Post-bacc at private school- so pricey!

[emgirl]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Hello all-

I've been taking my gen chem classes at a local private college- normally I hate chem but I love the teachers there and have been doing very well. The only problem is I feel incredibly guilty over the cost. I basically have to pay about $3000 for one 5 credit class there, so by the time I have taken gen chem and ochem I will be $18,000 in the hole (all in loans since I don't qualify for grants as a post bac student) plus $10,000 from undergrad. I'm having a really hard time reconciling this with the fact that I *could* take the classes at the local state university, but I've heard horrible things about their chem teachers and getting into the classes would be a nightmare each quarter as I am non-matriculated and would have to wait for someone to drop the class in the first couple of weeks before I could register. I guess I'm just curious if anyone thinks its crazy for me to go into debt like this just to take the classes at a private college? If cost were no factor I'd stay at the private school hands down because of the excellent teaching. I just stress about having all these loans (and I will prob be doing a one year masters program while I apply to med school, so that will be even more loans before med school). CC isn't really an option because I'm basically retaking some of the gen chem (didn't do so hot in the class in undergrad). Anyone in a similar situation? THanks, Em

 

[beephlatPT]

Hello all-

I've been taking my gen chem classes at a local private college- normally I hate chem but I love the teachers there and have been doing very well. The only problem is I feel incredibly guilty over the cost. I basically have to pay about $3000 for one 5 credit class there, so by the time I have taken gen chem and ochem I will be $18,000 in the hole (all in loans since I don't qualify for grants as a post bac student) plus $10,000 from undergrad. I'm having a really hard time reconciling this with the fact that I *could* take the classes at the local state university, but I've heard horrible things about their chem teachers and getting into the classes would be a nightmare each quarter as I am non-matriculated and would have to wait for someone to drop the class in the first couple of weeks before I could register. I guess I'm just curious if anyone thinks its crazy for me to go into debt like this just to take the classes at a private college? If cost were no factor I'd stay at the private school hands down because of the excellent teaching. I just stress about having all these loans (and I will prob be doing a one year masters program while I apply to med school, so that will be even more loans before med school). CC isn't really an option because I'm basically retaking some of the gen chem (didn't do so hot in the class in undergrad). Anyone in a similar situation? THanks, Em

My situation is mildly similar. I took some of the pre reqs for med school in undergrad and i'm retaking them starting this fall, b/c I want better grades in them but mostly b/c Its been 9-10 yrs since I took them. As far as the private school or local public univ thing goes, if you're willing to spend the $$ b/c you like the teaching that much more then thats fine. Just remember, if you have an undergrad degree and you want to take pre reqs at the local public univ., to avoid registering for class a non matric/ non degree seeker, maybe you could consider applying as a second bachelor's student and then once you've finished your classes, you can apply to med school and not actually complete the whole degree. Just a thought. This is what i'm going to do and my premed advisor at the university was the one to suggest that I apply as a second bachelor's student so that I WOULD get priority for registration. Every school is different and I don't know how the system works at your local school. At any rate, good luck to you in whatever choice you make.