Post Bacc options

[SixStringPsych]

Hi everyone, so for next year I am deciding between Penn Specialized Science, or Columbia informal Post Bacc to take some upper level bio courses for a year.

My decision is coming down to going to Columbia so that I can continue my research position that I have had since this past Fall at a very prestigious med school in NYC, or going to UPenn which is a formal program, and probably will try to do research there or at least volunteer at CHOP or HUP.

Does anyone have any insight into whether or not a continuing research position vs. a new research position would look at ad comms? Or if UPenn's program is very highly regarded by ad comms?

I have yet to find someone to talk to who is/was in Specialized Science. Any info would be appreciated, thanks!

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[deleted248403]

Ive made it known to you in the upenn thread that i am a ssp graduate in an allopathic med school...

There r 3 other people in my med school class who also went to upenn for postbac

 

[SixStringPsych]

Oh hey robflanker. I honestly thought you had graduated from core studies. Whoops!

Well what would your take be on my situation? SS is very attractive of course but I just want to get all the info.
Also if you don't mind me asking, what was your uGPA before you started SS and what did you end up with??

 

[thlaxer]

Does anyone have any insight into whether or not a continuing research position vs. a new research position would look at ad comms? Or if UPenn's program is very highly regarded by ad comms?

For what it's worth, some of my friends getting their PhDs have said that it's pretty common for students to switch labs during undergrad and post-bac (I had similar concerns as you). If you do move to Philadelphia, I doubt adcoms are going to hold your leaving your current lab against you. Something to consider though if you haven't already is the possibility of publications (even though they're not a requirement). If you're putting in a lot of work into your current research and can see a publication coming out before you apply, it might be worth it to stay in NYC. It'll be harder to publish in a new research position imo unless you get set up with an awesome project.

On the other hand, at Penn you'll have the possibility of getting a committee letter from them if you do well in the program (whereas if you take classes informally at Columbia, you'll need to either get it from your undergrad or apply without one). Don't know how much of this applies to their Special Science program, but for my career-changer friends who did well in their program, Penn wrote very nice committee letters that were well regarded by adcoms. Just my thoughts.

 

[SixStringPsych]

Thanks thlaxer!! That really helps. The committee letter is definitely a plus. Even though my undergrad school will give me one also, I think a letter from Penn will be much more effective especially if they can attest to my hard work within their program.

 

[deleted248403]

Well what would your take be on my situation? SS is very attractive of course but I just want to get all the info.
Also if you don't mind me asking, what was your uGPA before you started SS and what did you end up with??

I would go to Penn - I am very anti-columbia. When you add in the cost of living in NYC, and some of the trainwreck stories from columbia - its not worth it IMO (tho there are some good stories too).

I'm not willing to share my stats but I will say I didn't finish with a a 3.9/37 or anything like that. I was pretty average for allopathic acceptances. In terms of my app cycle, I had 5 (4 MD and 1 DO) acceptances before Xmas, turned down 3 interview invites (all DO), 3 rejections (all MD) and withdrew all other applications before Xmas. I think SSP is a great program for someone in the 3.4 cGPA range who needs a bit of a kick but an SMP is too risky and too pricey.

I also love the opportunities at HUP/CHOP/Jeff - I got a job at CHOP during my glide year and loved it.

 

[SixStringPsych]

Thanks robflanker. Very true, I have heard some bad stories from Columbia (from the pre-med program nonetheless, but still makes me a little nervous about it).

That's awesome that you got to work at CHOP, I am super interested in Pediatrics and would love to even just volunteer at CHOP during my year there.

thanks again, if you come up with any more advice please let me know!

 

[romanjetfighter]

is anyone concerned upenn's SS is taught by adjunct professors and newly minted PhDs
not that they dont know a lot about their subject
but that they might not be the best test writers/lecturers...

just wondering i go to a school with no adjunct science profs

 

[drizzt3117]

is anyone concerned upenn's SS is taught by adjunct professors and newly minted PhDs
not that they dont know a lot about their subject
but that they might not be the best test writers/lecturers...

just wondering i go to a school with no adjunct science profs

I'd much rather have young faculty than old faculty.

 

[deleted248403]

is anyone concerned upenn's SS is taught by adjunct professors and newly minted PhDs
not that they dont know a lot about their subject
but that they might not be the best test writers/lecturers...

just wondering i go to a school with no adjunct science profs

Some of them suck, some of them rock.... pretty much like any school... regardless of faculty status

 

[SixStringPsych]

If anyone is still out there...

I am now concerned that each class at UPenn will count for 3 credits on the AMCAS app. My undergrad had very few science classes below 4 credits (this was the norm) with orgo and physics being 6 and 5 credits with labs. Calculating my GPA, I will need a 3.7-4.0 to get my sGPA above a 3.0 (I'm talkin 3.0-3.1 with that post-bacc GPA) which is where I need it to have even a shot at US MD, as well as to apply to SMPs during my glide year.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe take a summer course this summer at my UG after I graduate to help with my GPA boosting? I will obviously be striving for a 4.0, but I'm just freaking out about this. Or does anyone know if Penn will let me take 5 CUs instead of just 4 each semester?? Thanks everyone.

 

[deleted248403]

If anyone is still out there...

I am now concerned that each class at UPenn will count for 3 credits on the AMCAS app. My undergrad had very few science classes below 4 credits (this was the norm) with orgo and physics being 6 and 5 credits with labs. Calculating my GPA, I will need a 3.7-4.0 to get my sGPA above a 3.0 (I'm talkin 3.0-3.1 with that post-bacc GPA) which is where I need it to have even a shot at US MD, as well as to apply to SMPs during my glide year.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Maybe take a summer course this summer at my UG after I graduate to help with my GPA boosting? I will obviously be striving for a 4.0, but I'm just freaking out about this. Or does anyone know if Penn will let me take 5 CUs instead of just 4 each semester?? Thanks everyone.

You PM'd the same question to me less then 5 hours ago....

5 CUs = full time = 15 credits in post places. Most people in the post-bac program take 4 or 4.5 just because of scheduling and interest level. And 5.5 would be a bit much whilst ensuring 3.7+ performance

Yes there are 1.5 CU classes - mostly the pre-reqs with the lab being the 0.5 aspect of it.

 

[SixStringPsych]

Thanks robflanker. Sorry to bug you.

Just seems oddly unequal since at my undergrad I could take 4 sciences and that would be 16 credits but at penn 4 sciences is only 12.

Sucks but I guess I'm just gonna have to suck it up and nail my classes with nothing lower than an A- lol

 

[deleted248403]

Thanks robflanker. Sorry to bug you.

Just seems oddly unequal since at my undergrad I could take 4 sciences and that would be 16 credits but at penn 4 sciences is only 12.

Sucks but I guess I'm just gonna have to suck it up and nail my classes with nothing lower than an A- lol

I took 4.5 CUs both semesters and no-one said anything about a lighter course load during my interviews.

 

[SixStringPsych]

True. Yeah I guess that's what's most important. Full load, gotta get as close to a 4.0 GPA anyway to make it count. Thanks