Columbia Postbacc Program - Happy to Answer Questions

[premad]

Hey all, so I've gotten lots of PMs about the Columbia postbacc program, and instead of continuing to field those (unless you have really specific or personal questions), I thought I'd start a thread to discuss.

I did the 18 month track, and finished in May 2008 and am now applying to MD schools. I'm happy to share my opinions. which are both positive and negative, and hopefully some other lurking Columbia postbacc folks will chime in.

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[premad]

Some value added: here's my experience with the program to get this thread truly started.

I think that Columbia is a fantastic school for some things, and that you can really take advantage of what they have to offer as a postbac. I came in knowing the Columbia system, since I had been an MPH student who'd taken classes on the main campus, which I think really helped.

Columbia is rather no-frills when it comes to their postbac program. It's really a cash-cow for them, and they treat it as such. You will have an advisor, but it's up to you to really make them notice you (so that they can write you a great letter) and the advice that they give you will range from moderately useful to downright wrong. It's super expensive, and many people (at least 30-40%, I would say based on my totally unscientific estimate) drop out of the program.

I loved most of the profs, but when you start in Spring, the curve will likely be higher b/c you're off sequence, and the teachers will not necessarily be as high quality. You'll also have to make it through a year with Dr. Mowshowitz, the infamous Biology professor. Bio will not be a 'gut' with her, and it may be the hardest class that you take...possibly ever in life? I loved the class, but it won't pad your GPA like it could at other institutions. The program isn't the most collaborative environment...it can be, and I felt like I had enough people to depend on, but the program doesn't really help to foster a supportive environment. But, I felt very prepared for the MCAT at the end of the program. I decided not to even take a prep course, and just self-study, and it turned out very well.

At the end of the day, I think you want a postbac where you can 1) get a stellar GPA, 2) be super prepared for the MCAT, 3) get good guidance and support for your application, 4) at a decently reputable place, 5) at the lowest possible cost (time and money). Columbia does OK on 1 and 2 if you're a stellar student, generally poorly on 3, wonderful on 4, and very poorly on 5. So, I wouldn't NOT recommend it (haha), but I would seriously consider other programs that might offer more of these criteria. If I had to choose again, I would probably look into Goucher or Bryn Mawr or Hunter. And, I feel like I'm WAY more positive about the program than many of my friends.

 

[Miamihurricane]

Hi all,
I've been accepted to the PBPM at Columbia with an intended start date of summer 2010. I was wondering if any of you know anyone who took the "basic physics" course over the summer previously and if so what are your thoughts on it? Of all the premed courses that await me at Columbia, University Physics is the most daunting for me. I'm still applying to a few other PBPM programs so I'm not 100% sure that I'll ultimately choose Columbia but either way I'd love to know more about this basic physics course. Thanks!

 

[premad]

Hi all,
I've been accepted to the PBPM at Columbia with an intended start date of summer 2010. I was wondering if any of you know anyone who took the "basic physics" course over the summer previously and if so what are your thoughts on it? Of all the premed courses that await me at Columbia, University Physics is the most daunting for me. I'm still applying to a few other PBPM programs so I'm not 100% sure that I'll ultimately choose Columbia but either way I'd love to know more about this basic physics course. Thanks!

Hey Miami, not sure about the Basic Physics, but I can ask around and get back to you. Physics is general is a beast, but there are lots of options to get the support that you need to do well.

 

[Jlaw]

How do you feel about the value that the name brings to an application?

I'm currently at a small college post bacc program in the NY area, I'm doing well and enjoy the small classes, personalized attention and easy commute. The program offers a Committee letter but obviously there is no name recognition. I could probably get into Columbia but the only reason I would do it is for the name, do you think it is giving your application any kind of tangible benefit?

Half the people I talk to say that names matter, the other half say that a 4.0 at community college is as good as a 4.0 at Harvard.

 

[premad]

How do you feel about the value that the name brings to an application?

I'm currently at a small college post bacc program in the NY area, I'm doing well and enjoy the small classes, personalized attention and easy commute. The program offers a Committee letter but obviously there is no name recognition. I could probably get into Columbia but the only reason I would do it is for the name, do you think it is giving your application any kind of tangible benefit?

