Linkages

[Jack1919]

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Can anyone help to answer my question?

I live in Philly, and I recently applied to UPenn, Bryn Mawr, and Temple for summer 2005 post-bac admission. I graduated from a good liberal-arts school with a 3.2, and with the exception of Geology, I haven't taken any science courses since high school. Since College, I have both worked (2+ yrs.) and volunteered in the health-care facilities, etc. So, I'm confident I will get accepted into one of the programs - full time.

Anyway, all three of the programs have linkages. Bryn Mawr and Penn have several, whereas, Temple has one to its own Medical School. I was wondering if anyone knows what kind of requirements there are for applying as a linkage student? Does one apply at the very beginning of summer, or in the fall? Penn's website says that students apply for the linkage program in early June. But if one is beginning the program in May and has never taken post-secondary science courses, then what are they looking at as any sort of indication? SAT scores!? Bryn Mawr on the other hand looks like they start linkage applications in the Fall, so they at least give you a semester to build on. But, then again, what if one started in the fall?

If anyone can shed some light on this I would appreciate it. How do other schools handle the linkage program? Thanks!!

 

[UnskinnyBop]

I bet they mean the NEXT summer or fall. I could be mistaken, but I think it would be totally weird for them not to see the majority of your post-bacc grades. Unless they mean you just state your intent to apply right at the beginning...

In my case, at Drexel, I'm applying to the linkage to Drexel itself. I just finished the prereqs (and I'm soooooo happy about that!), and my application for linkage has to be complete at the beginning of January. Then, I'll interview (if I'm invited) in March and may or may not be given conditional acceptance. If I get that, then I need to get a certain MCAT score on the April MCAT to be totally accepted and start in August.

Drexel also has a linkage to Robert Wood Johnson, in which case the students apply after the April MCAT and are given a decision as soon as the MCAT scores come in. So, they consider your MCAT, unlike Drexel, which just has a cut-off. I'm not applying there (you have to pick one) so I'm not totally up on what it entails.

I think those are fairly typical... but I didn't go to Penn, Bryn Mawr, or Temple, so I can't really say. Hope that's a little helpful, though.

 

[Jack1919]

"I bet they mean the NEXT summer or fall. I could be mistaken, but I think it would be totally weird for them not to see the majority of your post-bacc grades. Unless they mean you just state your intent to apply right at the beginning... "

Yeah, its a little confusing... I've emailed them, with no response as of yet. My guess is that I would begin in the summer, somehow state my intent, and then they would review it after the fall. That's the only possibility I can see. Otherwise it would negate the point of a linkage. My biggest concern is whether or not I'm even worthy of consideration. What kind of pre-req's are there for Drexel's linkage program?

I was obviously thinking about Drexel, but I wanted to do a Post-Bac program in one year rather than two. Their program is only two-year evenings right?

Anyway, good luck with linkage application!!! - And stay warm!

 

[NapeSpikes]

In Goucher's postbac program, which is a one-year like Bryn Mawr and also has several linkages including Drexel, student's are currently applying to linkages, after only having completed Summer and Fall terms. We then interview in January and February, with little more than half our prereqs done. Most schools require a minimum overall postbac gpa with the conditional acceptance, that is, they'll accept you based on only half your prereqs done, but state that you have to have, say, a 3.5 overall postbac gpa or they reserve the right to retract their offer of admission.

Good luck with everything!

 

[ExistentialistPhilosopher]

At Bryn Mawr, requirements differ based on the school. Most of the schools require a ~3.3-3.5 GPA in the postbac program and at least 9's on each section of the MCAT. For Dartmouth, Brown, and Rochester, the MCATs are not needed, but the GPA requirement for Dartmouth and Rochester is ~3.7 during the duration of the postbac program (not sure about Brown, though). For Pitt, the GPA requirement is 3.75 and 10's on each section of the MCAT. One thing to keep in mind is that if you want the option to link with a school other than Dartmouth, Brown, and Rochester, and you haven't taken chemistry yet, you must start the Bryn Mawr program in the summer with chemistry and take the April MCAT the following year. Otherwise, by starting the program with chemistry in the fall, you'd have to take orgo the following summer and take the August MCAT instead, rendering you ineligible for most of the linkages (again, with the exception of Brown, Dartmouth, and Rochester, which doesn't require the MCAT). Some of the linkages also favor older postbacs, although younger postbacs are not discouraged from applying.

 

[Pemulis]

Jooboo,

I recently interviewed at Bryn Mawr, and it works a little differently for each school, but basically as they explained it, you apply early in the year, and the schools look at you based on the same factors that Bryn Mawr looked at you: your undergrad grades, SAT scores, essay, letters of rec, health care experience, etc. If they like you, they give you an interview, and then if you get past that, you get a conditional acceptance. The med school sets the standard, but typically it would be something like you have to finish the BM program with a 3.5, and maybe a 30 MCAT. Again, this varies for each program, as do the application dates. Some schools you don't apply to until after Christmas break, so they are looking at you with at least a semester of grades under your belt. As I understood it, Bryn Mawr themselves have nothing to do with the process (except of course helping you to apply and such), and they don't hold applicants back from applying. So, if there's a school you're interested in, you don't need to get the BM director's permission to apply or anything like that.

