Northwestern Health Sciences University?

[wekmekrn]

Anyone heard of this post bacc program? Any advice?

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[FutureDrB]

Anyone heard of this post bacc program? Any advice?

Who? I had to Google them. Looks like they're into alternative medicine and all that witchcraftery stuff. Just kidding.

I can't offer any valuable feedback, but here's the link to save others some time.

http://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-health-sciences/post-bacc/

 

[CoolBeans411]

Anyone heard of this post bacc program? Any advice?

Hello wekmekrn. I am currently applying to this program. I believe Sept. 9th of this year will be the beginning of their second cohort. I asked them about their success rate and they couldn't tell me because their first class is currently applying. I am not quite sure about this program either and I would also like some advice before I fully commit. I will also consult with my pre-health adviser this week and let you know.

 

[wekmekrn]

I asked them the same thing and was told the same information. I talked with my advisor and they said they haven't heard of it before but "they can't know about every program". I'm personally not committing to this program and will be taking another year to apply to others. For me, the risks are too high. Best of luck to you.

 

[CoolBeans411]

I asked them the same thing and was told the same information. I talked with my advisor and they said they haven't heard of it before but "they can't know about every program". I'm personally not committing to this program and will be taking another year to apply to others. For me, the risks are too high. Best of luck to you.

Sorry for the late reply. My adviser said that I should look for a post bacc with more upper-division courses or graduate course work.

 

[Cardboard101]

Sorry for the late reply. My adviser said that I should look for a post bacc with more upper-division courses or graduate course work.

Why not a do it yourself post bacc? Enroll, load up on upper div science courses. Not sure about graduate coursework. I took one grad class and the professor basically handed everyone that showed up an A so the grading difficulty is questionable.

 

[wekmekrn]

Why not a do it yourself post bacc? Enroll, load up on upper div science courses. Not sure about graduate coursework. I took one grad class and the professor basically handed everyone that showed up an A so the grading difficulty is questionable.

I just started a DIY post bacc and will be applying next cycle with a much better chance of getting in. I'm looking forward to replacing some C's with A's and boosting that gpa!

 

[Violagirl]

Not sure if anyone here is currently taking post bacc classes at this school or not but if anyone is, anyone have any advice or input on their program? I'm looking around at various post bacc programs to see what all is out there.

 

[BKNbkn]

Not sure if anyone here is currently taking post bacc classes at this school or not but if anyone is, anyone have any advice or input on their program? I'm looking around at various post bacc programs to see what all is out there.

Hi Violagirl and others inquiring about NWHSU,

I'm part of the 3rd cohort of the Post-Bac program at NWHSU. I've been here for one year, taken 42 credits. The program heavily focuses on Career-Changers, Grade-Enhancement, and filling Pre-Reqs.

I apologize in advance for grammatical errors, since I've just finished a full length practice MCAT at the time of writing.

My input on the program is as follows:

