i think i may be totally *****ed

[dr_mcfly]

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I'm having a bit of a freakout right now and need some advice and perhaps a little reassurance.

I'm 24, and I dropped out of NYU 2 years ago after 8 semesters of college (I had a few incompletes that turned into Fs in my senior year due to personal problems, depression, etc - hence the lack of graduation).

I'm living in Boston now, have been working full-time for the last couple years, and I want to go back to school for something completely different (I was a film major - now I want to complete my degree in biology or biochemistry, with the intention of going to med school - always been a science nerd on the side 😉

Since I dropped out and failed some classes, I don't really have anyone at NYU that will write references for me, so I can only apply to state schools that don't require letters of recommendation. Since my parents paid for 4 years of college, they aren't willing to pay for any more, so I'm on my own. This would be okay, as I'm 24 and am considered "independent" by the government, but I also have bad credit due to some past mistakes. I'm on the road to recovery on that front, but I have no idea how I'm going to afford to go back to school.

I also want to be able to go somewhere that's halfway decent - somewhere where I could actually get into med school after I finish my bachelor's.

I also am totally freaked out about applying to science programs as a transfer without having taken any lower-level classes. Also, I technically have 8 semesters of college, which doesn't look good. Even though I have a decent GPA (I'm still above 3.0 with 4 Fs) and good test scores, I'm convinced no one will take me.

Any words of advice? I'm totally bugging out about what to do next.

thanks,
dr_mcfly

 

[beephlatPT]

I'm having a bit of a freakout right now and need some advice and perhaps a little reassurance.

I'm 24, and I dropped out of NYU 2 years ago after 8 semesters of college (I had a few incompletes that turned into Fs in my senior year due to personal problems, depression, etc - hence the lack of graduation).

I'm living in Boston now, have been working full-time for the last couple years, and I want to go back to school for something completely different (I was a film major - now I want to complete my degree in biology or biochemistry, with the intention of going to med school - always been a science nerd on the side 😉

Since I dropped out and failed some classes, I don't really have anyone at NYU that will write references for me, so I can only apply to state schools that don't require letters of recommendation. Since my parents paid for 4 years of college, they aren't willing to pay for any more, so I'm on my own. This would be okay, as I'm 24 and am considered "independent" by the government, but I also have bad credit due to some past mistakes. I'm on the road to recovery on that front, but I have no idea how I'm going to afford to go back to school.

I also want to be able to go somewhere that's halfway decent - somewhere where I could actually get into med school after I finish my bachelor's.

I also am totally freaked out about applying to science programs as a transfer without having taken any lower-level classes. Also, I technically have 8 semesters of college, which doesn't look good. Even though I have a decent GPA (I'm still above 3.0 with 4 Fs) and good test scores, I'm convinced no one will take me.

Any words of advice? I'm totally bugging out about what to do next.

thanks,
dr_mcfly

First off, congrats on wanting to make moves in the right direction. That is the hardest part. As far as school goes, go talk to an academic advisor at whatever your local university is and ask them what your options are. They can be a very good source of info. I don't think that getting back into college should be that hard, esp if you've got over a 3.0 even with the bum grades. Just be prepared to explain to the university or universities that you apply to what your circumstances were at that time. As far as the credit situation, everyone makes mistakes. Depending on the severity of it, you can try to dispute some of the bad credit info via the credit bureaus or with the creditors themselves. Sometimes, depending on the creditor or the situation, you can negotiate having them delete old negative info. Anyway, its a long road but it can certainly be done. Besides, you can probably still get some financial aid assistance that isn't based on your credit history. Do your research. Definitely go talk to an academic advisor about the school thing first though. They may even advise you to apply as a freshman and start over. At any rate, good luck to you. I know what its like to be overwhelmed by a lot of that kinda stuff but there is light at the end of the tunnel. P.S. on the credit tip, you can start to improve you credit by getting good credit history on your report. If your credit is bad enough not to get approved for a credit card, Take some money and use it to get a secured credit card, and pay the bill on time EVERY month. Even if you get some negative stuff off of your report, you still need positive stuff on it. I don't know what your situation is though, i'm just adding my 2 cents. Feel free to ask me anything, and if I have a useful answer for you, i'd be glad to share.

