Is it important where you do your post-bacc?

[DNARNAPROTEIN]

I'm currently taking a combination of post-bacc courses of which most are upper level(cell,molecular,biochem,etc.) first time, but some are lower level(Bio II, Physics I)second time. Do the adcoms take into account where you take these classes? The school I'm taking theses classes at now has a decent science program, but overall isn't known for being very selective with it's students. There is school with a better reputation about 45 minutes away, but I don't want to make the drive and sit in an intro chem class with 800 students if it's not going to make a difference. I was a Biology/Economics double major at a very good school. Should I leave someplace where I am getting the highest grades in every class I take and take the rest of my post-bacc classes at a better university???

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[viostorm]

Absolutely not. Stay at the place where you get great grades.

Interview is a mathematical combination of GPA + MCAT.

Get a good GPA and then you'll have your foot in the door. In my opinion, academic reputation means almost nothing in the application process.

 

[Phoenix.]

I was debating this before I started my post-bac prereqs and called a couple of med schools to ask the admissions departments what they recommend. I recall that the woman in admissions at Northwestern (med school) said that I should take my prereqs at any 4 year accredited school (and NOT a community college), and just take them wherever I feel most confident I can get As. I.e., it wouldn't matter to her if I took them at Northwestern, Univ of Chicago, UIC, Loyola, or even somewhere less well-known. Anywhere accredited is fine, and the rep of the school doesn't matter much for just taking the prereqs. I talked to one or two other Chicago area med schools, and they all said pretty much the same thing.

Of course, some med schools don't mind prereqs taken at a community college, so you should check with your state schools first to be sure if that's where you're thinking of taking them.

Basically, the things I think matter the most are: 1) where you think you can excell; 2) whether the school has a post-bac pre-health program and can orchestrate your letters, advise you and give you a committee letter; 3) cost (by credit? how many credits can you take before being charged full tuition?); 4) schedule (night classes? if you still want to work); 5) classes (with only post-bacs or undergrads as well? same instructors as at the undergrad school?); 6) prereqs to the prereqs? (how much math do they require before you can take chem/physics? other requirements?); 7) location; etc.

Good luck!

 

[notdeadyet]

Absolutely not. Stay at the place where you get great grades.

Agreed. Though if you're going to pay big money (i.e. private school), go to one of the "name" programs.

 

[DNARNAPROTEIN]

Thank you all for your advice so far.

 

[gotmeds?]

Yes, it matters where you take your post-bacc classes. But what matters much more is how well you do in those classes. You're better off with a 4.0 from Podunk U over a 3.6 from Columbia any day.

 

[kronickm]

Name and reputation, as far as post-bacs are concerned, are mainly important with regard to the med schools that are linked to it.

Bryn Mawr, for example, has a great deal of high quality med schools that have linkage tracks with the post-bac program.

If you are not seeking a post-bac with a linkage track, then absolutely grades are more important than the name of your school.

 

[Chrissy]

Just to add my two cents...i'm gonna disagree slightly.

It is true that it doesn't really matter where you take these classes, but there's still no doubt that certain schools have better reputations than others and it can play a small factor in admissions. I actually disagree specifically with the previous post that a 3.6 from Columbia is undoubtedly worse than a 4.0 from Podunk U....if Podunk U is a school no one's ever heard of or a community college, it's not likely to impress an adcom more than an A- GPA from a school like Columbia....I think it may also vary where, geographically, you are applying from and to. I went through this exact debate when i was deciding on post baccs....i was gonna go to Hunter in NYC and after speaking to several admissions offices at various NY med schools I decided to come back to UPenn. Not many people get all A's in lower level classes at Penn and the success rate is still extremely high. It appears that the local schools (drexel, temple, jeff) love penn post baccs also....bottom line getting all A's anywhere wont hurt you obviously, but doing less than perfect at a very reputable school/program is also fine. In the end it should be about where you can afford and feel comfortable. good luck. you're gonna work hard no matter where you decide.

 

[Critical Mass]

Adcoms like to see nice MCAT scores. Whatever path leads you to the best possible MCAT is the one you should take, but my feeling is that if you are really giving your best effort, the actual school itself isn't going to make or break you.

 

[gotmeds?]

I didn't say that it doesn't matter where you go. Just the opposite. One of my interviewers at a school where I was accepted commented favorably on the reputation of my post-bacc program (not Columbia, by the way). But there were plenty of other people in my "reputable" post-bacc program who got so-so grades and are now struggling to get in. The point is that reputation matters, but grades matter more. And MCAT...well...don't get me started on that.

 

[Chrissy]

I completely agree with what you're saying...you're right. mediocre grades won't help no matter where they're from. what were your thoughts on the MCAT? My advisors at Penn seem to place a lot of weight on them....more than undergrad applicants...what do you think?

 

[gotmeds?]

