DIY Post-Bacc Harvard Extension School

[MDsci0456]

Anyone planning to take DIY Post-bacc at Harvard Extension School next year? And anyone is currently doing it? Any advice and recommendations? I am doing it next year starting in summer 2019.

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[hamiltonnyc]

I'm currently doing it, though it's just DIY right now because I missed the deadline to apply to the formal program for this year, but will next year.

You'll have to be more specific about your background and what you're looking for if you want more specific answers. But in broad strokes, yeah I recommend it.

 

[hamiltonnyc]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I


Thank you for your reply. I'm doing it starting next summer. I'm just wondering about the available resources for DIY post-bacc students, do we have access to the library? or ID card to enter the library? I'm a person who loves to stay in the library so its one of my concerns. Also when it comes to class registration, as a DIY/non-admitted student, is there certain things I need to know? Thank you!

Got it. Yeah all students who enroll in a class get an id card (if you choose) that says class participant that gets you into the library.

In terms of class registration, students in the program get first dibs (your registration class date opena later) but for the 2 classes I'm taking it didn't fill up even in the end.

Any ithet questions?

 

[CJhooper123]

Completed a DIY PB at Harvard extension last year and it has worked out for me so far.

I have 7 II right now, albeit they are all DO (hoping for some MD love soon).

My biggest recommendation is to use ratemyprofessor when registering for courses. There are several courses there that are "easy A's" if you put the effort in... just gotta find them.

 

[lrmad88]

I'm currently doing it, though it's just DIY right now because I missed the deadline to apply to the formal program for this year, but will next year.

You'll have to be more specific about your background and what you're looking for if you want more specific answers. But in broad strokes, yeah I recommend it.

Hi,

Just wanted to ask for your input if you recommend the program for my situation. I am a "career-changer" and have taken a class or two per semester over the past 8 years. I have A's in my classes and have taken all pre-requisites, but I do not have a "rigorous" academic background. Will this program provide that? Also, can you take upper-level bio or chem courses? Thanks!

 

[hamiltonnyc]

Hi,

Just wanted to ask for your input if you recommend the program for my situation. I am a "career-changer" and have taken a class or two per semester over the past 8 years. I have A's in my classes and have taken all pre-requisites, but I do not have a "rigorous" academic background. Will this program provide that? Also, can you take upper-level bio or chem courses? Thanks!

Yeah the classes have been good (I'm doing Bio and it is rigorous, mean on the first exam was 77% which is a B-). I'm only a quarter in, so I can only tell you what I've heard from alumni and others. It is a pretty respected program, many people go on to great schools. If you do well here (especially if you can maintain all A's) and do well on the MCAT and get a committee letter, you're in good shape, at least in terms of academic rigor. This program was made for career changers and those with few pre-reqs, and looks like you might have some? I've heard of some people rejected and advised to do a grade enhancer program.

 

[lrmad88]

Yeah the classes have been good (I'm doing Bio and it is rigorous, mean on the first exam was 77% which is a B-). I'm only a quarter in, so I can only tell you what I've heard from alumni and others. It is a pretty respected program, many people go on to great schools. If you do well here (especially if you can maintain all A's) and do well on the MCAT and get a committee letter, you're in good shape, at least in terms of academic rigor. This program was made for career changers and those with few pre-reqs, and looks like you might have some? I've heard of some people rejected and advised to do a grade enhancer program.

Thanks for the reply! Yes, I have most of the pre-reqs, but most are over 6 years old. My most recent are physics I and II from Fall 2017. My plan is to do this program as a crash course for my outdated courses and sneak in some upper level if I can.

 

[wyqgerman]

Anyone planning to take DIY Post-bacc at Harvard Extension School next year? And anyone is currently doing it? Any advice and recommendations? I am doing it next year starting in summer 2019.

You gotta consider if it is worth the extra tuition to do it in Harvard extension school.

 

[hamiltonnyc]

You gotta consider if it is worth the extra tuition to do it in Harvard extension school.

So funny thing is the extension school is relativrel affordable. Around $1700 a class, used to be like $1300, but that's still judt a little over $400 a unit, which is like out of state tuition at a community college. definitely cheaper than the fancy postbacs like Goucher, Columbia.

 

[Vlayton]

Completed a DIY PB at Harvard extension last year and it has worked out for me so far.

I have 7 II right now, albeit they are all DO (hoping for some MD love soon).

My biggest recommendation is to use ratemyprofessor when registering for courses. There are several courses there that are "easy A's" if you put the effort in... just gotta find them.

I'm thinking about doing this too since I only have the pre-reqs done. Can you suggest any classes/ how many credits you took per semester? I've seen some people suggesting 15 credits, but 4-5 upper levels at once seems unrealistic.