PROS:
1) A-la carte classes with flexibility. Take what classes you need, whether you need just that last pre-req or you're taking the whole ~42 credit Post-Bac program for refresher/MCAT prep/grade enhancement.
2) All* classes are recorded. Recorded lectures are viewable online. Some folks with 9-to-5 jobs or other obligations watch lectures online and only attend labs and exams (and get the grades they want). A&P is the only class I've taken there that was not recorded.
3) FAFSA for one year. Unlike other DIY post-bac programs, NWHSU gives financial aid, despite it not being a degree-seeking program.
4) Counts towards undergrad GPA. NWHSU reports your grades as Undergrad. Other Post-Bacs report their grades as graduate GPAs, which doesn't help your undergrad overall and science GPAs.
5) Trimester Format/Accelerated Courses allow you to blow through core science requirements. While taking Chem1&2, Orgo1&2, or Physics1&2 in other programs typically takes a year each, you can do all 3 in a year total (this is common, as most Post-Bacs take an accelerated course each trimester). This is a major time commitment.
6) Excellent Instructors. They are there to teach, not for research or winning grant money. They are exceptionally accessible, even handing out their phone numbers so you can text them questions. They understand Post-Bacs typically juggle other responsibilities and work with them 1-on-1 to accommodate special cases. (Have you ever had a professor come in to proctor a make-up test on a Saturdays, just for you? Try getting that at the big box schools.)
7) Small class sizes. 6-25 on average, depending on the trimester (Fall is typically the largest cohort). The instructors take every chance to get to know students. Contrast that to my first day in my old undergrad Intro to Chem class, which literally violated the fire code for university's 400-capacity lecture hall. NWHSU's small class sizes also helps when it comes time for Committee letters, letters of recommendation, etc.
8) Collaborative, Like-Minded Individuals. You won't get wedged into a class with a bunch of undergrads like some DIY post-bacs. Your cohort will have some consummate pre-meds who are excellent company during courses, application time, MCAT prep, etc. They'll be that network I'll lean on during secondaries and interview season.
9) Non-Adversarial Grading: There is no "look to your left, look to your right", "only 10% of the class will get an A", bell-curve, voodoo magic. If you legitimately work hard and put effort in the courses, there is no reason to score lower than an A.
10) Rigorous (But Not Impossible) Upper-Level Courses: the upper-level sciences are understandably difficult, but prep you for being a first year. Microbiology here actually counts as a writing-intensive class!
11) Networking/Support Opportunities Tons of volunteer opportunities within the campus. Over my year here, I logged close to 400 hrs. Growing Pre-Med Association. They hold bi-monthly practice MCAT exams. They have free MCAT review books at the library from all the big names, without having to shell out $250.
12) Exposure to Non-Western Medicine Honestly, it's given me a different viewpoints on Chiro, Accupuncture, etc. But whether or not you agree with the practices, exposure and proximity to those programs and its students is another ace up your sleeve when the interview/MMI shifts towards, "What's your view on holistic/alternative medicine?".


CONS:
$400 per credit (more expensive than community colleges, but often less expensive than "big box" universities.)
No "feeder" programs or inter-school arrangements, e.g. B.S. to M.D.
Accelerated courses are time-intensive. Expect 8 hours of lectures and 3 hours of lab per week, per accelerated course. Don't get left behind!
Weak humanities courses, not tailored for attacking the BH section of MCAT.
NWHSU is primarily a chiropractic college. Like most Post-Bac programs, you are the statistical minority (9:1) in the school.
Non-faculty advising needs improvement. Recommend meticulous self-planning for your curriculum and application timeline.

TLDR:
While it's a new program, it has exceeded my expectations. Like most things in life, you get as much as you put into it. NWHSU has set me up to be a very competitive applicant for this coming May/June. I highly recommend it for those who are truly serious about redirecting their lives and investing in themselves to get that M.D. after their name.

Their official site is: https://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-health-sciences/post-bacc/
They are holding a Discovery Day (open house) sometime this July and tours upon request.

Hope this helps and good luck along the path,
BKN

 

[Violagirl]

@BKNbkn Thanks so much for the information! I found it to be extremely helpful! Several of the classes you listed are what I am thinking about retaking. I think it's great too that they do offer financial aid! I'm definitely going to be looking in to it more!

 

[solide]

Hi Violagirl and others inquiring about NWHSU,

I'm part of the 3rd cohort of the Post-Bac program at NWHSU. I've been here for one year, taken 42 credits. The program heavily focuses on Career-Changers, Grade-Enhancement, and filling Pre-Reqs.

I apologize in advance for grammatical errors, since I've just finished a full length practice MCAT at the time of writing.

My input on the program is as follows:

