Help, non-trad student

[Mile]

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I'm finishing my bachelor in Business Management at university of phoenix this December, I'll probably finish with a 3.36 GPA. I've been doing some research on what to do at this point if you want to go to med school, so I decided to start taking my science classes at a 2 year college in Georgia but I recently heard that community colleges are not a good idea, I decided to apply to Georgia State University, but is more expensive and less convinient, they offer few night or weekend classes, and I work full time. does anyone knows if it makes a difference to attend a 4 or 2 year college. Also does anyone knows about scholarships for post-baccalaureate students? I've also heard about some post baccalaueate programs out of state, is it worth it?

 

[ChairmanMao]

I'm finishing my bachelor in Business Management at university of phoenix this December, I'll probably finish with a 3.36 GPA. I've been doing some research on what to do at this point if you want to go to med school, so I decided to start taking my science classes at a 2 year college in Georgia but I recently heard that community colleges are not a good idea, I decided to apply to Georgia State University, but is more expensive and less convinient, they offer few night or weekend classes, and I work full time. does anyone knows if it makes a difference to attend a 4 or 2 year college. Also does anyone knows about scholarships for post-baccalaureate students? I've also heard about some post baccalaueate programs out of state, is it worth it?

Is the University of Phoenix that you went to the same University of Phoenix that advertises on all those webpages about how you can take online classes? Did you take all of your classes online?

 

[postbacca]

Mile, I was just going to ask the same question regarding working full-time and what my options were. I HAVE to work full time in order to pay the bills and make rent but I will also be attending a state college in the fall to begin my pre-meds. The problem is, with huge budget cuts, there aren't that many evening classes to choose from and I was considering community college because they tend to have more evening classes.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Mile]

Yeah is the one that advertises the online classes, but I took all my classes at a campus.

 

[Mile]

I just wish there was a better option, my biggest issue is that I already used my financial aid for this degree, and there is no financial aid available for non degree seekers or post-bacc, according to the school... I'm kind of lost, I was reading about community colleges and it sounds is not the best option, also since I have a 3.36 GPA i'm not sure how it would affect if I go to the community college VS. the 4 year university... I'm going through the same situation...

 

[211519]

I just wish there was a better option, my biggest issue is that I already used my financial aid for this degree, and there is no financial aid available for non degree seekers or post-bacc, according to the school... I'm kind of lost, I was reading about community colleges and it sounds is not the best option, also since I have a 3.36 GPA i'm not sure how it would affect if I go to the community college VS. the 4 year university... I'm going through the same situation...

You have some other GA options. Kennesaw State University is a slightly cheaper option if you are a state resident. In addition, PCOM-GA offers a decent post-bac program which will give you a Masters of some sort. PCOM-GA is really inconvenient for those of us who live in ATL, though...since it is way up 85 in an office park sort of area. That said, KSU is pretty inconvenient as well.

Are you taking your classes at Ga Perimeter? They aren't quite at the community college level; they were added into the state university list fairly recently.

Call around to some schools you might want to attend for med school and ask if they have a preference.

 

[MedicineMike]

I agree with the above....I live in Atlanta (midtown) and am going to Kennesaw State Univ. to do my pre-reqs. It does kinda suck, but afterall it is only a 20min straight shot up 75! (well, the way i drive 🙂 ). Like the previous poster mentioned, GA Perimeter is a good shot. There might be some Tech schools that are cheaper as well. Where do you live?

 

[MedicineMike]

Oh, and Agnes-Scott has a 1yr post-bacc program. I think it is a little pricey, but definitely capable of getting financial aide. I would have gone this route if my gpa wasnt so bad from undergrad 🙁

 

[Excelsius]

I'm finishing my bachelor in Business Management at university of phoenix this December, I'll probably finish with a 3.36 GPA. I've been doing some research on what to do at this point if you want to go to med school, so I decided to start taking my science classes at a 2 year college in Georgia but I recently heard that community colleges are not a good idea, I decided to apply to Georgia State University, but is more expensive and less convinient, they offer few night or weekend classes, and I work full time. does anyone knows if it makes a difference to attend a 4 or 2 year college. Also does anyone knows about scholarships for post-baccalaureate students? I've also heard about some post baccalaueate programs out of state, is it worth it?

