Opinions and Advice-

[Biffer]

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Hello everyone,
I'm currently a senior and will be applying to med school this june as well as enrolling in a 1 yr masters type program in sept 03'. I have a number of options with my primary goal being a boost in my undergrad sci GPA which is around 3.25. I'm considering the following: Georgetown Physiology (SMP); Drexel Masters; PCOM; Harvard Extension School(very attractive). Thus far, the Harvard extension route seems the most financially reasonable and the grades I receive there seem to be tacked onto undergrad GPA(please correct me). The benefit of the other programs seem to be their chummy relationship with the admit committee,ie. spots for 2004 admission are saved for outstanding members of the masters program... again, the last bit is somewhat ambiguous, but the formal masters seem to ensure a greater level of admission.

in your experience and from word of mouth what programs do you recomend?
thanks in advance,
Biff

(i understand that i will have applied prior to enrolling in any fall program but don't expect to gain admission immediatley, with the hope being that incoming grades from the summer (at penn) and fall + spring will enhance my standing.)

 

[Biffer]

bumpenstein.

 

[mellantro]

I PM'ed ya, Biffer.

 

[Rdhdstpkd]

Grades from Harvard Extension are still viewed as post-bac. They'll appear on a separate post-bac section of the AMCAS transcript and won't be averaged in with you undergrad gpa. To my knowledge, once you graduate, your undergrad gpa is set in stone. After that you're just trying to getting a decent post-bac avg., establish an upward trend, show you can hack it in more advanced classes, etc.

I'm really interested in the GU special masters, but it's just soooo expensive for what you get.

 

[maugham]

Actually, this is incorrect. While your postbac grades are tabulated separately, they are also incorporated into your overall undergraduate G.P.A., as well as your science G.P.A. At least that was true when I applied 2 years ago as a non-traditional student. So it's never too late to raise an undergraduate G.P.A., although each subsequent grade will have less and less of an effect. I found this to be one of the few cheery little facts amid all the dreary stats about med school admission, so I felt compelled to respond.

 

[wallie]

One thing to remember is if you move to Boston for a year or two for the Harvard Ext program, you would not be considered a Mass resident for the purposes of applying to UMass. You have to live here for 5 years first (unless you happen to have graduated from a Mass high school). So, unless you can finagle maintaining your residency in another state while living in Mass, you could be left without a state school when you apply. I think a lot of people get screwed by moving to Boston for a year or two after graduating, and then applying to med school. Good luck with your decision.