low GPA, post-bac not an option...how to proceed?

[justpremed]

what does one do if one has already taken all required pre-med classes, but done poorly in them? i've been reading up on some post-bac programs, but most of the ones i've explored are specifically only for people who have never taken the pre-med classes. what options are there to raise one's GPA? should these classes just be taken over again? are there programs designed for people in similar situations?

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[fried rice]

Special Masters Program

 

[ensuii]

Try http://www.barry.edu/chs/msprograms/postba-msbiomed/ ?

 

[CoolWhipp]

http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/profseq/premed.html

Heard great things about UC Berkeley's program. I'm sure there are more of these postbacc programs for people who have taken prereqs too. This or go SMP.

 

[camaras2480]

SMP. Look at Georgetown and BU. Those, imo (and most ppl agree), are the two best. There are several threads on these here on SDN.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

what does one do if one has already taken all required pre-med classes, but done poorly in them? i've been reading up on some post-bac programs, but most of the ones i've explored are specifically only for people who have never taken the pre-med classes. what options are there to raise one's GPA? should these classes just be taken over again? are there programs designed for people in similar situations?

How poor is poor?

 

[Stixman28]

As folks have said, POST_BAC IS ALWAYS AN OPTION. UPenn has a program called special sciences that lets students who already have taken their pre reqs take upper level science courses to boost their uGPA.

Keep taking classes and increase your gpa. Don't do a masters, it's unnecessary, except in certain circumstances, e.g. an unrecoverable uGPA.

 

[camaras2480]

Don't do a masters, it's unnecessary, except in certain circumstances, e.g. an unrecoverable uGPA.

Again, OP, we have no idea how poor is poor. If you DO have an unrecoverable uGPA, you need to look toward SMP.

 

[richse]

what does one do if one has already taken all required pre-med classes, but done poorly in them? i've been reading up on some post-bac programs, but most of the ones i've explored are specifically only for people who have never taken the pre-med classes. what options are there to raise one's GPA? should these classes just be taken over again? are there programs designed for people in similar situations?

At Univ of Penn there are two version of the Post-Bac. One is called "Pre-Health Core Studies" and is for people with out the science pre-reqs. The other is called "Pre-Health Specialized Studies" and is what you need. You can take any upper level science and non-science classes that they offer to help raise your gpa. They also proivde advising and great clinical/volunteer opportunities.

 

[richse]

As folks have said, POST_BAC IS ALWAYS AN OPTION. UPenn has a program called special sciences that lets students who already have taken their pre reqs take upper level science courses to boost their uGPA.

Keep taking classes and increase your gpa. Don't do a masters, it's unnecessary, except in certain circumstances, e.g. an unrecoverable uGPA.

Woops, didn't see that you already mentioned Penn's program. They did however change the name of the Post-bac school and the programs recently.

 

[justpremed]

thank you all so much for the helpful responses! the GPA in question is around 2.9 with a science GPA of around 2.7...

the person i'm asking for is about to begin his senior year in college. i think that, at best, his gpa at grad will be around 3.0 so i was just trying ot help him find the best direction in which to proceed post-graduation

thank you again!

 

[camaras2480]

thank you all so much for the helpful responses! the GPA in question is around 2.9 with a science GPA of around 2.7...

the person i'm asking for is about to begin his senior year in college. i think that, at best, his gpa at grad will be around 3.0 so i was just trying ot help him find the best direction in which to proceed post-graduation

thank you again!

I think this falls into the range of 'unrecoverable GPA.' IMO, Your friend should be looking toward SMP more than Postbac.

 

[Bacchus]

Your friend should repeat courses and apply DO.

 

[blueboo32]

I think this falls into the range of 'unrecoverable GPA.' IMO, Your friend should be looking toward SMP more than Postbac.

SMP requires GREs and some don't accept C-s. How about study for the MCATs and community college? Or informal postbac program? I'm sort of in the same boat and looking for options too.

 

[shiftingmirage]

I know Loyola (Chicago) has a 1 year MPH program and if you get a 3.5 GPA in their program and a 28 MCAT, they guarentee you an interview at their med school.

 

[armybound]

Post-bac is always an option.

 

[taylormade2006]

Can you just take classes at a university as a "non-degree" seeking student to make up for missed pre-reqs or bad grades?

 

[camaras2480]

SMP requires GREs and some don't accept C-s. How about study for the MCATs and community college? Or informal postbac program? I'm sort of in the same boat and looking for options too.

SMPs required GREs or MCAT. Have you taken neither? Studying for the MCAT is of course great. CC, meh, people have varying opinions on CC courses. Informal postbac/non-degree is an option, but it should be the third option, after SMP/Postbac.

 

[camaras2480]

Can you just take classes at a university as a "non-degree" seeking student to make up for missed pre-reqs or bad grades?

Letting you take classes as a non-degree candidate is allowed at the given university's discretion. Will those classes count toward your AMCAS/AACOMAS? Yes.

 

[taylormade2006]

Is the suggestion that taking a structured program demonstrates greater academic merit than just replacing a class here and a class there?

 

[camaras2480]

Is the suggestion that taking a structured program demonstrates greater academic merit than just replacing a class here and a class there?

This really depends on the person/school reviewing your file. IMO, I think a formal program would look better, simply because it seems to show greater dedication, rather than just replacing what you need to.

 

[JeetKuneDo]

http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/profseq/premed.html

Heard great things about UC Berkeley's program. I'm sure there are more of these postbacc programs for people who have taken prereqs too. This or go SMP.

Is this Berkeley program new? I wonder if UCLA extension has something similar.

 

[pietachok]

Is the suggestion that taking a structured program demonstrates greater academic merit than just replacing a class here and a class there?

It is not so much that taking a structured program has greater merit, rather it is that performing well while taking a full course load is more indicative of your ability to perform well in med school. After all, if we each took our difficult courses as the only or one of few classes in a year, we'd all have better GPAs. So, even if you don't join a structured program, you should have at least one term during which you take the equivalent of a full course load (that can be 3 classes + volunteering, etc.).

 

[taylormade2006]

Thanks pietachok, that is a good explanation.