Help--decisions to make!

[shrtaznstff]

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Hey all,

As a rising senior in undergrad, I have some decisions to make and would love some advice.

Some background info about me:
--Biology Major, Economics Minor, Pre-Med with interest in Public Health
--Overall GPA about 3.34, Science GPA 3.14
--I've taken all the pre-med prereqs, about 4-5 additional Bio classes, some neuro class, etc.
--I've also taken a few public health, policy, management, etc classes
--I'm involved in student government as well as a few health organizations on campus that are more public health related, brought a health organization to campus, am currently studying abroad in Ecuador taking a Global Health class
--Spent my summer last year taking classes, working at a non-profit for children with learning disabilities, and have done many hours tutoring
--Health related experience--spent 4 years in HS at a vocation medical school so got most of my exposure there through Dental, Nursing, and EMT courses, spent the last year volunteering at a Health Center's Urgent Care department once a week, and will be visiting Guatemala for a week to work in a clinic this coming August

My own thoughts: My health experience is kind of lacking I've realized. I hope to be doing more this summer and this upcoming year, next summer, etc. I had exposure to health care early on in high school and therefore knew that's what I wanted to do. Also, I am a Biology Pre-Med but definitely struggled with my Science classes. I've never seriously failed my courses but am a pretty steady B/B+ student with science classes, with some random A-s in there. I will be taking about 4 more science classes this year but if I'm able to do pretty well (B+s/As) I will only raise science GPA to a 3.2. I am most definitely taking a year (maybe 2) off before Medical School.


So in terms of what I need to decide:

1. Do a Post-bac or an MPH Program or both or neither?
2. Take GREs or MCATs before applying?


1--Like I said, I am definitely taking at least one year off.
-I was at a point considering doing just an MPH but realized that may not be the best idea considering my low Science GPA
-I would like to do a post-bac but have been told doing just a post-bac isn't best idea because at time of applying, I will be just starting my post-bac and Medschools won't have a chance to see my post-bac grades
So, then I was considering Post-bac + MPH Program (Boston University has a great one) but that will get very expensive
-Another thought I had was to just work and take some science courses at a school and do well? Like more advanced Biology/Med related courses. This seems like it would be cheaper and I could hopefully do some clinical med work while taking the classes.
Or is this a completely far-fetched idea?

2--GREs/MCATs?
Like I said, I most likely will apply for Post-bacs and/or MPH programs
My thought was to take the GRE this summer (around July) and then spend the next year studying for MCATs and take them a month or two after I graduate.
Would it make sense to take the GRE just to be able to apply for a post-bac or should I just take the MCATs at some point in the next few months (before or during January) and then use the MCATs to apply for post-bac programs? and then if needed, retake the MCATs after graduating and hopefully do better?


Extremely long post but please help me! And I can answer anything else that may be needed as well.
Thanks!
🙂

 

[MedPR]

GRE only if you are set on a program that does not accept the MCAT (not "MCATs"). With your GPA you could probably just study for the MCAT and do some ECs rather than waste more money on a post-bacc.

 

[ShoTyme]

As a rising senior in undergrad, I have some decisions to make and would love some advice.

What does this mean? I've never heard of anyone say I'm a falling senior....

Also, I am a Biology Pre-Med but definitely struggled with my Science classes. I've never seriously failed my courses but am a pretty steady B/B+ student with science classes, with some random A-s in there. I will be taking about 4 more science classes this year but if I'm able to do pretty well (B+s/As)

Study harder. You GPA could use a boost. Anytime you get a B, consider it a failure. You definitely need an attitude adjustment when it comes to grades. If you need to lessen the amount of EC's, then do it. Just get A's.

Do a Post-bac or an MPH Program or both or neither?

Neither. Do your prereq's in undergrad. Take the MCAT. Apply. Simple.

Take GREs or MCATs before applying?

Why take the GRE? Take the singular MCAT.

I think you need to focus on school. You seem stretched in a variety of different directions with no clear focus. Get A's. Figure out if you want to be a doctor. If yes, take the MCAT and apply. If no, then maybe take the GRE if your future field requires it.

 

[NightGod]

Rising senior (or any grade) means that they've finished their junior year and will be a senior in the fall. So rising MS3 means they finished MS2, rising freshman means they've graduated high school, etc.

 

[ShoTyme]

Thanks for the clarification. I've never heard that before and I've read it several times in the last week here online.

 

[MedPR]

Rising senior (or any grade) means that they've finished their junior year and will be a senior in the fall. So rising MS3 means they finished MS2, rising freshman means they've graduated high school, etc.

