part-time classes?? pre-med advice?

[medical mind]

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😀 Hi ! I really love all the great stuff I've found on this site!

Here's my pre-med sob story---grab some tissues!

I'm hell-bent on being a doctor, no question about it, it only gets stronger and stronger. However, I'm 27 and still need to finish the
pre-med req's, and my past stats are NOT in my favor!
I had to drop the post-bacc program I was in at Columbia, due to the out-of-control expenses of tuition and nyc living. My grades suffered-- left with a 2.8---yikes!!!!!!!!

my previous undergrad was 2.9, although closer to 3.5 the last 2yrs.

I need to finish a pre-med program, including extra upper level science classes. I need to have a super-strong finish, thats for sure! Yet, I can't afford to attend school full-time. I may only have time for 1 class a semester, which will take me 2-3years! My only other option would be to move back home ( oh dear!) and attend full time classes at my state school.
I was hoping to go to a special masters program, such as Georgetown, after all this
pre-med clean-up. I'd rather save $$ for this program, b/c I'm sure I'll need the extra work for my med apps and it seems stronger than undergrad classes.
any ideas on the best way to approach my final pre-med attempts?? I've been told part-time class work is highly frowned upon, especially with a weak academic background.
I'm not getting any younger and I'm continually revolving my entire life around this dream, which I'm wondering if it is realistically reasonable at this point. any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Where's "back home"? There's nothing wrong with attending a state school, and if your parents are cool... Sure, it won't look ideal...but who cares?!? My parents are pretty cool, so maybe this option seems more attractive to me. I'd suck it up and move back in with the parents (if they are ok with it). Get your premed stuff done ASAP. Education is a full-time committment, unfortunately.

$0.02

 

[THE instiGATOR]

<img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I read your inital post incorrectly. <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" /> I see now that parents weren't even in the equation. Oh well...

 

[medical mind]

my parents are in the picture....

i guess the question is full-time pre-med classes vs part-time pre-med classes. this allows me to take a mental and financial break, and also save $$$ for a masters program later.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Let's get back to good ol' times!

Full-time: 1
Part-time: 0

 

[Elysium]

I understand how hard it is to pay for school and everything. I am 28 and have been doing pre-med courses for the last three years. I've generally taken 2-3 courses a semester (2 pre-reqs a semester) and worked part-time. My parents have been helping me out with rent and stuff since I went back to school. I also attended a private (expensive) undergrad, so I knew I needed to go to state schools to minimize the total expenses of this whole endeavor. I would suggest taking the cheapest option to pay for this, since there are no guarentees.

Good luck.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

What TEDillard03 is trying to say is that she agrees with me. Bwa ha ha ha ha!!! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />

It's so hard for her to do that! :wink:

 

[Keith]

i was 29 when i went back to do my pre-med. (jan 97) took all of it while working full-time. some quarters i was full-time but for most just part-time. so far, i've been accepted to 5 schools. get that gpa up and good luck!

 

[HippocratesX]

Keith,

That's very impressive, congratulations!! I always admire people who went to school full time and worked full time...but exactly what DOES that mean? I mean...how do u do this? Is it humanly possible? When you work full time, are u supporting your rent, food, daily/weekly/monthly living expenses ANDDDDD still taking 12 credit hours per semester and doing well in them??? I mean..everybody always says get the gpa up and good luck and yada yada...why don't u guys give those of us who may need a lil more than "inspiration" 😀 some specific pointers in doing well? hehe, sorry if it sounds like i'm frustrated. Its because i am 😕

 

[Elysium]

Allright Swampman/Bubba,

I knew we could reach a common ground somehow. We should all just try to get along...

Anyone up for some religion/politics/abortion debates?

:wink:

 

[medical mind]

keith --

yes, pleeeeze share !! I looked into nite classes --most science classes require a 3-5 hour lab in addition to two lecture nites. that totals 3 nites of school for really 1 class! <img border="0" alt="[Wowie]" title="" src="graemlins/wowie.gif" />

F/T work plus that "one" class.....when do you study?????? i don't get it.

 

[Terrapin Station]

MM/HX,

No one can you tell how/what to do, we can only share what has worked for us (me!). As Buffalo Springfield would say, "For what it's worth"...

In 2000, and at age of 35 i needed to retake most science classes that i had taken many, many moons ago (mid-80s), and had essentially failed (D's in at least 3 science classes, overall GPA below 2.6, science GPA below that!). Having spent considerable sums of money on my undergrad and grad school education, I was loathe to attend another "top tier" private school simply for post-bacc classes; so, i took full time science classes at UMCP (Org/phys/chem, all with lab) and convinced my employer to allow me to work only half time.

It was important for me that my employer was completely supportive of my med school dream, and i was able to guarantee them 20 hours per week, so they were happy. I was completely open and honest with them, letting them know my semester schedule, discussing it with my boss, etc.

This meant, however, that sometimes i was in the office by 7:00 a.m. (be prepared to greet the sun!) Half time means half pay, but i was able to cover mortgage and other living expenses (though i believe i dipped a bit into my savings).

