CC classes now or Post-Bacc later?

[Legato147]

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Not sure what to do here. 😕

Quick background:
I'm 29 "non-trad" in Los Angeles deciding to change careers from video game industry to medicine. Undergrad was in Theatre/Classical Studies (gpa 3.83, magna cum laude)--so no college-level sciences or calc...need to take ALL required prereqs.

My options:
1) Take CC classes from several schools locally.
2) Take UCLA Extension classes (quarterly).
3) Apply for the one-year postbacc at Scripps, matriculating in May 2014.

Ideally, I'd love to enter med school 2015, but perhaps that's too aggressive... The Scripps postbacc is great, but there's a high probably that I may not get accepted (highly competitive with few spots). If I don't get accepted for next May, I would have wasted a full year of time in which I could be taking CC/UCLA Ext. classes.

So...do I start ticking away at my prereqs this summer on the DIY route from "lesser schools", or do I just focus on volunteering, shadowing, and clinical exp (FYI--I will be EMT certified by June), but with the risk that I'll not get accepted to Scripps and will have to do the DIY route anyway (but a year delayed).

Thanks all! Would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and previous experiences!

 

[Alma1989]

Hey, I just wanted to tell you, you and I have a similar experience. I'm slightly younger (23, 24 in two weeks), and I am working in the film industry. So, same thing, I have virtually no science courses either. And, I have thought of matriculating later on to a formal program as well after I have taken classes at a CC or a university. And, coincidentally enough, I live in Los Angeles as well.

I can't offer you any great advice, obviously, but have you looked at any course catalogs yet? Some classes like Calculus and Biology you need pre-reqs for those classes that you can fill at a CC anyway.

 

[Alma1989]

If you don't mind me asking, btw, because I'm always curious with other non-trads, why are you going into medicine?

I usually speak to mostly business/law people who go into medical. I have yet to meet someone else who does something as unrelated as what I do (sound effects for movies) go into medical.

 

[Legato147]

Hey Alma. Nice to hear from a fellow kindred spirit! 🙂

Yup, I have been poring over catalogs from SMC, Glendale CC, Valley College and UCLA Extension. You're correct, many of those classes have prereqs of their own (which sucks...), mostly in the math area. Spoke to SMC counselor--the math prereqs are a must, however, you can take an assessment exam prior to signing up and get waivers if you know your stuff.

UCLA Extension is very lax--their admissions don't really bother with prereq requirements. So, for the Calculus course, I'm thinking of refreshing/teaching myself all the pre-calc stuff in advance. Might be risky, but don't have much of a choice if I want to do the UCLA Ext. Their physics series (3 classes in succession) starts ONLY in Fall quarter and is calculus based. So if you miss that first class, you're screwed until the following year.

 

[Legato147]

If you don't mind me asking, btw, because I'm always curious with other non-trads, why are you going into medicine?

I usually speak to mostly business/law people who go into medical. I have yet to meet someone else who does something as unrelated as what I do (sound effects for movies) go into medical.

It's always been an interest and curiosity for me. AP Bio and Anatomy were my favorite classes in high school. I distinctly remember my science teacher lamenting the fact that I was going to college for theatre and not pre-med. 🙂 But I was swept up into the acting world, was getting professional work at 17, and got accepted to college on full acting scholarship--so at the time, my path was set. After college, I continued to work professionally, but grew tired of the lifestyle: no stability, living out of a suitcase, no control over career. I decided to pursue production in video games instead. I'm doing very well with that, but growing continually restless. I feel a need to do something more. I got into the arts and entertainment field because I wanted to benefit society: Entertain others and make them forget about their worries; create art and inspire people to view their world through new perspectives. But, I no longer feel like I am doing that. It all feels a bit meaningless now. And intellectually, I'm very bored.

As I've grown older, I can now identify the things and values that are important to me. Medicine seems to fit all of that criteria. It's challenging, every day is different, I can help others when they need it most, it's active (i'm tired of sitting in front of a computer all day), and the human body is just damn cool. I feel blessed to be given a smart mind and the passion to do good, and I feel like I'm wasting that if I stay where I'm at now.

 

[Alma1989]

Hey Alma. Nice to hear from a fellow kindred spirit! 🙂

Yup, I have been poring over catalogs from SMC, Glendale CC, Valley College and UCLA Extension. You're correct, many of those classes have prereqs of their own (which sucks...), mostly in the math area. Spoke to SMC counselor--the math prereqs are a must, however, you can take an assessment exam prior to signing up and get waivers if you know your stuff.

UCLA Extension is very lax--their admissions don't really bother with prereq requirements. So, for the Calculus course, I'm thinking of refreshing/teaching myself all the pre-calc stuff in advance. Might be risky, but don't have much of a choice if I want to do the UCLA Ext. Their physics series (3 classes in succession) starts ONLY in Fall quarter and is calculus based. So if you miss that first class, you're screwed until the following year.

What's your impression of UCLA extension? I have found a lot of people here who really have a negative opinion of it.

 

[Back 5]

Are you working full time while attempting to take these courses? If the answer is yes, I would try to take the courses at a 4year University, but if it's not possible, take them at a CC. There will be some MD schools who will look down on the CC courses, but if you get A's and rock the MCAT, you clearly learned your material.

I am unsure why you would need a formal (expensive) post-bacc program. You only need to have your science pre-reqs completed, which will take you 2-3 semesters full time no problem. Once that's completed and you take the MCAT, no reason why you cannot apply for school within 2 years.

 

[Legato147]

Are you working full time while attempting to take these courses? If the answer is yes, I would try to take the courses at a 4year University, but if it's not possible, take them at a CC. There will be some MD schools who will look down on the CC courses, but if you get A's and rock the MCAT, you clearly learned your material.

I am unsure why you would need a formal (expensive) post-bacc program. You only need to have your science pre-reqs completed, which will take you 2-3 semesters full time no problem. Once that's completed and you take the MCAT, no reason why you cannot apply for school within 2 years.

Thanks, Back 5. I am working full-time right now, but willing to quit and do school full-time if needed. The Scripps postbacc seemed appealing because it could be completed in a single year and do linkage, of which most postbaccs are two years long. I figured then it would require roughly that long if I did it myself... My fear is that I just will not be able to complete all my prereqs in time to take the MCAT early enough next year (spring/early summer), and therefore attempt med school 2015. I suppose I just need to be more patient.

 

[Legato147]

What's your impression of UCLA extension? I have found a lot of people here who really have a negative opinion of it.

Not sure I have much of an impression. Yes, I read those bad comments too, but also read some good ones. The fact that classes are quarterly and in evenings is convenient. At the same time, that's also bad because classes can easily conflict with each other if you plan to load up on all pre-med prereqs. The biggest annoyance for me is that you cannot really plan ahead long-term, but only one quarter ahead. Classes, their times and days, are not consistent every quarter. If you build an aggressive timetable, it could fall apart half way through once you find that Physics conflicts with Bio...and their physics series is ONLY offered starting Fall--you miss that class and your screwed out of Physics for the entire year.

UCLA Extension seems to be the best of the affordable options. I'm not sure if adcoms will look at it any better than SMC or other CC's, but at least its far more convenient to enroll. It's also incredibly cheaper than taking classes at SMC or Layola. It's a shame that UCLA will not allow non-majors to enroll and pick and choose individual classes.