Caught in the Middle

[neurohopeful18]

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About to graduate from college, looking to pursue post bacc studies. Majored in a social science, but completed around half of pre-reqs. From my research (online and phone calls), it seems I have too many credits to attend a career-changer (except for U Penn & HarvardX, Columbia is up in the air as is Brandeis), but too few to attend academic enhancement programs. At this point, I am thinking of doing a diy post bacc, but I'm concerned about the cost of funding all of this (finding a flexible part time job where I live etc). And because I've not graduated, it seems I can't apply with the next cycle (???). Any advice would be wonderful.

ETA - need to retake 1 or 2 classes

 

[BigBoss]

Get a job or take out a loan to pay for post-bacc


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[neurohopeful18]

Get a job or take out a loan to pay for post-bacc


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I'm looking to see if anyone one knows of more accommodating formal post-bac programs without strict eligibility requirements (i.e no more than one or 2 pre-reqs completed). I am aware that I can get a job and anyway I'd have to take out a loan regardless (diy or formal). I believe, however, that it's best to focus solely on the coursework

 

[Disciple of Sattar]

What's the benefit of a formal program over just taking the classes at a university as a special student (the DIY route)?

 

[OneTwoThreeFour]

Formal post-baccs (beyond the few with official linkages) are a waste of money (speaking as someone who did a formal post-bacc)

 

[tantacles]

About to graduate from college, looking to pursue post bacc studies. Majored in a social science, but completed around half of pre-reqs. From my research (online and phone calls), it seems I have too many credits to attend a career-changer (except for U Penn & HarvardX, Columbia is up in the air as is Brandeis), but too few to attend academic enhancement programs. At this point, I am thinking of doing a diy post bacc, but I'm concerned about the cost of funding all of this (finding a flexible part time job where I live etc). And because I've not graduated, it seems I can't apply with the next cycle (???). Any advice would be wonderful.

ETA - need to retake 1 or 2 classes

My advice is that if you need to wait to apply, simply do so. This process is long but take the time you need to have a great application so that you only need to apply to medical school once.

 

[calivianya]

I don't know why you'd be concerned about funding a DIY post bacc... it's cheaper than doing a formal post bacc, usually by a very significant amount. Including tuition and fees I paid about $4k/semester for mine at my local four year university.

 

[neurohopeful18]

I don't know why you'd be concerned about funding a DIY post bacc... it's cheaper than doing a formal post bacc, usually by a very significant amount. Including tuition and fees I paid about $4k/semester for mine at my local four year university.

Thanks for the response. Did you have trouble getting into classes and did you get a part time job? If you had a part-time job, did you find it negatively impacted your studies? Where I live (NY) the City Schools are clogged (will do more research on this), and I'm concerned that I won't get into the classes I need. Right now I am lucky to be able to stay with siblings. Moving out - pretty expensive in NY - defeats the purpose of reducing cost and would require finding flexible employment due to last-dib system here. I'm trying to avoid community colleges if possible.

ETA: Also hoping to complete entire process within 2 years.

 

[Jdp00921]

This is irrelevant to the question but what is "ETA?" I thought that stood for estimated time of arrival.

 

[neurohopeful18]

This is irrelevant to the question but what is "ETA?" I thought that stood for estimated time of arrival.

Haha you are right. I use it as Edited to Add (habits from other forums)

 

[Jdp00921]

Haha you are right. I use it as Edited to Add (habits from other forums)

I see! I never heard that one so I was so confused lol. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[calivianya]

Thanks for the response. Did you have trouble getting into classes and did you get a part time job? If you had a part-time job, did you find it negatively impacted your studies? Where I live (NY) the City Schools are clogged (will do more research on this), and I'm concerned that I won't get into the classes I need. Right now I am lucky to be able to stay with siblings. Moving out - pretty expensive in NY - defeats the purpose of reducing cost and would require finding flexible employment due to last-dib system here. I'm trying to avoid community colleges if possible.

ETA: Also hoping to complete entire process within 2 years.

I did not have any trouble getting classes I needed. Because of my ridiculous number of credit hours (I'm talking closer to 300 than 200 by the time I was finished), I had senior status for registering for classes, so I was in that second group of people who could register right after student athletes. I was definitely still on the course search/registration site by 11:59 PM ready to click register when my window opened at midnight, though.

I was actually working full time during my classes. My last semester I managed to avoid Friday classes at all, which worked out beautifully. It was already a complete nightmare trying to balance studying, working, and switching my sleep around twice a week. I think I felt fatigued and just generally ill most of the semester... I don't recommend it, but sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.