Non trad indepent study/retake of pre-req classes

[Beast11]

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Greetings:

I am as non-trad as they come-34 but still wanting to go back. I had a couple of questions that have been tangentially touched upon, so I was hoping for a answer from someone who knows for sure...

I am planning to apply to AMCAS starting June 1. I have made arrangements so that this summer is relatively free (given over to volunteering, part time work, etc.) I think that I could find a way to part time take some classes if I could wheel and deal-which leads to my question.

Since all of my pre-reqs are more than 7 years old, are the "strictly by the book" schools (7 years or more recent) usually willing to accept some upperlevel (if not exactly post-bac) classes in lieu? My BCPM is solid but all above the pre-reqs. I don't think I can swing full labs this summer. I could certainly get a class during the spring-summer "intersemester." One month internsive class, but should be easier. That said-my biology was AP'ed out from undergrad (this was from the day when AP's were still relatively rare). Does this look to be a major problem?

Given that the primary application would be due before I could get a lot of balls rolling, but by end of summer I could get something to work-would one think that secondaries will be tendered given a reasonably solid application, thus allowing me to bolster the secondary claims on the fly? Any problems in trying to get more competitive during the cycle?

Also-if I could arrange independent study classes-can they be seen as OK (again, I am thinking to approach professors and try to fulfill requirements for their prior semester by self study)

In short-I know that no school is necessarily non-trad friendly, but a up to date list of the really strict schools would be welcome.

Thanks!

 

[remo]

I think that unless you were a stellar student 7 years ago and you crush the MCAT, that you will be at a big disadvantage in not having taken any classes in 7 years. They like to see that you can still go to class and take exams. Taking classes during the application cycle is good but it might not help that much since you might never get past the application screening phase. You might want to consider taking classes for a year and then applying next year.

 

[FDoRoML]

I was sort of in the same boat. I had to take and re-take many courses that were 7-10 years old. I also had upper-level and grad level courses to boost my not re-taking Bio.

I tried (decided it was a lot of work so I should test the waters without completing all the coursework) in 2003 with no success. I took late 03 through summer 05 to finish up those courses and had a successful application this time.

Looking back, I should have heeded the advice and just gone ahead and taken care of courses, etc. I wasted my time and money (although the first time applying taught me a lot about the AMCAS system and secondaries... so that was useful). If you don't mind spending a lot of money to learn that stuff...

If I had to do it over again I would have simply completed the courses and a few experiences I needed, and waited to apply until my ducks were in a row (the last of the courses I needed were completed after AMCAS was submitted-- in the mid-summer-- so you just have to send updates to schools if you didn't already address it on the secondaries).

Even with that done, make sure you apply to a good range of schools. Many of the upper-end ones will still look down their noses at your coursework unless you blow them out of the water with a 35+ MCAT.

Good luck!
FDoRoML