 

[ShyRem]

I went back to school after 15 years. The first place I went I failed every course in my spring sophomore semester.. just didn't go to class at all, didn't want to be there, basically didn't want to do anything (sounds like depression, but that was long ago and I don't make excuses - I screwed up and that's that). So more than 15 years later I decide to go back. My state school has a policy of accepting all nontrads, depending on your situation you may be on probation for a semester or two. Student loans don't require good credit - they're guaranteed by the gov't. I got all the aid I needed (and my husband was working - having two kids helps the bottom line in that regard).

When I started back, my old GPA was an abysmal 1.7 or 1.8 something. It was horrible. My school applied the reasonable credits (mainly as electives, but most of them were lower level classes), and I basically started over. I graduated at my school with pretty decent grades and am now applying to med school. I have found many MD schools look at the bottom line GPA (mine ended up being a 3.28 or so) and tend not to look at the recent 3.5+ stuff (although atl least one certainly did look at the recent coursework and even commented on it in the interview). DO schools were much more receptive and forgiving of the past performance. Just my experience. I know blee has done quite well with a 3.0 overall (but blee also killed the MCAT).

It's possible. Many schools have advisors for nontrad students these days. Gather your old transcripts, go visit the registrar, and ask about a nontrad advisor. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

it seems that many people have issues transferring all of their classes to another school, which would mean spending more time in the school they transfer to. you stated that things went downhill your senior year (meaning one year of bad grades) and you are concerned about gathering recommendations for another school. have you looked into going back to nyu to finish up? if they let folks who drop out go back to finish, you would probably not need recommendations to go back, you would probably need fewer credits to graduate (hopefully this would be all your science classes) than at another place, you would graduate from a school with a good reputation, and you would just need to order one transcript for your med school application. the downside would be the $$$.

otherwise, for any school you are interested in, get an idea of what credits they would accept for transfer before you apply.

 

[dr_mcfly]

Thank you all so much for your kind words and encouragement. The more I read the non-trad forum, the more I see it is somewhat of a support group (as opposed to the pre-allo, where everyone is whipping it out to see whose is bigger)

I've been looking into my options for a while - in the end, I'm applying to UMass (my state school, and probably my best shot), UCDavis and UCIrvine (long shots for my out-of-state tranfer situation, but I really want to move to California, and I have grad friends at both schools), and I've also appealed to go back to NYU. I feel like getting back to NYU won't be so hard, but dealing with their stingy financial aid dept may be a bit trickier 🙁

We'll see what happens....

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

i forgot about umass. out of the list, i'd put amherst first. think twice if you were thinking of establishing ca residency if you go there for school. ca is probably THE toughest state from which to gain med school admission.

 

[dr_mcfly]

i forgot about umass. out of the list, i'd put amherst first. think twice if you were thinking of establishing ca residency if you go there for school. ca is probably THE toughest state from which to gain med school admission.

really? why is that? I -do- ideally want to go to med school in CA, and one would think that establishing residency there would help, not hurt. have you or do you know people who have had experiences to the contrary? I can't imagine that a Umass undergrad would have a better shot at a CA med school than someone from a UC. please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Law2Doc]

The more I read the non-trad forum, the more I see it is somewhat of a support group (as opposed to the pre-allo, where everyone is whipping it out to see whose is bigger) .

Yes, here on the nontrad board, it's less about how big it is and more about where it's been.

 

[Law2Doc]

really? why is that? I -do- ideally want to go to med school in CA, and one would think that establishing residency there would help, not hurt. have you or do you know people who have had experiences to the contrary? I can't imagine that a Umass undergrad would have a better shot at a CA med school than someone from a UC. please correct me if I'm wrong.

