Post Bacc Part-time vs Full-time

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x_prometheus_x

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I am looking for a post-bacc program but I am torn between keeping my full-time job and preserving that stability while doing harvard extension for 2 years, or doing a 1 year post-bacc and quitting my job. This post bacc has linkage potential and I know I can buckle down and get the work done with a good gpa, but the risk is still always there...any suggestions? Anyone have any regrets about either?
 
x_prometheus_x said:
I am looking for a post-bacc program but I am torn between keeping my full-time job and preserving that stability while doing harvard extension for 2 years, or doing a 1 year post-bacc and quitting my job. This post bacc has linkage potential and I know I can buckle down and get the work done with a good gpa, but the risk is still always there...any suggestions? Anyone have any regrets about either?

I don't know how demanding a full time job you have, but you may want to talk to HES folks and see how realistic it is to both get a high GPA while completing courses in just the two years AND do anything too demanding workwise. The bulk of the people I know who did HES didn't work. Most folks who try to maintain employment tend to need to scale back their hours pretty significantly. Especially so if you are not a science or strong science person. To finish in two academic years, you would likely need to take two science courses with labs each semester (assuming you don't need any english, math or biochem), plus find time to study for the MCAT when you get to that juncture. And if you need to do any health related ECs, you'd need to squeeze that in someplace too. So my suggestion is that, if you can afford it (and I realize many can't but the OP hinted that it was an option), finish the work and do this full time, in either program. Good luck.
 
Law2Doc said:
I don't know how demanding a full time job you have, but you may want to talk to HES folks and see how realistic it is to both get a high GPA while completing courses in just the two years AND do anything too demanding workwise.

To be honest it is quite hard to have a full time and take 2 classes at HES. I am there now and work 40hr full time. My job is quite flexable and I have no outside commitments. Luckily I had already taken a few classes so now I do not need to take 2 a semester, I only take 1 and that is enough. I know quite a few people that take 2 classes, and work part time, but I do not know anyone taking 2 classes and working full time. It seems as though for the amount of work required for each class it simply is not possible. Most people underestimate the requirements and eventually either drop one course or decrease their work hours. PM me with any questions.
 
Well that is exactly what I am doing right now. I was able to do 2 MBA courses while workign full time and intend to do the same for MCAT prereqs as well. If i can't handle it, then I'll reduce to 1 per sem. However, I can't afford to give up this job I have right now as I may not make it to med school; and I don't want to not able to go to med school and out of job too. The worst thing I can do to my parents is to come back to live with them when I turn 27. LOL...

I just want to have a backup plan...and it's the job I currently have.

😀
 
cutie_monkey said:
Well that is exactly what I am doing right now. I was able to do 2 MBA courses while workign full time and intend to do the same for MCAT prereqs as well. If i can't handle it, then I'll reduce to 1 per sem. However, I can't afford to give up this job I have right now as I may not make it to med school; and I don't want to not able to go to med school and out of job too. The worst thing I can do to my parents now is to come back to live with them when I turn 27. LOL...

I just want to have a backup plan...and it's the job I currently have.

😀

Give it a try, but I suspect you will find that graduate business classes are generally much much less time consuming than science classes with labs (at least if you plan to try to get A's). Good luck.
 
Law2Doc said:
Give it a try, but I suspect you will find that graduate business classes are generally much much less time consuming than science classes with labs (at least if you plan to try to get A's). Good luck.

Agreed. The labs really kill you as far as time goes. Orgo lab alone was 4 hours of in-lab time. And then there are the tedious lab reports...
 
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