Help me decide!

[Year2017]

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[Goro]

Frankly, no job is worth a 3 hr commute. Been there, done that. But #1 has the most benefits to help you get to being a competitive candidate.

Correspondence coursework? You can't do lab courses that way!!! Or do you mean online? Not all schools accept online pre-reqs. Invest in MSAR to find out which ones do and don't. Surely there must be a CC or college nearby for you to take your pre-reqs.

 

[Easonred57]

Number 1 sounds like the one you're most passionate about. Do what makes you happy. Plus it sounds like you will have plenty of spare time to study.

 

[md-2020]

Number 1 sounds like the one you're most passionate about. Do what makes you happy. Plus it sounds like you will have plenty of spare time to study.

OP has 55,000 reasons to be passionate.

 

[Year2017]

Frankly, no job is worth a 3 hr commute. Been there, done that. But #1 has the most benefits to help you get to being a competitive candidate.

Correspondence coursework? You can't do lab courses that way!!! Or do you mean online? Not all schools accept online pre-reqs. Invest in MSAR to find out which ones do and don't. Surely there must be a CC or college nearby for you to take your pre-reqs.

@Goro to clarify, I have taken all of my science preerqs in undergrad. I graduated with a 3.67 cGPA, but I want to continue taking some courses in a post-bacc. All of these courses are online, and I am registering with Oregon State University's e-campus program. The cool thing about this program is that online courses and on-campus courses are identical on the transcript, which will help me bypass the online courses issue. I have taken a course with them this summer, and I can tell you, the online is just as rigorous, if not more, than any class I took in Undergrad.

Yeah the commute is brutal. I live in Washington D.C., so I will be slugging, and that helps offset costs. @Goro I do have one question for you, all things constant, would a fulbright eta or a middle school teacher seem like a more compelling applicant? I feel as if I might regret giving up my fulbright.

OP has 55,000 reasons to be passionate.

Haha yes, the money does play a factor. Definitely not the biggest factor, but oh, it's up there

 

[Goro]

I'm not so familiar with the Fullbrights. Oh wise @LizzyM...what say you?

@Goro to clarify, I have taken all of my science preerqs in undergrad. I graduated with a 3.67 cGPA, but I want to continue taking some courses in a post-bacc. All of these courses are online, and I am registering with Oregon State University's e-campus program. The cool thing about this program is that online courses and on-campus courses are identical on the transcript, which will help me bypass the online courses issue. I have taken a course with them this summer, and I can tell you, the online is just as rigorous, if not more, than any class I took in Undergrad.

Yeah the commute is brutal. I live in Washington D.C., so I will be slugging, and that helps offset costs. @Goro I do have one question for you, all things constant, would a fulbright eta or a middle school teacher seem like a more compelling applicant? I feel as if I might regret giving up my fulbright.



Haha yes, the money does play a factor. Definitely not the biggest factor, but oh, it's up there

 

[efle]

Since when is it sane for someone with a 3.67 to do a post-bacc? You don't even have an MCAT yet...

 

[Year2017]

Since when is it sane for someone with a 3.67 to do a post-bacc? You don't even have an MCAT yet...

Yeah I'm planning on taking my MCAT this year. I'd just like to get my cGPA to around a 3.75. This is not a recognized Post-bacc or anything serious like that. I'm just taking a few courses, namely Biochemistry, Genetics, and some research literature based classes to keep me sharp for my test, and to inch my GPA closer to what I'd be comfortable with.

I hope to begin studying for my MCAT this November, after finishing the bulk of my Biochemistry course. And eventually, I'm hoping to sit for it in April or May based on when the test dates are.

 

[efle]

Yeah I'm planning on taking my MCAT this year. I'd just like to get my cGPA to around a 3.75. This is not a recognized Post-bacc or anything serious like that. I'm just taking a few courses, namely Biochemistry, Genetics, and some research literature based classes to keep me sharp for my test, and to inch my GPA closer to what I'd be comfortable with.

I hope to begin studying for my MCAT this November, after finishing the bulk of my Biochemistry course. And eventually, I'm hoping to sit for it in April or May based on when the test dates are.

For most applicants a post-bacc is an expensive, time-consuming pain in the butt and only makes sense with a dangerously low (like 3.4) GPA you need to prove isn't representative and an MCAT that fails to compensate. I'm just surprised someone is going that route to see a .07 delta from an already decent (in fact, the exact matriculant median if I recall) GPA before taking the MCAT to get an idea how competitive they are!

 

[Year2017]

For most applicants a post-bacc is an expensive, time-consuming pain in the butt and only makes sense with a dangerously low (like 3.4) GPA you need to prove isn't representative and an MCAT that fails to compensate. I'm just surprised someone is going that route to see a .07 delta from an already decent (in fact, the exact matriculant median if I recall) GPA before taking the MCAT to get an idea how competitive they are!

