post bac vs SMP

[yadave]

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Hi guys,

i have a question which I thought I had a clear understanding about till recently. Some people on here have been asking about advice regarding low GPAs from undergrad (science and OA). However, they have also been talking about going to a post bac program. Aren't post bacs only meant for people who didnt take the science requirements already? Or, can you do a post bac even if you have already done the science requirements? Im really confused because if you messed up on the science classes again, would it be wiser to retake them at the same college and do better or should you go through post bac?

 

[DrMidlife]

Aren't post bacs only meant for people who didnt take the science requirements already? Or, can you do a post bac even if you have already done the science requirements?

"Postbac" is any undergrad coursework you do after completing a bachelors degree. You can keep taking undergrad classes at pretty much any school until you're 100 years old, if you like.

A structured postbac generally means a program like Goucher or Bryn Mawr, where it's hard to get in, you're well-supported, and it's got a specific purpose if not an actual degree or certificate. Pretty much everything else is an unstructured postbac.

Securing financial aid, registration priority, and access to support services are the typical concerns with unstructured postbacs - sometimes you need to be defined as degree-seeking to get it done. There might be a "5th year non-degree seeking" enrollment status that provides some or all of the normal access.

Im really confused because if you messed up on the science classes again, would it be wiser to retake them at the same college and do better or should you go through post bac?

This question doesn't parse. If you get worse than a C in a prereq, or if you are considering DO, then you should retake the prereq. It doesn't really matter whether you retake it at the same school or a different school. "Postbac" is just an enrollment designation, which you'd probably have at the school from which you graduated, if you come back to take/retake classes. If you've already completed the prereqs, with or without good grades, you're not typically eligible for a structured postbac.

That said, if you can possibly go to UT Dallas, they have a super duper cool, flexible, semi-structured program. See http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=618144.

Best of luck to you.