I am starting to take my prereqs, but I am going to continue working full time. My plan is to work full time until I matriculate. I am worried about the medical school questioning my commitment, since I did not leave my job and do a fulltime post-bacc. Have you heard of anyone being questioned about this?
Continue to work while doing prereqs
- Thread starter Jupman
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They'll know by your grades if you're committed.
I don't think they'll care as long as you do well in your classes.
If you get all A's you can say, "I was able to do that while working full-time, I learned time management."
If you get all C's you can not use the excuse, "Well, I was working full-time, so there was no time to study."
Just don't spread it out over too many years.
I don't think they'll care as long as you do well in your classes.
If you get all A's you can say, "I was able to do that while working full-time, I learned time management."
If you get all C's you can not use the excuse, "Well, I was working full-time, so there was no time to study."
Just don't spread it out over too many years.
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I'm doing something similar. I also took chem ten years ago but chose not to repeat it. The result: straight a's in organic after two quarters. Have to study prior to the mcat though. I took a diagnostic last night and while I got almost 100% of the physics questions correct the chemistry dragged my physical sciences score down to a 10.
I'd say look into not repeating chem. Might be able to jump right into organic.
I'd say look into not repeating chem. Might be able to jump right into organic.
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I'm also doing the same thing. In my case, the long work days, low pay, and 300 level courses make for a potent mix. Isn't life grand? But I can see how you could eventually play this in your favor. I would think the physical rigors of the full time employee/part time student combination would stand out in admissions. But then again...I'm still just a rookie.
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I'm in a similar predicament as well. I'm working in the investment consulting world and just began taking classes at night through a formal post-bacc program. I don't think schools will feel you are less committed by doing a post-bacc part time, it's something that many non-trad students do. We have to pay our bills somehow 
That said, I do worry that schools may think I am less committed because I plan to stay at my finance job through January. I have 5 classes left to take before sitting for the MCAT next May, so my plan is to finish the class I'm in now, take one this summer, one this fall and then two next spring (this is my only option given the availability of classes in my program). I plan to continue working at the same job through January then take off 4 months to study for the MCAT and finish the last two classes. Hopefully after that I can find a job that is more medically related for the year and a half that I'll be applying to schools (and hopefully matriculating). I'm choosing not to find a new job now because I know that I will be taking time off next spring anyway. Plus, I have sizeable student loans from undergrad, which I'd like to pay down as much as possible.
Is anyone in a similar situation?
That said, I do worry that schools may think I am less committed because I plan to stay at my finance job through January. I have 5 classes left to take before sitting for the MCAT next May, so my plan is to finish the class I'm in now, take one this summer, one this fall and then two next spring (this is my only option given the availability of classes in my program). I plan to continue working at the same job through January then take off 4 months to study for the MCAT and finish the last two classes. Hopefully after that I can find a job that is more medically related for the year and a half that I'll be applying to schools (and hopefully matriculating). I'm choosing not to find a new job now because I know that I will be taking time off next spring anyway. Plus, I have sizeable student loans from undergrad, which I'd like to pay down as much as possible.
Is anyone in a similar situation?
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I feel you on those "sizeable loans from undergrad". They have a way of dashing any immediate hopes of financial independence.
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True, but I graduated from college debt free and still need to work full time to support my tuition and my living expenses. The federal loans offered for post-bacc programs are not enough and I am saving private loans for later. I spent my modest savings moving to Boston (hi NonTrad) and searching for medically related work. Even without loans, this is a hard road, and I am financially dependent on my job.
A lot of people in my program have a financial support system which I sometimes envy, but I have learned more about time management than in 5 years of undergrad. I know that when medical school finally comes around, I will be the most prepared to handle the workload. 12+ hour workdays have that effect on people.
When I took chem the first time, I didn't take a lab with chem 2. I got my degree in engineering and we only had to take the lab with chem 1. That being said, I would hate to go into chem 2 after such a long time...
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Taking Chem 2 right now....not bad actually. Chem 1 was harder 10 years ago
The ONLY problem I've encountered so far is what to do if you have a class you need that is only offered in the middle of the day. I'm facing that problem right now....and I'm not sure how to get past it right now. I've asked the dean for permission to just show up for labs and tests and otherwise be independent study..but I haven't heard back yet.
The ONLY problem I've encountered so far is what to do if you have a class you need that is only offered in the middle of the day. I'm facing that problem right now....and I'm not sure how to get past it right now. I've asked the dean for permission to just show up for labs and tests and otherwise be independent study..but I haven't heard back yet.
