Hey everyone!
I've just been accepted to several post-bacc's, but I have recently decided to stay local (in NYC) to be with my fiance. As far as NYC schools, I have been accepted to the post bacc program at City College of NY (CUNY/CCNY). I have also been accepted to Pace University as a second-degree bachelor's student majoring in biochemistry. (Pace does not have a formal post-bacc program so I initially applied as a degree-seeking candidate.)
I am now torn between the two schools, so I'm weighing the pro's and con's. On the one hand, I feel I know a lot about Pace already, have spoken to a lot of students and alumni who have recommended it, personally know a few students who have done the informal/a-la-carte/"do-it-yourself" post-bacc route there and who have then gone onto medical school. My fiance, in particular, has a bachelor's from Pace in biochemistry and spoke quite highly as to the quality of the professors, the labs, the environment, and the research opportunities. Plus, I live only 15 minutes away from that campus (which is near the World Trade Center), so that is beyond convenient. CCNY, on the other hand, is located way up in north Harlem (an hour away after navigating the subways). However, CCNY has a formal program, whereas Pace merely has a premed track for its undergrad students - and I would basically be an undergrad again earning another bachelor's degree. I had considered completing my premed prereqs then withdrawing from Pace after I was done with what I needed. But I wasn't sure if it would look bad (on my potential Pace transcript) to start a degree and not finish it. Then again, I don't want to waste my time and money on additional upper level bio/chem classes that I really don't need for med school or the scope of studying for the MCAT, just to get another bachelor's degree!!
SO, after speaking with the admissions counselor as well as the premed advisor at Pace, I have decided that the best idea (if I choose Pace) might probably to withdraw my Pace application/acceptance/enrollment and then register for classes, a-la-carte, as a non-matriculated student (the 'do-it-yourself' post-bacc route).
This might be the more practical option so I can just get right to the point (completing my prereqs), and not have to worry about spending a whole lot of time and money taking superfluous classes (i.e. upper level biochem courses that I don't need and general distribution requirements) to fulfill the requirements of the entire biochem degree. Plus, I don't want to risk getting a subpar grade in some advanced upper level course. I need my post-bacc GPA to be as pristine as possible. The premed advisor at Pace also told me that they have successfully advised other non-matriculated pre-professional post-baccs who have gone onto med school, PA, pharmacy school, or vet school, so that is encouraging.
Regarding CCNY: they have a more defined, structured program, but I get the impression that classes there are much larger so students probably get less individualized attention
. This could be a problem when it comes time to get letters of recommendation from my professors. On the other hand, I have heard some good things about CCNY with respect to its reputation with med school adcoms, advisors, and it's solid science curriculum. So I'm wondering if going to their program would be more advantageous when preparing for med school apps.
The singularly most unnerving problem now is that all sections of Biology and Chemistry (the classes I am assuming I am starting my post-bacc curriculum with) are currently full at both schools. According to CCNY, acceptance to the post bacc program does not guarantee a seat in the classes you need. However, the post bacc admissions director at CCNY told me that post bacc students waiting to get into their classes generally wind up getting getting what they need. Pace has advised me to monitor the registration status of the classes I need and wait for someone to drop out the class prior to the start of the semester. (They have a new policy that precludes overloading into lab sections.)
I am proceeding, day-by-day, keeping my options open at both schools until I get a seat in the classes I need before committing to either school and paying the tuition fees. I am going to ask to be put on the waiting list for Bio and Chem, but if I still can't get a seat or these classes at Pace (if I choose Pace), I will probably spend my first semester retaking Calculus (as a refresher to prepare myself for physics) and a semester of English (many med schools require 2 semesters of English, and I have only completed one semester in my undergrad) to get my feet wet, while I wait for Bio 1 and Chem 1 (and Calc 2 (refresher)) to open up in the Spring.
It is a really scary experience to not be "locked in" this close in time to the start of the Fall semester.
It was just worked out this way as conditions in my life changed and admission to my dream school fell through. Working full-time everyday, and attending EMT recertification classes every weekend this month makes for a ton of stuff going on right now, but I derive a lot of strength by keeping calm and logical during this stressful time! I'll need to keep my cool when things get even nervewracking down the road in med school
I'm sorry for the rambling, it's just late here, I'm tired , yet very worried about my choice of school and getting into the classes I need. Should I choose CCNY's formal post-bacc or should I opt for the do-it-yourself route by a-la-carting classes at Pace? And if anyone has experience at either univ, please feel free to weigh in as well. If I go to Pace, would I be missing out on the reputation, the structure of a formal program, and committee letter at CCNY? If I go to CCNY, will I be comfortable there, will it be practical for me, or will my future med school application stand out amidst an overflowing, overenrolled, backed up student body? I know only I can make this choice, but again, any advisement from the SDN community would be helpful in making my decision.
Thanks so much for reading this far!
