Post-Bacc: Does which school ever matter?

[sramati]

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Hello SDN non-trads. I am looking for advice on my situation. I've been using the search to look up various things and reading posts made by people in similar (and not so similar) situations as I am for the past few months. I even made a plan and intended to do an informal post-bacc at my alma mater. I didn't even intend to post as all the answers are here in some form. However, out of the blue, my father who previously had selective hearing/senility whenever I talked about going back to school for med pre-reqs (I suppose volunteering in the ED and taking a CPR class may have tipped him off) has decided to plan out my post-bacc expenses for me. And he wants to know why I want to go back to my alma mater (2.5 hours away, expensive metropolitan area, 2x tuition cost, top ten public school, known for engineering) rather than go to the unranked state school that is notable for English degrees and little else, and is 30 min away. I can live at home and eat for free (or at least cheap) and the coursework is much more relaxed (easier to get 4.0s). And there is a state allopathic school in the area that seems to like people with ties to this community (even if I really, really, really don't want to stay in this area, doctor is doctor). Actually, I can see you agreeing with him now. Even I am beginning to doubt... hence the post.

While doing my research on google and SDN (mostly SDN), I determined that it would look best on my application ~2 years down the line if I returned to the school in which I mangled my gpa and prove that I can handle coursework at this level. Having attended both schools, I know that they are miles and miles apart in terms of difficulty and prestige; I just don't know if anyone else knows, or cares. I believe that I can return to my alma mater and succeed; but, of course, there is no basis for this belief, especially for the people who watched me crash and burn and eventually take the path of least resistance for a degree that got me nowhere.

As for what I am leaving behind to pursue this crazy idea: I did get a job, by no means of my own, as a contractor getting paid almost double my projected salary. I think that my dad is trying cut his losses (mine really) by making sure I spend the least money possible while I fail miserably.

So tl;dr version: Is it necessary to prove that you can handle coursework at an institution that you previously struggled at? Is it worth the risk of messing up your gpa even more? And at a higher cost?

Thanks in advance for comments. Sorry for the book. 😴

 

[sgtbrushes]

GPA and MCAT are way more important than brand of your school, except for perhaps the top 10-20 med schools. Just get blazin' grades and a 32+ MCAT. A 3.5 from a state university will always be better than a 3.0 from an Ivy League. It's an extreme example, but I hope it answers your question.

 

[sramati]

GPA and MCAT are way more important than brand of your school, except for perhaps the top 10-20 med schools. Just get blazin' grades and a 32+ MCAT. A 3.5 from a state university will always be better than a 3.0 from an Ivy League. It's an extreme example, but I hope it answers your question.

(Meh, my reply got eaten.)
Thanks for the reply~

I'd probably be closer to a 3.1 by the time I apply, if I get the kind of grades I need. Since I'll be this low regardless of school, would the brand of school I attend still have no effect? And how much do the pre-reqs prepare you for the mcat? I realize that it all comes down to studying, but I know that I'd learn more at the ranked school.

I did a cursory search on if the quality of your pre-reqs matter for mcat prep (yay for booleans!) and didn't really find anything except the ivy league vs cc debate.

 

[beckhunter116]

(Meh, my reply got eaten.)
Thanks for the reply~

I'd probably be closer to a 3.1 by the time I apply, if I get the kind of grades I need. Since I'll be this low regardless of school, would the brand of school I attend still have no effect? And how much do the pre-reqs prepare you for the mcat? I realize that it all comes down to studying, but I know that I'd learn more at the ranked school.

I did a cursory search on if the quality of your pre-reqs matter for mcat prep (yay for booleans!) and didn't really find anything except the ivy league vs cc debate.

If you will only have a 3.1 at the time of application you want to seriously research DO schools, because a 3.1 is low...no matter what school you go to. For the DO application you can retake classes to quickly raise that gpa. MD applications only average a retake.

 

[gman33]

A few of the more competitive schools will place more weight on where you do the prereqs. If your GPA is already in the tank, you have no shot at those schools.

Go to a 4 year school that is close and cheap. Do well; that is the main thing.

And if your gpa is only going to be 3.1 when you apply, don't apply.
That won't cut if for MD schools, way below average for DO as well.
You need to get your overall number closer to 3.5.
Check out the forums if you need some more info on that topic as well.

 

[Nasrudin]

What the gman said.

Anyone who's looking for pedigree will toss your app. That ain't you. Ain't gonna be you. Get smart. Get lean. Go where the money is. The path of least resistance. Always from here on out.

 

[sramati]

Ooooook, my current gpa with replacements appears to be around a 2.89 (without it's at 2.79). I honestly don't know if I could step into a computer science class and get an A for a retake at this point. I changed majors because I lost to that brick wall. >_>

I can retake Gen Chem I (C) and Bio II (B), but that's it for relevant classes; I pretty much need all my prereqs except for math.

I just don't want to retake all that math and cs when they have nothing to do with anything (except that I took them, in some cases multiple times, and did terribly) especially when there's a decent chance that I will not do optimal. And for some, it looks like I'd have to either return to the school I took them at to retake or find another school that offers them, because they are just so specific and don't transfer at all. (see: Advanced Japanese I, why did I take that again?)

It would take me over 5 years of straight As to get a 3.5 without grade replacement. ._. I guess I have a while to think, as I won't be starting until August. Thanks for all the food for thought. <3 I have to get the silly idea that I am going back to undergrad to prove myself outta my head.