Do It Yourself PostBac - Major Con -> LOR

[dok101]

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I'm aware that the issue of Formal Post-Bac vs. Do It Yourself Post-Bac has been discussed on this forum ad nauseum, but there is one thing I would still like to feel more comfortable about regarding the Do It Yourself method. It concerns Letters of Recommendation. As you all are well aware, they can either make or break an otherwise half-decent application. I'm afraid that if I do a Post-Bac on my own at a local State school, I will not be able to form relationships with professors to the extent that would allow them to be in a position to write me an outstanding LOR. Do Medical Schools require some letters of recommendation come from academic professors or is it up to yourself to decide who to go to for them? I will start my Post-Bac next fall and I'd really like to be at ease with this in my mind. I do not want to begin my studies next fall and believe that I'm beginning at a disadvantage because I will be unable to secure a great LOR. I guess like everything else, if you go the extra route to speak with the professors and to show your committment, you will be able to secure a great LOR.

I'd be interested to hear how those who are doing the Post-Bac via the Do It Yourself method are finding securing really good LOR's from professors. Thanks for your taking the time to read this.

 

[joy77]

I'm aware that the issue of Formal Post-Bac vs. Do It Yourself Post-Bac has been discussed on this forum ad nauseum, but there is one thing I would still like to feel more comfortable about regarding the Do It Yourself method. It concerns Letters of Recommendation. As you all are well aware, they can either make or break an otherwise half-decent application. I'm afraid that if I do a Post-Bac on my own at a local State school, I will not be able to form relationships with professors to the extent that would allow them to be in a position to write me an outstanding LOR. Do Medical Schools require some letters of recommendation come from academic professors or is it up to yourself to decide who to go to for them? I will start my Post-Bac next fall and I'd really like to be at ease with this in my mind. I do not want to begin my studies next fall and believe that I'm beginning at a disadvantage because I will be unable to secure a great LOR. I guess like everything else, if you go the extra route to speak with the professors and to show your committment, you will be able to secure a great LOR.

I'd be interested to hear how those who are doing the Post-Bac via the Do It Yourself method are finding securing really good LOR's from professors. Thanks for your taking the time to read this.

Have you talked to your school's pre-med advising office about this? I did an a la carte post-bacc at UMD-College Park and felt good about the LOR situation there, especially the committee letter. The support you will get probably varies from school to school, so I think the best thing is to talk to the advising office and students from the schools you are considering.

I would imagine in the "formal" programs, some professors may be approached by practically every student in the program-- all pre-med, super-motivated, high-performing people. It seems to me that it would be *more* difficult to stand out in that environment, if that's a specific concern of yours. Then again, it probably depends on which formal post-bacc program you're talking about, since I doubt they are all the same in that regard.

Good luck!

 

[junebuguf]

I agree with the previous poster. Definetely talk to the people at the pre-med advising office at whatever school you're considering. Most schools will give you a committee letter if you meet certain benign requirements--for eg. at my previous school (where I did a 1-year, a la carte post-bacc taking Bio, Chem, Phys and Orgo), all they required was LORs from three of their professors.


PS I would also add that the real 'Con' you mention in your title is formal post-bacc programs w/o linkages. There is no significant value-added service in these programs. All you are paying for is a certificate. You can get the same level of counseling attention from the pre-med office at most schools. From what I understand, most of these programs don't even do any more to facilitate volunteering opportunities other than giving you a list of phone numbers of clinics and shelters to call. A formal program would only be worth it if it offered some real, discernible advantages--small classes for Bio, Chem, Phys and Orgo capped at 25 students and only for post-bacc students, a volunteering program that actually matches you to interesting community service activities with real responsibility, seminars on the application process geared towards the non-traditional applicant, MCAT reviews, programs for physician shadowing, et.

Since I've yet to hear of a post-bacc that gives its students any of these amenities, I'd say just go to the best school you can afford and feel comfortable at.

 

[NapeSpikes]

"...A formal program would only be worth it if it offered some real, discernible advantages--small classes for Bio, Chem, Phys and Orgo capped at 25 students and only for post-bacc students, a volunteering program that actually matches you to interesting community service activities with real responsibility, seminars on the application process geared towards the non-traditional applicant, MCAT reviews, programs for physician shadowing, et..."


Goucher's program has all this, except their classes are capped at like 32, instead of 25. If you can pull it off at a DIY postbac, more power to you. Personally, I didn't want to deal with crashing science classes, trying to get LORs, taking classes with hundreds of freshmen at a UC, etc. The biggest Goucher CON, of course, is the cost, but I decided an extra 30,000 in loans is worth all the above advantages.

 

[davidus]

I've been pretty successful so far with a DIY post-bac at a Cal State (getting interviews at some good schools including UCs). You need at least two letters of rec from science profs plus one more. This is the bare minimum. You typically need one letter of rec from a non-science prof as well.

As for soliciting letters, do well in classes and seek out your profs to discuss things you've learned that interest you. If you put in weekly effort to do this with two profs per term, you'll be set.

 

[Aladdin Sane]

regarding letters of recommendation, so far i've gotten the chair of my department from college and my college advisor. if you had close relationships with people from undergrad make sure you get at least one or two from them.

now for postbacc, so far I haven't asked any of my lecture professors because I know they will write crappy letters since they hardly know me. but I am getting my professor who was the head of my biology lab to write me one since she knew me on a personal level. labs are your best bet since it's a small environment and you can get to know the professor. also, if one lecture professor really makes an impression on you, try to get to the know them during office hours.