How does post bacc. work effect GPA?

[jjgrnak]

I'm looking to possibly do post bacc. work with physiology or biomedical sciences, in which after completing the program in a year I will have a master's degree.

1. is this the same as graduate school? or a master's degree?

2. How does this effect undergraduate GPA? How is it weighted?

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[TriagePreMed]

affect

It is the same as undergraduate work. Consider it your "5th" year in your application.

 

[aSagacious]

I'm looking to possibly do post bacc. work with physiology or biomedical sciences, in which after completing the program in a year I will have a master's degree.

There are a few ways to go about post-bac coursework.

The first, as you have alluded to, is a traditional master's program. From what has been shared by AdCom members on SDN, a graduate GPA is not going to have a huge impact on your competitiveness due to historical grade inflation. However, this option will make you more marketable should you not end up getting into med school.

A second option would be to pursue more undergraduate coursework, either on your own or in a structured post-bac (UPenn, UConn, Temple, etc). The benefit of this route is that your grades get lumped in as undergraduate coursework and are more heavily weighted than graduate alternatives. The downside is that students tend to dry up federal student loans in their 5th and 6th years, so much of it is funded out of pocket or via private loans.

The last option, and this one's a hail mary, is a special master's program or SMP (Georgetown, VCU, Cincy, Tulane, etc). These are basically 'med school tryouts' where you take the same exact courses as the medical students (except fewer of them per semester) in order to demonstrate your ability to handle the curriculum. The benefit is that many of these programs offer guaranteed interviews or conditional acceptances if you maintain a certain GPA in the program (and end up with a decent MCAT). The downside is that these programs tend to be very expensive. Also, if you don't do well in them you can kiss your chances of ever getting into a med school goodbye.

...hope that helps.

For a much more detailed description of this summary check out:
GPA Enhancement Programs
and
The Official Guide to Special Masters Programs

 

[willen101383]

There are a few ways to go about post-bac coursework.

The first, as you have alluded to, is a traditional master's program. From what has been shared by AdCom members on SDN, a graduate GPA is not going to have a huge impact on your competitiveness due to historical grade inflation. However, this option will make you more marketable should you not end up getting into med school.

A second option would be to pursue more undergraduate coursework, either on your own or in a structured post-bac (UPenn, UConn, Temple, etc). The benefit of this route is that your grades get lumped in as undergraduate coursework and are more heavily weighted than graduate alternatives. The downside is that students tend to dry up federal student loans in their 5th and 6th years, so much of it is funded out of pocket or via private loans.

The last option, and this one's a hail mary, is a special master's program or SMP (Georgetown, VCU, Cincy, Tulane, etc). These are basically 'med school tryouts' where you take the same exact courses as the medical students (except fewer of them per semester) in order to demonstrate your ability to handle the curriculum. The benefit is that many of these programs offer guaranteed interviews or conditional acceptances if you maintain a certain GPA in the program (and end up with a decent MCAT). The downside is that these programs tend to be very expensive. Also, if you don't do well in them you can kiss your chances of ever getting into a med school goodbye.

...hope that helps.

For a much more detailed description of this summary check out:
GPA Enhancement Programs
and
The Official Guide to Special Masters Programs

While you gave very good advice...I dont really understand where this "prevailing" opinion regarding traditional masters programs comes from.

I went this route....BS to traditional masters...to medical school. I left undergrad with a 2.45....and graduated with a masters in forensics with a 3.75. You cant just tell me that is grade inflation. I got into med school on my first try post grad school...and several of my classmates from grad school got accepted to both MD and DO using this pathway. While med school is more sustained heavy work...grad school was similar to med school at times...but we got some "break" quarters too where it was pretty light.

Like you mentioned...traditional masters degrees also give you that added credential should you fail to get into med school....depending what degree you get that is. A SMP typically gives you something like "masters in biomedical sciences" or something of the like. AKA completely worthless in the real world.

Just my $.02..but i agree with you on all other points

 

[Nat1987]

Hi Everyone,

I would really appreciate your advice. I applied to post bacc programs and traditional masters programs with the goal of enhancing my credentials from undergrad.

I was accepted by UMDNJ Masters in Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis (certificate), UPenn post bacc program (certificate). I am wait-listed at Rosalind Franklin Masters in Biomedical Sciences.
I am still waiting on Boston U Masters in Medical Sciences.

I feel it comes down to deciding between a certificate and a masters program while considering the name of the school.

If anyone is an alumnae or familiar with the strength of the program I would greatly appreciate your advice in making my decision.

Thank you!

 

[JavariPharmD23]

While you gave very good advice...I dont really understand where this "prevailing" opinion regarding traditional masters programs comes from.

I went this route....BS to traditional masters...to medical school. I left undergrad with a 2.45....and graduated with a masters in forensics with a 3.75. You cant just tell me that is grade inflation. I got into med school on my first try post grad school...and several of my classmates from grad school got accepted to both MD and DO using this pathway. While med school is more sustained heavy work...grad school was similar to med school at times...but we got some "break" quarters too where it was pretty light.

Like you mentioned...traditional masters degrees also give you that added credential should you fail to get into med school....depending what degree you get that is. A SMP typically gives you something like "masters in biomedical sciences" or something of the like. AKA completely worthless in the real world.

Just my $.02..but i agree with you on all other points

PM me I’m a pre pharmacy major with a similar undergraduate gpa. I wanted to know more about the post bacc master program.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[futuremrsDr<3]

While you gave very good advice...I dont really understand where this "prevailing" opinion regarding traditional masters programs comes from.

I went this route....BS to traditional masters...to medical school. I left undergrad with a 2.45....and graduated with a masters in forensics with a 3.75. You cant just tell me that is grade inflation. I got into med school on my first try post grad school...and several of my classmates from grad school got accepted to both MD and DO using this pathway. While med school is more sustained heavy work...grad school was similar to med school at times...but we got some "break" quarters too where it was pretty light.

Like you mentioned...traditional masters degrees also give you that added credential should you fail to get into med school....depending what degree you get that is. A SMP typically gives you something like "masters in biomedical sciences" or something of the like. AKA completely worthless in the real world.

Just my $.02..but i agree with you on all other points

why would a masters in biomed science or the like be worthless?

 

[futuremrsDr<3]

1. Undergraduate GPA and graduate GPA are Calculated And listed separately on an application
2. All applicants will have an undergraduate GPA with a core set of prerequisite courses that can be compared across the pool. Additionally, introductory and lower level courses are generally similar in content and structure across colleges.
3. Graduate programs vary widely across universities by the rigor and content, and are often to be considered grade inflated that is an A or B is expected
4. while completing a graduate program in a biological science is an accomplishment, it may not carry the weight towards helping a week undergraduate GPA. While a few medical schools have a formal policy with others having informal policies on using this as the primary GPA they are by far the minority
5. If you have a week undergraduate GPA getting a postbacc (ie additional undergraduate courses) or Getting into an SMP, Which is essentially an audition year of medical school level classes is much more preferable than considering a traditional hard science masters
6. We can argue whether all these reasons are justifiable or not however this is the reality of the medical school application system

Woah, thanks. That definitely clears things up for me!
I've been taking post-bacc classes to raise my gpa to an acceptable level.
Next step if I don't get accepted next year would be SMP then..!
Appreciate the explanation