PROS:
1) A-la carte classes with flexibility. Take what classes you need, whether you need just that last pre-req or you're taking the whole ~42 credit Post-Bac program for refresher/MCAT prep/grade enhancement.
2) All* classes are recorded. Recorded lectures are viewable online. Some folks with 9-to-5 jobs or other obligations watch lectures online and only attend labs and exams (and get the grades they want). A&P is the only class I've taken there that was not recorded.
3) FAFSA for one year. Unlike other DIY post-bac programs, NWHSU gives financial aid, despite it not being a degree-seeking program.
4) Counts towards undergrad GPA. NWHSU reports your grades as Undergrad. Other Post-Bacs report their grades as graduate GPAs, which doesn't help your undergrad overall and science GPAs.
5) Trimester Format/Accelerated Courses allow you to blow through core science requirements. While taking Chem1&2, Orgo1&2, or Physics1&2 in other programs typically takes a year each, you can do all 3 in a year total (this is common, as most Post-Bacs take an accelerated course each trimester). This is a major time commitment.
6) Excellent Instructors. They are there to teach, not for research or winning grant money. They are exceptionally accessible, even handing out their phone numbers so you can text them questions. They understand Post-Bacs typically juggle other responsibilities and work with them 1-on-1 to accommodate special cases. (Have you ever had a professor come in to proctor a make-up test on a Saturdays, just for you? Try getting that at the big box schools.)
7) Small class sizes. 6-25 on average, depending on the trimester (Fall is typically the largest cohort). The instructors take every chance to get to know students. Contrast that to my first day in my old undergrad Intro to Chem class, which literally violated the fire code for university's 400-capacity lecture hall. NWHSU's small class sizes also helps when it comes time for Committee letters, letters of recommendation, etc.
8) Collaborative, Like-Minded Individuals. You won't get wedged into a class with a bunch of undergrads like some DIY post-bacs. Your cohort will have some consummate pre-meds who are excellent company during courses, application time, MCAT prep, etc. They'll be that network I'll lean on during secondaries and interview season.
9) Non-Adversarial Grading: There is no "look to your left, look to your right", "only 10% of the class will get an A", bell-curve, voodoo magic. If you legitimately work hard and put effort in the courses, there is no reason to score lower than an A.
10) Rigorous (But Not Impossible) Upper-Level Courses: the upper-level sciences are understandably difficult, but prep you for being a first year. Microbiology here actually counts as a writing-intensive class!
11) Networking/Support Opportunities Tons of volunteer opportunities within the campus. Over my year here, I logged close to 400 hrs. Growing Pre-Med Association. They hold bi-monthly practice MCAT exams. They have free MCAT review books at the library from all the big names, without having to shell out $250.
12) Exposure to Non-Western Medicine Honestly, it's given me a different viewpoints on Chiro, Accupuncture, etc. But whether or not you agree with the practices, exposure and proximity to those programs and its students is another ace up your sleeve when the interview/MMI shifts towards, "What's your view on holistic/alternative medicine?".


CONS:
$400 per credit (more expensive than community colleges, but often less expensive than "big box" universities.)
No "feeder" programs or inter-school arrangements, e.g. B.S. to M.D.
Accelerated courses are time-intensive. Expect 8 hours of lectures and 3 hours of lab per week, per accelerated course. Don't get left behind!
Weak humanities courses, not tailored for attacking the BH section of MCAT.
NWHSU is primarily a chiropractic college. Like most Post-Bac programs, you are the statistical minority (9:1) in the school.
Non-faculty advising needs improvement. Recommend meticulous self-planning for your curriculum and application timeline.

TLDR:
While it's a new program, it has exceeded my expectations. Like most things in life, you get as much as you put into it. NWHSU has set me up to be a very competitive applicant for this coming May/June. I highly recommend it for those who are truly serious about redirecting their lives and investing in themselves to get that M.D. after their name.

Their official site is: https://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-health-sciences/post-bacc/
They are holding a Discovery Day (open house) sometime this July and tours upon request.

Hope this helps and good luck along the path,
BKN

Thanks for providing this information!! Any updates or any idea on how many students have been accepted to medical school?

 

[BKNbkn]

Hi @solide ,

Being a new program, they do not have historic information. They boast an average reported 85+% on MCAT and 87.5% of individuals place in a graduate program.
Source: https://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-health-sciences/post-bacc/

In my experience (n=1), my cohort has since completed the program and many are knee-deep in interviews currently. A fellow NWHSU post-bac of mine and I actually interviewed at Loyola on the same day! Honestly, if I applied without completing the post-Bac at NWHSU, I would be barely competitive in the low-tier schools. As of the time of writing, I am actually turning down IIs and have a pending Ivy interview. Again, this is not to toot my own horn, but rather show the drastic effect one year of driven coursework and strong EC involvement in the program can net.