UC schools are known as a group to be at the more competitive end of the spectrum in terms of state schools, and it tends to be pretty cutthroat to get in there. If you have a choice of states to obtain residency, you increase your odds be being an in-state resident elsewhere. (States like Tx and Fla reportedly tend to be the reverse trend, where it pays to be a state resident).

 

[dr_mcfly]

UC schools are known as a group to be at the more competitive end of the spectrum in terms of state schools, and it tends to be pretty cutthroat to get in there. If you have a choice of states to obtain residency, you increase your odds be being an in-state resident elsewhere. (States like Tx and Fla reportedly tend to be the reverse trend, where it pays to be a state resident).

Too bad I'm not willing to move to Florida or Texas! I spent a summer in Houston and it was great, but i wouldn't want to live there. And Florida... just ain't my thing 😉 I know, so many people talk about how it's not about where you live, it's about going to school... but there are a finite amount of places that I'm willing to live at the moment.

I'm wondering though, about what sanford said above... about it being hard to get into *med school* as a CA resident. If I ever got into a UC, or even moved to CA, wouldn't CA residency help rather than hurt for getting into a CA med school? Sorry, maybe I'm just not getting the point being made yet... 🙂

 

[Law2Doc]

Too bad I'm not willing to move to Florida or Texas! I spent a summer in Houston and it was great, but i wouldn't want to live there. And Florida... just ain't my thing 😉 I know, so many people talk about how it's not about where you live, it's about going to school... but there are a finite amount of places that I'm willing to live at the moment.

I'm wondering though, about what sanford said above... about it being hard to get into *med school* as a CA resident. If I ever got into a UC, or even moved to CA, wouldn't CA residency help rather than hurt for getting into a CA med school? Sorry, maybe I'm just not getting the point being made yet... 🙂

Sure, being in state helps, but the hurdle to clear in that state is simply higher, even for in staters. It's like being in a better boat but sailing into a stronger storm. Look at the MSAR average numbers for the CA schools compared to other state's schools stats for in-staters.

 

[thirdunity]

Sure, being in state helps, but the hurdle to clear in that state is simply higher, even for in staters. It's like being in a better boat but sailing into a stronger storm. Look at the MSAR average numbers for the CA schools compared to other state's schools stats for in-staters.

What about Cali DO schools? I'm willing to consider DO... I'm a Cali resident but at this age it's simply too important to stay where I am. I'm 32 and will probably be married and have kids by the time I get into med school. I don't wanna tell potential dates, "No, sorry, can't enter a relationship for four years, don't know where I'll be living".

 

[Law2Doc]

What about Cali DO schools? I'm willing to consider DO... I'm a Cali resident but at this age it's simply too important to stay where I am. I'm 32 and will probably be married and have kids by the time I get into med school. I don't wanna tell potential dates, "No, sorry, can't enter a relationship for four years, don't know where I'll be living".

I know nothing of DO schools. But the right person may be willing to follow you to whatever location you go. Also note that there's no guaranty that you will match into a local residency after med school, so moving out of state may be in your future at some point regardless.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

yeah the answer's in the numbers. if you look through the forums, you'll also get personal accounts about how tough it is. i have above average stats, and not only would i never establish ca residency before i apply but if i were already a ca resident i'd look into establishing somewhere else before applying this summer. that or get ready to apply to 10 more schools than i would otherwise.

on a more encouraging note (but discouraging to ca residents), usc, stanford, ucla, and ucsf accept substantial proportions of out-of-staters.

amherst is a great school with a national reputation. among the uc's, i think only berkeley would really compare. but berkeley is a huge school and you will be far from the only pre-med asking for recommendations.

 

[Law2Doc]

amherst is a great school with a national reputation. among the uc's, i think only berkeley would really compare. but berkeley is a huge school and you will be far from the only pre-med asking for recommendations.

