California Schools/Other Newbie Questions

[joycers]

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Hey new friends,

Here are the specific programs I'm curious about. Any information would be awesome:
1. CSU Los Angeles. Seems like a safe, easy, cheap solution, but also seems questionable. Someone said earlier that they're just trying to boost enrollment; not exactly the kind of focus on students that I'd prefer.

2. Scripps. Expensive! Have already posted questions on the Scripps post, but would appreciate any comments as to tuition, part-time vs. full-time, etc.

And here are my questions:
1. Financing: Is there anyone here who's done a formal post-bacc and figured out a way to finance it besides loans? I'd be interested to figure this out. Five years at USC has put me a bit in debt.

2. Working: I do want to get SOME use out of my music degree, so I wanted to work in the industry and take courses at the same time. Is this totally crazy? Would it just be more advisable to head full-force into taking these pre-med classes? If I had to choose, I would take medicine over music any day.

3. School choices: Is there a preference as to which school you take post-baccalaureate classes at? I've gathered community colleges aren't so well-received, but is it one of those "the better the school, the better your chances" types of things?

4. The ever-debatable question: Should I go with a formal post-bacc? Or should I try to do UCLA extension or something and hope for the best? I like structure, but can be very driven when I need to be.

Thanks in advance for all your insight, guys.

 

[drizzt3117]

1. CSU Los Angeles. Seems like a safe, easy, cheap solution, but also seems questionable. Someone said earlier that they're just trying to boost enrollment; not exactly the kind of focus on students that I'd prefer.

My cousin did CSULA post-bac, and left after one semester because he didn't feel he was learning anything from the classes. He's currently doing a masters at UCLA (he's pre-dental)

2. Scripps. Expensive! Have already posted questions on the Scripps post, but would appreciate any comments as to tuition, part-time vs. full-time, etc.

3. School choices: Is there a preference as to which school you take post-baccalaureate classes at? I've gathered community colleges aren't so well-received, but is it one of those "the better the school, the better your chances" types of things?

I would definitely say that the top postbac programs (Scripps, Bryn Mawr, Goucher) have better placement rates than other postbac programs. The advising, committee letter, and teaching are all good benefits, and them including Berkeley Review as part of the package just sweetens the pot.

4. The ever-debatable question: Should I go with a formal post-bacc? Or should I try to do UCLA extension or something and hope for the best? I like structure, but can be very driven when I need to be.

Thanks in advance for all your insight, guys.

I would do a formal postbac, especially since, as you said, you don't have very much exposure to the sciences. It will be a nicer transition, and linkage would be a very nice thing as well, if you're interested in any of the linkage programs.

 

[Lokhtar]

Hey new friends,

I'm currently a fifth year senior at USC, and I'm about to graduate with two degrees: a BM in Music Industry and a BA in English, Creative Writing. The thing is, I've wanted to be a pediatrician since I was a kid, and I'm thinking now is the time to pursue the dream. Here's the basic info you might need to help me:

-GPA cumulative: 3.68
-On merit scholarship at USC after being accepted to honors program which chooses 20-25 students to leave high school a year early (i.e. after their junior years) for USC.
-Started out school pre-med, but because I was behind a year in sciences due to aforementioned program (and also because I was in the science honors program, which is frighteningly cutthroat for a 16-year-old), I did badly and dropped pre-med after one semester of Bio (got a C-) and withdrawal from Chem.
-Good SAT scores.
-I've got a lot of extracurriculars ranging from: volunteering at a children's hospital, holding infants in Romania, writing for a music magazine, working at a recording studio, playing on an intramural basketball team, etc.
-I would like to stay in California. Or maybe go back home to Texas.
-I'm (obviously) really wordy/talkative. Generally a good interviewer, though I do freeze up sometimes.
-Nervous about being accepted into a formal post-bacc due to dropping/doing badly in pre-med 5 years ago. Unsure about informal post-bacc because I feel that I need direction or at least a very definite plan of action, as I don't know how to begin. Also, is my GPA okay? I'm hoping to do well again next semester and bump it up to a 3.7 flat.

a.k.a. HELP!

That said, here are the specific programs I'm curious about:
1. CSU Los Angeles. Seems like a safe, easy, cheap solution, but also seems questionable. Someone said earlier that they're just trying to boost enrollment; not exactly the kind of focus on students that I'd prefer.

2. Scripps. Expensive! Have already posted questions on the Scripps post, but would appreciate any comments as to tuition, part-time vs. full-time, etc.

And here are my questions:
1. Financing: Is there anyone here who's done a formal post-bacc and figured out a way to finance it besides loans? I'd be interested to figure this out. Five years at USC has put me a bit in debt.

2. Working: I do want to get SOME use out of my music degree, so I wanted to work in the industry and take courses at the same time. Is this totally crazy? Would it just be more advisable to head full-force into taking these pre-med classes? If I had to choose, I would take medicine over music any day.

3. School choices: Is there a preference as to which school you take post-baccalaureate classes at? I've gathered community colleges aren't so well-received, but is it one of those "the better the school, the better your chances" types of things?

4. The ever-debatable question: Should I go with a formal post-bacc? Or should I try to do UCLA extension or something and hope for the best? I like structure, but can be very driven when I need to be.

Thanks in advance for all your insight, guys.

You don't need any GPA mending, so you can be flexible. Certainly, I would apply to the top programs and if you get in, go there. They have really good placement rates for a reason, and you should use that opportunity. If you don't get into the top programs, it might be better just to find a university where you can take the courses for cheap, and where you will get as close to a 4.0 as possible in your pre-reqs. If you do that, you'll be just fine.

Will you get into Scripps? Maybe. Your GPA is within their range, but the top post-bacs look for a lot of things, such as clinical experience, some unique EC's, or something else that sticks out. In your case, it's worth a shot to apply to places such as Goucher, Bryn Mawr, Scripps, etc. However, if you don't get in, I wouldn't worry too much about it, and in that case, I would just do an informal program (since that would probably be the cheapest). Just pick a school that you think you can ace the subjects at.

 

[Lokhtar]

Also, if you want to finish your post-bacs in one year, and also do some volunteering and study for MCATs, getting a job may not be the best idea. If you want to stretch out your post-bac over two years, than its possible.