If you are going to pay for a postbacc, make sure that at least you pay for one that has a linkage with a medschool and perhaps a "guaranteed" acceptance. Here are some threads you should read:

Guarnteed Admissions -Post Bac!
Post Bac-Guarnteed Admissions
Post-bacc Programs Guaranteeing Med School Admissions
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=576960&highlight=guarantee

 

[DrMidlife]

If you are going to pay for a postbacc, make sure that at least you pay for one that has a linkage with a medschool and perhaps a "guaranteed" acceptance. Here are some threads you should read:

Guarnteed Admissions -Post Bac!
Post Bac-Guarnteed Admissions
Post-bacc Programs Guaranteeing Med School Admissions
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=576960&highlight=guarantee

A UofP 3.2 won't get the OP anywhere near one of these programs, unless he/she's an underrepresented minority. The guarantee/linkage postbacs like Goucher and Bryn Mawr only admit students with spotless undergrad records. They're not looking to take risks.

Mile, with a 3.2 in biz from U Phoenix, my recommendation is a healthy dose of fear as you approach med school prereqs. I suggest the first step is to take a difficult math class, such as calculus, at a community college. If you get an A, then it makes sense to take on more at a 4yr. I also suggest immediately beginning a volunteer gig in a hospital or clinic, and while you're there, ask a million questions. I don't care what your GPA is, the smartest thing to do when you think you want to go to med school is to change your mind.

Best of luck to you.

 

[ChairmanMao]

Yeah is the one that advertises the online classes, but I took all my classes at a campus.

I will really advise you to go do your post-bac at a 4 year institution under the circumstances. As the posters mentioned, your undergrad GPA is already on the low side and can be considered "borderline" (3.3-3.4) for an acceptance to medical school. You need to do really well (>3.7 GPA) at a post bac in order to have a realistic chance.

The other thing is you went to a school that has a somewhat dubious reputation among graduate schools and employers. A lot of places view the school as nothing more than a Degree Mill given its for-profit status and all the scandal surrounding the government's investigation into financial aid fraud that the school has been accused of in the past. The fact that it advertises so heavily on the internet about its online classes actually serves to downgrade the quality of your degree, since a lot of medical schools will assume that you took all your classes online, even if this is not true.

You're in a really tough spot and I can understand your situation. But if you really want to go through with this, I think nothing less than a post-bac program from a 4 year college can satisfy the medical school requirement. Going to a 4 year community college to satisfy 1 or 2 prerequisite classes may be acceptable if you went to a really well-regarded college and did really well there. But the fact is that your less than stellar GPA and your choice of undergrad will severly hinder your chances unless you can demonstrate to the medical school that you're capable of doing the courseworks at a 4 year institution.

 

[Mile]

I was kind of worried about that, Phoenix is known for the online classes, I hope is not going to be an obstacle, I did the 4 years full time while working full time, I don't know if they would look at that instead of the name of the institution when applying to med school.

 

[Mile]

You have some other GA options. Kennesaw State University is a slightly cheaper option if you are a state resident. In addition, PCOM-GA offers a decent post-bac program which will give you a Masters of some sort. PCOM-GA is really inconvenient for those of us who live in ATL, though...since it is way up 85 in an office park sort of area. That said, KSU is pretty inconvenient as well.

Are you taking your classes at Ga Perimeter? They aren't quite at the community college level; they were added into the state university list fairly recently.

Call around to some schools you might want to attend for med school and ask if they have a preference.

Thanks for the info... I really appreciate it, I'm a little confused and I don't want to go the wrong way....

 

[Mile]

maldabrroc777 GPC is a state college but it seems is a two year college, do you think that it can make a big difference to attend GSU?