Post Bac Chances

[VTgrad24]

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Hello, I am almost done with my applications. I know I am a bit late in the process for some schools. Here is a quick overview of myself. 23year old male from Virginia, I don't have much work experience but have been volunteering/shadowing a family physician for the last three months.

Bachelor's Degree in Finance from Virginia Tech - 3.52 GPA
(Attended William and Mary from Fall ‘08 to Fall ’09: 39 Credits- 3.34 GPA)
(Attended Virginia Tech from Spring ’10 to Spring ’13: 81 Credits- 3.52 GPA)

2007 SAT: 1800 Total Critical Reading:560,Math:680,Writing:560
ACT: 26 Composite English:23,Math:29,Reading:26,Science:25
High School GPA: 3.783

I am applying to the career-changer type programs (even though I havn't had a career, I need to take all the science classes). The schools I am applying to are Tufts, UVA, Louiveville, Temple, Columbia & Drexel. I would really appreciate it if anyone could let me know what my chances of being accepted into these programs?

Thank you in advance

 

[VTgrad24]

Any other well placing programs which I would be a good candidate for? Any advice would be helpful!

 

[SeverusSnape]

You may also want to look into Hopkins, Goucher, and Bryn Mawr. All three are for career changers and have very high acceptance rates into med school as well as several linkage possibilities. Just make sure you do your homework and read up on everywhere you're interested, not all programs are created equal.

 

[CharmanderMD]

I'd honestly look into a cheap state school and take what you need there.

At this time last year I was looking into formal postbac programs and ended up not being able to see how the benefits could possibly outweighs the costs. Besides the very top programs (Bryn Mawr, Goucher, Hopkins) the linkages are extremely limited. A lot of the students will even tell you that few students end up linking successfully. You'll end up dropping 20-50k but for what? A slightly higher shot at an acceptance?

I started classes at a nearby state school last summer and will finish this upcoming semester. I've paid under 10k for all of it, 7k of which was covered by federal loans.

Another thing that is important to mention, the federal govt will only give you loans for one postbac year. That means that, following your first year (assuming you dont have all the money to pay up front) you'll have to start tapping in to private loans with higher interest rates and not-so-forgiving policies for paying them back.

If money isn't an issue disregard my post though. Temple certainly has a great deal with their guaranteed acceptance following the necessary gpa and MCAT score.

 

[CharmanderMD]

Oh and as far as chances, given the fact that that is what you asked, I think your chances are pretty high at all the places you listed. Your SAT scores are a bit low for Bryn Mawr, Goucher, etc but I'm not sure how much they actually take them into account. When I was doing my research it definitely seemed that none of the mid tier programs, including penn and Columbia, were nearly as selective as you'd think. It seems temple might be getting a little tougher though given the back door to their med school that it opens.

 

[VTgrad24]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was planning on applying to Goucher, Bryn Mawr, JHU & Scripps as well (only for kicks) but figured I had no real chance of getting into one of those. Money isn't a big issue for me at this point as I am just someone who needs a structured program to succeed.

Also, thanks for pointing out the guaranteed acceptance at Temple. The program at Louisville also has assured admission to the University of Louisville School of Medicine I believe, so I am hoping to get into one of those programs.

 

[pietachok]

Columbia was definitely not worth the money. They've screwed over a lot of people by accepting students who they don't believe will be succeed and dismissing them from the program after getting a nice chunk of $. They give at best worthless and at times terrible advising. They grade the postbaccs on their own curve, so inevitably someone is screwed. Many of the classes are huge, so you don't get a good source for a LOR. For some people they messed up the committee letter. For me they submitted it so late my first application cycle that I might as well not have applied.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

Don't go to Columbia. I know it's tempting (as I stare at my degree), but the Introductory Biology course sequence is unreasonable for career changers who need to ease their way back into the sciences. There is an admittedly high hit rate at good medical schools for the people who apply, but the degree to which Columbia enables terrible professors and grade deflation is unsettling at the price tag. The only benefit of going to Columbia is the research opportunities which are difficult to land without prior research experience. Extensive undergraduate research is the only way that CU premeds overcome their nationally mediocre GPAs, which is incongruous with postbaccs who want to get out of there as quickly as possible.

If you want pseudo-linkages at similar schools, apply for NYU.

 

[VTgrad24]

unfortunately, i havnt gotten good news from most of the places i applied to. but has anyone heard back from Columbia or NYU?