Half the people I talk to say that names matter, the other half say that a 4.0 at community college is as good as a 4.0 at Harvard.

This is a hard one, because obviously I have no control group. But, I would say that the name doesn't matter so much. I'm sure that that the Columbia name didn't hurt me, but average performance will definitely not be boosted up by the name. I've met postbacs from a variety of programs at my interviews, and it seems like the key is to do well wherever you are, and get great letters to strengthen your application.

 

[goblue1980]

Hi Premad!

Thanks for starting this thread. I was recently accepted into Columbia's post bac program and I have several questions!

They have been wonderful in helping me changing their program to suit my needs. I have an engineering background and have all of my math and physics covered. I live inside DC and wanted proper time to notify my job--which is well paying--without taking a hit on premed education, so Columbia said I could begin taking classes at the University of Maryland this spring (so I'm taking Chem I--a retake since it's been so long since I took it originally), and Columbia is allowing me to take Chem II + Lab, and the bio and orgo series starting this summer.

This should mean that since I will be there for less than a year, my costs are drastically reduced. I'm pretty confident in my academic abilities, but I'm very concerned with the costs...

I calculated an approximate cost for my <1 yr stint at Columbia, including some living expenses it should be around $50K! However, since I live in DC, I really don't have many "in-state" options. Georgetown is just as expensive as Columbia, and all the state schools are actually "out of state" for me...and I've always wanted to live in NYC.

I've never taken out financial aid before, and am not really certain about the options...Can you go into details about financing post bacc schools, and is this something that should even be keeping me awake at night? And is Columbia worth it in my case?

 

[premad]

Hi Premad!

Thanks for starting this thread. I was recently accepted into Columbia's post bac program and I have several questions!

They have been wonderful in helping me changing their program to suit my needs. I have an engineering background and have all of my math and physics covered. I live inside DC and wanted proper time to notify my job--which is well paying--without taking a hit on premed education, so Columbia said I could begin taking classes at the University of Maryland this spring (so I'm taking Chem I--a retake since it's been so long since I took it originally), and Columbia is allowing me to take Chem II + Lab, and the bio and orgo series starting this summer.

This should mean that since I will be there for less than a year, my costs are drastically reduced. I'm pretty confident in my academic abilities, but I'm very concerned with the costs...

I calculated an approximate cost for my <1 yr stint at Columbia, including some living expenses it should be around $50K! However, since I live in DC, I really don't have many "in-state" options. Georgetown is just as expensive as Columbia, and all the state schools are actually "out of state" for me...and I've always wanted to live in NYC.

I've never taken out financial aid before, and am not really certain about the options...Can you go into details about financing post bacc schools, and is this something that should even be keeping me awake at night? And is Columbia worth it in my case?

Hey! So, postbacs are really expensive and can be difficult to finance since they are neither undergraduate degrees nor graduate degrees. There are loans available, but the details are a bit wacky. And, there are very limited scholarships for the Orgo/Bio year, but I'm not sure how many credits you have to have completed at Columbia prior to applying. I would talk with Skip Bailey (info here, PM me if you can't find his direct email http://www.gs.columbia.edu/costs-and-financing) about the details of your situation. He was wonderful in helping me to figure out my situation.

As to whether Columbia is worth it, that's definitely a personal decision. I don't see what would be wrong with taking the remainder of your courses at Maryland, if that would save money. I would check into whether your undergrad and/or Maryland would support you with a committee letter if you did. Then, pull together some good clinical and volunteer experiences (in addition to what you've done already) and I think you'd potentially have a great application either way.

Good luck!

 

[dat240]

I'm also a Columbia Postbac student who is currently in the second semester of the Gen Chem / Physics year.

With regard to the question about school reputation, I contacted medical schools before enrolling and most of them told me the same thing: they do take the rigor of the program and the quality of the curve you're being graded against into consideration. That said, it does you no good at all to get in over your head and make bad grades, regardless of where you're enrolled. It's pretty easy to get into the Columbia Postbac program, but a lot of people don't realize that. They get here thinking they've got it made, or that being accepted necessarily means they'll be able to do the work. Many postbacs are very successful in this program, but there is certainly an appreciable number who find that their best efforts aren't competitive against the curve. We joke a lot about the lazy undergrads, but a lazy Columbia undergrad is not the same thing as a lazy undergrad at many other universities.

