confused and need guidance

[carolinablue]

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I just graduated from unc and want to do a post-bac to basically show schools I can handle upper level courses. I'm retaking the mcat since my score was really really bad the first time.
I have done alottt of research but still am having a hard time finding a program for me...and i was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction. i want to live in a big city*

about me and what i want

- i have taken all of the pre-reqs
- i took the mcat but am retaking it again at the end of summer
- I want to live in a big city (this is a must...im from a small southern town and i need to get away and experience city life)
- i just wanna take a few upper level classes for the fall semester, i dont think i need anything more than that.

i cant find any school in nyc or chicago for me...

right now, my number 1 pick is the Harvard Extension program**...i hear good things about it, and boston seems like a really cool place to live and a nice change from north carolina.

any advice would be highly appreciated...and please dont tell me to do more research because i have!!

 

[deleted248403]

HES isnt appropriate as you have done the prereqs. HES is aimed at career-changers, and there admissions office will tell you as much.

What are your cGPA and sGPA and MCAT?

You may need an SMP

 

[carolinablue]

i did call harvard last week and they said that i can still take upper-level courses..actually there are a few people on this forum that are planning on doing that.
any thoughts TOURO?

 

[jslo85]

Note what Rob said, HES isn't appropriate for your situation, doesn't mean you can't do it, it's just not what HES primarily caters towards. You're far better off doing an SMP in your situation.

It's not like we can recommend any SMPs realistically without knowing your stats (sGPA, MCAT, cGPA). If you're talking about Chicago, RFU MBS, CCOM MBS, and Loyola MAMS are the only notables that I can think of. For NY theres NYMC accelerated and Touro NY.

As for Touro (shrug) it's a new program, this would be the second year. I know they altered some policies during the first year and had a change in program director. I'm unsure of their current policies regarding their linkage so I would talk to Vertigo328 about that as he's going to be a student this Fall and has spoken with the director/students of last year.

Then again, not knowing your MCAT or stats is pretty hard to suggest any program.

 

[deleted248403]

carolina - as Jslo said, you can do it. its just not what the program is designed for. I applied there for upper levels and they returned my check, and i had a nice 1hr long chat with the associate director of admissions (whose name i forget but i suppose i can dig through and find the letter) about one could do upper levels there but it really wasnt the best fit.

Without knowing your stats, it is impossible to offer useful advice. Did you get any Cs? Esp in prereqs?

 

[drizzt3117]

Idk, I know a lot of people who have used hes for upper levels with success, I would consider it if the admissions people are ok with it.

 

[deleted248403]

Idk, I know a lot of people who have used hes for upper levels with success, I would consider it if the admissions people are ok with it.

I never said they weren't ok with it - but they garnered a lot of respect with me by having a frank conversation about it. They didn't say it wouldn't work - just that it might not be entirely the best approach.

If the OP has his/her heart set on HES, then go for it. But there may be better options

 

[drizzt3117]

It's possible the OP would be better with a SMP but it sounds to me that HES would be a good option to do while preparing to do another mcat and get some clinical experience.

I never said they weren't ok with it - but they garnered a lot of respect with me by having a frank conversation about it. They didn't say it wouldn't work - just that it might not be entirely the best approach.

If the OP has his/her heart set on HES, then go for it. But there may be better options

 

[carolinablue]

i have a 3.6 overall gpa
a 3.5 science gpa (just the requirments)
and a low 20's mcat.....i wasnt prepared, and my new practice scores are higher thankfully, but nonetheless right now my official score from last september is in the low low 20's.
-by the end of the summer i will have taken Embryology and biochemistry

Idk, I know a lot of people who have used hes for upper levels with success, I would consider it if the admissions people are ok with it.

i read about many people too


honestly, i just wanna live in a really cool place...but all the schools with postbacs in NYC require mcats >25...which isnt me sadly (but will be!!)

 

[NYCPreMedical]

Hunter has a postbac program for those who have taken all the science prereqs. Here's the website:

http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/studentservices/prehealth/postba

Unfortunately, I think there's no spot available until Spring 2011.

Columbia's Postbac Premed program is just for those who have not taken any of the science prereqs, but you may be able to take upper level science courses through their general postbac program. Here's the website:

http://ce.columbia.edu/Postbaccalaureate-Studies

I'm not familiar with the SMPs, so I can't comment on those, but many schools in NYC area allow students to take undergrad courses either as part of a program or as a non-degree student. If you're willing to chart your own course and not have institutional support, you should be able to take undergrad courses at one of the CUNY schools or even Columbia. Harvard Extension sounds like a decent option for just taking courses, but it sounds like (from the comments on this thread) you won't get much else from the school because you would not be part of their postbac program. Cambridge can be a great place to spend a year or two, though!

 

[jslo85]

Living in a cool place is a bit subjective and imo irrelevant in pursuit for medical school with that low of an MCAT. That said, everyone has different requirements for what they want so I'm not going to go into that.

As for your MCAT, I'm guessing it's 21-23 from your descriptions. I hear Drizzt and respect his opinion as always, but I personally disagree with a short term interim move if it is only to take upper division UG classes for the purpose of attending an SMP afterwards.

However, knowing your GPA is at a competitive level, I would say you should gather as many LOR and clinical activities as possible with a solid MCAT before applying straight for medical school. You do not require an SMP imo and moving to Boston for HES to take part time UG upper div classes is an option to be considered because there are so many other opportunities in Boston as opposed to where you live currently. You do however need an MCAT of a 31+ and apply early and broadly.

If you do not wish to retake your MCAT and are considering osteopathic medicine as a legitamite direction that you wish to pursue, you can go into TouroNY's Masters program where the majority of their students do possess a low MCAT (similar numbers to yours) where they will guarantee admissions without you having to retake the MCAT by making you jump through a seperate set of hoops.

