Post-Bacc Rankings

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Brainosaurus

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I’ve been accepted to the USC post-bacc program, and I just want to be sure it’s the best choice for me. After all, I sometimes wonder if there’s an unofficial ranking of programs – and if med schools hold some seemingly comparable programs in higher regard than others. Do I have any evidence of that? No - I’m just trying to make the most informed decision.

For example, does the exalted rank of Johns Hopkins Medical School lend extra credibility to the Johns Hopkins post-bacc program? There’s no rationale for that, since the post-bacc and the med school are separate, but you know how things can be perceived when they both fall under the same prestigious label.

I realize, of course, that you get out of a post-bacc program what you put into it. The point is to excel. Does mean that a 4.0 GPA from the USC program would make a med school applicant just as competitive as a 4.0 from Johns Hopkins? I assume so, but if anyone has any pertinent insight to offer, I’d enjoy hearing it. Thanks and good luck to all.
 
My knowledge is "do well" and that is that. There are many different type of post-baccs but no ranking. You obviously made the best decsion for you if you only applied to a few programs. If you feel that you didn't apply broadly enough or didn't have enough information to apply to schools through out the country then feel free to do a SMP afterwards or something of the such.

I am not sure where you are in this process of medical school but the message to take home is do what works for you and do it well. You are worrying too much and it will drive you crazy. Take it from someone writing from the local crazy house! 😉 Where you do your post bacc means about as much as where you went to college. Yes there are linkage programs and some might be well known compared to others but they are all there for a purpose. And USC is a familiar school nationally.
 
Brainosaurus said:
For example, does the exalted rank of Johns Hopkins Medical School lend extra credibility to the Johns Hopkins post-bacc program?
Post bacs are not based on the quality of their med schools. Hopkins is certainly not regarded as highly as a postbac as it is a med school. Some of the best regarded formal post bac programs in the country (eg. Bryn Mawr, Goucher and the like) do not even have med schools. Rather than worry about "rankings", you should see what kind of placement percentage into med school a postbac program claims (not all collect this info, but some do), see what kind of advising and advocating and other services the program director does for students, see what kind of linkage, if any, is offered.
 
Law2Doc said:
Rather than worry about "rankings", you should see what kind of placement percentage into med school a postbac program claims (not all collect this info, but some do),
And I would be concerned by a postbac program that does not collect this data. Getting students into medical schools are the only goal of postbacs and are the reason folks want to attend instead of do-it-yourself.

If they don't track their acceptance numbers, it's because they don't want to report their acceptance numbers.
 
notdeadyet said:
And I would be concerned by a postbac program that does not collect this data. Getting students into medical schools are the only goal of postbacs and are the reason folks want to attend instead of do-it-yourself.

If they don't track their acceptance numbers, it's because they don't want to report their acceptance numbers.

There are a couple of programs that don't and yet anecdotally have quite good stats, actually. But if you have the choice, go with a big name program that can boast a 90+ % admission rate.
 
Law2Doc said:
There are a couple of programs that don't and yet anecdotally have quite good stats, actually.
Wow, that's interesting. I wonder what their logic is?
 
depends on what youre looking for---if you want to go to a research-oriented med school, then hopkins postbac will prepare you extremeley well for that, whereas bryn mawr will not (have no knowledge of west-coast programs). at hopkins you have the option of working under one of over 50 or so doctors at the hopkins hospital in 'tutorial' programs; half or so of the postbacs are published as first or second authors by the time they are accepted to med school. these tutorials sometimes continue as veritable resaerch positions at hopkins into the glide year, and so the issue of what to do while you're applying takes care of itself, and spending 2 years on a particular project vs a few months here and there volunteering, etc., has real merit. if youre looking for links, then bryn mawr has 13, jhu has less than a handful. there are some people in the bryn mawr program for just this reason. if youre looking for quality of education, hopkins probably has more of an ability to attract top-notch in their field; but, if youre taking 101-level courses, they may not require an expert to teach them. the programs are structured differently as well. at jhu, in addition to core science classes, you take one elective each fall and winter semester (and physics, gen chem, calculus in the two summers as the individual requires). hopkins encourages research, bryn mawr encourages community service. the hopkins program is more competitive than bryn mawr, on more than just virtua of its smaller size, but there are people who choose bryn mawr over jhu---again, on the basis of the linkage, or the maturity of the program---though the maturity of the program is often a function of the particular program-head's experience, and in the case of bryn mawr the current advisor has been working with postbacs for over 12 years; at jhu, the advisor has been working with postbacs for 5 or so years but also brings additional value, having served on the admissions committee as senior personnel for the hopkins med school. at hopkins, youre taking classes with 200+ undergrads per lecture; at bryn mawr, classes are with 75 other postbacs. both groups of students study extremely hard, and it may be the case that at bryn mawr, studying hard will guarantee you the grades you need, whereas at hopkins, as you are thrown in the mix, the grades are not necessarily guaranteed: hopkins is not known for its grade inflation.