The bottom line is that you need to do a realistic assessment of your abilities before committing to a program. If you had a hard time studying or performing well on difficult exams in undergrad, it's unlikely that you will discover a vastly different version of yourself when you enroll in a postbac program.

Hope that kind of helps. Feel free to message if you've got any specific questions about Gen Chem, Physics or whatever else. Good luck!

 

[premad]

Go Lions! Enjoy the rest of the program, dat240, and thanks
for popping in to provide your thoughts.

 

[LittleBun]

Hi, I wanted to ask some questions about the Columbia IHN program. It was listed on AAMC as one of the postbacc/special masters programs. Does anyone know if there's a thread for it?

Thanks!

 

[jslo85]

from what I understand of what's written ehre and of what was e-mailed to me by princeton review, the columbia post bacc program has been around for a while and is not by any means an SMP. It's a formal program that caters more towards non-traditionals to take all the pre-med requisites in a more rigorous and intensive curriculum. You can correct me if I'm wrong (not a columbia student).

 

[premad]

Hi, I wanted to ask some questions about the Columbia IHN program. It was listed on AAMC as one of the postbacc/special masters programs. Does anyone know if there's a thread for it?

Thanks!

Hey, don't know if there's a thread about the Institute of Human Nutrition masters program, but it's not quite so popular/large as the postbac program. The IHN program is located up at the medical center campus (while the postbac is at the undergrad campus), and I actually don't know of anyone who's in it now. But, one of my mentors did the program many years ago, and ended up going to Columbia P&S for medical school. When she did it, the program was geared to those who already had an undergraduate background in the sciences, and wanted to build on that in a masters focused on nutrition that could be applicable/complimentary to an MD.

 

[mrusmc1223]

I am about to start my last semester at Columbia University postbac premedical program (accelerated). I just got my grades from last semester and received a C- in Organic Chemistry and am freaking out. My dean emailed me and told me we had to talk. Please help me! Is there anyway to get this grade changed to even a C? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[NonTradtnlMD]

Some value added: here's my experience with the program to get this thread truly started.

I think that Columbia is a fantastic school for some things, and that you can really take advantage of what they have to offer as a postbac. I came in knowing the Columbia system, since I had been an MPH student who'd taken classes on the main campus, which I think really helped.

Columbia is rather no-frills when it comes to their postbac program. It's really a cash-cow for them, and they treat it as such. You will have an advisor, but it's up to you to really make them notice you (so that they can write you a great letter) and the advice that they give you will range from moderately useful to downright wrong. It's super expensive, and many people (at least 30-40%, I would say based on my totally unscientific estimate) drop out of the program.

I loved most of the profs, but when you start in Spring, the curve will likely be higher b/c you're off sequence, and the teachers will not necessarily be as high quality. You'll also have to make it through a year with Dr. Mowshowitz, the infamous Biology professor. Bio will not be a 'gut' with her, and it may be the hardest class that you take...possibly ever in life? I loved the class, but it won't pad your GPA like it could at other institutions. The program isn't the most collaborative environment...it can be, and I felt like I had enough people to depend on, but the program doesn't really help to foster a supportive environment. But, I felt very prepared for the MCAT at the end of the program. I decided not to even take a prep course, and just self-study, and it turned out very well.

At the end of the day, I think you want a postbac where you can 1) get a stellar GPA, 2) be super prepared for the MCAT, 3) get good guidance and support for your application, 4) at a decently reputable place, 5) at the lowest possible cost (time and money). Columbia does OK on 1 and 2 if you're a stellar student, generally poorly on 3, wonderful on 4, and very poorly on 5. So, I wouldn't NOT recommend it (haha), but I would seriously consider other programs that might offer more of these criteria. If I had to choose again, I would probably look into Goucher or Bryn Mawr or Hunter. And, I feel like I'm WAY more positive about the program than many of my friends.

I second all this. I am a soon to be Columbia Postbac alumni.