Flying solo post-bacc or going to pre-med progam approach?

[Hippocratical]

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I was originally intending to go to one of the better big 10 universities this summer and begin completing my pre-med reqs.

However, a friend of mine who is completing his 4th year recommeded a post-bacc pre-med program. I looked up my options on aamc and found that I am more than capable of getting into some pretty impressive programs. (Although the requirements are suprisingly low) Now I am looking at these programs at Northwestern, Columbia, and Harvard. I have multiple family alumini at each school in my immediate fam. 2 MBA from NW, 1 MD from Columbia, and 1 Biology B.A. and Biochem M.S. from Harvard.

I doubt the connection would mattter for the post-bacc program, but could benifit when med school apps approach. (Prob not the NW MBAs, but its still alumni.)

Still the way I see it, if I did my post-bacc program at Harvard, killed my courses, and the MCAT, excellent volunteer/clinical exp, add a family member who spent 6 years there, and is part of the alum community...I am looking pretty good.

The same goes for Columbia.

My main concern is money, going to an instate school for as a special student just completing prereqs would cost about 4 times less that the Harvard approach.

But ultimately, I feel like the benifit will be worth the high expense.

Anyone have thoughts?

 

[drizzt3117]

Of the programs you mentioned, the HES/HCP is probably the best. It's actually probably less expensive than you think also, unless you're taking cost of living into account. Assuming you have the grades/test scores, you may also want to look at the three "top" formal postbac programs, Scripps, Bryn Mawr, and Goucher, although the application deadlines for some of them have already passed for this cycle. HES/Harvard Extension is a very good program, that I'd highly recommend.