As an older student, i quickly saw how much time and energy is spent by "youngsters" trying to focus on trees regardless of the forest. I am sure i was the same when i was an undergrad, but through intuition/maturity/luck/divine intervention!?? I began to recognize bigger pictures that were important and discussed these with the profs after class. Discussions with profs and TAs were important, as they enabled me to gauge exactly how much i understood of the material. Explaining to a fellow classmate the material (and listening to her explanations as well) was also an incredibly important part of my learning. I did not memorize so much as make sure that i understood what was happening. It worked for me, as i aced all my classes (humbly and somewhat surprisingly i admit!).

Do not let something go by that is not understood; you may forget the explanation a few days later, but i found it important for my learning and confidence not to let anything go by without grabbing a friend/classmate and saying, "let's go ask the prof what exactly that means..." I am sure i never, ever did that as an undergrad.

I arranged classes so that i had study time built in (e.g., arrive on campus from home-Baltimore at 7:00, study/breakfast, 8:00 discussion class, two-three hours on campus to study, then another class) and was able to keep my weekends relatively free. I judiciously used those early morning hours that in my youth were spent either in a profound slumber or in recovery from a night out.

So, Monday-Friday from about 6:30 am to 6:00 pm were full of classes and work; weekends mostly free, but with some classwork to do on occassion.

If you feel like you need more time to study and cannot get more time off of work, consider using vacation days, possibly sick days (ethics aside) you may have accrued.

Be prepared to have something "suffer"...for me, i could not get in as much exercise as i would have like, nor had the time/energy to prepare my meals. Do not even ask about my social life. Recognizing that i could not do everything was fine. I absolutely and thoroughly enjoyed my year, though it certainly appeared hectic and a bit of a whirlwind to many.

Drop me an email (particularly Hipp., as i see you are in Charm City as well) if you would like to discuss further. As a happy footnote, I am pleasantly surprised to report that i have been accepted to two med schools, and am waiting on a third (UMD, which would be my top choice); so, i will be starting first year med school later this summer somewhere.

Bonne chance.

 

[tomthebomb]

Move back home, work this summer and study the Kaplan MCAT crap so you'll have an edge in your premed classes, enroll full time in your state school finish up your premed stuff, start a two year master's in something like physiology where you take medschool classes, then go to your state medical school. Once you prove you can do well and get decent MCATs your in. Two and 1/2-Three year plan take it or leave it.

 

[Future_Doc]

Go back to your state school and take 1 or 2 classes at a time. You will do better to excel going part-time and working than going full-time and doing mediocre. Also, I learned some very valuable skills by working full-time and taking 6-8 hours at a time in a post-bacc program (i.e., time managemnt, efficient study habits, etc.). The important thing is that you give yourself every opportunity to perform at your highest level.

 

[racergirl]

I left school with a GPA of 2.8 and NO degree! When I went back to school 5 years later I had to work too, so I took anywhere from 1-3 classes/semester (summers too) for three years to complete my bio degree. My grades were really good, and the fact that I didn't attend full time came up exactly ZERO times in interviews. I'm not going to Harvard or anything, but will be attending a tier-1 Med School this fall. Going to school part time is not ideal, but it's not a death sentence either. However, you MUST ace all classes from here on out, and do well on the MCAT. Getting clinical experience through volunteer and/or research is also important. Good Luck!

 

[missbonnie]

MedicalMind-

I see that you are in NY. Why don't you consider the post-bacc program at Hunter College, it is a state school. They have labs at night for some of the classes if not all. I think it is totally do-able to work fulltime and takes a class or 2, well depends on your job and flexibility. I currently work full time for a wall street firm and am studying for the April MCAT. Not sure what your relationship with your boss is, but you should have a talk with him/her about your situation. I obviously do not work in a medically-related field but I asked my boss for a day or 2 off a week to study for the MCAT AND told him that I would be leaving in 2 years to go to Med School (I'm not applying until next year), and his response was "take all the time you need." IF you are fully committed to your dream, no one can stop you.

 

[medical mind]

everyone--thanks for all your advice! 🙂

missb
Hunter is exactly what i had in mind! They have a post-bacc program BUT--- and it's a killer but--- they do NOT have any summer classes and the nite classes are not stable in schedule, some start at 4pm and the 2nd semester may not be at nite at all....... the worst is that "one" class ( ex: bio, orgo, physio) includes a 5 lab. this takes up 3 nites a week for one science req'mt. YIKES! So I'm surely limited to one science class a semester, no summers. Hunter requires 6 science courses for the program, NOT including lab. that's 3 yrs right there. I love the city, don't want to leave 🙁 It also offers much research opportunity and all that jazz.... I'm very motivated there. But, I can not overload my schedule again...can't make the same mistake 2x !! A's or bust !! 😀
Maybe if I work F/T for 1 yr and save up $$$, I can cut hours the next year hmmmm.... maybe ! 🙄
The other option is stony brook-- close to my parents---rent-free. I went there for undergrad, so it feels repetitive....especially to re-take the same exact classes with all those young whippersnappers !!
missb--- are you in a post-bacc in nyc?
ANYONE-- any feedback or info on HUNTER COLLEGE post-bacc or SUNY SB ??
muchos gracias :wink: 😛 🙂

 

[missbonnie]

MedicalMind-

No, I am not in a post-bacc program. I majored in biochem in college so I have all the reqs (graduated in '99). Although it's been a few years (5 since I took orgo!) it wasn't so bad to review them for the mcat. You can mail me if you want. PM me and I will send you my address.