Delay UG graduation to do science courses?

[jbdjbdjbd]

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Hi guys! Premed noob here, hoping to not be eaten by sharks.

I haven't graduated yet, but I have enough credits to do so. I plan to go to med school, which means another year at least of science classes (I was a humanities major). I'm wondering should I put off graduation until I finish science classes, so I can boost my cumulative undergrad GPA higher? (It needs help, it's roughly 3.2.)

Or are there major benefits to graduating UG so I can do a formal postbac program? i.e., is the advising in those programs that good? Are their "guaranteed" med school admit rates reliable?

Which will give me the best chances for a decent med school (I'd like to get U of I)? Keep in mind I haven't done any volunteering or shadowing during college, and my grades aren't too great, so I'm a longshot for Harvard Med, to say the least.

 

[txprodigal]

if you graduate and come back, you might be ineligible for certain types of financial aid since you already hold an undergraduate degree. if you're financing your own education, i'd suggest you look into this and use it as factor in making your decision.

 

[Kimaris]

I think you are confusing a postbac with an SMP. A post baccalaureate is a program for people who have already have a B.A./B.S. They are typically geared towards those who already started a career. With an SMP you take graduate level classes and then if your grades are good enough (from what I've seen from their websites 3.5+) you are guaranteed an interview. I don't think it would make much sense to graduate and then try reapply for a postbac (unless your trying to change Schools) if your know your going to stay another year. Does your college have premed program?

 

[jbdjbdjbd]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I can get partial funding from parents for med school.

I think I have the correct understanding of postbac vs SMP, and I'd only be considering a postbac only, vs. changing majors as a 5th-year senior. Keep in mind I have not graduated.

It sounds like I should put off graduating. My school is a top 15 private and has a big premed program. However it is expensive. Does the quality of your UG science program matter? I was thinking of just going in-state at U of I and doing science classes on cheap tuition ...

tyty for the help!

 

[WaterBird]

if you graduate and come back, you might be ineligible for certain types of financial aid since you already hold an undergraduate degree. if you're financing your own education, i'd suggest you look into this and use it as factor in making your decision.

i made this decision for largely financial reasons. check out whether continuing UG or postbac is cheaper for you. I don't think going formal postbac has major benefits as long as the advising at your school is decent. I liked that I was never in a 100% pre-med environment.

I believe that all UG classes factor into your UG GPA, even if you take the UG classes post-graduating. So classes either post-bac or putting off graduating should factor into your gpa.

Prestige of school matters a tiny bit, but if it's going to save you a lot of money, it's fine. Be sure to take all of your pre-reqs at 4 years if possible though.

 

[QAtoPA]

I believe that all UG classes factor into your UG GPA, even if you take the UG classes post-graduating. So classes either post-bac or putting off graduating should factor into your gpa.

I dont think this is true. Once you graduate UG; either UG or Post-grad classes wont balance into your UG GPA. Or am I wrong here??

 

[sepho]

Plus, taking classes as a UG is usually cheaper than taking them as an unclassified graduate or postbacc student.

 

[redlight]

QAtoPA,yea you are wrong. all ugrad coursework counts towards cgpa.

OPsome people look down on taking science courses at "easier" institutions than your home one... but otherwise cheaper options are great. just make suure to get A's and kill the mcat. with a 3.2, prestige wont help much - especially if you dont do well on the mcat.