Nontraditional student with a 2.87 (MD/DO): Need some advising?

[deleted913644]

I graduated with a low g.p.a, 2.87 in Biology on the pre-med track. With a low grade point average, I could not get into any post-bacc program because they required at least a 3.0.
So to boost my chances, I am taking my prerequisites at a local community college. I only have five more courses to go and then I'll take the MCAT in September. I researched and someone said that medical schools only take community college prerequisites only if they are taken with a four-year degree. If I need to take my prerequisites after my bachelor's, it should be a post-bacc program at a university. Am I on the right track, taking courses to boost my g.p.a to get into a post- bacc for med school?

 

[deleted1085158]

PCOM's master's program clearly states that they accept community college credits for the prereqs. Don't listen to other people.

Whatever you choose to do, you have to get very high grades to make your case. There is no reason not to get a 4.0 at the community college.

 

[Goro]

So to boost my chances, I am taking my prerequisites at a local community college. I only have five more courses to go and then I'll take the MCAT in September. I researched and someone said that medical schools only take community college prerequisites only if they are taken with a four-year degree. If I need to take my prerequisites after my bachelor's, it should be a post-bacc program at a university. Am I on the right track, taking courses to boost my g.p.a to get into a post- bacc for med school?

As a non-trad, you'll get cut more slack for taking courses at a CC, especially is finances are an issue. But it is best to take more rigorous courses at a four year school.

Read this:

• Goro's advice for pre-meds who need reinvention

 

[jhmmd]

I graduated with a low g.p.a, 2.87 in Biology on the pre-med track. With a low grade point average, I could not get into any post-bacc program because they required at least a 3.0.
So to boost my chances, I am taking my prerequisites at a local community college. I only have five more courses to go and then I'll take the MCAT in September. I researched and someone said that medical schools only take community college prerequisites only if they are taken with a four-year degree. If I need to take my prerequisites after my bachelor's, it should be a post-bacc program at a university. Am I on the right track, taking courses to boost my g.p.a to get into a post- bacc for med school?

Have you taken any practice AAMC full length exams yet?

 

[holdthemayo]

I graduated with a low g.p.a, 2.87 in Biology on the pre-med track. With a low grade point average, I could not get into any post-bacc program because they required at least a 3.0.
So to boost my chances, I am taking my prerequisites at a local community college. I only have five more courses to go and then I'll take the MCAT in September. I researched and someone said that medical schools only take community college prerequisites only if they are taken with a four-year degree. If I need to take my prerequisites after my bachelor's, it should be a post-bacc program at a university. Am I on the right track, taking courses to boost my g.p.a to get into a post- bacc for med school?

I'm a current M4 at a MD program. I did almost all of my prereqs at community college. CC was what I could afford and had more options to fit my schedule while working full time.

Get A's and then do well on your MCAT. People are a lot less likely to question how rigorous your courses were if you back them up with a stellar MCAT.

I have no way of knowing if I would have had more interviews had I done them elsewhere, but they worked out fine for me.

n=1

 

[gramnegative]

I did about half of my pre-reqs at a CC and no one has ever brought it up, but I also took upper-level science courses at a local four year. I concur that a good MCAT with recent stellar coursework can make up for a checkered academic past - when I first graduated from college my cgpa was a 3.0.