Financing a post-bacc

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[Captain Fantastic]

Can you work at all without jeapordizing your grades?

Another idea is to register as a second degree student. That will qualify you for student loans. Whether you actually finish your second degree before you matriculate medical school is up to you and the school that accepts you.

I worked part-time during my post-bacc (paid research assistant). I also had the benefit of a working wife so I was able to squeeze by without loans (and I mean squeeze: we had to sell my truck-I-loved-so-much last semester to cut out a payment to stay on budget).

 

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[Captain Fantastic]

I'll be working more than full time until the semester begin, then half time during the semester. It is barely enough to carry me through the 1st semester, at which point I'll have a major deficit for the Spring.

If I change my status to 2nd degree student, will I still be able to take advantage of all the post-bacc program features?... linkage, clubs, etc... I'm guessing no, but anyone know any better?

My post-bacc was informal so I had options as to how I registered. It sounds like you are in a formal program. Does your school have a financial aid office? They often have couselors that can let you know what loans are available.

 

[tnmarabal]

I found myself in the same situation and actually today changed my status to a second - degree seeking student after speaking with the pre health advisor. He felt it was a good idea as well and said since I already had a bachelors I wouldn't be required to finish the second before I applied to medical school. Hope that helps some. My program would have been an informal post bacc as well.

 

[DrMidlife]

If I change my status to 2nd degree student, will I still be able to take advantage of all the post-bacc program features?... linkage, clubs, etc... I'm guessing no, but anyone know any better?

In my case, when I became a degree-seeking student, all of a sudden I started getting all the emails that major advisors send out about internships and classes and free stuff. As an admitted non-degree-seeking student, I was completely out of the loop.

If your school actually HAS linkages (mythological, imho) and a premed advisory committee, then I don't know what they could ask for in eligibility beyond being a degree-seeker. Be prepared to ingratiate and humble yourself to a premed committee that doesn't understand you as a nontrad.

Best of luck to you.

 

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[Captain Fantastic]

A "formal" post-bacc, to me, is a pre-determined program. There is a path laid out for you to follow, more or less. You enroll into the specific program and the school provides resources to help you through the process. Your seats in specific courses are guaranteed, etc., etc.

An "informal" post-bacc, to me, is taking undergraduate courses after your first degree. Maybe that's knocking out the pre-reqs. Maybe it's taking advanced science to boost your credentials. There is no "formal" course of study. You fight for seats in open courses along with the rest of the undergrad population. You are bascially just another undergrad, but you already have a degree.

Dr. Midlife and I could have the same pre-med advisor. LOL. This is the worst part of an "informal" post-bacc -- the advisors don't have a lot of experience with non-trads. Mine keeps trying to stuff me into the "traditional" pre-med box, probably because she knows the formula for a successful applicant in that circumstance. The problem is I don't fit into that box. I come with odd baggage.

 

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