I completely agree with what you're saying...you're right. mediocre grades won't help no matter where they're from. what were your thoughts on the MCAT? My advisors at Penn seem to place a lot of weight on them....more than undergrad applicants...what do you think?

Honestly, I think the MCAT is a lot more important for non-trads, especially if you have a non-science background, did a post-bacc program, or have been out of school for a while. Because it's a standardized test, it puts everyone on equal footing, regardless of their background. My post-bacc program had a reduced courseload compared to what most pre-med undergrads take, and I was afraid that it would look bad to the adcomms. I did really well on the MCAT and not a single interviewer brought up my courseload or my old undergrad grades (not even the class I failed).

 

[viostorm]

Honestly, I think the MCAT is a lot more important for non-trads

I disagree. Non-trads go through same process as everyone. And again, it is a computer based mathematical formula for getting you an interview.

 

[DNARNAPROTEIN]

What exactly do you mean when you say "post-bacc program"? It's not an actual program that you apply to, is it? I already have a bachelors and am now taking classes as a non-matriculated student. As far as I thought, this is doing post-bacc coursework, but I wouldn't call it being part of a program. Am I missing something?

 

[epeck]

There are formal programs that get you through the prereqs, but if you are doing fine on your own then don't worry about it. I guess they just help you stay organized as far as course scheduling and applications go. If you don't need help with that then ur good. If you have some money and could use some help then you might want to look into a program.

 

[gotmeds?]

I disagree. Non-trads go through same process as everyone. And again, it is a computer based mathematical formula for getting you an interview.

Getting the interview is only the first part. What I've heard repeatedly from advisors, other successful non-trad applicants, and from a couple of doctors who were on admissions committees is that you need to do well on the MCAT, especially as a non-trad. Compared to traditional students, you might be given some leeway for old grades or a lack of really impressive extracurriculars (it's hard to go on a medical mission to Africa or join the Peace Corps when you're working a 9 to 5 job). But the MCAT is the one area where you're expected to show that you can do as well as (or better than) traditional students.

 

[kronickm]

There are formal programs that get you through the prereqs, but if you are doing fine on your own then don't worry about it. I guess they just help you stay organized as far as course scheduling and applications go. If you don't need help with that then ur good. If you have some money and could use some help then you might want to look into a program.

There are numerous formal post-baccalaureate pre-medical programs. These programs usually have two main benefits above non-matric post-bac work.

1. They will write you a specific letter of recommendation, which seems to be considered in slightly higher regard then normal LORs as these people see a great deal of pre-med students.

2. (most important) Most of these formal programs have direct linkages with med schools. With these linkages you don't apply through the normal routes like everyone else, the post-bacs whose schools have linkages are usually considered in somewhat of a seperate category. Also, the linked schools will usually conditionally accept you BEFORE you take your MCAT, with the condition being that you achieve a minimum score (usually not to outrageous)


Take, for example, my post-bac at drexel university.

• 2 year program for people with no (and I mean no) real science background at all.

• my class has roughly 16 people in it.

• It has linkages with 2 schools, Drexel college of med, and UMDNJ robert wood johnson.

• We were told, informally, that drexel college of med reserves at least 4 slots specifically for people from this program depending on the quality of the class. (not told about UMDNJ)

• From my class at least 2-3 are going to dental school and at least 5-6 more have informally stated that they do not want to go to drexel(thus freeing up room for those of us who do).

• Everyone in the program who applies for the link gets an interview. The lucky ones are given conditional exceptance PRIOR to taking the MCAT. In order to be fully accepted you need either 9, 9, 9 or a cum of 30 if you are less then 9 in a subject.

• If you do not apply or do not get into the linkage, you must sit out a year (commonly known as the glide year) and apply through the normal routes of application just like everyone else (due to the admission deadlines and when the prograyou finish m and can sit for the MCAT).

So, you can clearly see the benefits of a linkage track post-bac program, especially if you do one at say UPENN or Columbia since their programs link to their med schools. Those post-bac programs, however, are very competitive as well.

 

[musashi]

I am also a non-trad who is doing an informal post-bac at my local university. Because of schedule conflicts with me taking my EMT-B course this summer I am contemplating taking Chem I and maybe Chem II at the local community college. Now, I know that officially med schools accept these pre-reqs, but how would adcoms look at me starting my post-bac at a university, take 1-2 chem classes at community college and then finish the rest of my pre-reqs at university. I called a couple of schools here in Texas and most said it wouldn't matter, some said it may come up in the interview, and 1 said it could be harmful. Is it better to prolong my application ANOTHER year and take everything at a university or go ahead and take these 1-2 classes at community college, which will make me eligble to apply next summer? Thanks ahead for any advice.

 

[notdeadyet]

dupe, sorry.

 

[notdeadyet]

Is it better to prolong my application ANOTHER year and take everything at a university or go ahead and take these 1-2 classes at community college, which will make me eligble to apply next summer?