Thanks. I didn't know what that meant either.

 

[shrtaznstff]

GRE only if you are set on a program that does not accept the MCAT (not "MCATs"). With your GPA you could probably just study for the MCAT and do some ECs rather than waste more money on a post-bacc.

Thanks for the response
Do you think working--something medically related and what not--and possibly just paying per like credit to take some more science classes during my year off would be a better idea? I thought post-bac was my only way to go but if I could avoid spending even more money, that would be great. However, I don't want the money to stop me from doing well and getting into Medical School. If I have to do a post-bac, I can see it as an investment and just kind of deal with more loans.

To put things into perspective--where does my GPA fall in terms of taking a year off and having chances of getting in? I thought I was on a pretty low end but I'm a little confused now

 

[shrtaznstff]

Study harder. You GPA could use a boost. Anytime you get a B, consider it a failure. You definitely need an attitude adjustment when it comes to grades. If you need to lessen the amount of EC's, then do it. Just get A's.

Blunt, but thanks. I've definitely struggled with my ECs/School work. I've just been scared of not getting into medical school and having back-ups but definitely not the way to go considering at the end of the day, I want to go to med school.
Do you think during my year off, taking more science classes (undergrad or grad level ones) and getting my As there will help?

Neither. Do your prereq's in undergrad. Take the MCAT. Apply. Simple.

I've completed my pre-reqs and along with my Bio classes, my GPA is what I listed. I don't think my GPA is competitive enough to even consider applying without taking a year off.

Why take the GRE? Take the singular MCAT.

I think you need to focus on school. You seem stretched in a variety of different directions with no clear focus. Get A's. Figure out if you want to be a doctor. If yes, take the MCAT and apply. If no, then maybe take the GRE if your future field requires it.

I do want to be a doctor. I just want to make sure I have enough time to study for MCATs so wanted to take the GRE and use it to apply for grad school but maybe MCAT is better option. hmm

Thanks for the response btw

 

[ShoTyme]

My thing is, why do a post bac when you can just extend your undergrad? Depending on where you go to school, it may be easier to register for classes as a degree seeking student. You really don't need a formal masters or anything. You just need a strong upward trend. I would just take another year of classes... maybe double major... maybe not. Once you are done, a killer MCAT score will probably be a necessity for md. If you want to go DO, then retake classes you did poorly in. That will be the fastest way to improve your GPA. And I was blunt because I wanted you to realize the seriousness of your task ahead. If you get B's you won't get it. Period. So go forth and crush everything.

 

[shrtaznstff]

I'm a student at Boston College which doesn't have the best variety of Biology classes offered. I could definitely just take classes at BU or any other school as a non-degree student though.

My only thing with that is that I know I would be graduating May 2013 then taking classes September 2013-May 2014. I would have sent in applications by September 2013 but Medical Schools would not have any new grades to base any decision off of.

 

[NightGod]

The mentality for me is that I always shoot for As. I consider a B the same as a D and a C = F for me. It's worked so far (straight As since I started back two years ago), though I'm still making up for my first run through college when I *didn't* have that mentality. For the record, sometimes that means gaming the system a bit (studying twice as hard for one exam instead of equally hard for two you have on the same day because you know you get a drop test in one and not the other). Being smart doesn't always have to mean you were the smartest in the class...

 

[LupaCupcake]

The idea of getting a B is good for the average person planning on jumping into work after the bachelor degree is done. As a premed, you need to consider a B a failing grade. I got a B last term on one of my classes (not even a freaking science course!) and I was upset....I was a bit of a biatch to be around at first and I even cried a little. Yea yea yea......I know that might sound pathetic, but anything less than an A is not good enough and you NEED to be that OCD when it comes to your GPA. If you get a B, but it was a hard class and you tried really hard then don't beat yourself up over it, but if you are going into it aiming for a B then you are setting yourself up for failure and don't say B+ because whether you have a 80% B or 89% it is still a B. Enough ranting on that.

If you can finish the classes in undergrad then do it, but I am in a position where I can't do that because only so many classes are offered face to face here on this military post and if I took my science prereqs online then I am pretty much kissing any chance of med school goodbye. I am finishing my bachelor degree in a couple months then I get to attend some other school in the U.S just to take physics and chemistry. If you are in a situation like mine where you can't help it and just can't take them right now, then you really need to weight the benefits of a formal program etc etc....all of thsi stuff is covered in the post bac forum. I see typos, but I refuse to fix them because I am freaking worn out so deal with my typos

 

[Jamie561]

You would be successful going down the DO path. They have grade replacement so you can raise your GPA more rapidly.

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