Got rejected from the one postbacc I was hoping for, not sure what to do now, but here's my current plan!

[justpeachyatm]

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Hello everyone!

I'm new to this site and I'm very excited, but I digress🙂I'm a current graduate (graduated with a B.S. in Psychology with 3.34, sGPA was 3.03) and I was planning on doing a formal post-bacc at a local CUNY, however, I got rejected and I'm not sure on what to do next as I was hoping to get into this program due to its location and affordability as I didn't want to get huge loans before my journey into medical school. It seems the universe had other plans though haha (I'm coping at the moment, but I'll live!!!) I'm planning on meeting with my pre-health advisor from my college, so we can discuss what I should do, but this is my current plan.

My first plan was to complete these courses at a CUNY or SUNY (thing is, I don't live near any SUNYs, so either local private colleges/universities will be the way to go for me or the CUNYS):

• Physics I+II (basic physics I believe is enough for most of the med schools I'm applying to)
• Organic Chem (not sure if I need two semesters of Orgo or not, but I think it depends on the school)
• Biochem (one semester + lab)
• Calculus (I'm going to see if I can take this now and online, just so I can focus more on the science classes)
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology
• Genetics

**not sure what other bio classes I would need to take, so any recommendations would be so helpful!!**

The second plan was to apply to a post-bacc at other schools as CCNY is offering a non-accelerated program, Hofstra has one as well, and Queens College has one that begins in January. However, the big issue is the location as these schools are far away (2.5 hours away) and I would like to work during my post-bacc as a medical assistant because I don't have much clinical experience. Also, the cost is a big factor, and looking at the cost...it's a lot. I liked the formal, structured post-bacc because it would offer MCAT help, but I have found free resources for the MCAT, so I think I'll be fine self-studying!

The third plan was second-degree, but I have no clue how that would work, to be honest. I've read some posts of people doing a second degree, but not finishing it and just doing the pre-reqs that they needed, but I'm not sure how that would work. I'm not too keen on this third plan ngl, but I'm open and rather worried, so yeah.

If any more information is needed, please let me know, but besides that, thank you so much!!

 

[Faha]

You can do a DIY post bacc at a local college and take those courses. No need for a formal post bacc.

 

[wysdoc]

I suggest taking a statistics class instead of Calculus- med schools don't require calculus.
Also, if you were a Psychology major and took a statistics class in the Psych department, that will meet the stats pre-req!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

We don't know where you actually live and understand the commuting challenges you will have. Do you still have access to the prehealth office at your undergrad? What feedback did you get from the CUNY postbac program about what you must do to prepare you for their program and for medical school?

 

[justpeachyatm]

Welcome to the forums.

We don't know where you actually live and understand the commuting challenges you will have. Do you still have access to the prehealth office at your undergrad? What feedback did you get from the CUNY postbac program about what you must do to prepare you for their program and for medical school?

Hello, I live in the Bronx, so there’s a few formal postbacc programs that are nearby that commuting wouldn’t honestly be a problem since it’s less than a hour to get there back and forth. Fordham, Columbia, and NYU have one, but the price is too steep for me and CCNY had one, but it’s paused indefinitely. The one I applied to was Lehman’s and I got rejected from them and I set up a meeting with them, but they told me the earliest is July 1st. I did email them and ask why I got rejected because I wanted to know what about my application was lacking, so I could work on that for med school. I also set up a meeting with my pre-med/health office at my undergrad for today.

edit: I forgot to mention that in the reject email, I was told that I could look into doing a second degree or non degree seeking, but I’m not really sure.

The other programs I have found are all too far away, being two hours or more by public transportation (I don’t have a car), which is why I wasn’t too keen on applying to those.

 

[justpeachyatm]

I suggest taking a statistics class instead of Calculus- med schools don't require calculus.
Also, if you were a Psychology major and took a statistics class in the Psych department, that will meet the stats pre-req!

Oh, I didn’t know that! I took an elementary statistics course to fulfill my math requirement, would that be sufficient or should I take a statistics course?

 

[justpeachyatm]

You can do a DIY post bacc at a local college and take those courses. No need for a formal post bacc.

That’s the way I’m leaning to be honest, but would a second degree be similar to a diy post bacc or is it better to take the courses as a non degree seeking student?

 

[reactionarydisservic]

I did my pre-reqs as a DIY post-bacc within the CUNY system and got accepted MD this cycle! I just enrolled as a non-degree seeking student and had no issues registering for anything. I didn't do second degree or anything, so unless you want a second degree I think non-degree is fine

 

[justpeachyatm]

I did my pre-reqs as a DIY post-bacc within the CUNY system and got accepted MD this cycle! I just enrolled as a non-degree seeking student and had no issues registering for anything. I didn't do second degree or anything, so unless you want a second degree I think non-degree is fine

That's the same advice my pre-health advisor gave me today!! She told me that the CUNY system would be fine, or I could attend a local four-year college near my area that's a bit closer than the CUNY system for me. Do you mind if I ask you some questions about the classes you took, the number of semesters, and similar details? Thank you!

 

[Faha]

That’s the way I’m leaning to be honest, but would a second degree be similar to a diy post bacc or is it better to take the courses as a non degree seeking student?

A second degree would probably take longer than a DIY post bacc.

 

[reactionarydisservic]

That's the same advice my pre-health advisor gave me today!! She told me that the CUNY system would be fine, or I could attend a local four-year college near my area that's a bit closer than the CUNY system for me. Do you mind if I ask you some questions about the classes you took, the number of semesters, and similar details? Thank you!

sure, you can DM me if you would like

 

[Goro]

You can do a DIY post bacc at a local college and take those courses. No need for a formal post bacc.

1000% agree.

And post-bac programs are a dime a dozen, so just keep looking if you want to go that route.

 

[justpeachyatm]

A second degree would probably take longer than a DIY post bacc.

Yeah, I think I’m going to take the diy post-bacc route at my local colleges. Thank you for the advice btw!!

 

[HopefulApplicant667]

Do not take any classes online btw - they will not be accepted.

 

[justpeachyatm]

Do not take any classes online btw - they will not be accepted.

Thank you, I was advised to not do that, so ima just take calc 1 in person 🙂

 

[Nontrad_FL_LGBT]

Do not take any classes online btw - they will not be accepted.

Not necessarily true. I took most of mine online and am finishing M1 now. But you will reduce the amount of schools you can apply to.