Easiest Post-Bacc to get a 4.0 in

[TheGuy2000]

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Sup folks,
Just a simple question for people who know people, who robbed some people, just kidding about which post-bacc programs would be easiest to get a 4.0 at. It seems like there are a lot of people on this board who have obtained a 4.0 in post bacc work, and was just curious where they went or what places I should look in to. Thanks~!

 

[medic170]

This may be a bit harsh, but if you are just looking for the "easiest" program, you should question your motivations. IMO, if you want to prepare for medical school, you should seek a challenge rather than looking for padded grades. besides, I doubt you will find a good post-bac program that is easy. Please do not take this wrong, just trying to point that out to you 🙂

 

[cHocoBo 118]

This may be a bit harsh, but if you are just looking for the "easiest" program, you should question your motivations. IMO, if you want to prepare for medical school, you should seek a challenge rather than looking for padded grades. besides, I doubt you will find a good post-bac program that is easy. Please do not take this wrong, just trying to point that out to you 🙂

Don't be offended but I think thats BS. Does that mean if someone had a choice of taking a course w/ 2 different profs, and he chose the easier one, that he doesnt have the right mentality to become a doctor? I see nothing wrong with taking easier courses to ensure a good grade to increase the chances of entering med school. I do see your point though in that pre-meds should love challenge... and I agree. but I think just b/c of that, taking every difficult course your college offers and ending up doing horrible is just stupid. Now having said that, I can't tell the OP which postbaccs are "easy" and "hard" since I havent gone through them. From what I hear though, columbia and gtown seem to have some cutthroat difficult courses. But one thing you should remember though is sometimes doing decent at a reputable difficult program may be much more advantageous than getting a 4.0 in a simple postbacc at your local college. But all in all, this is just my opinion. I mean no offense to medic170 in anyway.

 

[medic170]

But one thing you should remember though is sometimes doing decent at a reputable difficult program may be much more advantageous than getting a 4.0 in a simple postbacc at your local college. But all in all, this is just my opinion. I mean no offense to medic170 in anyway.But all in all, this is just my opinion. I mean no offense to medic170 in anyway.

I agree with your last point, and, no offense taken, The purpose of these boards is to get a variety of opinions, and I respect yours.

 

[elvingomez]

i dont think there is anything wrong with going to your local college.. even if you manage to pull off a 4.0, you must still prove yourself on the MCAT

 

[medicomel]

Unfortunately, the core prerequisite courses are never easy, but you can make informed decisions in regards to choosing "easier" professors by going to www.ratemyprofessors.com to at least gain some insight on a particular class. Bear in mind that some of the posts are from lazy students that gripe when they actually have to do the work.

 

[TheGuy2000]

ChicagoMel, I've already taken all of the pre-req classes, calc, orgo, phys, gen chem, and bio, at this point I'm strictly looking for a program where i can boost my undergrad gpa. I don't need to retake any of the core classes. Somone mentioned U Penn's Special Science Program which seems very good, so programs along this line is what I need, not another run through of the pre-reqs

 

[CaptainZero]

I agree with both points...there is something to be said for challenging yourself, but then, who would purposely take a more difficult route somewhere if the easier route could very well get you to where you want to go...that said, have just finished a post bacc and interviewed at a couple of schools as well as having talked to several students in my program that interviewed at different schools, I am under the impression that most AdComs are well aware of which post bacc programs are easy, and which ones are more difficult. So, it might mean more to Med schools if you go to a more challenging post bacc and get in the 3.4-3.6 range as opposed to going to a known "easy" program and getting a 4.0.
Just my thoughts...

 

[Crake]

I am going to the Georgetown program and I am looking forward to the challenge. I did hear it was difficult and unlike the HES, Columbia or the UPENN program you are competing directly with the main undergraduate population and you get the professors and premedical review board from the actual University and not a seperate offshoot. I like the idea of the want of a challenge. The numbers will follow naturally.

