There is not much details about mount holyoke here in sdn. I would like to know if anybody attended their program. Do they really have a 100% acceptance rate to medical school. What is the schools reputation? The schools website gives a lot of detail about what the program offers.it seems really great. However, i am concerned that no one has ever mentioned anything about mount holyoke here. I would really like to from people who went through the program. It seems as though nobody knows about the program that it is never mentioned here in sdn. Please please i really need your opinion on this one.
Mount holyoke post bacc...100% acceptance rate to medical school????
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Hi ErgoMD,
My advisor actually received a pamphlet from Mt Holyoke today about their postbac program. Apparently their deadline has been pushed back to April 1st. She mentioned something about it being a "Seven Sisters" college, similar to Bryn Mawr, and that it had a good academic reputation. From what I've gathered though, Mt. Holyoke is very isolated... I haven't been able to find anyone who's gone through their post-bac program... Hopefully someone here could provide more insight for us
It can't hurt to apply though. Also, are programs allowed to legally advertise having a 100% acceptance rate to medical school if it wasn't true..? (Sorry for the stupid question)
My advisor actually received a pamphlet from Mt Holyoke today about their postbac program. Apparently their deadline has been pushed back to April 1st. She mentioned something about it being a "Seven Sisters" college, similar to Bryn Mawr, and that it had a good academic reputation. From what I've gathered though, Mt. Holyoke is very isolated... I haven't been able to find anyone who's gone through their post-bac program... Hopefully someone here could provide more insight for us
It can't hurt to apply though. Also, are programs allowed to legally advertise having a 100% acceptance rate to medical school if it wasn't true..? (Sorry for the stupid question)
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Mt. Holoyke is near Amherst and the other schools in that area. It's definitely isolated in relation to major cities compared to schools like BM, etc. I'd never heard of the program but the school it's at is a women's college like BM.
Hi nuggles,
Will you be applying to Mount Holyoke's program?
From what I gathered from their website, it seems like they offer a lot of support to post bacc students. And classes are pretty small so you'll get to know your professors pretty well.
I am looking at Northwestern's program as well. Not much info on their website. And I read comments about their lack of support to post bacc students, and discouraging feedback about their chem classes. esp orgchem.. oh well...
thanks for your reply
Will you be applying to Mount Holyoke's program?
From what I gathered from their website, it seems like they offer a lot of support to post bacc students. And classes are pretty small so you'll get to know your professors pretty well.
I am looking at Northwestern's program as well. Not much info on their website. And I read comments about their lack of support to post bacc students, and discouraging feedback about their chem classes. esp orgchem.. oh well...
thanks for your reply
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Hi ErgoMD,
I'm still on the fence on this. I've already been accepted to the HES, and I have interviews with UPenn (and maybe Goucher--hopefully!) in the near future... So for me, I'm not sure it's necessarily worth the effort to apply to a program that I know almost nothing about. I unfortunately haven't been able to find a lot of information on the Mt. Holyoke program, which I find slightly worrying (it does seem weird that not many people here have even heard of the program). As of right now, HES and the other two schools I'm considering seem a lot more appealing than Mt. Holyoke. Hopefully I'll be able to find more outside information/opinion on it before the deadline so I could make a more informed decision on this 😛. Are you planning to apply ErgoMD?
I'm still on the fence on this. I've already been accepted to the HES, and I have interviews with UPenn (and maybe Goucher--hopefully!) in the near future... So for me, I'm not sure it's necessarily worth the effort to apply to a program that I know almost nothing about. I unfortunately haven't been able to find a lot of information on the Mt. Holyoke program, which I find slightly worrying (it does seem weird that not many people here have even heard of the program). As of right now, HES and the other two schools I'm considering seem a lot more appealing than Mt. Holyoke. Hopefully I'll be able to find more outside information/opinion on it before the deadline so I could make a more informed decision on this 😛. Are you planning to apply ErgoMD?
Hi Nuggles,
Wow. Harvard, Penn and Goucher have excellent programs. Good for you. Let me know which program you'll choose. 🙂 I really wanted to apply to Goucher and Bryn Mawr. I called both of them, but they said I am not eligible because I have taken some of the science courses. Therefore I applied to Northwestern, WashU, American, SFSU and UC Berkeley.
I have been out of school for four years now. I would like to get into med school as soon as possible. I want a program that would provide me with total support.
