DIY Post Bacc/Advanced Undergrad Courses

[fifthcupofcoffee]

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Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any insight into this.

Basically I am debating whether or not to go formally to a post bacc program/SMP or if I should simply go to my university and enroll in a few select upper level courses (as well as retake courses i have with lower grades) in order to get my gpa up.

The issue for both comes down to cost. SMP programs i am looking at are about $20-25k for one year. Taking advanced UG courses seems cheaper, but my university told me i am unable to draw money from loans after i graduate (federal direct sub/unsub, etc).

How do people pay for informal post baccs if they've already graduated?? private loans? bank loans? pay cash?!

If anyone has any thoughts or more information it would be greatly appreciated.

coffee love


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[P0ke]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone had any insight into this.

Basically I am debating whether or not to go formally to a post bacc program/SMP or if I should simply go to my university and enroll in a few select upper level courses (as well as retake courses i have with lower grades) in order to get my gpa up.

The issue for both comes down to cost. SMP programs i am looking at are about $20-25k for one year. Taking advanced UG courses seems cheaper, but my university told me i am unable to draw money from loans after i graduate (federal direct sub/unsub, etc).

How do people pay for informal post baccs if they've already graduated?? private loans? bank loans? pay cash?!

If anyone has any thoughts or more information it would be greatly appreciated.

coffee love


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

What are your science and cumulative gpas? How many credits of each do you have? What is your MCAT?

 

[DrMidlife]

Don't take out private loans without also taking on the burden of thoroughly understanding the difference in deferment and repayment policies compared to federal loans. You can find yourself having to start repayment during med school, and/or find yourself unable to manage payments during residency, vs. federal loans which understand in-school deferment and low income right out of school.

If you need as much as a 2nd bachelors to get your undergrad record in range of acceptability, consider getting a job on campus to get reduced tuition and registration priority.

In nontrad you'll see there are parents working full time, doing clinical volunteering and taking 2-3 classes at night. Your competition is these crazy people.

Don't start an SMP until after you have a long stretch of 3.7+ in hard science classes. You have no time in an SMP to learn how to be successful in school. An SMP that takes you with a sub-3.0 or a sub-500 isn't doing you any favors and isn't going to make it easier to get into med school. Also with an SMP in your plan, be the grownup and look at the stretch of years: you generally need to wait to apply MD until after successfully completing the SMP, and you have to manage the gap year(s) and being in/out of school/work.

Also the "S" in SMP means you're at a medical school taking medical school classes with medical students. There are boatloads of terminal masters programs that love to be called SMPs but there's no "S" and they lose exactly nothing if you don't get into med school on the other side. If you're looking at a legit SMP for $25k (I'm skeptical it's actually an SMP) then that's a pretty reasonable option.

Best of luck to you.