strongly suggest taking some time off to prove to both the post-bacc programs and med schools that you are serious about medicine. Even with a strong postbacc GPA (3.85) I was asked about my undergrad GPA at every interview. Admission committees are willing to forgive if you show growth, but they don't just take your word for it. They are science people...they want evidence.

Oh, and I went to USC and definitely recommend it.

 

[drizzt3117]

I think a huge factor is your motivation. Post-bacc programs want students who will be accepted to med school. A 3.1 does not show a student who is both capable and serious about entering med school. Why will you do better in a post-bacc than you did in college? Did you have some momentous experience that gave you focus and direction that you previously lacked? Is your GPA just due to a horrible freshman year or are you still hovering around a 3.1 in your senior year?

Your GPA is definitely at the low end, but it is certainly possible to get it to both a post-bacc and med school (I did with a 2.9 undergrad). However, I took time off after undergrad and worked in clinical research for a few years. It was only after that experience that I decided to enter medicine. I had excellent letters of rec from the doctors I worked with and high SATs. Even so, I had to prove that I could handle the courses by taking G-chem as a non-enrolled student before I was admitted.

If you have a good explanation, then go for it. Otherwise I would strongly suggest taking some time off to prove to both the post-bacc programs and med schools that you are serious about medicine. Even with a strong postbacc GPA (3.85) I was asked about my undergrad GPA at every interview. Admission committees are willing to forgive if you show growth, but they don't just take your word for it. They are science people...they want evidence.

Oh, and I went to USC and definitely recommend it.

I guess it just depends. I haven't been asked about my undergrad grades in any of the 13 interviews I've attended so far, and I had a 3.3 or so in undergrad. I think whether they think it's important depends on your ECs/MCAT/LORs.

 

[Zohaib86]

Yeah my first two years of college were horrible, I didn't have any focus and was going through tons of family and financial issues. My last two years of college has been about a 3.6. I want to apply to USC Post Bacc as well. It's good to hear that you liked the program.

 

[snowdoc]

Yeah my first two years of college were horrible, I didn't have any focus and was going through tons of family and financial issues. My last two years of college has been about a 3.6. I want to apply to USC Post Bacc as well. It's good to hear that you liked the program.

That is good for you...an upward trend makes a huge difference.