Post Bacc Programs???

[srb711]

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Okay, I'm graduating this spring with a B.A. in English Lit. I've been pre-dent throughout college but my science gpa is pretty bad. I really want to look into applying to some post bacc programs but I don't really know of any. Is it best to choose a strictly pre-dental post bacc program or to look into a masters program in biology or something? And how do you get into these programs if you already have a low gpa in the first place? I'm willing to do whatever it takes to show dental schools that I can make the grades, so I'm willing to go anywhere and take out the loans to pay for it.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

 

[bodiddely]

Have you taken your pre reqs yet?

 

[Ron Jeremy]

My post-bacc program was through Northwestern University in Evanston, IL through their School of Continuing Studies (SCS). SCS is Northwestern's evening program where most of their instructors/professors are also part of the faculty of the day program. This program allows people to take all the pre-reqs while holding a day job.

When I enrolled into this program, I actually quit my day job and completed a B.S. in Biology through NU SCS since I could only get student loans if I was pursuing a degree.

90% of the students that go through the SCS post-bacc program don't pursue the degree and only take the minimum required pre-reqs. As long as their grades and MCAT/DAT scores are good, they get into professional school. The students that actually finish the NU SCS program score high on the MCAT and DATs. Many of them got into high ranked med schools and dental schools. Post-bacc programs do work.

Part-time post-bacc programs should be available at most large cities. I know that Harvard and Berkeley has part-time post-baccs through their Extension Schools. Harvard and Berkeley even offers some of these science classes online. Find out from the dental schools if they will accept online classes.

The good thing about taking a part-time post-bacc for gen chem and gen bio is that you can see how good you are at the sciences while holding a job and not creating more debt. Then, you can decide if you want to go back to college full-time or not.

Some dental schools don't like part-timers, and others don't care as long as you get high a science ave and DAT score. Call the schools and find out.

Since you said that your science gpa from undergrad was pretty bad, the dental schools want to see that you can now get all A's and B's in the science courses. I suggest that if you can get all A's and B's in gen chem, then you should enroll full-time to take three science classes at a time and do well. That way, you can prove to the dental schools that you can handle a heavy load, and that you are committed. Call the dental schools and get their opinion.

I wouldn't recommend going straight into a Masters program in Bio if you already have a weak undergrad science record. Also, I wouldn't worry about looking for a "pre-dental" program. Dental schools are just looking for strong grades in Bio and Chem.

Lastly, dental schools don't look take repeated science classes very seriously. Therefore, you may want to go all the way and get a B.S. in Bio to prove that you can handle the upper level science class and to improve your science gpa.

I hope this help. Good luck.

 

[srb711]

Thank you, that was definitely informative. I'm almost through with my pre-reqs.. I'm taking Bio Chem, Genetics and Organic Lab right now. I really want to go to my home dental school (University of Oklahoma). I spoke to the Dean of Admissions and he recommended pursuing a masters, thats why I'm looking into all of this. I don't want to stay at OU to do it (the only thing they have is a masters in Zoology), I would rather go elsewhere... maybe to a program that is known for getting people into the medical professions (sounds like the Northwestern program would be nice). What other programs are out there?

 

[rose786]

I wouldn't recommend going straight into a Masters program in Bio if you already have a weak undergrad science record. Also, I wouldn't worry about looking for a "pre-dental" program. Dental schools are just looking for strong grades in Bio and Chem.
QUOTE]

Really? Why would you say this? I would think that doing really well in a masters program would help offset a low undergrad gpa. Although I know that the grad gpa is calculated seperately from undergrad gpa.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

In response to the Master's Degree program question, I'm under the impression that when srb711 stated that he/she has a low science gpa, I'm interpreting that to be below 3.0. In that case, getting a masters in Bio would be "very hard" due to a weak bio foundation.

However, I now know that srb711 is taking genetics and bio-chem. Maybe srb711's science gpa is around 3.0-3.2. In that case, maybe a master's in Bio would be good. If the science gpa is below 3.0, it is unlikely that srb711 will rock a master's in Bio. I COULD BE WRONG.

Here's a few other options:
- Numerous medical schools and large universities have a 1-year master's program in health sciences. Basically, you are taking the 1st year of medical school to prove you have what it takes. These programs are full of pre-dents and pre-meds that didn't get in the year before. These programs will get you into professional school if you do well. If you don't, you just wasted a year and lost $50,000 getting a useless degree. The schools I know that offer this 1-year masters is Loyola in Chicago, A.T. Still University (I can't remember the location), Wayne State in Detroit, and Indiana Univ.

- Here's a link for Berkeley's Extension School program for pre-health:
http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/profseq/health.html

If srb711's science gpa is in the low 3's, then he/she is making a big deal out of nothing. Rock the DAT (all 20's), take a few more Bio classes at night (at a 4-year univ), and apply. He or she will be just fine.

 

[rose786]

In response to the Master's Degree program question, I'm under the impression that when srb711 stated that he/she has a low science gpa, I'm interpreting that to be below 3.0. In that case, getting a masters in Bio would be "very hard" due to a weak bio foundation.

However, I now know that srb711 is taking genetics and bio-chem. Maybe srb711's science gpa is around 3.0-3.2. In that case, maybe a master's in Bio would be good. If the science gpa is below 3.0, it is unlikely that srb711 will rock a master's in Bio. I COULD BE WRONG.

Here's a few other options:
- Numerous medical schools and large universities have a 1-year master's program in health sciences. Basically, you are taking the 1st year of medical school to prove you have what it takes. These programs are full of pre-dents and pre-meds that didn't get in the year before. These programs will get you into professional school if you do well. If you don't, you just wasted a year and lost $50,000 getting a useless degree. The schools I know that offer this 1-year masters is Loyola in Chicago, A.T. Still University (I can't remember the location), Wayne State in Detroit, and Indiana Univ.

- Here's a link for Berkeley's Extension School program for pre-health:
http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/profseq/health.html

If srb711's science gpa is in the low 3's, then he/she is making a big deal out of nothing. Rock the DAT (all 20's), take a few more Bio classes at night (at a 4-year univ), and apply. He or she will be just fine.

Thanks for clarifying. I'm in the low GPA club myself and am going back and forth about applying to a "special" one year masters program or a regular 2 year non-thesis option. It's true that the former is pretty much a useless degree, so if you don't get in the 2nd go around, you're pretty much screwed.