Northwestern would have been nice. However, there is only one adviser for all the post bacc students. Plus, classes are held at night and not all classes are at Evanston, some are in Chicago. I live in California, so Im not sure if this would be a good arrangement for me. The school do not offer MCAT review in their University, so you would have to find one yourself. I am not sure if they offer help with regards to LORs.
WashU's program is still young, about 3 or four years. Classes are also held at night, but if you like to attend the morning class you would have to sit with other 300+ students. They do not disclose any statistics with regards to med school acceptance.
UC Berkeley---JUST LOADS of negative.
SFSU. It is a two year program. Too long.
American Univeristy. Says on its website that it has an 86% acceptance rate. I am not sure of the school's reputation. I haven't heard of this school until I started researching about post bacc programs.
I am looking into Mt. Holyoke's program, only because of the small class size, the classes are all in the day and all in the campus, they offer MCAT review classes, and provides committee letter, hook you up with clinical and volunteer jobs, and because of the acceptance rate. BUT the only drawback I see that, nobody has ever shared their experience of the program. Considering that the program is quite old. Its been around since the 1980s. I dont see why nobody has ever commented about it. 😕
DECISIONS, DECISIONS..........................................................
SO IM BEGGING THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE PROGRAM TO PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES.
Wow. Harvard, Penn and Goucher have excellent programs. Good for you. Let me know which program you'll choose. 🙂 I really wanted to apply to Goucher and Bryn Mawr. I called both of them, but they said I am not eligible because I have taken some of the science courses. Therefore I applied to Northwestern, WashU, American, SFSU and UC Berkeley.
I have been out of school for four years now. I would like to get into med school as soon as possible. I want a program that would provide me with total support.
Northwestern would have been nice. However, there is only one adviser for all the post bacc students. Plus, classes are held at night and not all classes are at Evanston, some are in Chicago. I live in California, so Im not sure if this would be a good arrangement for me. The school do not offer MCAT review in their University, so you would have to find one yourself. I am not sure if they offer help with regards to LORs.
WashU's program is still young, about 3 or four years. Classes are also held at night, but if you like to attend the morning class you would have to sit with other 300+ students. They do not disclose any statistics with regards to med school acceptance.
UC Berkeley---JUST LOADS of negative.
SFSU. It is a two year program. Too long.
American Univeristy. Says on its website that it has an 86% acceptance rate. I am not sure of the school's reputation. I haven't heard of this school until I started researching about post bacc programs.
I am looking into Mt. Holyoke's program, only because of the small class size, the classes are all in the day and all in the campus, they offer MCAT review classes, and provides committee letter, hook you up with clinical and volunteer jobs, and because of the acceptance rate. BUT the only drawback I see that, nobody has ever shared their experience of the program. Considering that the program is quite old. Its been around since the 1980s. I dont see why nobody has ever commented about it. 😕
DECISIONS, DECISIONS..........................................................
SO IM BEGGING THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE PROGRAM TO PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES.
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Hi ErgoMD again,
I'm actually very surprised about UC Berkeley. I would've thought their postbac program would have been decent, considering their strong undergraduate reputation. If you don't mind me asking, what in particular is bad about their postbac program?
I'm going to talk to my advisor again in a few days to see if she can provide any insight on Mt. Holyoke, hopefully she knows a bit about it :S
I'm actually very surprised about UC Berkeley. I would've thought their postbac program would have been decent, considering their strong undergraduate reputation. If you don't mind me asking, what in particular is bad about their postbac program?
I'm going to talk to my advisor again in a few days to see if she can provide any insight on Mt. Holyoke, hopefully she knows a bit about it :S
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Berkeley's program is through their extension school, and isn't as good as their undergrad.
Hi Nuggles,
UC Berkeley's program is fairly new. They provided no stats. You would have to take the classes in different areas, in SF, Redlands, etc. NO STRUCTURE at all. The only positive thing is that the program is under the name "UC Berkeley." Some say that credits are non transferable. Classes are not even in the UCB campus. And very expensive. There has been a lot of complain about the system. SFSU is waaay better. I attended the open house at UCB and the coordinators were unable to answer much of the questions. TERRIBLE.
Please let me know if you get any more info about MOUnt holyoke. I like everything about what they say they provide in their Post Bacc Program (c/o their website). The only question I have in mind is, if those are REAL. Since no one has ever commented about Mt holyoke here or in any other forums. Im starting to think that maybe that 100% acceptance rate happened because they only have one person in the program, that person got lucky and was accepted to med school and WALAAH! they got a hundred percent acceptance rate!