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Respectable.
I was in a conversation with a professor of mine once about school loans, tuition prices, students in debt etc. One thing that he highlighted which is sometimes (not always) true is that the students who have to work hard for financial aid, scrape up every bit of free money for school they can, take on loans and work while attending class are usually the ones that appreciate it the most.
That is of course an opinion and a generalization, but you get the point.
Can you elaborate please?
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It is ok to work and take classes. However, don't let your grades fall. If you find yourself in that predicament, choose one (classes or your job). Don't do both just to do both and then end up with C's and D's. Good luck!
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Seriously. Drop a devaluing statement and walk? Neither helpful or respectable.
I'm doing both right now, OP. Chem2 and physics2, while pulling 45 hours a week. It is a grind. Grades are respectable, but I'm considering going down to 30 hours a week (if I can - I don't want to get school loan debt, and life is expensive enough). It's difficult, and I know I would be pulling at least a half-grade or better in both my classes if I wasn't working so freaking much, because my study comes out of weekends and evenings. Makes for a rough semester.
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Taking Chem 2 right now....not bad actually. Chem 1 was harder 10 years ago
The ONLY problem I've encountered so far is what to do if you have a class you need that is only offered in the middle of the day. I'm facing that problem right now....and I'm not sure how to get past it right now. I've asked the dean for permission to just show up for labs and tests and otherwise be independent study..but I haven't heard back yet.
That's exactly what I'm worried about. I work 9a-6p mon-fri in the financial industry where I am a supervisor. It's so stressful for me to think about how i'm going to make this all work. I'm at the very beginning of this long journey having only 6 UG credits from 3 years ago, and I'm just now about to jump back into the college scene. Focusing on my pre reqs at a CC and then transfering to the university to complete my bachelor's. Hopefully tomorrow when I speak with a academic counselor, they may be able to shed some light or offer some advice as well. Oh why couldn't I have just won that lottery?!??! Dammit! lol
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What's too many years?
OP- This is exactly what I have to do with a wife and kids. Trust me, I'd love to quit work and go to school full time. Ain't happening though, not as long as there's a mortgage. Also, if all else fails I'll still have my current job...
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I am working 50 hrs p/week, school part-time (2 classes w/ lab; 4 days a week), volunteering and shadowing. Also, I am in my second pregnancy of my DIY post-bacc. I also live approximately 30 miles from my job, my day-care, and one of my schools, so I am like horse ****...always on the road.
I haven't really considered them questioning my committment. Frankly, I know I am fully committed and would not put myself and my young family through this if I weren't. I'm pretty hopeful and certain that this will translate come time for personal statement and interview (hopefully!). However, I have definitely thought about them questioning my lack of straight A's and am losing sleep over this constantly...that's another story though...
I haven't really considered them questioning my committment. Frankly, I know I am fully committed and would not put myself and my young family through this if I weren't. I'm pretty hopeful and certain that this will translate come time for personal statement and interview (hopefully!). However, I have definitely thought about them questioning my lack of straight A's and am losing sleep over this constantly...that's another story though...
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With my university, there is only one set of evening block times where you can even take classes, so you're always limited to one per semester, regardless if you wanted to take two in the evening or not. Props to that schedule though, godspeed.
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I worked 2nd shift full-time while going back to school over six semesters to get the pre-requisites while volunteering in an emergency department and at a homeless shelter, and I don't thinks schools viewed any of this as a bad thing. You'll get schools that prefer traditional students over non-traditional (and some vice versa) but I doubt schools would look down on you for taking on the extra work, as long as you get good grades, test scores, and have good LORs.
I want to add a twist to this question...
First off, it was great reading this thread just to realize that it is possible to work and do the classes. Though I haven't started yet, I commend the folks that are doing that - especially those of you that mentioned having two jobs (and a family, too!).
Now the question.
In the fall I'm looking at taking bio and chem classes during the day. I was initially thinking about leaving my job and relying on my savings to support myself along with some help from my family to pay my rent and expenses. But, the local university I was looking at also offers the same two courses in the evening. So, I could hypothetically work during the day and then take classes (I think bio is 2 nights a week and chem is 2 nights a week).
What do you think?