 

[ahart01]

Yeah the classes have been good (I'm doing Bio and it is rigorous, mean on the first exam was 77% which is a B-). I'm only a quarter in, so I can only tell you what I've heard from alumni and others. It is a pretty respected program, many people go on to great schools. If you do well here (especially if you can maintain all A's) and do well on the MCAT and get a committee letter, you're in good shape, at least in terms of academic rigor. This program was made for career changers and those with few pre-reqs, and looks like you might have some? I've heard of some people rejected and advised to do a grade enhancer program.

Hi, @hamiltonnyc -- as I was searching for some previous posts about the extension school - I saw your previous post in 2018 about HES classes, biology in particular. I am in the HES program and will be taking bio and organic chem this fall. May I ask you how the class (biology) and any other classes you have taken (organic, biochem, etc.) were at the extension school? Any advice/words of wisdom? Thanks in advance~!

 

[GreenDuck12]

Hi, @hamiltonnyc -- as I was searching for some previous posts about the extension school - I saw your previous post in 2018 about HES classes, biology in particular. I am in the HES program and will be taking bio and organic chem this fall. May I ask you how the class (biology) and any other classes you have taken (organic, biochem, etc.) were at the extension school? Any advice/words of wisdom? Thanks in advance~!

both classes were great. Organic chemistry was taught really well and had a lot of support built into the course.

 

[chicandtoughness]

@ahart01 as another data point, I took orgo (both semesters) last year and LOVED it. It goes fast but there are no "tricks" - if you practice with the homework and practice problems you will be very well prepared for the exams. TAs in the class are amazing and the prof lectures in a very easy to understand manner.

 

[ahart01]

@ahart01 as another data point, I took orgo (both semesters) last year and LOVED it. It goes fast but there are no "tricks" - if you practice with the homework and practice problems you will be very well prepared for the exams. TAs in the class are amazing and the prof lectures in a very easy to understand manner.

Thank you, @chicandtoughness ! -- If you wouldn't mind me asking: For orgo, how much did you prepare in advance to the beginning of the class? And review of general chemistry? I have not taken gen chem at the extension school and I have taken the course about 4 years ago at another institution before I moved to Boston. So I'd say my memory of gen chem isn't as fresh as if I took it last year right before orgo. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[ahart01]

both classes were great. Organic chemistry was taught really well and had a lot of support built into the course.

Thanks, @GreenDuck12 ! Any advice for biology in particular? I believe Prof Roehrig is the instructor for the course. I heard from the program alum that the class can be quite tough!

 

[hamiltonnyc]

Hey! The classes were all great. I didn't enjoy orgo, but that's mostly because I don't enjoy the subject and was burning out, but it ended up fine and I'd say it was well taught. I didn't think it was tricky or anything, they definitely want you to succeed.

Bio gets a bad rap but I quite enjoyed it. Everything you need is in the slides, and the class is very well organized. The strategy I had since I didn't have much time was to watch the recordings in 1.5x (I only went to class when I had to) and then also record the audio so as I was walking or working out I can review it mentally. It worked for me, not sure if it's a good study approach for everyone. She also has pre-lecture and post-lecture optional questions and those were helpful.

Good luck!

 

[chicandtoughness]

Thank you, @chicandtoughness ! -- If you wouldn't mind me asking: For orgo, how much did you prepare in advance to the beginning of the class? And review of general chemistry? I have not taken gen chem at the extension school and I have taken the course about 4 years ago at another institution before I moved to Boston. So I'd say my memory of gen chem isn't as fresh as if I took it last year right before orgo. Any advice would be appreciated!

My last chemistry class was in 2014. I didn’t do any review. You will not need any gen chem knowledge in orgo. Everything you need to know is taught to you in the course. You can review Lewis structures if you want a quick refresher, but they will be quickly replaced by skeletal structures. Orgo is much less “mathy” than gen chem and more of a visual puzzle, which made it fun.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Thanks, @GreenDuck12 ! Any advice for biology in particular? I believe Prof Roehrig is the instructor for the course. I heard from the program alum that the class can be quite tough!

I had a different prof but the bio sequence is tough but it helps with mcat prep down the line. For Orgo, you don’t really need to prep but if you do take a look at electron orbitals and Lewis structures

 

[hamiltonnyc]

I had a different prof but the bio sequence is tough but it helps with mcat prep down the line.

I hear this a lot, and I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, I thought Bio was taught very well. But I think if all you care about is the MCAT, I'd take it at the easiest place possible and focus on MCAT Bio review independently. In terms of content overlap, the level of depth for the MCAT is a lot shallower than what the Bio course goes into. And the MCAT also requires experimental analysis that Bio courses don't really cover. On the other hand, bio courses go over plant and evolutionary stuff that is very uncommon in MCAT coverage.

