I need help Urgent about post bac

[cinfid12]

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I am currently a junior majoring in biology. I spent my first 2 years at a small school and transferred because I hated it and it didn't even have that much of a reputation. The school I am at now did not take a lot of credits which put me behind a year. This school is a 40k school so I am going to transfer a 3rd time. I now know that I can graduate next year because the credits transferred. My question is here:
My GPA will be just barely a 3.0 when graduating, the first 2 years killed me due to some personal/medical circumstances but its going up steadily. My major is biology so does that mean I can't do a post bac? and how affective are these programs and how hard are they to get into? If I did one for a year, got really high grades would it be much easier to get in?
Also I am a FL resident so instate tuition would be very helpful. Obviously I'd rather MD but DO will serve me just fine. What should I do, I know if I graduate next may I will have to start paying back my loans and would rather wait until im out for good so I want to get into a program. Anyone have any advice?
Thanks a lot for all of your help

 

[jslo85]

sorry to hear about your situation. First off, there are several things that we need to know before we can be more specific in what would best suit you. If you haven't taken the MCAT, all talk is rather premature on what programs you can get into. If time is an issue as you seem to have some financial concerns, then applying to medical school (MD or DO) will be a problem if you don't have the necessary E.C./LORs. You're a junior right now which is nice that you're concerned now. You still have time to ask your professors for letters of recommendation. Have a GRE score? That will help in settling the graduate enterance test score requirement for some programs but others really do require an MCAT/DAT score in hand or scheduled to take before matriculation. Depending on which program and what type of program you get into is how effective the programs are and same goes for how hard it will be.

 

[cinfid12]

sorry to hear about your situation. First off, there are several things that we need to know before we can be more specific in what would best suit you. If you haven't taken the MCAT, all talk is rather premature on what programs you can get into. If time is an issue as you seem to have some financial concerns, then applying to medical school (MD or DO) will be a problem if you don't have the necessary E.C./LORs. You're a junior right now which is nice that you're concerned now. You still have time to ask your professors for letters of recommendation. Have a GRE score? That will help in settling the graduate enterance test score requirement for some programs but others really do require an MCAT/DAT score in hand or scheduled to take before matriculation. Depending on which program and what type of program you get into is how effective the programs are and same goes for how hard it will be.

Thanks for the response, I haven't taken the MCAT yet nor am I ready for it. When would you advise me to take it (so I can have time to study) and so I can apply to these programs as soon as possible. What would be the best program to go into to increase my chance the greatest of getting into medical school?

 

[jslo85]

Thanks for the response, I haven't taken the MCAT yet nor am I ready for it. When would you advise me to take it (so I can have time to study) and so I can apply to these programs as soon as possible. What would be the best program to go into to increase my chance the greatest of getting into medical school?

Haha. Neither of these two are things that I can advise you on. You should know yourself better than anyone else and how fast you think you can realistically prepare yourself for a good score. My only words of widom if you can consider it that, will be finish your classes and honestly reflect on whether you feel that our foundation in the required sciences (physics, gen chem, orgo) is satisfactory. If so, buy a Kaplan book and go about studying the material and take multiple practice tests. If you can score 2 pts above the benchmark that you set out for yourself consistently, then I'd say you can roughly gauge your actual performance taking the actual MCAT by subtracting 2 pts from that score. Shortest amount of time I would say to begin actual MCAT prep would be 3 months.

As for the best program, that is completely subjective. You can read all the threads in here about other programs and ask questions where you see fit. You will see applicant stats and especially of those who get in as wel as their comments on how they feel about the program. Also check those stickied threads by Dr. Midlife on SMP programs and post-bacc programs. Find one that fits your price range, comfort level, etc. and apply broadly. You really don't want to be left gambling on only one choice and it's nice to have options no matter what you do. Good luck and check back in from time to time for advice on how to proceed from veterans who are far more experienced in this than I.

 

[DrMidlife]

"Postbac" is any undergrad coursework you do after getting a degree. It's a very broad term and includes a huge variety of formal and informal undergrad coursework. The only structured premed postbacs for low GPA candidates who have already completed the prereqs, that I know of, that require an MCAT score, are the ones designed for URMs who didn't get in during their first MD app cycle. Other than those programs, you just have to find a school where you can take more undergrad.

Some people call an SMP (special masters program) a postbac, but per the "M" it's grad work, not undergrad. An SMP doesn't get you into med school by improving your undergrad GPA; it gets you in by putting you through the first year of med school as an audition. The MCAT is a typical requirement for an SMP. An SMP is what you might do to overcome an irreparably low undergrad GPA after you've run out of other ways to improve your undergrad GPA. An SMP costs about $50k.

This situation does not call for an SMP. Thus it does not call for the MCAT (not right away).

For this situation, I suggest that being in a hurry to graduate is NOT a good idea, when your GPA at graduation won't get you to the next step (med school). I think you should challenge whatever forces are acting upon you to graduate next year.

Whatever university you end up at, just stay there and don't graduate until you've taken enough additional undergrad to get your GPA as high as you reasonably can. Do this through proper channels: look into doing a double major, add some minors, file petitions, talk to advisers, figure it out. Buy yourself some time, keep your financial aid if you can (or get some).

You can do the math to see what this buys you. If, for instance, you've spent 4 years getting a 3.0, then 2 more years at a 4.0 would bring you to 3.33. Which (given the upward trend) could get you noticed at some MD schools, and lots of DO schools.

Also note that all your college coursework counts in a med school app - so you have to include everything in GPA calcs, regardless of whether some school counts it as transfer credit or not. DO schools will forgive old grades on a retake. MD schools will not.

Best of luck to you.