sorry i just sort of rattled this off but i hope it provides some additional input. good luck finding what youre looking for

Brainosaurus said:
I’ve been accepted to the USC post-bacc program, and I just want to be sure it’s the best choice for me. After all, I sometimes wonder if there’s an unofficial ranking of programs – and if med schools hold some seemingly comparable programs in higher regard than others. Do I have any evidence of that? No - I’m just trying to make the most informed decision.

For example, does the exalted rank of Johns Hopkins Medical School lend extra credibility to the Johns Hopkins post-bacc program? There’s no rationale for that, since the post-bacc and the med school are separate, but you know how things can be perceived when they both fall under the same prestigious label.

I realize, of course, that you get out of a post-bacc program what you put into it. The point is to excel. Does mean that a 4.0 GPA from the USC program would make a med school applicant just as competitive as a 4.0 from Johns Hopkins? I assume so, but if anyone has any pertinent insight to offer, I’d enjoy hearing it. Thanks and good luck to all.
 
mmi said:
depends on what youre looking for---if you want to go to a research-oriented med school, then hopkins postbac will prepare you extremeley well for that, whereas bryn mawr will not

This statement isn't really borne out in the statistics. While Hopkins is certainly a research oriented place, and thus opportunities for research ECs may be more plentiful, Bryn Mawr folk seem to ultimately end up at schools known for research just as frequently.
 
Is there a clearinghouse (a la MSAR) for data re. acceptance rates into med schools from individual postbacc programs? I know I've seen some stats on individual schools' sites (Bryn Mawr, I think, has theirs up), but I'm looking (for example) for Harvard Extension and didn't see anything like that anywhere.

If it matters, I'm a career-changer with a very solid ugrad GPA but no science courses save for baby astro and plant biology. I'd like to be in the Boston area, but am willing to go elsewhere if there's not a top-rated program here (or if I can't get INTO a top-rated one here!).
 
I have a few numbers for those interested. These are from the 2005 U.S. News and World Report Ultimate Guide to Medical Schools. In the back is a quick overview of post-bacc programs. Here are a few of the numbers:

Bryn Mawr
Year Started: 1972
Enrollment: 75
Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.5
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100% (Past 5 years 99%)
Linkage: Brown, Dartmouth, Drexel, George Washington, Jefferson, SUNY Downstate, SUNY Stony Brook, Health Sciences Center, Temple, University of Rochester

Columbia
Year Started: 1955
Enrollment: 427
Acceptance Rate: 50-60%
Average MCAT (of those sponsored): 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 92%
Linkage: Ben Guiron, Brown, Jefferson, Drexel, National University of Ireland, New York Medical College, SUNY Brooklyn, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Trinity - Dublin, UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Goucher
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 20 - 30%
Average MCAT of Sponsered: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School (2003): 100%
Linkage: Brown, George Washington, Drexel, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Tulane, Pitt

Harvard Extension
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 200+
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average MCAT of Sponsored: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 89%
Linkage: N/A

Johns Hopkins
Year Started: N/A
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, UMDNJ - Rober Wood Johnson, University of Rochester

Mills
Year Started: 1979
Enrollment: 60
Acceptance Rate: 75% (Varies Considerably)
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 87.5%
Linkage: Tulane