As in all things in life, your mileage may vary.

Realistically, there are some students in my cohort that I wager will never get into a US allopathic program. There were also consummate Pre-Meds who were prior oncology nurses, EMS/paramedics, and other strong applicants who, I wager, would easily matriculate into med school.

Hope this helps,
BKN

 

[solide]

Hi @solide ,

Being a new program, they do not have historic information. They boast an average reported 85+% on MCAT and 87.5% of individuals place in a graduate program.
Source: https://www.nwhealth.edu/undergraduate-health-sciences/post-bacc/

In my experience (n=1), my cohort has since completed the program and many are knee-deep in interviews currently. A fellow NWHSU post-bac of mine and I actually interviewed at Loyola on the same day! Honestly, if I applied without completing the post-Bac at NWHSU, I would be barely competitive in the low-tier schools. As of the time of writing, I am actually turning down IIs and have a pending Ivy interview. Again, this is not to toot my own horn, but rather show the drastic effect one year of driven coursework and strong EC involvement in the program can net.

As in all things in life, your mileage may vary.

Realistically, there are some students in my cohort that I wager will never get into a US allopathic program. There were also consummate Pre-Meds who were prior oncology nurses, EMS/paramedics, and other strong applicants who, I wager, would easily matriculate into med school.

Hope this helps,
BKN

Hi BKN -

Again, thanks for sharing your experience & it helps alot. It does depend on how much effort you put into it. BTW, congratulations on your interviews although NWHSU is an alternative medicine school you were able to land some great interviews. How many were in your cohort?

 

[BKNbkn]

Hi BKN -

Again, thanks for sharing your experience & it helps alot. It does depend on how much effort you put into it. BTW, congratulations on your interviews although NWHSU is an alternative medicine school you were able to land some great interviews. How many were in your cohort?

As it is an a-la carte post-bac, the term "cohort" is loosely defined here, and one I use to describe the pre-meds who do the full year. The numbers below will have natural attrition, as others may "just need one more class" to apply to schools. Your classmates will also include pre-chiro/massage/accupuncture students who also need to fill pre-reqs before continuance into the graduate programs here.

I started in the summer trimester (June-Sept), which typically has 15-20 fresh faces.
Fall trimesters (Oct-Dec) are usually the largest at 30-35.
Winter trimesters (Jan-Apr) are typically 25-strong.

These numbers reflect the largest class sizes for general pre-reqs (Chem, Orgo, Physics). Other/more advanced classes (Micro, Genetics, etc.) are more intimate at 10.

 

[Spartan_2017_]

As it is an a-la carte post-bac, the term "cohort" is loosely defined here, and one I use to describe the pre-meds who do the full year. The numbers below will have natural attrition, as others may "just need one more class" to apply to schools. Your classmates will also include pre-chiro/massage/accupuncture students who also need to fill pre-reqs before continuance into the graduate programs here.

I started in the summer trimester (June-Sept), which typically has 15-20 fresh faces.
Fall trimesters (Oct-Dec) are usually the largest at 30-35.
Winter trimesters (Jan-Apr) are typically 25-strong.

These numbers reflect the largest class sizes for general pre-reqs (Chem, Orgo, Physics). Other/more advanced classes (Micro, Genetics, etc.) are more intimate at 10.

Hi BKN -

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Would you mind telling me a little bit about applying to NWHSU? I am almost done with my UG degree and there are couple classes I would like to retake (namely Orgo 1/2, maybe genetics) just to show that I am more than competent while also completing anatomy and physiology requirements that weren't required for my major & I would be interested in pursuing post-bacc work at NWHSU.

 

[BKNbkn]

Hi BKN -

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Would you mind telling me a little bit about applying to NWHSU? I am almost done with my UG degree and there are couple classes I would like to retake (namely Orgo 1/2, maybe genetics) just to show that I am more than competent while also completing anatomy and physiology requirements that weren't required for my major & I would be interested in pursuing post-bacc work at NWHSU.

They have a great admissions staff that will help you through the process. Applying is very similar to any other program: submit transcripts, immunization requirements, FAFSA, etc. They're usually very quick to process applicants.