I've just been accepted to several post-bacc's, but I have recently decided to stay local (in NYC) to be with my fiance. As far as NYC schools, I have been accepted to the post bacc program at City College of NY (CUNY/CCNY). I have also been accepted to Pace University as a second-degree bachelor's student majoring in biochemistry. (Pace does not have a formal post-bacc program so I initially applied as a degree-seeking candidate.)
I am now torn between the two schools, so I'm weighing the pro's and con's. On the one hand, I feel I know a lot about Pace already, have spoken to a lot of students and alumni who have recommended it, personally know a few students who have done the informal/a-la-carte/"do-it-yourself" post-bacc route there and who have then gone onto medical school. My fiance, in particular, has a bachelor's from Pace in biochemistry and spoke quite highly as to the quality of the professors, the labs, the environment, and the research opportunities. Plus, I live only 15 minutes away from that campus (which is near the World Trade Center), so that is beyond convenient. CCNY, on the other hand, is located way up in north Harlem (an hour away after navigating the subways). However, CCNY has a formal program, whereas Pace merely has a premed track for its undergrad students - and I would basically be an undergrad again earning another bachelor's degree. I had considered completing my premed prereqs then withdrawing from Pace after I was done with what I needed. But I wasn't sure if it would look bad (on my potential Pace transcript) to start a degree and not finish it. Then again, I don't want to waste my time and money on additional upper level bio/chem classes that I really don't need for med school or the scope of studying for the MCAT, just to get another bachelor's degree!!
SO, after speaking with the admissions counselor as well as the premed advisor at Pace, I have decided that the best idea (if I choose Pace) might probably to withdraw my Pace application/acceptance/enrollment and then register for classes, a-la-carte, as a non-matriculated student (the 'do-it-yourself' post-bacc route).
This might be the more practical option so I can just get right to the point (completing my prereqs), and not have to worry about spending a whole lot of time and money taking superfluous classes (i.e. upper level biochem courses that I don't need and general distribution requirements) to fulfill the requirements of the entire biochem degree. Plus, I don't want to risk getting a subpar grade in some advanced upper level course. I need my post-bacc GPA to be as pristine as possible. The premed advisor at Pace also told me that they have successfully advised other non-matriculated pre-professional post-baccs who have gone onto med school, PA, pharmacy school, or vet school, so that is encouraging.Regarding CCNY: they have a more defined, structured program, but I get the impression that classes there are much larger so students probably get less individualized attention
. This could be a problem when it comes time to get letters of recommendation from my professors. On the other hand, I have heard some good things about CCNY with respect to its reputation with med school adcoms, advisors, and it's solid science curriculum. So I'm wondering if going to their program would be more advantageous when preparing for med school apps. The singularly most unnerving problem now is that all sections of Biology and Chemistry (the classes I am assuming I am starting my post-bacc curriculum with) are currently full at both schools. According to CCNY, acceptance to the post bacc program does not guarantee a seat in the classes you need. However, the post bacc admissions director at CCNY told me that post bacc students waiting to get into their classes generally wind up getting getting what they need. Pace has advised me to monitor the registration status of the classes I need and wait for someone to drop out the class prior to the start of the semester. (They have a new policy that precludes overloading into lab sections.)
I am proceeding, day-by-day, keeping my options open at both schools until I get a seat in the classes I need before committing to either school and paying the tuition fees. I am going to ask to be put on the waiting list for Bio and Chem, but if I still can't get a seat or these classes at Pace (if I choose Pace), I will probably spend my first semester retaking Calculus (as a refresher to prepare myself for physics) and a semester of English (many med schools require 2 semesters of English, and I have only completed one semester in my undergrad) to get my feet wet, while I wait for Bio 1 and Chem 1 (and Calc 2 (refresher)) to open up in the Spring.
It is a really scary experience to not be "locked in" this close in time to the start of the Fall semester.
It was just worked out this way as conditions in my life changed and admission to my dream school fell through. Working full-time everyday, and attending EMT recertification classes every weekend this month makes for a ton of stuff going on right now, but I derive a lot of strength by keeping calm and logical during this stressful time! I'll need to keep my cool when things get even nervewracking down the road in med school I'm sorry for the rambling, it's just late here, I'm tired
, yet very worried about my choice of school and getting into the classes I need. Should I choose CCNY's formal post-bacc or should I opt for the do-it-yourself route by a-la-carting classes at Pace? And if anyone has experience at either univ, please feel free to weigh in as well. If I go to Pace, would I be missing out on the reputation, the structure of a formal program, and committee letter at CCNY? If I go to CCNY, will I be comfortable there, will it be practical for me, or will my future med school application stand out amidst an overflowing, overenrolled, backed up student body? I know only I can make this choice, but again, any advisement from the SDN community would be helpful in making my decision. Thanks so much for reading this far!
