Does it depend where I take courses?

[bel15]

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[st0w]

Well, I'm only an applicant myself, so take this with a block of salt. However, if you switch post-bacc programs in midstream, you will have to come up with a very compelling reason as to why you made that switch. "It was too hard" won't really cut it, I would expect. They would likely be concerned that you would switch again when medical school got to be too hard.

The best solution, if feasible, is to address why you're having trouble getting the grades you want. Speak with profs and advisors and ask what they suggest. Go in for office hours, send e-mails, ask questions, get a tutor if it helps..

 

[bel15]

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[apnea]

welllll....kind of double edged sword territory here. i don't know toooo much about either school, but i do know that if you're transferring from a "hard" school to an "easier" school, it may very well look like you just did it for the GPA pad. but if you can provide compelling evidence that this was NOT the reason you switched, they may overlook it.

 

[LBostonA]

I don't think your motivation for switching programs is the issue. You seem to have that covered and I think it's possible to give reasons that will be sufficient to get around the suspicion that you switched solely to get better grades. The problem you're going to run into is that once you switch and start getting A's, you will have demonstrated success in a less competitive environment, while you struggled in a more challenging setting. (I feel gross just saying that B's equate to struggling, but we're talking about adcoms here, just trying to be realistic). Regardless of your justification, the numbers don't lie. You mentioned that you are hoping for a top 25 med school and I feel like you would be running the risk of those upper echelon programs aligning themselves with the Columbia half of this equation where you "struggled" and see success at Hunter as confirmation that you would be better suited at a less prestigious school. I have to agree with st0w, the best possible approach is to find a way to pull the grades you need at Columbia.

All that said, we're still only talking about the GPA part of the application here. Great MCAT scores could easily limit the focus on where you took your pre-reqs. It also sounds like you have a pretty solid background, top 10 MBA program and a decade of life experience can go a long way as well. Best of luck!!!

 

[bel15]

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[schafler272]

This is really easy. Screw Columbia and go to any school where you'll do well. How you get the A is important - but not nearly as important as the A itself. Doing great at an averge institute is better than doing average at a great institute.

This is especially true in your case. I'll bet that your experiences will interest schools and a 3.7+ postbacc from just about anywhere will give the green light for an interview. In terms of name, your top 10 MBA (and undergrad too maybe) can back you.

Just focus on the basics don't try to micromanage every detail (medical schools can't do that either). You won't have a whole lot of explaining to do with regards to program switch. Just do well at Hunter and little questions will be asked of you (and even so, you have a good reason).

Get the As however you can.