Help! Need some guidance RE: postbaccs

[kbRD2MD84]

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So, long story short - I'm sorta in the middle of a DIY online postbacc and I've decided it's just not working for me. Yes, I know, online = evil. My entire 2nd BS was online so I already had that to work with and figured I'd just finish up what I hadn't taken and solely apply to schools that accept online prereqs. Thing is, I've realized that they fall into 3 categories - places I don't have the stats to even consider applying to, low-yield schools, and OOS state schools. I also have no idea where I'd get a LOR from, my recent clinical experience is lacking, etc etc etc. My state school (UNC) only takes in-person prereqs, so that's also a thing.

ANYWAY. I'm strongly considering pushing med school apps out a year (2021 cycle for 2022 matriculation) and starting from scratch again with some type of legit in-person postbacc. Honestly, I'm tired of feeling inadequate because of the online prereq thing and just limiting myself to a list I'm not crazy about. I've got most of the prereqs done - currently taking Orgo I and Physics II through UNE and just have Orgo II left to go.

What kind of program should I be looking for? I'm so confused between the SMP's vs UG postbaccs and I don't even know where to start. Living in NC right now but willing to move for a postbacc - especially to the northeast (Philly/NYC areas), where I'm originally from. The closest postbacc to where I live right now (UNCG or Guilford) is 1.5 hr commute each way on a good day. Community colleges don't seem to be too much of an option around here either.

Who can help a girl out? A few random stats if they help:

• Grades are OK but kinda meh - cGPA and sGPA are both in the neighborhood of 3.55 right now, I have 2 bachelors degrees, so the cGPA isn't going anywhere with something like 250 credits there
• First BS (in-person, health behavior management) in 2006, second (online, nutrition) in 2016 so recency may be a concern with some courses/schools
• I'm an RD, which might be of some interest to adcoms or absolutely not at all, who knows
• Not URM (30something white chick from the burbs)
• I've got a decent GRE score (315 in 2016) but no MCAT yet (looks like SMP's want MCAT?)
• Not afraid of hard work, don't mind if a program is particularly tough!
• Already have ~$100k in loans so I'd love something on the cheaper end but eh it's just money right 😕

TLDR version: Do I need an SMP or a postbacc? Postbacc, right?

Open to any and all suggestions. I'd really like to find an accelerated ~1 yr program that I can apply to ASAP and have wrapped up in time to apply for the 2021 cycle, but I'm not sure if what I'm looking for exists. I've been lurking in the postbacc forum but honestly I'm overwhelmed with all the info and don't know where to start. HELP!

 

[hamiltonnyc]

Look into the Harvard Extension School HCP. There's a 1 year option (not recommended), it's pretty cheap at around $1800 for a 4 unit class (as of 2019), and it's fairly well respected. Good education, but a lot of people find it rigorous.

 

[StudentDoGter]

I’m not sure I’m how good it is, but I believe I recall seeing people on SDN talk about these type of formal post bacc programs at Drexel in Philly.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

I looked at Drexel, but I think they require MCAT for admission for everything except the 2-year program. Realllllly not ready to take that any time soon (another reason I'm pushing apps back a year).

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Look into career changer post-bacs.

Postbac

apps.aamc.org

These are programs designed for people like you who need to take the prerequisites to get into medical school. They usually provide very good (depends on the program) premedical counselling and MCAT prep, and some of the more well known programs have opportunities for linkage into some very prestigious medical schools. However, these programs are very expensive (~$30-40k) so you'll want to keep that in mind.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[kbRD2MD84]

Look into career changer post-bacs.

Postbac

apps.aamc.org

These are programs designed for people like you who need to take the prerequisites to get into medical school. They usually provide very good (depends on the program) premedical counselling and MCAT prep, and some of the more well known programs have opportunities for linkage into some very prestigious medical schools. However, these programs are very expensive (~$30-40k) so you'll want to keep that in mind.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

That's what I thought, but it's so hard to pick through all the info. I found a handful that I wasn't eligible for since I've finished most of the prereqs, so that added to the confusion. I think I have my list down to a few reasonable-ish programs, nothing too name-brand, but that's not really what I'm looking for, ya know? Here are the postbaccs I'm considering:

• UNCG (applied yesterday, they're my local-ish school but I'd still have to move and I have no particular ties to staying here, honestly)
• Cleveland State (the informal one)
• Temple BCHS (love it but pricey compared to the others)
• SUNY Farmingdale (maybe)
• Harvard Extension (maybe)

If anyone has any input on any of these, feel free to send it my way. Already creeping on all the relevant SDN threads to find out more info, but there never seems to be enough info out there when it comes to this kind of stuff!

 

[Goro]

So, long story short - I'm sorta in the middle of a DIY online postbacc and I've decided it's just not working for me. Yes, I know, online = evil. My entire 2nd BS was online so I already had that to work with and figured I'd just finish up what I hadn't taken and solely apply to schools that accept online prereqs. Thing is, I've realized that they fall into 3 categories - places I don't have the stats to even consider applying to, low-yield schools, and OOS state schools. I also have no idea where I'd get a LOR from, my recent clinical experience is lacking, etc etc etc. My state school (UNC) only takes in-person prereqs, so that's also a thing.

ANYWAY. I'm strongly considering pushing med school apps out a year (2021 cycle for 2022 matriculation) and starting from scratch again with some type of legit in-person postbacc. Honestly, I'm tired of feeling inadequate because of the online prereq thing and just limiting myself to a list I'm not crazy about. I've got most of the prereqs done - currently taking Orgo I and Physics II through UNE and just have Orgo II left to go.

