Doing a Self-Directed Postbacc?

[HankScorpio]

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I am in NYC and looking to apply to CUNY Hunter and other programs I can find with in-state tuition (thought about NYU, but I'm not independently wealthy).

My concern is not getting in (for lack of experience-but I am going to start volunteering right away and try to get as much in as possible in the next several months, and my low science GPA).

While I know that this entire process is a marathon, not a sprint, I would hate to put off taking my science courses just because I didn't get into a postbacc program-that just seems like it would be lazy on my part.

What worries me is that all these postbacc programs (provided you meet a GPA cutoff) give you a committee letter. I wonder if I would be stigmatized for not having a committee letter? I would hope not since I am already well past college and am obviously doing this on my own, I shouldn't be penalized for not paying out the ass for a formal postbacc program. But then again, life is not always fair.

It is my understanding that schools expect a committee letter-but if I am on my own as a nontrad, and I manage to get great letters of recommendation from professors and doctors and the like, how much will this matter?

 

[deleted480308]

current cgpa and sgpa? and how many sciences do you need?

 

[HankScorpio]

College GPA is 3.41. My major GPA was ~3.6, brought down by my decision to be premed freshman year.

I bombed General Chemistry and Bio freshman year. Then I took Calc, Astro 101, and a Chemistry course for non-science majors which would bring sGPA to 2.64 (from 16 credits). If you're being generous and count "Psychology of Emotion" which was maybe half neuropsychology it's 2.81.

As for what I need, er, everything? Definitely need to retake General Chemistry and Bio, and then...everything else.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

I did an informal post-bacc and did my committee letter at my undergraduate school. Try that.

 

[HankScorpio]

I did an informal post-bacc and did my committee letter at my undergraduate school. Try that.

How many years out were you, and were you a science major? Because I'm 4 years out from college and was a nonscience major. I suppose it depends-I should look into it.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

How many years out were you, and were you a science major? Because I'm 4 years out from college and was a nonscience major. I suppose it depends-I should look into it.

It was 1 and I was a science major. I told it would take me 2-3 years to apply and they seemed fine with it... it ended up being sooner, but it didn't seem like it time is an issue as long as you follow their requirements. There's no set course for non-traditional students and I think if you frame doing a formal postbacc *solely* for the committee letter as being a huge financial burden your UG institution may help you out.

 

[MrSamrtGuy]

nvm