Thanks again!🙂
UC Berkeley's program is fairly new. They provided no stats. You would have to take the classes in different areas, in SF, Redlands, etc. NO STRUCTURE at all. The only positive thing is that the program is under the name "UC Berkeley." Some say that credits are non transferable. Classes are not even in the UCB campus. And very expensive. There has been a lot of complain about the system. SFSU is waaay better. I attended the open house at UCB and the coordinators were unable to answer much of the questions. TERRIBLE.
Please let me know if you get any more info about MOUnt holyoke. I like everything about what they say they provide in their Post Bacc Program (c/o their website). The only question I have in mind is, if those are REAL. Since no one has ever commented about Mt holyoke here or in any other forums. Im starting to think that maybe that 100% acceptance rate happened because they only have one person in the program, that person got lucky and was accepted to med school and WALAAH! they got a hundred percent acceptance rate!
Thanks again!🙂
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Did you apply to Mills? Will they not take you because of the science classes? I know CSULA has a postbac program that is pretty decent also.
I went to scripps and mills, both of them suggested that I go somewhere else. Because they are strictly for those who have not yet taken any pre med prereqs. CSULA and other (UC's except for Berkeley) on the other hand, require that applicants be socio-econimically, or academically or in any other way disadvantaged. For the love of god. I dont know where to go! 
Are you in California drizzt3117? Where did you do your undergrad or post bacc?
Are you in California drizzt3117? Where did you do your undergrad or post bacc?
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Have you thought about the Harvard Extension Program? To my knowledge, the quality there doesn't drop as dramatically as with the Berkeley program. It's cheap and seems easy to get into (no rec letters OR interview required!). You won't be able to get into the diploma program though (since they require 0 premed courses taken going in), BUT if you take like 20 or something credits there (with a B average), you can get sponsorship with the HES, which I think is what most people are really after.
I heard people throwing around a 80-90% acceptance rate to medical school for the HES, which is pretty darn good I think (when you factor in the relatively relaxed screening process). I haven't heard too many negative things being said about the Harvard program, apart from its relatively large class size (which is expected) and lack of direction/guidance (but that's what this forum is for 😀). Hope this option works out for you!
Edit: and for the Harvard program, you also don't need to be socially or financially disadvantaged in order to apply
Edit2: Took from TeoTBL (in the Harvard Housing thread):
"Hello! I will most likely be part of the diploma program at HES this fall.
I was in Boston in late January, so took the opportunity to visit Mr. Peterson (Dr.?) to ask him some questions about the program. He said that, yes, 80-90% of the students who are sponsored by HCP are accepted into medical school.
However, within a class of students eligible for sponsorship, only about 50% will get sponsorship per year. Each class hovers around 150, meaning about 75 will get sponsored, and probably all but 7 will get into medical school.
In order to get sponsorship, you have to meet criteria listed on their site and pay a $500 fee.
He said the 50% rate of sponsorship is mostly owed to 1) people discovering that they do not, in fact, want to become doctors, 2) people finding the course work too difficult, and/or 3) people not being able to balance coursework with other commitments in their life, such as work or family.
What does this mean? First, I think this shows that there is much diversity in terms of ability and life situations. And secondly, I think it shows that provided one is able to put in the time and works hard to make grade, it is a very successful program at getting students into medical school. Of course, the requirements to get sponsored make it so that only at least mid-range candidates can apply. But considering that the only criteria for sponsorship seems to be grades and MCAT, 85% is pretty good.
Another thing to remember is that the jobs of Dr. Fixsen and Mr. Peterson, as advisors, are to advise students realistically about their chances as well as offer advice about where to shore up an application.
I'm confident that dollar for dollar, HCP is a tremendous value. "
I heard people throwing around a 80-90% acceptance rate to medical school for the HES, which is pretty darn good I think (when you factor in the relatively relaxed screening process). I haven't heard too many negative things being said about the Harvard program, apart from its relatively large class size (which is expected) and lack of direction/guidance (but that's what this forum is for 😀). Hope this option works out for you!
Edit: and for the Harvard program, you also don't need to be socially or financially disadvantaged in order to apply
Edit2: Took from TeoTBL (in the Harvard Housing thread):
"Hello! I will most likely be part of the diploma program at HES this fall.
