Looking for Post-Bacc Programs (relative to my situation).

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Emilsinclair9

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Hey guys,

Lately I've been overwhelmed with the volume of information out there on this topic. Yes, I've used the search function on this site, as well as other websites, but I still cannot figure out what I should do or where I should apply.

In a nutshell, I failed out of high school when I was 16, did California Community College, transferred to UC Berkeley, but never took the SAT or ACT. That said, do I need to take the GRE (or another standardized test) to be competitive for post-bacc programs in California or elsewhere? If so, I guess I'll start studying ASAP for the GRE.

Also, my parents are not helping me finance my post-bacc in any way whatsoever. All of my living expenses, transportation, tuition, and any other expenses fall on me. I'm 23 years old, and graduated from Berkeley in 2012. I don't have much money. Obviously, I will have to take on loans, and I am okay with that reality. However, I am looking for the ideal combination of an inexpensive post-bacc program that would/could provide me with a committee letter at the end of the program. I graduated with a 3.0 from Berkeley as a Psychology major, so I know that is not stellar either. Combining that with my CCC GPA, I am probably closer to a 3.1 or 3.2 GPA. I live in Berkeley currently, so anywhere near Berkeley would be great. However, I am open to out-of-state post-baccs as well or southern California post-baccs, too. I have never taken any pre-med requirements or Calculus.

Should I sign up for a Calculus class ASAP at a CCC?

Basically, I'm looking for programs that aren't too expensive, will provide me with a committee letter, will give me a solid shot at acceptance with a 3.1ish overall GPA, and ideally do not -require- standardized test scores, as I currently do not have any.


Thank you (anyone and everyone) so much for any advice you can provide for me. I really do appreciate it. I've been feeling somewhat hopeless about my future lately, and in no way am I looking for sympathy or pity; I only mean to suggest that your advice and guidance means a lot to me. Thank you.

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I don't know any specific programs.it's not all bad since you've probably never took a science course, or have taken very few of them, you have the option to get a great science gpa if you do well on your pre-reqs. you can take them at any college. it doesn't need to be a formal program like you see advertised on the web/campus,etc. i'd say consider them if you really feel you need an adviser to be on top of you at all times. formal post-bacc programs also may allow you to get a committee letter. These programs usually don't require any testing score other than a decent gpa and letters of recommendation. however, the simpler approach is to simply take the pre-reqs yourself at any college where you can space out classes more to your favor and aren't bound to conditions or requirements that a formal program may have. it's like starting undergrad again by yourself. it'd be better to take them at 4 yr schools, considering your below average gpa but if you can only go for a 2 yr school, then so be it. what matters most are the grades. My opinion of formal post-bacc programs- not exactly all that useful. you as a non-trad student can get by easily without the committee letter. I'd say a formal program is only good if it gives you priority registration for your science classes. that's my input- see what others say and make your choice. good luck

ah and it be wise to see what medical schools of your interest specifically require calculus.
 
Darkeon, thank you so much for your input!

So, if I understand you correctly, are you suggesting that doing (for example) all of my med school pre-reqs in community college would be acceptable? I think that would probably be the cheapest way to get it done, but if it would adversely affect my chances of getting into med school down the road, I probably won't do that.

As for science classes, I have taken 0 pre-reqs, but if psych courses count as science classes, then my science GPA is going to be....not so great.
 
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No problem. There are some psych classes that may count for your science gpa. classes like neuroscience or statistics for example would count. however keep in mind that it is you who classifies the courses when applying so you can save yourself some heartache there. very rarely are course classifications change, like classifying a history course as a bio course. I think community college is the most realistic thing for you. You probably have debt from uc berkely and may not be able to take out any more loans or receive aid...i dunno. look into state public 4 yr schools for lower tuitions. if you do go to cc, fine, not the end of the world. Biochem is the newest prereq of nearly all schools now though so you might have to transfer to a 4 yr eventually to take it (unless you find bchem at a cc which is unlikely). If you are bent on md schools, I predict you might have to do an smp (special masters program) after your pre-reqs. Basically, they're programs for not-so-hot applicants where they take 1st yr med school classes. after a year, if you do super well, then you become super-hot for med schools. pre-reqs for smp is the same as applying for any med school, gpa, sci gpa, mcat, letters, etc.
 
Thanks again! I have taken Psych stats (both in CCC and at Berkeley), and received an A and A-, respectively. I would report those grades, if they count. You don't think taking my pre-reqs from a community college would reflect all that badly on my eventual applications to med schools? I do agree that financially speaking, CCC is the way to go, but even if I do great (big hypothetical close-to-4.0 status in my pre-reqs), wouldn't the fact that those courses were done at a community college diminish my credibility?