There are pros and cons to both. In my mind, some pros = I have a safety net...If I decide this isn't for me, I haven't left my job so I have something to go back to. I also make good money and have a comfortable lifestyle, which will be curtailed. I'm lucky to have family to support my housing costs etc but obviously my lifestyle would be a bit different if I didn't have the income from my salary. Cons = should I worry about work if I don't really have to? (emphasis on the "really" because that's a loaded statement that goes both ways).
Anyway, I'd appreciate your insights.
First off, it was great reading this thread just to realize that it is possible to work and do the classes. Though I haven't started yet, I commend the folks that are doing that - especially those of you that mentioned having two jobs (and a family, too!).
Now the question.
In the fall I'm looking at taking bio and chem classes during the day. I was initially thinking about leaving my job and relying on my savings to support myself along with some help from my family to pay my rent and expenses. But, the local university I was looking at also offers the same two courses in the evening. So, I could hypothetically work during the day and then take classes (I think bio is 2 nights a week and chem is 2 nights a week).
What do you think?
There are pros and cons to both. In my mind, some pros = I have a safety net...If I decide this isn't for me, I haven't left my job so I have something to go back to. I also make good money and have a comfortable lifestyle, which will be curtailed. I'm lucky to have family to support my housing costs etc but obviously my lifestyle would be a bit different if I didn't have the income from my salary. Cons = should I worry about work if I don't really have to? (emphasis on the "really" because that's a loaded statement that goes both ways).
Anyway, I'd appreciate your insights.
Didn't mean to hijack this thread...should I start a new one?
I would recommend taking the evening courses. The pros greatly outweigh the cons in my opinion.
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If you do part time at night, you may want to start with just one class to ease into things.
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If you're intellectually sound enough to handle the rigors of medschool, you can handle undergraduate courses and work simultaneously. I worked full-time at Starbucks as an undergrad, but I still found first year of medschool when I did not have an outside job at all to be much more difficult. The sheer volume of information and the little time we had to master it was overwhelming. Granted, as an undergrad you want to get As, and most medschools are pass/fail, but you get my drift.
I did know one medstudent who worked full-time as a nuclear engineer while in medschool. He worked nights, he slept four hours, from 8p to 12 midnight, and worked and studied the rest of the time. He had this theory that the body can handle sleep deprivation as long as the sleep it does get is gotten in four hour increments.
I still think he's a maniac. But his story was that his wife, who was a stay-at-home mom of two young children, would accept his going to medschool only if she did not have to suffer a decrease in standard of living while he did it. So he pulled in more than 100K while going to medschool. And he's graduating on time. And she's got her great living standards
I did know one medstudent who worked full-time as a nuclear engineer while in medschool. He worked nights, he slept four hours, from 8p to 12 midnight, and worked and studied the rest of the time. He had this theory that the body can handle sleep deprivation as long as the sleep it does get is gotten in four hour increments.
I still think he's a maniac. But his story was that his wife, who was a stay-at-home mom of two young children, would accept his going to medschool only if she did not have to suffer a decrease in standard of living while he did it. So he pulled in more than 100K while going to medschool. And he's graduating on time. And she's got her great living standards
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If you're intellectually sound enough to handle the rigors of medschool, you can handle undergraduate courses and work simultaneously. I worked full-time at Starbucks as an undergrad, but I still found first year of medschool when I did not have an outside job at all to be much more difficult. The sheer volume of information and the little time we had to master it was overwhelming. Granted, as an undergrad you want to get As, and most medschools are pass/fail, but you get my drift.
I did know one medstudent who worked full-time as a nuclear engineer while in medschool. He worked nights, he slept four hours, from 8p to 12 midnight, and worked and studied the rest of the time. He had this theory that the body can handle sleep deprivation as long as the sleep it does get is gotten in four hour increments.
I still think he's a maniac. But his story was that his wife, who was a stay-at-home mom of two young children, would accept his going to medschool only if she did not have to suffer a decrease in standard of living while he did it. So he pulled in more than 100K while going to medschool. And he's graduating on time. And she's got her great living standards
Based on your story I'd say that guy's kids will have more issues later in life from having a messed up mom, as opposed to an absent dad.
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Yes, the situation seemed wrong on so many levels. I wanted to ask this guy what was the matter with his wife...and why he was married to such a woman, but I only met him on the interview trail and didn't get to know him well enough...
As for my family, we have been poor throughout medschool and will continue to be poor throughout residency, but at least my spouse doesn't resent me for it or demand that I work 20 hours a day.