Their main website for applying is: http://www.nwhealth.edu/admissions/

From there, you can request more info, arrange a tour, or apply outright. I also recommend attending a Discovery Day (open house) if possible, as it is informational and they waive your application fee. Registration just opened for classes that start January, so you can start if you desire!

 

[Spartan_2017_]

They have a great admissions staff that will help you through the process. Applying is very similar to any other program: submit transcripts, immunization requirements, FAFSA, etc. They're usually very quick to process applicants.

Their main website for applying is: http://www.nwhealth.edu/admissions/

From there, you can request more info, arrange a tour, or apply outright. I also recommend attending a Discovery Day (open house) if possible, as it is informational and they waive your application fee. Registration just opened for classes that start January, so you can start if you desire!

Oh awesome! Now I know they said a min. GPA to apply is a 2.5, would you say chances to get into this program are decent with a 2.9-3.1 (do most people that apply end up getting accepted)?

 

[BKNbkn]

Oh awesome! Now I know they said a min. GPA to apply is a 2.5, would you say chances to get into this program are decent with a 2.9-3.1 (do most people that apply end up getting accepted)?

Yep! They understand that many folks seek a post-bac for grade repair (among other reasons), so 2.9-3.1 is fine.

 

[Spartan_2017_]

Yep! They understand that many folks seek a post-bac for grade repair (among other reasons), so 2.9-3.1 is fine.

Thanks so much for all your help! I just have 2 more questions, so sorry!

1. I would want to retake Orgo 1/2 and a couple other classes that I did not get at least a 2.5 in but would you recommend just retaking classes or spending 1/2 semesters just doing other courses as well?
2. How do you feel about affordable housing in the area? $400/credit hour is the cheapest for a post-bacc program I've found but I was wondering about living costs?

 

[BKNbkn]

1. If you're doing grade repair to go MD, take more courses. Doing more credits is more expensive, but improves your GPA while developing a strong upward trend. In an extreme case, a buddy of mine in my cohort had a not-so-appealing GPA during undergrad and took approximately 50 credits of straight-A 4.0s, and made his cumulative GPA competitive while showing med school adcoms readiness/seriousness/capability.

If you are doing specific classes for 'grade replacement' for DO programs, just do the specific classes that you want to specifically replace the scores in. I've known individuals who only took 3 or so classes, turned their F/D/C into As, and successfully got into a DO program.

2. Housing is available and affordable. There are no dorms. Many students that attend NWHSU live in student housing off-campus. This is usually $500-600 per month, and you live with a few other NWHSU students. Others with families opt to live in the newer apartment buildings less than a mile from campus. They're very nice, but are pricier at $800-1000+ per month. There is a bulletin on campus to see what houses are available, and Student Affairs does assist new students with resources for housing if I remember correctly. Anecdotally, I lived in two different houses, one with all chiro students and the other with a mixed population (a pre-med, a nursing student, chiro students, etc.).

Cost of living in Bloomington, MN is relatively low, considering it's a suburb of one of the largest Midwest cities, and has a wide range of offerings for all budgets. To illustrate the dichotomy, you can do the ramen diet/eat all your food at home or visit a good (pricey) restaurant a few miles north.

 

[Spartan_2017_]

1. If you're doing grade repair to go MD, take more courses. Doing more credits is more expensive, but improves your GPA while developing a strong upward trend. In an extreme case, a buddy of mine in my cohort had a not-so-appealing GPA during undergrad and took approximately 50 credits of straight-A 4.0s, and made his cumulative GPA competitive while showing med school adcoms readiness/seriousness/capability.

If you are doing specific classes for 'grade replacement' for DO programs, just do the specific classes that you want to specifically replace the scores in. I've known individuals who only took 3 or so classes, turned their F/D/C into As, and successfully got into a DO program.

2. Housing is available and affordable. There are no dorms. Many students that attend NWHSU live in student housing off-campus. This is usually $500-600 per month, and you live with a few other NWHSU students. Others with families opt to live in the newer apartment buildings less than a mile from campus. They're very nice, but are pricier at $800-1000+ per month. There is a bulletin on campus to see what houses are available, and Student Affairs does assist new students with resources for housing if I remember correctly. Anecdotally, I lived in two different houses, one with all chiro students and the other with a mixed population (a pre-med, a nursing student, chiro students, etc.).