I dare you to come to Columbia instead. . .
HES, Columbia, and UPENN are all post-baccalaureate programs. Georgetown is an SMP--two separate types of programs directed at different types of students. Georgetown SMP is for people who already took their pre-reqs and need to give their GPA a boost before they apply to medschool (or to strengthen their application during the lag year). Columbia, HES, and UPenn are for people who have never taken a premed course before but have a bachelor's degree (such as those switching professions). I can't really speak for HES or UPenn, but as for Columbia, you take all of your classes with the undergrads, so the competition is really fierce. If you want a pure challenge, I don't think anywhere can compare to Columbia; if you make a 4.0 here, you really can consider yourself incredible (note: I am not incredible). The professors are all the same; classes are typically 50% Columbia College undergrads, 25% Postbaccs, 15% Engineering undergrads, 10% other General Studies undergrads and Barnard undergrads. There are no special classes at Columbia for any of the 4 undergraduate colleges except for Chemistry, Biology, and Physics for Barnard undergrads--they have the option of taking their premed requirements at Barnard or at Columbia. Postbaccs, Columbia College undergrads, and students of School of Engineering Arts and Sciences must take their premed requirements at Columbia--together. Again, I can't speak for the other programs, but at Columbia, we're completely integrated into the undergrad population--perhaps this is a function of the unique 4 undergrad college system here. At any rate, to those of you out there considering Columbia, don't think you're going to get second rate reviews from grad students instead of professors or that you take classes in some basement taught by a TA. I can promise you that you are not in anyway a "second class" student. In fact, post-baccs have a more active premed office and better volunteer and research opportunities, much to the consternation of our undergrad counterparts. Hope this clears up any confusion.
~Crake

 

[sspierceco]

The postbacc program and the smp program at Georgetown are two distinct, separate programs.

 

[sspierceco]

But it does appear I was misinformed about the Columbia program. I thought it was totally separate from the undergrad population. My bad.

 

[brotherbloat]

Here's an interesting example: in my post-bacc program, I registered for orgo with a prof who I heard was excellent, challenging, and you'd learn a lot of orgo. I also heard he was hard, but decided to take him anyway since I heard all the above good things too. Well, I eneded up getting a C- in orgo and dropped. Later, I re-took orgo I with a different prof, one who I had heard only that he was the easiest one, and I ended up with an A-. Same student (me), same work ethic. In sum, I personally believe in not taking the most challenging profs. If I had stuck with that original prof, I might have no shot at med school today. Plus, I ended up learning more with the easy prof (as I have with easier post-bacc profs in general, because I'm less focused on leaarning their "tricks" and more focused on learning hte material, because easy profs tend to be straightforward, whereas harder profs tend to be tricks.

 

[Crake]

I totally agree with the above post. I took physics with a notoriously hard professor, did terrible and then switched sections. The "easier" professor was a much better teacher, and I ended up learning much more as well as getting a better grade. "Harder" professors are not harder because they teach more material and expect you to know more, they're harder because they randomly focus on minutiae, don't teach key concepts well, and make every effort to trick their students into doing poorly. Some classes are all about learning the professor, not the material. It won't help on the MCAT, and it's a waste of money.

 

[Aladdin Sane]

Sup folks,
Just a simple question for people who know people, who robbed some people, just kidding about which post-bacc programs would be easiest to get a 4.0 at. It seems like there are a lot of people on this board who have obtained a 4.0 in post bacc work, and was just curious where they went or what places I should look in to. Thanks~!

do yourself a huge favor and go someplace that is not cutthroat. i'm finally finished with columbia's postbacc and let me tell you, when it comes down to taking the MCAT, columbia does not prepare you for it. and it's not about how smart you are here but whether you are willing to kiss the TAs ass or blow them, take your pick. those are the people who succeed at columbia, those that flirt their way to an A or those that become friends with the TA and have the TA take care of them and their posse.

you definitely have the right idea so if you went to a great undergrad school pick a less competitive program because a post bacc program if it is full of non stop BS will suck away your life and soul to the point that you're a former shell of yourself. believe me, i've lost so many friends in my two years in post bacc because people hate who they become.

good luck!