I'm considering going back to school to get my pre-reqs and was wondering if any of you had thoughts on formal post-bacc programs versus going it alone (or semi alone). It's a choice between a private colleges program ($25k per year) or just enrolling in classes at a state school (not community college). I assume with the state school that I would still have access to all of the pre-med advisors and tools, however, I would not have the support of other non-traditional students. Have any of you had a good or bad experience with either? What did you like/dislike? If you had to chose between the two what would you do? Thanks in advance for your thoughts/advice!
I'm in a formal postbacc now, and could not be happier w/ my decision to go here. It is definitely expensive, a point that's been made repeatedly in comments above, but for me it is worth it. My reasoning went something like so:
My option @ the nearby state school was to take classes at night while I worked during the day. I have a MUCH harder time paying attention in classes, doing homework, etc at night than I do during the day, & w/ a job I'd have much less time in which to study. That felt like handicapping myself at the start of a race. Also, w/ the only time available for school in the evenings, I would only be able to take one class at a time, thus significantly increasing the length of time it would take me to finish my prereqs and I was ready to get a move on.
Again, the option at the state school was such that not all classes were available in evenings or were not available every semester. There was no institutional support for non-trad students working their way through these classes, and there were no slots reserved for non-trads, so enrollment in my chosen courses was not guaranteed. That meant a significant increase in the length of time it would take me to work through all the prereqs.
Basically, I felt that there were too many unanswered questions and too many clear obstacles to success (for me, personally, based on the ways I do and do not study, etc) to go that route.
Having rejected the nearby state school, I started looking farther afield for options, but then it essentially came down to having to look for a new job in a new city, decide whether to try to support myself on half-time work or try to work full time and hope that the limited time available to study would not result in poorer grades, etc. Once I got to the point where I was thinking of relocating *anyway*, and trying to figure out a way to live on limited income *anyway*, the idea of taking out loans for 1 year of private post-bacc and devoting myself fully to studies started to seem more reasonable. 1 year of FT study + loans versus 3+ years of night school and possible PT income looked more attractive, and here I am.
That said, I have mitigating circumstances - learning disabilities that mean I have to put in more time than some in order to succeed in my classes - that tipped the balance for me.
Both options - structured postbacc programs and DIY classes - work well over all. You'll find many people endorsing one over the other, but ultimately the right choice for *you* depends on what sorts of things will improve your chances of success and what sorts of things might create barriers to that success. Choose whatever program will maximize the former & minimize the latter and you'll be good to go.