If you get an interview at BM, they'll have you out for a half-day tour/info session where they'll explain all of this, so don't sweat it.

NapeSpikes: I'm heading to Goucher next year. I wonder if I met you when I came to visit campus back in November...

Good luck to you both.

 

[ExistentialistPhilosopher]

At Bryn Mawr, requirements differ based on the school. Most of the schools require a ~3.3-3.5 GPA in the postbac program and at least 9's on each section of the MCAT. For Dartmouth, Brown, and Rochester, the MCATs are not needed, but the GPA requirement for Dartmouth and Rochester is ~3.7 during the duration of the postbac program (not sure about Brown, though). For Pitt, the GPA requirement is 3.75 and 10's on each section of the MCAT. One thing to keep in mind is that if you want the option to link with a school other than Dartmouth, Brown, and Rochester, and you haven't taken chemistry yet, you must start the Bryn Mawr program in the summer with chemistry and take the April MCAT the following year. Otherwise, by starting the program with chemistry in the fall, you'd have to take orgo the following summer and take the August MCAT instead, rendering you ineligible for most of the linkages (again, with the exception of Brown, Dartmouth, and Rochester, which doesn't require the MCAT). Some of the linkages also favor older postbacs, although younger postbacs are not discouraged from applying.

I also forgot to mention that the linkage applications are required DURING the postbac year, but the subsequent acceptances are conditional (you MUST finish the school year with this GPA and that MCAT score, otherwise the acceptance is rescinded). Hence, the school may not see some of your postbac grades until later, but they'll look at your undergrad record and experiences (maybe summer postbac grades), and they'll accept you based on that.

 

[Jack1919]

-Yeah that's pretty much how I imagined they would handle the whole process. I actually ended up calling Temple, and they stated that for their post-bac program there is a linkage - but to their medical school only. Apparently post-bac students must start in the summer, and apply for linkage consideration in the following spring. They must maintain above a 3.5 in all post-bac classes, and must get at least a 9 on all sections of the MCAT in April. Then, one will be considered for the linkage, pending a good interview, recommendations, and final grades. She also said that there was no set number of spots since Temple caters somewhat to non-traditional students in PA.

So, it seems like consideration is somewhat similar for most med schools that have linkage programs. Anyway, thanks for your help!!!

 

[wilson04]

I'm going to be at Bryn Mawr next year and will likely try to link to Dartmouth med school. I'm wondering, though, how difficult it is to get offered a conditional linkage. I'm assuming you have to be at least as strong a candidate as the average admitted student, but do you have to be an even better candidate due to those unkown variables of how you'd do in future classes and also on the MCAT (which, for Dartmouth, I wouldn't have to take)?
Also, another negative that I just thought of, is that when I apply for the Dartmouth linkage, I'll have done only the most minimal of scientific research. I'll have written a couple economics papers, which might help, but they ain't cell research - or even an economic analysis of cell research. How much would that hurt the application?

Thanks for any thoughts.

-Yeah that's pretty much how I imagined they would handle the whole process. I actually ended up calling Temple, and they stated that for their post-bac program there is a linkage - but to their medical school only. Apparently post-bac students must start in the summer, and apply for linkage consideration in the following spring. They must maintain above a 3.5 in all post-bac classes, and must get at least a 9 on all sections of the MCAT in April. Then, one will be considered for the linkage, pending a good interview, recommendations, and final grades. She also said that there was no set number of spots since Temple caters somewhat to non-traditional students in PA.

So, it seems like consideration is somewhat similar for most med schools that have linkage programs. Anyway, thanks for your help!!!

 

[edmadison]

I'm wondering, though, how difficult it is to get offered a conditional linkage.

Also, another negative that I just thought of, is that when I apply for the Dartmouth linkage, I'll have done only the most minimal of scientific research. I'll have written a couple economics papers, which might help, but they ain't cell research - or even an economic analysis of cell research. How much would that hurt the application?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Conditional linkage? Meaning that you get accepted to Dartmouth when you get accepted to Bryn Mawr? Zero change, at least that's how it was when I went there. As for getting in without science research, don't worry about it.

Ed

 

[dr_juvi]

Can anyone help to answer my question?

I live in Philly, and I recently applied to UPenn, Bryn Mawr, and Temple for summer 2005 post-bac admission...
Anyway, all three of the programs have linkages. Bryn Mawr and Penn have several, whereas, Temple has one to its own Medical School.

Just wondering if this is the same program West Chester University has? They have a linkage program to Temple Medical School too. Any info you could give me would be great.

 

[Jack1919]

It is the same program as West Chester. I actually received a flyer from Temple that lists West Chester as one of the participating post-bac programs.

Go to this site:

http://www.wcupa.edu/_ACADEMICS/sch_cas/med/early.htm#temple_pb

and scroll down to the Temple Early Assurance part. It should answer your questions.

Hope that helps!