Yeah I agree with you, but I'm just doing a DIY post-bacc, on my own time. It's not like I'm a student at Goucher and shelling out 30K towards a post-bacc. I'm paying roughly $2150 for the courses I'll be taking, which are supported by a wonderful grant by Oregon State. Additionally, it'll allow me to get a second bachelor's while brushing up on my science.

I attended a teacher's college, and haven't sat in a science class since Sophomore year. My plan, essentially, is not as stressful as a program that is aimed to get one into medical school. I'm taking courses at my leisure, and ones that coincide with my needs.

 

[md-2020]

Yeah I agree with you, but I'm just doing a DIY post-bacc, on my own time. It's not like I'm a student at Goucher and shelling out 30K towards a post-bacc. I'm paying roughly $2150 for the courses I'll be taking, which are supported by a wonderful grant by Oregon State. Additionally, it'll allow me to get a second bachelor's while brushing up on my science.

I attended a teacher's college, and haven't sat in a science class since Sophomore year. My plan, essentially, is not as stressful as a program that is aimed to get one into medical school. I'm taking courses at my leisure, and ones that coincide with my needs.

Dude...there's seriously no need. Focus on your MCAT and a 3.67 will get you plenty of good places. It's also risky; if you get a couple B's it'll lower your GPA!

 

[efle]

Dude...there's seriously no need. Focus on your MCAT and a 3.67 will get you plenty of good places. It's also risky; if you get a couple B's it'll lower your GPA!

They haven't taken Biochem and have pretty much missed this cycle already anyways. Taking a gap year for the 3.67 would be ridiculous but bringing it up some in your spare time when you already have to take a gap year seems reasonable

 

[md-2020]

They haven't taken Biochem and have pretty much missed this cycle already anyways. Taking a gap year for the 3.67 would be ridiculous but bringing it up some in your spare time when you already have to take a gap year seems reasonable

While working a full time job though...?

To each his own, I guess, but I surely would just zero in on the MCAT instead

 

[efle]

While working a full time job though...?

To each his own, I guess, but I surely would just zero in on the MCAT instead

Hah, welcome to SDN also known as Gunnerville, where most people log 40+ hours on job/research/sports/volunteering and then have 21 credits on top of that

 

[raiderette]

I don't think a biochemistry course would hurt though. I took it while studying for the MCAT and it helped prepare me for the test.
As for teaching I find it amusing that you think you will actually get out of work at 3. You will have a lot more work when the day is over. I would do the research job since it is temporary. That school district could employ someone that will be there longer instead of investing time and money into someone who is going to leave in a couple of years.

 

[Year2017]

I don't think a biochemistry course would hurt though. I took it while studying for the MCAT and it helped prepare me for the test.
As for teaching I find it amusing that you think you will actually get out of work at 3. You will have a lot more work when the day is over. I would do the research job since it is temporary. That school district could employ someone that will be there longer instead of investing time and money into someone who is going to leave in a couple of years.

I don't think that's fair. If I am willing to work for a year, which is how long my contract is, I really do not feel like I am doing anything disingenuous. Also, yes teaching is stressful, I will not argue with you there. But, depending on your teaching style you can make it so it as as least stressful as possible. I learned that during my teaching internship and hope to apply it during my year of teaching.

 

[raiderette]

If I am willing to work for a year, which is how long my contract is, I really do not feel like I am doing anything disingenuous.

So is it the norm at this school to provide the teachers with no long-term contracts? Do most teachers leave after a year? Seems like it would hurt the school to have a revolving door, especially with mentoring, team building, etc., to say nothing of the extra-curricular support that teachers inevitably give, from sponsoring clubs to coaching to committees.
I am sorry. I didn't mean to judge. I do feel that being a teacher is more than a job (much like being a doctor). The same criticism was leveled on the person that wanted to be a police officer for a year or two.

 

[Year2017]

So is it the norm at this school to provide the teachers with no long-term contracts? Do most teachers leave after a year? Seems like it would hurt the school to have a revolving door, especially with mentoring, team building, etc., to say nothing of the extra-curricular support that teachers inevitably give, from sponsoring clubs to coaching to committees.
I am sorry. I didn't mean to judge. I do feel that being a teacher is more than a job (much like being a doctor). The same criticism was leveled on the person that wanted to be a police officer for a year or two.

Well, in my teachers college cohort, luckily all of us got offered contracts...however not one of them were tenure based. So, yeah there is a lot of movement in schools. As far as training goes, that stuff is largely taken care of at teacher's college, and through our year-long teaching internship in the county, and we pay for that in the form of tuition, regardless of whether or not we are offered a contract.

And I get you're not trying to judge. But I do feel as if I am a qualified teacher that would give these kids a lot of good. And hopefully, after I leave, someone else can come and take my place that might be even better than me. So many people leave teaching on an annual basis. I think the stat we heard in college was that 65% of teachers switch to another career within 2 years of starting at a public school.