What kind of program should I be looking for? I'm so confused between the SMP's vs UG postbaccs and I don't even know where to start. Living in NC right now but willing to move for a postbacc - especially to the northeast (Philly/NYC areas), where I'm originally from. The closest postbacc to where I live right now (UNCG or Guilford) is 1.5 hr commute each way on a good day. Community colleges don't seem to be too much of an option around here either.

Who can help a girl out? A few random stats if they help:

• Grades are OK but kinda meh - cGPA and sGPA are both in the neighborhood of 3.55 right now, I have 2 bachelors degrees, so the cGPA isn't going anywhere with something like 250 credits there
• First BS (in-person, health behavior management) in 2006, second (online, nutrition) in 2016 so recency may be a concern with some courses/schools
• I'm an RD, which might be of some interest to adcoms or absolutely not at all, who knows
• Not URM (30something white chick from the burbs)
• I've got a decent GRE score (315 in 2016) but no MCAT yet (looks like SMP's want MCAT?)
• Not afraid of hard work, don't mind if a program is particularly tough!
• Already have ~$100k in loans so I'd love something on the cheaper end but eh it's just money right 😕

TLDR version: Do I need an SMP or a postbacc? Postbacc, right?

Open to any and all suggestions. I'd really like to find an accelerated ~1 yr program that I can apply to ASAP and have wrapped up in time to apply for the 2021 cycle, but I'm not sure if what I'm looking for exists. I've been lurking in the postbacc forum but honestly I'm overwhelmed with all the info and don't know where to start. HELP!

You don't need an SMP. I suggest a post-bac program for career switchers. They're a dime-a-dozen, so just do your research.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

You don't need an SMP. I suggest a post-bac program for career switchers. They're a dime-a-dozen, so just do your research.

That's what I thought - my situation is utterly confusing, hah!

 

[kbRD2MD84]

Look into the Harvard Extension School HCP. There's a 1 year option (not recommended), it's pretty cheap at around $1800 for a 4 unit class (as of 2019), and it's fairly well respected. Good education, but a lot of people find it rigorous.

Just seeing this now for some reason, considering HES too. I'm not the biggest fan of Boston and I know it would be pricey to live in the area, but I do love affordable tuition.

 

[kraskadva]

Rosalind Franklin has a post-bacc SMP like this. It's not cheap, but there's a pretty good acceptance rate into the med school and the COL is much less in North Chicago than Boston.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

Rosalind Franklin has a post-bacc SMP like this. It's not cheap, but there's a pretty good acceptance rate into the med school and the COL is much less in North Chicago than Boston.

Came across theirs too (LOVE Chicago) but is it a true SMP? What I need is to do all my undergrad prereqs again (UGH).

 

[kraskadva]

Came across theirs too (LOVE Chicago) but is it a true SMP? What I need is to do all my undergrad prereqs again (UGH).

It is a true SMP.
Do you need to retake everything? Or are you just worried about the online-ness of your pre-reqs? If the latter, I'd look at places that will accept online. Not sure about the RFU SMP's position on that (it would pobably be on their website though), but I think you would just need to take the MCAT.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

It is a true SMP.
Do you need to retake everything? Or are you just worried about the online-ness of your pre-reqs? If the latter, I'd look at places that will accept online. Not sure about the RFU SMP's position on that (it would pobably be on their website though), but I think you would just need to take the MCAT.

Online-ness. That was actually my plan - finish my prereqs online and apply to just the places that take them, but I really don't feel like I have a great shot at actually getting in with my application package as it stands right now, you know?

 

[kraskadva]

What other parts of your application are you worried about?
Your numbers look decent, though you still need the MCAT. If you've got all the pre-reqs, then just go ahead and take that.
The RD, especially if you've been practicing, is a plus.
Looking at when you put in this thread (not digging back if you've posted more elsewhere) I'm not sure you need another post-bacc/SMP at all, so long as you've met the pre-req requirements.

 

[kbRD2MD84]

What other parts of your application are you worried about?
Your numbers look decent, though you still need the MCAT. If you've got all the pre-reqs, then just go ahead and take that.
The RD, especially if you've been practicing, is a plus.
Looking at when you put in this thread (not digging back if you've posted more elsewhere) I'm not sure you need another post-bacc/SMP at all, so long as you've met the pre-req requirements.

Pretty much just the online prereq thing, it really limits where I can apply, and I feel like I'm not that exceptional of a candidate to really stand out at those places, ya know? Plus I really want to apply to UNC (state school for me) and they are hardasses about no online sciences. I think I'll do well on the MCAT (especially with an extra year to prep). Haven't really been practicing RD, but the cert is still active and I can spin my FT job to make it look like I am, haha.

 

[kraskadva]

How long would it take you to redo all your online prereqs? More than a year?
Is *maybe* getting into UNC worth that extra time? In UNC open to non-trads anyway and won't mind the extra years, or will that also be a hinderance to you?

I don't want to push you to apply if you're really not ready to go, but there does come a point where it's **** or get off the pot. Almost nobody feels they're completely ready or have a perfect app. But lots of people who feel that way still get accepted every year because their apps are good enough and they;ve shown enough passion about something to catch the interest of an admissions committee. So maybe take a hard look at what you've got, or get someone who you trust to tell you straight to look at it, and then mkae a decision about how you want to proceed.
Because you can work on making the "perfect" app UNC forever and never have it, while many others will get in *somewhere* with a similar app and get on with their lives. Many DO schools and a large handful of MD schools would have no problem with your online pre-reqs. So is being a candidate for UNC more important to you than being a doctor? Or are you UNC or bust?