Oh god, just take them at the community college. All things being equal, take you prereqs at the best college you can.

But delaying your app by another year is not all things created equal. I took my chem sequence at a JC. I think it's common for folks doing postbacs, as it allows you to complete a postbac in one calendar year.

The prejudice against JCs is much more pronounced on SDN than amongst adcoms. At the three interviews I've been to, it hasn't been brought up once that I went to a JC for two years or did my chem sequence at one years later. Don't sweat it.

 

[newnewness]

I did a lot of thinking about this question before I decided to go to NYU, over Columbia, Hunter, and City College, and I think I made the right decision. Here is what I considered to be relevant information:

Some admissions committees "score" your application when deciding whether to give you a secondary or an interview, and part of this "score" is based upon the number of points given to your undergraduate institution--
i don't think your post-bacc institution goes into this calculation.

I also was told that if you are doing all your science classes post-college, you shouldn't go to a JC or community college. I know a brilliant guy who graduated from a top-10 university, got an insane mcat score and a 4.0 post-bacc, but went to a JC for his post-bacc. He got a number of US interviews at amazing schools, but no US acceptances. It is unclear to me whether or not their post-bacc program is an issue for those who go to top schools as undergrads, but I decided I didn't want to take a chance going to a school that would be perceived as much easier than my undergrad school. I think this would have made me seem like I wasn't driven.

So given all this, I figured it would be best for me to go to a school that was well regarded and fairly competitive, but wasn't so competitive that I wouldn't be able to get decent grades. I decided that the enormous debt I would incur would be worth whatever advantage I gained from going to NYU rather than Hunter on the lower end of the competitive spectrum or Columbia on the higher end.

I also think that we post-baccs often have image issues--we need to do ECs and get new LORs that will prove our commitment to our new career choice. Bigger name schools with more money have more resources to help with this. I know a few pre-meds at state, JC and community colleges that have had serious problems stemming from the fact that their schools lacked support resources to help students with ECs, LORs, and their application in general.

I think it's hard enough to get over the anti-nontrad prejudice that many medical schools seem to have. Of course I have no idea whether my choice of post-bacc program made any real difference, but I have so far been accepted to two pretty good schools and waitlisted at a number of others. NYU is far from my idea of a perfect institution, and I hated every minute of it, but I still somehow feel that strategically it was a good decision.

 

[JIKJen124]

I'll chime in, only because I've done it both ways. I started my road to vet school at a fancy post-bacc program, and after a year working harder than I ever had (I wrote two theses in undergrad at a very prestigous university, just to explain I'm not a wuss when it comes hard work), I left the program. One of the vets I was working for at the VTH asked me to explain myself since I was somewhat older than the average summer help. When I did, he said "do you want to go to vet school or not, because if you do, go elsewhere and get As". Since he was just the kind of guy who could easily sit on an adcom, I took his advice. I left the program, moved home and finished my coursework at a respectable local university. Not only was I MUCH happier and less stressed, I sure enough got As. 4.5 (and maybe 1 more) acceptances later, I've gotta believe I ABSOLUTELY made the right decision.

 

[MissFrustrated]

Ok. I started taking pre-req's last year. I went to a top 40 college, but the college Im taking my post bacc classes at is decent, even though its not "top 50", it's still held in respectful regard. US News said it was "selective" anyway. Not "most selective" like my undergrad, but close enough.

Problem is, my post bacc college doesnt really cater to people with jobs....I work for a hospital , daytime hours, and the way the schedule of science courses is at my post-bacc school, i can't take more than ONE bloody class a semester. I took chem I last semester and got an A- with minimal effort. But, taking ONE class a semester??? It's going to take me a million years just to finish my pre reqs! I mean, I'm still fairly young at 24-25, but I ain't gettin any younger.....as it is I'll be 32 when Im done with med school if I finished my pre reqs by 2009 which is 2 years away. Let alone 4 or more years, which is what it will take me if I keep taking only one class a semester.

So here is my dilemma. There is another city college CUNY here in NY that has science courses, and they are all at night and more flexible for people with day jobs. However, this college, when looked up in US WORLD NEWS report, is labeled as "LEAST selective". So, it's not exactly the best college in the CUNY system here in NY.....my QUESTION is: If I take the science pre reqs I need at this less selective school, will it look bad to adcomms considering that I went to a pretty good undergrad? I dont want to look like I tried to take an easy way out, but Im going nuts here. I cant afford to quit my job, I cant afford a fancy program like Columbia or anotehr private school, Hunter CUNY also doesnt have enough night courses, and my post-bacc school now is held in pretty good regard but like I said, the class schedule isn't really made for people with day jobs. My options are, stay at the school Im at now and finish pre reqs in like 4 years (horror) or go to this not-so-great college and finish my pre reqs in like 1.5-2 years instead.......WHAT DO I DO???? HELP!!!!!!!! (THANK YOU )