Chicago Area Post-bacc

[moonbunnie]

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Hi, just wondering if anyone else has any info or advice on chicago area post bacc. I am most likely going to apply to loyola and northwestern since they both have a formal post bacc program. I guess I am just wondering if anyone knows how the programs are, how hard are the classes, stuff like that. Thanks 🙂

 

[IntoTheWild]

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has any info or advice on chicago area post bacc. I am most likely going to apply to loyola and northwestern since they both have a formal post bacc program. I guess I am just wondering if anyone knows how the programs are, how hard are the classes, stuff like that. Thanks 🙂

I am currently a post bacc student at Loyola. I have been here one year and by the end of this semester will have completed Gen Chem, Bio, and Orgo all with labs. I have enjoyed loyola very much. The program here is formal in the sense that you have a title and full access to the pre-health advisors, but other than that it is fairly informal in regard to scheduling or course requirements.

The post bacc community is alive and well here. I have found a handful of fellow post baccs in all my classes and there is a young and growing post bacc club which organizes some fairly useful informational events and social outings.

I don't know much about the Northwestern program other than the application says you need to have completed a college level biology course prior to starting their program. Also, I have heard through the grapevine that Organic Chemistry at Northwestern is very challenging. That being said, organic chemistry is challenging anywhere compared to other courses. The challenge of Orgo here at Loyola was welcomed and managable. I would recommend Dr. Spuznar if she is teaching it when you take the class.

Hope this helps.

 

[hypotyposis]

Hi, I'm a post-bac at Loyola too and I'd like to second IntoTheWild's opinion. Been here a year as well, and really enjoying it so far except for chem lab, but eh. Be aware that the program at NU is ran through the school of continuing studies, and therefore the faculty isn't regular Northwestern faculty.

 

[windycitycassie]

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has any info or advice on chicago area post bacc. I am most likely going to apply to loyola and northwestern since they both have a formal post bacc program. I guess I am just wondering if anyone knows how the programs are, how hard are the classes, stuff like that. Thanks 🙂

I plan on doing the NWU route here...

They did want a college level bio class and also a LOR to even get into the program, though. So this summer session I have BIO 170, and I'll take a few other classes and then apply to next year's program.

Loyola seems easier to get into I suppose, but I just thought the NWU program seemed a bit better and is slightly easier for me to get to.

 

[moonbunnie]

thanks for the replies. Yah, i thought the loyola one seemed a little easier to get in to since they dont require a biology and letter of recommendation, but i noticed their physics class says it requires a bunch of math. I have taken college algebra and trig, but it says you need geometry too, which i havent taken as a separate class. How did that work out for you guys already in the loyola program?
oh, and what time are most of the classes at loyola? are they mostly during the day? or are there some night classes? Im pretty flexible, but just wondering 🙂

 

[letitgo]

I am taking NW post-bac classes (though informally) and I find them very challenging. I went to an Ivy League school for undergrad and I think that NW's science courses are just as difficult and competitive, maybe more so. I'm avoiding orgo at NW - I heard it's a nightmare (the last day of the summer semester is also the day before the MCAT). Also, the faculty that teaches the post-bac classes aren't subpar professors - all of mine teach undergraduate classes as well. Maybe it seems tough to me because a lot of the students in the post-bac classes are NW alums, so there are a lot of intelligent people in there.

I do wish I'd gotten into Loyola's orgo this summer - it's full! Ugh. Anybody here know anything about University of Illinois' classes downtown? I'm thinking of going that route.

 

[IntoTheWild]

I took a bunch of math in my undergrad years, so I don't have an answer there.

As for the times of classes, it seems as though Loyola has atleast one offering of the basic sciences in the evenings every semester. This may mean starting at 4:30pm though, which is still early if you are working full time. I know the evening orgo class is around 6-8pm on monday nights. I have been able to take classes during the "school day" and I think that allowed me to pick which professors I wanted rather than just taking the professor that teaches the night class.

can already tell SDN is going help me procrastinate !

thanks for the replies. Yah, i thought the loyola one seemed a little easier to get in to since they dont require a biology and letter of recommendation, but i noticed their physics class says it requires a bunch of math. I have taken college algebra and trig, but it says you need geometry too, which i havent taken as a separate class. How did that work out for you guys already in the loyola program?
oh, and what time are most of the classes at loyola? are they mostly during the day? or are there some night classes? Im pretty flexible, but just wondering 🙂