Cost of living in Bloomington, MN is relatively, considering it's a suburb of one of the largest Midwest cities, and has a wide range of offerings for all budgets. To illustrate the dichotomy, you can do the ramen diet/eat all your food at home or visit a good (pricey) restaurant a few miles north.

Thanks so much for all of your help!

 

[Spartan_2017_]

1. If you're doing grade repair to go MD, take more courses. Doing more credits is more expensive, but improves your GPA while developing a strong upward trend. In an extreme case, a buddy of mine in my cohort had a not-so-appealing GPA during undergrad and took approximately 50 credits of straight-A 4.0s, and made his cumulative GPA competitive while showing med school adcoms readiness/seriousness/capability.

If you are doing specific classes for 'grade replacement' for DO programs, just do the specific classes that you want to specifically replace the scores in. I've known individuals who only took 3 or so classes, turned their F/D/C into As, and successfully got into a DO program.

2. Housing is available and affordable. There are no dorms. Many students that attend NWHSU live in student housing off-campus. This is usually $500-600 per month, and you live with a few other NWHSU students. Others with families opt to live in the newer apartment buildings less than a mile from campus. They're very nice, but are pricier at $800-1000+ per month. There is a bulletin on campus to see what houses are available, and Student Affairs does assist new students with resources for housing if I remember correctly. Anecdotally, I lived in two different houses, one with all chiro students and the other with a mixed population (a pre-med, a nursing student, chiro students, etc.).

Cost of living in Bloomington, MN is relatively, considering it's a suburb of one of the largest Midwest cities, and has a wide range of offerings for all budgets. To illustrate the dichotomy, you can do the ramen diet/eat all your food at home or visit a good (pricey) restaurant a few miles north.

I know I keep saying last question but you have been incredibly helpful about this program! I have already gotten in touch with an admission counselor.

Would you say you've seen a good amount of success, not just for yourself but others in your cohort, with this program? I'm just wondering as someone who would be using this as a GPA and academic enhancer? My GPA overall isn't awful but junior year was a complete mess for me and I ended up failing/retaking/failing again a couple classes and while I know this will still be visible on my transcript, I want to show that I can, in fact, keep up with the curriculum and would prove to be a successful candidate for a D.O. school?

 

[BKNbkn]

I did not apply DO at all, so I am not an expert on the finer details of the admissions processes in those programs. I do know that through grade replacement (being a major hallmark of most DO programs), the program at NWHSU does offer the opportunity to redeem yourself from unfavorable grades.

I don't have metrics of success, other than what I have anecdotally experienced and the folks I keep in touch with reveal. It's feast for some, and famine for others. Some folks are turning down MD interviews while others don't have any interviews yet. That being said, I think much of that is dependent on the entirety of their application, e.g. how well their PS/secondaries were written, how meaningful/relevant their ECs are, GPA/MCAT, etc. This situation is not unique to NWHSU or any other post-bac programs.

What NWHSU offers is the opportunity, not a guarantee, to become a competitive applicant. I wager there are individuals who go through the program, do the bare minimum, not earn competitive grades, not take their postbac seriously, not doing EC/research/volunteerism offered through the school/program, etc. These are students who, based on their work ethic/performance/circumstance, will not be favorable applicants for graduate health programs.

TLDR: It depends. The program offers the opportunity, but guarantees nothing (like any other post-bac program). Success is determined by how hard you work to make yourself a favorable candidate to DO adcoms.

 

[zeedreams]

Hi Violagirl and others inquiring about NWHSU,

I'm part of the 3rd cohort of the Post-Bac program at NWHSU. I've been here for one year, taken 42 credits. The program heavily focuses on Career-Changers, Grade-Enhancement, and filling Pre-Reqs.

I apologize in advance for grammatical errors, since I've just finished a full length practice MCAT at the time of writing.