I would not enroll into any formalized program with your GPA, but one that offers a flexible curriculum where you can choose the classes and schedule to fit your other clinical activities. HES would offer a sponsorship if you complete a certain # of units with a decent grade.

 

[carolinablue]

the general post-bac program at columbia seems like a great option too....im just gonna be taking 2 classes or so.

i'm gonna call up Touro in harlem tomorrow and see if i can still join their fall class.

the columbria program will just throw me into undergraduate classes with college kids i think, so im sure the competition will be really cut-throat.


which program do you guys think will provide me with the overall most beneficial experience?

 

[drizzt3117]

Well with a 3.5-3.6 the OP needs to do well on the mcat, a smp is probably not the best bet, but i think HES is a pretty good environment to do upper divs while improving Mcat. I think it would have a good jumping off pt to a smp as well simply bc two large ones are in town.

 

[carolinablue]

You do not require an SMP imo and moving to Boston for HES to take part time UG upper div classes is an option to be considered because there are so many other opportunities in Boston as opposed to where you live currently. You do however need an MCAT of a 31+ and apply early and broadly.

.

so your saying making the move to boston for the fall is a good idea, given i also re-take the mcat by august before actually starting the HES program???

 

[jslo85]

No to Columbia. The only program even worth mentioning at Columbia would be their Masters of Nutrition but even then the efficiacy is questionable compared to the money you would spend on tuition and COA. With your GPA, you don't need a formalized program and to do move to take UG classes at Columbia just.. isn't a financially reasonable move imo.

TouroNY Masters accepts about 22-27 students from what it sounds like and they have accepted a majority of their class as admissions began a while ago. It wouldn't hurt to try because I think your stats mirror many of the currently accepted students (good GPA and pretty low MCAT). Just know that last year's class was required to take the MCAT or a shelf anatomy exam if their MCAT was low with some having to take both because their MCAT was an abomination before given the guaranteed acceptance. I really have no idea how things have shaken out this time around with a new admissions director.

TBH there are alot to choose from if you are only looking to take a few classes and do clinical activities. You can even move to Texas and take classes at UTD, or SFSU, or even LA. But if I had to go with something knowing your current situation and requirements, I'd probably go with HES.

Edit: I'm not advocating moving at all if that's what you're saying. But if you had to move and only to a big city and it was either Chicago, Boston, or NY, I would pick HES because it is in Boston and it's cheap compared to the other options and it would gain you sponsorship (provided you take enough units and do well) and allow you easy access to many other clinical activities.

 

[carolinablue]

LA would actually be a dream place to be other than NY, but UCLA schools require you to be in state and California state seems kind of meant for local residents.

 

[carolinablue]

Edit: I'm not advocating moving at all if that's what you're saying. But if you had to move and only to a big city and it was either Chicago, Boston, or NY, I would pick HES because it is in Boston and it's cheap compared to the other options and it would gain you sponsorship (provided you take enough units and do well) and allow you easy access to many other clinical activities.

no i don't have to move at all, but im just bored and i want to. i know with my mcat i shouldn't be picky where i live...but i just need to get away, focus on volunteering, clinical experience, 2 upper night classes at harvard, and going to celtics games.

 

[jslo85]

Well CSULA isn't meant only for local residents. You also have other choices in USC limited status enrollment which is good for 16 units where you can negotiate with admissions to take more units if you "intend" to pursue a USC degree later on. This is available for students who do not wish to go through formal admissions for USC .

Not really certain the requirements for UCLA's RAP program but I'm sure UCLA extension also is available. Again, these are all just options you can take a look at, I'd generally pick an area that offers easy access to clinical activities and that would conducive to your medical school applications later on. Finance is also usually a legitamite concern.

 

[jslo85]

no i don't have to move at all, but im just bored and i want to. i know with my mcat i shouldn't be picky where i live...but i just need to get away, focus on volunteering, clinical experience, 2 upper night classes at harvard, and going to celtics games.

If you don't want to retake the MCAT and don't mind osteopathic medicine, go call Touro NY's admissions director and see if you can rush an application in. Just understand that if everything works out according to plan, for all realistic purposes you will be attending Touro NY for medical school afterwards

I really don't see a problem where you end up going otherwise if you want to retake the MCAT. Just do some of your own research and don't let things distract you too much from studying for it.

Good luck.

 

[carolinablue]

jslo85, thanks for your help...its hard finding honest people to give advice sometimes, so thank you.

I do plan on re-taking my mcat...but when i know where ill be in teh fall i can focus better for some reason..that stress of the unknown is really distracting.
i think harvard is looking like the best bet so far

 

[NYCPreMedical]

the columbria program will just throw me into undergraduate classes with college kids i think, so im sure the competition will be really cut-throat.

I think that's pretty much what you'll get if you do the Columbia general postbac. Some Columbia undergrads can be rather cut-throat. The postbacs tend to be much more laid back (thankfully). You probably should go to a program that will boost your GPA, so the Columbia option may not be the best for you.

 

[carolinablue]

TuOURO already stars this summer, too late too apply...

columbia has too much competition for me

no chicago schools accept my low crappy mcat

all the UCLA schools are only meant for cali residents

the only options i like so far

are Harvard extension....i was really exited about this program a few days ago, but it seems that it would be weird for a new college grad to be taking night time classes that meet like once a week with all middle aged students who have worked in the real world for years...i would feel dumb for moving all the way there just to enjoy boston life and night time classes..sigh


and maybe California State- LA....i dont know how good this place is, or if people even move to LA just to go to a state school...seems risky.