As for the SMP, yeah, I may have to do that in the end, but I figure that'll end up putting me in further debt as well. Either way, I'm open to any options, and I appreciate your guidance and knowledge about all of this!
 
Well, if you took no science classes, that's actually a good thing. You have the ability to get a high sGPA (and raise the cGPA) so I would not label your psych courses as science ones unless you did well.

Just start taking them a CC if you can't take them elsewhere. :)
 
I did well in some of my psych courses, but not all of them. I received a couple A's and even an A+, but I also received a couple F's :/. That said, when we're talking about "reporting / labeling" my courses, are we talking about labeling them on my eventual med school applications? Or are we talking about labeling them on my post-bacc applications?
 
I did well in some of my psych courses, but not all of them. I received a couple A's and even an A+, but I also received a couple F's :/. That said, when we're talking about "reporting / labeling" my courses, are we talking about labeling them on my eventual med school applications? Or are we talking about labeling them on my post-bacc applications?
I'm talking about labeling them as science (which is a gray area with some classes like psych) on your eventual med school app. Are you looking for formal or informal programs? If you can't afford a formal one, an informal one with CCC classes would be a cheaper option.
 
I'm talking about labeling them as science (which is a gray area with some classes like psych) on your eventual med school app. Are you looking for formal or informal programs? If you can't afford a formal one, an informal one with CCC classes would be a cheaper option.


When we talk about an informal post-bacc program, I guess I don't understand what you mean. Do you literally mean the CCC courses are the informal post-bacc? If so, then yeah, financially, that is what I would pretty much have to do, lest I incur greater debt. But I've read in the past that med schools look down on pre-reqs done at CCC. Assuming that is the case, do you think after I'm done with my pre-reqs, I will probably have to do an SMP to further prove myself? Also, will not having a committee letter from the CCC hurt my chances of admission to med schools?
 
When we talk about an informal post-bacc program, I guess I don't understand what you mean. Do you literally mean the CCC courses are the informal post-bacc? If so, then yeah, financially, that is what I would pretty much have to do, lest I incur greater debt. But I've read in the past that med schools look down on pre-reqs done at CCC. Assuming that is the case, do you think after I'm done with my pre-reqs, I will probably have to do an SMP to further prove myself? Also, will not having a committee letter from the CCC hurt my chances of admission to med schools?
Uh my school doesn't even have a committee letter and I doubt that'll hurt my chances. So if you can't get one, they can't hold it against you. Informal just means not a program. So taking a class at a ccc and/or state school (if cheap) is what you should do. Look around SDN, I promise in a few days you'll know everything.
 
Uh my school doesn't even have a committee letter and I doubt that'll hurt my chances. So if you can't get one, they can't hold it against you. Informal just means not a program. So taking a class at a ccc and/or state school (if cheap) is what you should do. Look around SDN, I promise in a few days you'll know everything.


Thank you so much for all of your help. I really appreciate it, and am feeling more hopeful already!
 
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yep! I also think we're at a time period where we see many more folks doing pre-med after their bachelor's in an unreleated field or wanting to change their careers. As such, most of them are probably taking their pre-reqs at at cc and they do get in so no sweat there. i have no stats to show this but it's just a feeling that I have. just make sure your med schools of interest do accept cc credits. some don't (and I think they're in the minority).
 
Hey guys,

Lately I've been overwhelmed with the volume of information out there on this topic. Yes, I've used the search function on this site, as well as other websites, but I still cannot figure out what I should do or where I should apply.

In a nutshell, I failed out of high school when I was 16, did California Community College, transferred to UC Berkeley, but never took the SAT or ACT. That said, do I need to take the GRE (or another standardized test) to be competitive for post-bacc programs in California or elsewhere? If so, I guess I'll start studying ASAP for the GRE.

Also, my parents are not helping me finance my post-bacc in any way whatsoever. All of my living expenses, transportation, tuition, and any other expenses fall on me. I'm 23 years old, and graduated from Berkeley in 2012. I don't have much money. Obviously, I will have to take on loans, and I am okay with that reality. However, I am looking for the ideal combination of an inexpensive post-bacc program that would/could provide me with a committee letter at the end of the program. I graduated with a 3.0 from Berkeley as a Psychology major, so I know that is not stellar either. Combining that with my CCC GPA, I am probably closer to a 3.1 or 3.2 GPA. I live in Berkeley currently, so anywhere near Berkeley would be great. However, I am open to out-of-state post-baccs as well or southern California post-baccs, too. I have never taken any pre-med requirements or Calculus.

