Columbia Postbacc is killing me inside

[ckp1997]

Hi all...
I’m new to SDN so bear with me. I’m currently a second semester postbacc at Columbia University. Long story short I am putting my heart and soul into this program... quit my job and studying all day everyday, doing all the homework’s, reading, office hours, etc... but right now I’m basically failing. Last semester I came out with two Bs and thought I knew what I had to do... but I’m at a total loss. Not to mention it’s become an extreme financial burden on me at this point. It seems like others at Columbia also have the same problem of doing everything they can to get mediocre grades... I’m wondering if I should just scrap this all together and do a DIY at CUNY. I know pre-med is hard but this is completely soul crushing ... financially and mentally. Should I stick it out or just say the hell with it?

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[DarklingThrush]

I’m not entirely sure what the right answer is for this, but this was one of the reasons I avoided Columbia. Their linkages weren’t actually all that impressive once you read the fine print, and I heard nightmares about the classes. It also costs a ton of money. I think you could potentially defend your decision to leave Columbia for a DIY program based on cost, but it won’t look great if you fail this semester. Either way, I’d probably get out. It doesn’t look like this program is working for you. I would just be concerned on how this looks to schools because it’s a formal post bacc. Maybe someone else will be able to speak to that.

 

[Dr.Gains]

Hi all...
I’m new to SDN so bear with me. I’m currently a second semester postbacc at Columbia University. Long story short I am putting my heart and soul into this program... quit my job and studying all day everyday, doing all the homework’s, reading, office hours, etc... but right now I’m basically failing. Last semester I came out with two Bs and thought I knew what I had to do... but I’m at a total loss. Not to mention it’s become an extreme financial burden on me at this point. It seems like others at Columbia also have the same problem of doing everything they can to get mediocre grades... I’m wondering if I should just scrap this all together and do a DIY at CUNY. I know pre-med is hard but this is completely soul crushing ... financially and mentally. Should I stick it out or just say the hell with it?

How was your background going into the formal post-bacc? GPA/MCAT? As @DarklingThrush mentioned above, I really don't know how poor performance in a formal postbacc will look to the admission committee. Maybe @Goro could chime in tell you whether poor performance in a formal post-bacc can be overcome with a DIY-post-bacc or is this unfortunately the end of your journey.

 

[Goro]

Hi all...
I’m new to SDN so bear with me. I’m currently a second semester postbacc at Columbia University. Long story short I am putting my heart and soul into this program... quit my job and studying all day everyday, doing all the homework’s, reading, office hours, etc... but right now I’m basically failing. Last semester I came out with two Bs and thought I knew what I had to do... but I’m at a total loss. Not to mention it’s become an extreme financial burden on me at this point. It seems like others at Columbia also have the same problem of doing everything they can to get mediocre grades... I’m wondering if I should just scrap this all together and do a DIY at CUNY. I know pre-med is hard but this is completely soul crushing ... financially and mentally. Should I stick it out or just say the hell with it?

I think it's time to do something else.

 

[57A Keolu Drive]

you should contact Andre Pinesett, MD on youtube. His channel is focused on helping premeds with admissions; he gives study habits geared toward premed and med, and everything medicine. Why not contact him on his channel? He answers questions on his social media accounts. He teaches online MCAT prep courses for a good price.

 

[DarklingThrush]

you should contact Andre Pinesett, MD on youtube. His channel is focused on helping premeds with admissions, study habits during premed and med, and everything medicine. Why not contact him on his channel? He answers questions on his social media accounts. He teaches online MCAT prep courses for a good price.

You’re the second person I’ve seen trying to plug this dude in the last week......

 

[57A Keolu Drive]

.

 

[Wherther]

Wait, this is a career-changer post-bacc, right? So OP may be coming in with a high GPA, and having never taken college science courses? If that's the case, I think there definitely could still be a chance! If you know that you want to continue, try to figure out how you can do better in the future, get some tutoring for the rest of the semester, withdraw only if you end up needing to, then do a DIY at CUNY or wherever you can be successful and devote a ton of time to the MCAT. I'm sure it will hurt you that you left Columbia, but I bet if you get As from there on out, do great on the MCAT, and apply broadly to MD/DO, somewhere will take you! (That's a lot of if's though, and only you know if that plan would be realistic for you.)

 

[Dave1980]

Sorry but I think it's time to throw in the towel. Don't go further into debt and waste more years of your life. There are many enjoyable careers out there that don't involve doing to med school.

 

[57A Keolu Drive]

Go to your school's learning center for help. They teach study skills for particular courses.

 

[chemphysicsinstructor]

You’re the second person I’ve seen trying to plug this dude in the last week......

Doc Pinesett has some good ideas. However, I think he does not fully understand the role of the community college system in educating future medical professionals.

 

[57A Keolu Drive]

Yeah, I watched more of Dr. Pinesett's videos, and I think there are some things he does not get. For example, he said it is very easy to get a graduate degree and that people can just literally show up and get an A. Therefore, many medical schools don't look at graduate programs.

I know a few people that were able to get in because of their graduate program. They slacked in ugrad, remediated, and got graduate degrees in chemistry and physics. They eventually got into medical school and did well. To do well in these types of grad programs, one has to have a strong foundation in these courses at the ugrad level. So, Pinesett was wrong to generalize about all programs.

So, I don't endorse him anymore.

 

[ClimbsRox]

A couple things about Columbia:

1) Feeling like you are failing and actually failing are two different things. Make sure you are actually in the second category before doing anything drastic. Curves and bumps are pretty common in CU science classes at the end of the semester when they see where everyone stands relative to each other/ past years.

2) The PostBac is hard by all accounts. Med students from the program regularly say its harder than med school. Not that it helps your situation, but maybe some moral support.

3) The median GPA in science classes is ~3.3. Columbia brags a very high admissions rate to medical school, which means mid-tier students are still getting in.

I was a GS undergrad and spent a lot of time with postbacs. I am going into an MD/PhD program this summer. PM me if you want to talk about some more specific stuff.

 

[fluffyrabbi]

Hi all...
I’m new to SDN so bear with me. I’m currently a second semester postbacc at Columbia University. Long story short I am putting my heart and soul into this program... quit my job and studying all day everyday, doing all the homework’s, reading, office hours, etc... but right now I’m basically failing. Last semester I came out with two Bs and thought I knew what I had to do... but I’m at a total loss. Not to mention it’s become an extreme financial burden on me at this point. It seems like others at Columbia also have the same problem of doing everything they can to get mediocre grades... I’m wondering if I should just scrap this all together and do a DIY at CUNY. I know pre-med is hard but this is completely soul crushing ... financially and mentally. Should I stick it out or just say the hell with it?

Former Columbia postbac here! I finished the program just this May and linked directly to medical school. Please feel free to send me a PM! I succeeded pretty well in the program and would love to pass on tips or advice or encouragement 🙂.