getting accepted without a BS?

[nev]

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I'm thinking of applying to Texas College of Osteopathic medicine when I graduate. I figured out that when I graduate, I'll have a total of 122 credit hours (including my pre-med and my associate's in nursing credits) . But since I dont have a BS , will that affect my acceptance?
Thanks
Nev

 

[supersash]

most schools require a BS upon matriculation. check individual school for details, but that is what i've seen!

 

[CoffeeFreak]

most schools require a BS upon matriculation. check individual school for details, but that is what i've seen!

Not true.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Not true.

agreed! you can get into med school with any degree. music, accounting, biology, basket weaving, anything as long as you get your requirements. you do not need a BS to matriculate.

 

[medhacker]

I think what te OP meant was a Bachelor degree per se.

 

[supersash]

what i meant to write was not a BS but a bachelors degree. it seems nev only has an associates. do you guys know of any that accept you with only an associates?

 

[Raven Feather]

Most schools do require a Bachelor's degree. Those schools that do not stipulate this HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you do. I have heard of a person getting in without one, but that is very few and far between and he had a 4.0 with 170+ credit hours.

I, personally, wouldn't try to apply without the intention of receiving a bachelors prior to matriculation. Why make yourself less competitve?

 

[dr.z]

what i meant to write was not a BS but a bachelors degree. it seems nev only has an associates. do you guys know of any that accept you with only an associates?

I haven't heard of any school doing so, but it still could be possible. I think you will have to check with each school's admissions staff.

 

[Kubed]

I know we require a bachelors degree to get in. One of the alternates who showed up to orientation this year didn't finish her degree and was sent home.

 

[Boxer1]

I wouldn't recommend applying without finishing planning to finish your bachelors degree. It was my senior year when I took some of my toughest upper level classes. I think it really helped me out in med school, having already completed tough courses in Pharmacology and Neuroscience.

Also, I don't know of any school that would take a second look at your without a bachelors degree, unless you have stellar grades/MCAT. I think you'd be doing a disservice to yourself applying without the intentions of completing your bachelors.

 

[nev]

thanx for teh advice everyone.....
But can any Bachelor's degree work....even a BS in General studies?
Thanks
Nev

 

[CoffeeFreak]

learn what you are studying for....b of arts vs. b of science..............................you dont have to have any degree at all if you are applying in....................1721.

 

[supersash]

nev, i am a communications major actually, so i will recieve a BA upon graduating this spring. some people say it makes you stand out to be a different major than a regular science major (although you should have done very well in your sciences).

you said you were an RN, do any 4 year schools near you have a gateway program, where you can apply to a BSN program and take only 2 years to finish?

i say get a degree in something that interests you and you'll do well in.

 

[Hoberto]

thanx for teh advice everyone.....
But can any Bachelor's degree work....even a BS in General studies?
Thanks
Nev

Yeah, a few schools offer a BS in Pre-Med and it is basically a general studies degree some science thrown in with the medical school pre-reqs. It doesn't matter what the degree is as long as you keep your GPA up.

Like supersash said, get a BS/BA in something you enjoy and that you'll do well in.

Of course, you might want to pick something that is useful in some way just incase something happens and you don't go to med school.

 

[NRAI2001]

I wouldn't recommend applying without finishing planning to finish your bachelors degree. It was my senior year when I took some of my toughest upper level classes. I think it really helped me out in med school, having already completed tough courses in Pharmacology and Neuroscience.

Also, I don't know of any school that would take a second look at your without a bachelors degree, unless you have stellar grades/MCAT. I think you'd be doing a disservice to yourself applying without the intentions of completing your bachelors.

So taking pharm and neuro as an undergrad helped you as a med student?

 

[Kubed]

They can't hurt. I think the best class to take as an undergrad is anatomy. The guys who took it are the ones rocking anatomy right now without even trying.

 

[NRAI2001]

They can’t hurt. I think the best class to take as an undergrad is anatomy. The guys who took it are the ones rocking anatomy right now without even trying.

Do they offer a full fledged anatomy class to undergrads? At my school I took anatomy, but it was really really basic and didn't go too into detail. 😕

 

[nev]

Yeah, a few schools offer a BS in Pre-Med and it is basically a general studies degree some science thrown in with the medical school pre-reqs. It doesn't matter what the degree is as long as you keep your GPA up.

Like supersash said, get a BS/BA in something you enjoy and that you'll do well in.

Of course, you might want to pick something that is useful in some way just incase something happens and you don't go to med school.

Like a BS in Nursing?

 

[stoleyerscrubz]

i was going to take an anatomy class in undergrad until I read a number of threads saying it did not help much for med school prep. Maybe it depends on where you take it during undergrad?

Do they offer a full fledged anatomy class to undergrads? At my school I took anatomy, but it was really really basic and didn't go too into detail. 😕

 

[Raven Feather]

Like a BS in Nursing?

Yes, as long as you meet their course requirements, which may mean taking courses that aren't really a part of your degree such as physics, organic chem, etc.

 

[smc927]

CALL THEM! Don't stake your future on anonymous SDN advice. Many schools do not require a degree (you can often find it on their web site under matriculation or application requirements). However, a quick phone call will usually take care of that question pretty easily.

 

[nev]

CALL THEM! Don't stake your future on anonymous SDN advice. Many schools do not require a degree (you can often find it on their web site under matriculation or application requirements). However, a quick phone call will usually take care of that question pretty easily.