My input on the program is as follows:

PROS:
1) A-la carte classes with flexibility. Take what classes you need, whether you need just that last pre-req or you're taking the whole ~42 credit Post-Bac program for refresher/MCAT prep/grade enhancement.
2) All* classes are recorded. Recorded lectures are viewable online. Some folks with 9-to-5 jobs or other obligations watch lectures online and only attend labs and exams (and get the grades they want). A&P is the only class I've taken there that was not recorded.
3) FAFSA for one year. Unlike other DIY post-bac programs, NWHSU gives financial aid, despite it not being a degree-seeking program.
4) Counts towards undergrad GPA. NWHSU reports your grades as Undergrad. Other Post-Bacs report their grades as graduate GPAs, which doesn't help your undergrad overall and science GPAs.
5) Trimester Format/Accelerated Courses allow you to blow through core science requirements. While taking Chem1&2, Orgo1&2, or Physics1&2 in other programs typically takes a year each, you can do all 3 in a year total (this is common, as most Post-Bacs take an accelerated course each trimester). This is a major time commitment.
6) Excellent Instructors. They are there to teach, not for research or winning grant money. They are exceptionally accessible, even handing out their phone numbers so you can text them questions. They understand Post-Bacs typically juggle other responsibilities and work with them 1-on-1 to accommodate special cases. (Have you ever had a professor come in to proctor a make-up test on a Saturdays, just for you? Try getting that at the big box schools.)
7) Small class sizes. 6-25 on average, depending on the trimester (Fall is typically the largest cohort). The instructors take every chance to get to know students. Contrast that to my first day in my old undergrad Intro to Chem class, which literally violated the fire code for university's 400-capacity lecture hall. NWHSU's small class sizes also helps when it comes time for Committee letters, letters of recommendation, etc.
8) Collaborative, Like-Minded Individuals. You won't get wedged into a class with a bunch of undergrads like some DIY post-bacs. Your cohort will have some consummate pre-meds who are excellent company during courses, application time, MCAT prep, etc. They'll be that network I'll lean on during secondaries and interview season.
9) Non-Adversarial Grading: There is no "look to your left, look to your right", "only 10% of the class will get an A", bell-curve, voodoo magic. If you legitimately work hard and put effort in the courses, there is no reason to score lower than an A.
10) Rigorous (But Not Impossible) Upper-Level Courses: the upper-level sciences are understandably difficult, but prep you for being a first year. Microbiology here actually counts as a writing-intensive class!
11) Networking/Support Opportunities Tons of volunteer opportunities within the campus. Over my year here, I logged close to 400 hrs. Growing Pre-Med Association. They hold bi-monthly practice MCAT exams. They have free MCAT review books at the library from all the big names, without having to shell out $250.
12) Exposure to Non-Western Medicine Honestly, it's given me a different viewpoints on Chiro, Accupuncture, etc. But whether or not you agree with the practices, exposure and proximity to those programs and its students is another ace up your sleeve when the interview/MMI shifts towards, "What's your view on holistic/alternative medicine?".


CONS:
$400 per credit (more expensive than community colleges, but often less expensive than "big box" universities.)
No "feeder" programs or inter-school arrangements, e.g. B.S. to M.D.
Accelerated courses are time-intensive. Expect 8 hours of lectures and 3 hours of lab per week, per accelerated course. Don't get left behind!
Weak humanities courses, not tailored for attacking the BH section of MCAT.
NWHSU is primarily a chiropractic college. Like most Post-Bac programs, you are the statistical minority (9:1) in the school.
Non-faculty advising needs improvement. Recommend meticulous self-planning for your curriculum and application timeline.

TLDR:
While it's a new program, it has exceeded my expectations. Like most things in life, you get as much as you put into it. NWHSU has set me up to be a very competitive applicant for this coming May/June. I highly recommend it for those who are truly serious about redirecting their lives and investing in themselves to get that M.D. after their name.

Their official site is: Pre-Health/Med Program - MN | Northwestern Health
They are holding a Discovery Day (open house) sometime this July and tours upon request.

Hope this helps and good luck along the path,
BKN

Would love to send a message about starting this program soon but it isn’t allowing me to send a message!