Post-bac advice wanted

[UCLAri]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I'm a 2nd year master's student at UCSD absolutely hating life and looking for a change. My summer internship showed me that I am not doing the right thing with my life, and I'm going to fix that.

Here are the stats that accompany the person:

3.72 ugrad GPA from UCLA
3.3 grad GPA from UCSD (might go up to 3.4 by the end)
1300/6.0 GRE
1270 SAT (took it years ago, didn't care at the time)

I volunteer quite a bit as a teacher, and I'm going to start at a local hospital (Scripps Memorial) in January. I'd prefer to start PBPM next year in fall, but I can wait a year and work if need be...

My question is basically which programs (preferably on the East Coast) are within my range? I've noticed Tufts, but I'm afraid that my stats aren't good enough for them.

Any suggestions?

 

[oneandonlylo]

you would certainly get into Columbia

 

[drizzt3117]

You could try Goucher and BM if your UG was non-science.

 

[UCLAri]

My UG-GPA is all nonscience except for a stats class and some atmospheric science class (both were As).

My biggest concern is the value for the buck. I'm impressed with programs like Goucher and Columbia because of their high success rates, but I'm unimpressed with their retention rates. I suppose I come from a different experience (grad programs try to keep as many as possible), but red lights go off in my head when I hear of like 50% attrition rates.

What's the consensus on Tufts?

 

[oneandonlylo]

Columbia's attrition rate is so high because their acceptance standards are lower... they accept much more broadly just about anyone with a 3.0 (so I've heard and from my experience I would say its likely true) and they accept many more people than a lot of other programs. As a result, you have people leaving for a variety of reasons.... not wanting to go into medicine, not wanting to continue to pay the high tuition rates, not getting good enough grades to qualify for a committee letter, etc etc etc. Needless to say I can attest to the fact that for whatever reasons, a ton of my classmates from last year are definitely no longer around.

That said, those of us who stuck around are on a hell of a ride. I am generally more pleased with my courses this year (Orgo, Bio and Bio Lab) than I was last year with Gen Chem and Physics, and for what its worth I do generally feel that I am being well prepared for the MCAT and for Medical School in general. Now, is the name worth the big bucks in tuition.... I guess I'll find out when I start applications...

 

[drizzt3117]

Goucher/Bryn Mawr has pretty good retention rate I think, but Columbia does not.

Goucher, BM, and Scripps have good retention and low attrition rate, although both of these programs are very intensive compared to Penn/Columbia because they try to finish all of the prereqs and the MCAT in one year. Scripps is another one you may want to look at, and it may be a bit more cost effective but is closer to home in CA if that's a disadvantage.

 

[UCLAri]

I'm not so worried about location. I'd actually rather end up on the East Coast to stay close to my fiancee.

How do most people fund these things? I realize that federal loans are available, but after that? Private educational loans?

 

[Tee Cell]

Try Uconn, they typically hold seats for postbac grads in the following year's med class.