Yup....I called them. 3 out of the 8 med schools I contacted told me that only 90 credit hours was required only to apply. Well thats not going to be a good competition with the majority of BS,MS and PhD holders applying. I'll go for the BS anyway...I'll just lose 1 year.

Thanks
Nev

 

[Raven Feather]

Yup....I called them. 3 out of the 8 med schools I contacted told me that only 90 credit hours was required only to apply. Well thats not going to be a good competition with the majority of BS,MS and PhD holders applying. I'll go for the BS anyway...I'll just lose 1 year.

Thanks
Nev

Good Choice. Only 90 credits are needed to apply but for the most part would have a detrimental affect on acceptances.

I have an associate's in nursing and asked the same question as you. I will have a bachelor of liberal studies, and applying with about 170 credits as a result.

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

I got in without a Bachelor's degree, or an Associate degree for that matter. I have actually called schools, and nobody really cared (except TCOM). FWIW, I think I'm the only person in my class who doesn't have one.

Basically, I should be a year behind where I'm at now, but I went ahead and got as many pre-reqs done as I could, took the MCAT (without having taken physics actually), did reasonably well, and applied with somewhere around 100 credit hours. I had no problem getting interviews, got an early acceptance and a scholarship, and said to Hades getting my degree. (Actually, my school was cutting out my program anyways. They no longer offer my degree... well, what my degree would have been. 🙂 )

After my acceptance, I called and told them I would have all of my pre-reqs done, but would not get my degree. They didn't care at all. Basically, I would have had to continue a monstrous load of classes right thru the start of med school orientation to graduate, but I needed to make some money because a nino was on the way. My school was very cool about the whole thing.

Moral of the story: it is possible. I would caution not to listen to people that have not tried to apply without a degree. However, I would also caution that no degree definately = no sure thing. Good luck.

 

[nev]

Good Choice. Only 90 credits are needed to apply but for the most part would have a detrimental affect on acceptances.

I have an associate's in nursing and asked the same question as you. I will have a bachelor of liberal studies, and applying with about 170 credits as a result.

Hey Raven,
How long did it take u to get your degree in Liberal studies?
Thanks
Nev

 

[nev]

I got in without a Bachelor's degree, or an Associate degree for that matter. I have actually called schools, and nobody really cared (except TCOM). FWIW, I think I'm the only person in my class who doesn't have one.

Basically, I should be a year behind where I'm at now, but I went ahead and got as many pre-reqs done as I could, took the MCAT (without having taken physics actually), did reasonably well, and applied with somewhere around 100 credit hours. I had no problem getting interviews, got an early acceptance and a scholarship, and said to Hades getting my degree. (Actually, my school was cutting out my program anyways. They no longer offer my degree... well, what my degree would have been. 🙂 )

After my acceptance, I called and told them I would have all of my pre-reqs done, but would not get my degree. They didn't care at all. Basically, I would have had to continue a monstrous load of classes right thru the start of med school orientation to graduate, but I needed to make some money because a nino was on the way. My school was very cool about the whole thing.

Moral of the story: it is possible. I would caution not to listen to people that have not tried to apply without a degree. However, I would also caution that no degree definately = no sure thing. Good luck.

Thats great man!
Can u tell me your stats , MCAT scores , etc?
Thanks
Nev

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

Thats great man!
Can u tell me your stats , MCAT scores , etc?
Thanks
Nev

My GPA was somewhere around 3.5, science GPA 3.3. I don't really remember. MCAT was 30R. Some good EC's but nothing spectacular.

If it were me (spending your money 🙂 ) I'd apply if I had over 90 hours, good grades and a good MCAT. If you get in, then you're set. If not, apply again next year. You definately won't get in if you don't apply.

 

[Raven Feather]

My GPA was somewhere around 3.5, science GPA 3.3. I don't really remember. MCAT was 30R. Some good EC's but nothing spectacular.

If it were me (spending your money 🙂 ) I'd apply if I had over 90 hours, good grades and a good MCAT. If you get in, then you're set. If not, apply again next year. You definately won't get in if you don't apply.

I bet that great score on the MCAT helped over shadow the lack of a degree. 😀

The thing is, no one can fortell how well he or she will do on the MCAT.

 

[Raven Feather]

Hey Raven,
How long did it take u to get your degree in Liberal studies?
Thanks
Nev

It has taken me 4 years, I had to take more math classes, take all med school prereqs, plus I took some upper level courses, but I didn't go full-time always. They let me transfer a butt load of credit hours in the degree program though, which was sweet!

 

[San_Juan_Sun]

The thing is, no one can fortell how well he or she will do on the MCAT.

You are right. Similarly, no one knows if they'll be accepted until they apply. So I say go for it.

 

[NRAI2001]

Will not having the undergrad degree hurt you anytime down the line. Lets say when applying to residencies or fellowships?

 

[nev]

Some of the med schools in my area say: "A minimum of 90 semester credit hours (or an equivalent number of quarter hours) towards a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States is required at the time of application" ....expecially the part which says "towards a bachelor's degree"....so I guess that means a bachelor's degree is not required.

 

[NRAI2001]

Some of the med schools in my area say: "A minimum of 90 semester credit hours (or an equivalent number of quarter hours) towards a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the United States is required at the time of application" ....expecially the part which says "towards a bachelor's degree"....so I guess that means a bachelor's degree is not required.

That is at the time of application, not at the time of marticulation.

 

[nev]

ahhh....I see. My bad...should have read the whole thing. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[NRAI2001]

ahhh....I see. My bad...should have read the whole thing. Thanks for pointing that out.

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