Should I sign up for a Calculus class ASAP at a CCC?

Basically, I'm looking for programs that aren't too expensive, will provide me with a committee letter, will give me a solid shot at acceptance with a 3.1ish overall GPA, and ideally do not -require- standardized test scores, as I currently do not have any.


Thank you (anyone and everyone) so much for any advice you can provide for me. I really do appreciate it. I've been feeling somewhat hopeless about my future lately, and in no way am I looking for sympathy or pity; I only mean to suggest that your advice and guidance means a lot to me. Thank you.


There are a lot of postbacc programs you could do in California, but I applied to the UC Postbacc Consortium. https://postbac.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/
The application opens in January. You may have to take out loans to pay for tuition, there isn't much financial support. That said, I did get a scholarship that paid my tuition, I just had to pay for living expenses, and books.
 
If I was to do a formal or semi-formal post-bacc at the UC Consortium or something of that nature, how and where would I apply for scholarships? I'm Caucasian, so that doesn't help, and my family is relatively wealthy, but they aren't helping me pay a dime for anything :/. I'm really not sure what sort of scholarships I could be eligible for; I graduated UC Berkeley with a 3.0.
 
Look into UC Berkeley Extension. It's kind of the in between type of institution and it sounds like it'd be a good match for you. You can just take as many classes as you want without ever applying to the actual post-bacc program or if you apply to the program, the advantages of that are a committee letter, advising, the post-bacc certificate after 24 credits, and priority class registration.

The problem with it is that it's expensive and they are not eligible for student loans at all. You have to pay for each class in full out of pocket (they do not offer payment plans). I guess you could put it on a credit card and act like that's a payment plan or get private loans (which I never suggest). Although I think as a Berkeley alum, you get a bit of a discount. Definitely check out their website. They have lower level and upper level classes, which is nice. They have some informational sessions on their post-bacc health professions program that would explain things to you better than I have.

To be honest, I'm not completely sure how adcoms view Extension courses compared to a CC but they do seem to have a pretty good amount of people who get into med schools after their program (I think there are stats on their website). Their post-bacc isn't really structured. You take however many classes you want in whatever order you want but if you apply to the actual program, the advisors will help you decide what to do for your situation.

Just wanted to add that med schools look poorly upon not getting a committee letter if your school offers one. Most med schools require you to get one if your school has that option - not all undergrads do it.
 
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Look into UC Berkeley Extension. It's kind of the in between type of institution and it sounds like it'd be a good match for you. You can just take as many classes as you want without ever applying to the actual post-bacc program or if you apply to the program, the advantages of that are a committee letter, advising, the post-bacc certificate after 24 credits, and priority class registration.

The problem with it is that it's expensive and they are not eligible for student loans at all. You have to pay for each class in full out of pocket (they do not offer payment plans). I guess you could put it on a credit card and act like that's a payment plan or get private loans (which I never suggest). Although I think as a Berkeley alum, you get a bit of a discount. Definitely check out their website. They have lower level and upper level classes, which is nice. They have some informational sessions on their post-bacc health professions program that would explain things to you better than I have.

To be honest, I'm not completely sure how adcoms view Extension courses compared to a CC but they do seem to have a pretty good amount of people who get into med schools after their program (I think there are stats on their website). Their post-bacc isn't really structured. You take however many classes you want in whatever order you want but if you apply to the actual program, the advisors will help you decide what to do for your situation.

Just wanted to add that med schools look poorly upon not getting a committee letter if your school offers one. Most med schools require you to get one if your school has that option - not all undergrads do it.
I absolutely second this...tried to post it before but my phone was acting up.

I am currently doing a DIY postbacc through them, and it's really nice to have evening courses and multiple locations. They have all the prereqs and then a bunch of interesting upper divs like Hematology, Cardiac Physiology, and Med Micro.

I wouldn't/didn't bother with the official program, personally, because I did not need the advising or the committee letter (my school makes theirs available to all alums). Not sure if that'd be useful for you.

The only issue is that it's expensive per-credit, as most non-degree-granting programs are. Normal classes aren't bad, but labs are a total ripoff.
 
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...and as a note, I'm in pretty much the same boat. Graduated with <3.2, living in the Bay area, trying to find a way to bump up my GPA and prep for an application without going into serious debt over it.
 
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