I was in Boston in late January, so took the opportunity to visit Mr. Peterson (Dr.?) to ask him some questions about the program. He said that, yes, 80-90% of the students who are sponsored by HCP are accepted into medical school.
However, within a class of students eligible for sponsorship, only about 50% will get sponsorship per year. Each class hovers around 150, meaning about 75 will get sponsored, and probably all but 7 will get into medical school.
In order to get sponsorship, you have to meet criteria listed on their site and pay a $500 fee.
He said the 50% rate of sponsorship is mostly owed to 1) people discovering that they do not, in fact, want to become doctors, 2) people finding the course work too difficult, and/or 3) people not being able to balance coursework with other commitments in their life, such as work or family.
What does this mean? First, I think this shows that there is much diversity in terms of ability and life situations. And secondly, I think it shows that provided one is able to put in the time and works hard to make grade, it is a very successful program at getting students into medical school. Of course, the requirements to get sponsored make it so that only at least mid-range candidates can apply. But considering that the only criteria for sponsorship seems to be grades and MCAT, 85% is pretty good.
Another thing to remember is that the jobs of Dr. Fixsen and Mr. Peterson, as advisors, are to advise students realistically about their chances as well as offer advice about where to shore up an application.
I'm confident that dollar for dollar, HCP is a tremendous value. "
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I agree. I've been told the professors are very uninspiring as well, and have yet to hear a single good thing about the program (except the name!).
I went to scripps and mills, both of them suggested that I go somewhere else. Because they are strictly for those who have not yet taken any pre med prereqs. CSULA and other (UC's except for Berkeley) on the other hand, require that applicants be socio-econimically, or academically or in any other way disadvantaged. For the love of god. I dont know where to go!
Are you in California drizzt3117? Where did you do your undergrad or post bacc?
That seems really odd to me, because at least up until I went to Mills (I graduated from the program in 2008) it was definitely open to people who had taken some of the prereqs--Mills just wants you to finish at least half of the pre-reqs in their program, and if I'm not mistaken, you can still attend if you've taken more, you just can't get the certificate (a certificate really doesn't mean that much anyway...)
I just checked the website again, and it still says this as well.
I had already completed gen chem before I went to Mills. Who did you speak with at Mills? Jo Scullion is the program coordinator and would be the best person to talk to, but I can't imagine her suggesting you go elsewhere unless there were other factors involved.
As far as your original question, unfortunately I know nothing about the Mr. Holyoke program. I do however, hear good things about SFSUs program. They seem to have a really great pre-med advisor.
Obviously I hear good things about Mills since I went there and loved it 🙂
The important thing however, is to go where you can best succeed. Good luck!
-Brent
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I went to scripps and mills, both of them suggested that I go somewhere else. Because they are strictly for those who have not yet taken any pre med prereqs. CSULA and other (UC's except for Berkeley) on the other hand, require that applicants be socio-econimically, or academically or in any other way disadvantaged. For the love of god. I dont know where to go!
Are you in California drizzt3117? Where did you do your undergrad or post bacc?
I did my postbac at Scripps, and am currently a med student.
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I've been in this program for a year and a half, and it's...interesting.
The professors - most of them are uninspiring at best. Some of them are just downright awful. I've had two professors with whom I would EASILY take classes again - neither of them are with Extension anymore.
If you have a full time job, this program is great because you can take your pre-reqs at night or on Saturdays. Outside of that, the program (which really isn't much of an actual program, but that's a story for another day) leaves a lot to be desired.
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I did HES, was sponsored, and got in somewhere good, still hearing from interviews at two top 10 schools. Lots of friends got into "top" schools as well. For an "extension" program it had a hell of a lot of structure. See my post here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=46882
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=46882
I currently attend Mt Holyoke...
The Stats are really high for post-bacs and trad grads. Classes are small and professors are really great and very acceptable. The program stats are from the last 3 years since a new admin was brought in and the program was revamped.
Pitfalls
Not much in terms of independent research for post bacs, and the students are TERRIBLE. Horribly competetive and extreme amounts of sabotage.
The Stats are really high for post-bacs and trad grads. Classes are small and professors are really great and very acceptable. The program stats are from the last 3 years since a new admin was brought in and the program was revamped.
Pitfalls
Not much in terms of independent research for post bacs, and the students are TERRIBLE. Horribly competetive and extreme amounts of sabotage.