All that is to say, I'm glad I took it because of the letter of recommendation (from the prof, which helped the committee letter), and it's a good class. But a lot of people struggled in that class so if you're looking for an easy A, I'd take it elsewhere and do self MCAT bio prep.

 

[GreenDuck12]

I hear this a lot, and I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, I thought Bio was taught very well. But I think if all you care about is the MCAT, I'd take it at the easiest place possible and focus on MCAT Bio review independently. In terms of content overlap, the level of depth for the MCAT is a lot shallower than what the Bio course goes into. And the MCAT also requires experimental analysis that Bio courses don't really cover. On the other hand, bio courses go over plant and evolutionary stuff that is very uncommon in MCAT coverage.

All that is to say, I'm glad I took it because of the letter of recommendation (from the prof, which helped the committee letter), and it's a good class. But a lot of people struggled in that class so if you're looking for an easy A, I'd take it elsewhere and do self MCAT bio prep.

I think one could make that argument about a lot of their classes being challenging and going beyond the scope of the MCAT. Orgo especially emphasized things that weren’t as common at other schools (molecular orbital theory comes to mind). Overall, I was really happy with the guidance and the rigors of the classes in the program and to have that foundation for the MCAT.

 

[hamiltonnyc]

I think one could make that argument about a lot of their classes being challenging and going beyond the scope of the MCAT. Orgo especially emphasized things that weren’t as common at other schools (molecular orbital theory comes to mind). Overall, I was really happy with the guidance and the rigors of the classes in the program and to have that foundation for the MCAT.

I would also agree with your assessment of Orgo. If it didn't affect my perception of my admissions chances, I would've taken Orgo at the easiest place possible. It was not very helpful for the MCAT, and the level of detail is not used after. That being said, I don't regret taking it because it probably made the committee letter stronger.

 

[WillyC]

I'm thinking about doing this too since I only have the pre-reqs done. Can you suggest any classes/ how many credits you took per semester? I've seen some people suggesting 15 credits, but 4-5 upper levels at once seems unrealistic.

I second this question. Any advice on whether it matters if we sign up for classes as undergrad vs grad (a lot of classes seem to be offered as either)? How many to take a semester? Does anybody know where to find information regarding how courses are catalogued?
I need to take some upper-level biomedical courses to improve my GPA, I'm just not sure if the courses I'm looking at are upper-level or not haha.
Many thanks!

 

[ahart01]

My last chemistry class was in 2014. I didn’t do any review. You will not need any gen chem knowledge in orgo. Everything you need to know is taught to you in the course. You can review Lewis structures if you want a quick refresher, but they will be quickly replaced by skeletal structures. Orgo is much less “mathy” than gen chem and more of a visual puzzle, which made it fun.

Thanks, @chicandtoughness ! This is very helpful to know!

 

[ahart01]

I think one could make that argument about a lot of their classes being challenging and going beyond the scope of the MCAT. Orgo especially emphasized things that weren’t as common at other schools (molecular orbital theory comes to mind). Overall, I was really happy with the guidance and the rigors of the classes in the program and to have that foundation for the MCAT.

Thank you, @GreenDuck12 ! Much appreciate your insights into the courses. I agree with you on having a good foundation for the MCAT is important not to mention that these classes are good places to practice managing rigorous courses.

 

[ahart01]

I would also agree with your assessment of Orgo. If it didn't affect my perception of my admissions chances, I would've taken Orgo at the easiest place possible. It was not very helpful for the MCAT, and the level of detail is not used after. That being said, I don't regret taking it because it probably made the committee letter stronger.

Thank you, @hamiltonnyc! Could not agree more about the committee letter. Really appreciate your insights on these courses! Super helpful

 

[hamiltonnyc]

I second this question. Any advice on whether it matters if we sign up for classes as undergrad vs grad (a lot of classes seem to be offered as either)? How many to take a semester? Does anybody know where to find information regarding how courses are catalogued?
I need to take some upper-level biomedical courses to improve my GPA, I'm just not sure if the courses I'm looking at are upper-level or not haha.
Many thanks!

You most likely want to enroll as an undergrad. If you're doing this as a postbac, it will be undergrad. If you're just taking classes to raise your GPA, it will be undergrad because grad classes don't count in your undergrad GPA.

The only reason to take Master's courses (besides pure edification or unrelated career goals) is when doing an SMP, which these classes are not.

In terms of how many, I find it really varies by person and your other commitments. Some people can excel with 2 while working full time and volunteering, while others struggle with taking 2 alone. If I were you, I'd start easy, gauge where you are, and increase accordingly.