Are we talking med schools or undergrad? UMass Amherst is not Amherst College. Berkeley doesn't have a med school I don't think. There are three UC med schools in the US news top 20. 😕

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

Are we talking med schools or undergrad? UMass Amherst is not Amherst College. Berkeley doesn't have a med school I don't think. There are three UC med schools in the US news top 20. 😕

i was talking about the immediate concern of which undergrad institution to attend, but oh my, i didn't know that amherst college was different from umass-amherst. i only knew of "amherst" and heard of umass-amherst, and assumed that the amherst of national reknown was a public liberal arts college. my mistake. hmm. so if it's a private college with comparable tuition to nyu, then i would say just finish up at nyu as soon and with as little debt as possible. but again, this would be under the assumptions i made earlier.

but do think twice about going to a ca undergrad. besides the competition for med school admissions, you'd be paying out-of-state tuition for ca undergrad schools anyway, which can be hefty.

 

[Beau Geste]

Yes, here on the nontrad board, it's less about how big it is and more about where it's been.

Now THAT is the quote of the week!!!!!!! 👍

 

[cadilakgrl]

I'm wondering though, about what sanford said above... about it being hard to get into *med school* as a CA resident. If I ever got into a UC, or even moved to CA, wouldn't CA residency help rather than hurt for getting into a CA med school? Sorry, maybe I'm just not getting the point being made yet... 🙂

The thing with California schools is you have huge pool of California residents to compete with. Although most UCs have an acceptance rate of 70-80% in-staters, the thing is that when you compare the total number of in-staters who apply, only about 6-7% of in-staters who apply get in (but this is still better than 0-2% for out-of-staters!). With that percent it's almost like applying to an ivy league school. I know I recommended that you move to Cali if you want to go there for med school, but I think this is only if you think you can compete with all the other crazy pre-meds out here. It would be daunting and risky. If you are looking for a more supportive environment I'd probably stay where you are and hope for USC.

To your support, 3.0 is a good GPA to start with, so I think you have a great chance. Also your interesting background would help you stand out if you can show you are really dedicated to being a doctor and kick butt in your classes and the MCAT. I think as a non-trad one of the most important things for YOU and for admissions committees is that you know what you are getting into and that you are dedicated to your new career path. You can show this through volunteering, shadowing, lab work, LOR and your personal statement. My advice for now is to just think about where you will feel the most comfortable and supported and where you will have the greatest chance of success for the rest of your undergrad. Don't worry too much about where to apply for med school until later. Good Luck

 

[gastrosopher]

I'm having a bit of a freakout right now and need some advice and perhaps a little reassurance.

I'm 24, and I dropped out of NYU 2 years ago after 8 semesters of college (I had a few incompletes that turned into Fs in my senior year due to personal problems, depression, etc - hence the lack of graduation).

<snip>

Any words of advice? I'm totally bugging out about what to do next.

thanks,
dr_mcfly

When I went back to NYU after an extended abscence, they made my I's-turned-F's disappear, after some pleading. Those classes now appear on my transcript as W's, which don't impact the GPA. If you only have a few more class to (re)-take, I would go back to NYU, finish up the BA, then do a post-bac program somewhere cheap (Hunter doe one, if you're still in the NYC area).

BTW, when I figured out I wanted to come back the "application form" was a one-page sheet asking where you've been, what you've done while you were away, and why you want to come back. It struck me as a more or less perfunctory screening process.

 

[PineappleGirl]

If you are in Boston check out BU's MET college program. Most of the classes are in the evenings and the tuition, while not as cheap as UMASS is fairly affordable, around $1000 a class. You can take up to 3 classes as a non-degree student and still be considered part-time. So you could take 3 science classes for $3,000. The only problem is that a lot of the science classes are offered 2-4 nights a week in the evening, making it hard to take more than one or two.

MET also has degree programs and you could probably transfer your NYU credits to them and get your BA or BS from MET. While I don't think they have biochem as a major they definitely have bio. They are used to dealing with non-trad students: the staff there is very cool.

website: http://www.bu.edu/met