Scripps
Year Started: 1994
Enrollment: 12 - 15
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.2
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: Pitt, Drexel, George Washington, Temple, Western University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Tufts
Year Started: 1988
Enrollment: 40
Acceptance Rate: 30 - 40%
Average MCAT of Grads: 30 - 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 90%
Linkage: Tufts, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine

Penn
Year Started: 1977
Enrollment: 50 - 70
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Average MCAT of Grads: N/A
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, Jefferson, Drexel, Temple, UMDNJ - Robert Wood, Pitt

I hope this helps in terms of numbers. Though I think the bottom line is that grades are much more important than the program you go to. One thing I noticed is that because the school is a better name doesn't mean the program is better.

Colin
 
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Just a quick update to Goucher. I was in the program last year. There is now a link to UChicago as well. Also, I believe the average MCAT for our year was around 35, and the year before it was 34 or 33 (not as familiar with that year).

I have a few numbers for those interested. These are from the 2005 U.S. News and World Report Ultimate Guide to Medical Schools. In the back is a quick overview of post-bacc programs. Here are a few of the numbers:

Bryn Mawr
Year Started: 1972
Enrollment: 75
Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.5
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100% (Past 5 years 99%)
Linkage: Brown, Dartmouth, Drexel, George Washington, Jefferson, SUNY Downstate, SUNY Stony Brook, Health Sciences Center, Temple, University of Rochester

Columbia
Year Started: 1955
Enrollment: 427
Acceptance Rate: 50-60%
Average MCAT (of those sponsored): 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 92%
Linkage: Ben Guiron, Brown, Jefferson, Drexel, National University of Ireland, New York Medical College, SUNY Brooklyn, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Trinity - Dublin, UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Goucher
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 20 - 30%
Average MCAT of Sponsered: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School (2003): 100%
Linkage: Brown, George Washington, Drexel, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Tulane, Pitt

Harvard Extension
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 200+
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average MCAT of Sponsored: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 89%
Linkage: N/A

Johns Hopkins
Year Started: N/A
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, UMDNJ - Rober Wood Johnson, University of Rochester

Mills
Year Started: 1979
Enrollment: 60
Acceptance Rate: 75% (Varies Considerably)
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 87.5%
Linkage: Tulane

Scripps
Year Started: 1994
Enrollment: 12 - 15
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.2
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: Pitt, Drexel, George Washington, Temple, Western University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Tufts
Year Started: 1988
Enrollment: 40
Acceptance Rate: 30 - 40%
Average MCAT of Grads: 30 - 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 90%
Linkage: Tufts, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine

Penn
Year Started: 1977
Enrollment: 50 - 70
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Average MCAT of Grads: N/A
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, Jefferson, Drexel, Temple, UMDNJ - Robert Wood, Pitt

I hope this helps in terms of numbers. Though I think the bottom line is that grades are much more important than the program you go to. One thing I noticed is that because the school is a better name doesn't mean the program is better.

Colin
 
bump...
Found this topic while scrounging around, does anyone have updated info on other schools as well? Just curious as I know I am one of many post-bacc hopefull around the boards.
 
Here's a helpful tidbit I learned: I'm a first year at Dartmouth and we have a few students in our class (and they're all doing well here) who did the Bryn Mawr post-bac. Dartmouth has some sort of special arrangement with the Bryn Mawr post-bac program such that students who do well in the program can be accepted to DMS without taking the MCAT. I know that two of the students from Bryn Mawr in my class (and possibly the third) didn't take the MCAT. I am pretty sure that Dartmouth does not have this arrangement with any other post-bac program. So, that might be an indication that, at least from DMS's point of view, Bryn Mawr is a great post-bac program. This also explains why, if you look in the MSAR, Dartmouth is listed as not requiring the MCAT. You must take the MCAT to get into DMS unless you did the post-bac at Bryn Mawr.
 
Another update, UPenn's postbac has now added a linkage to UPenn Med...
 
I have a few numbers for those interested. These are from the 2005 U.S. News and World Report Ultimate Guide to Medical Schools. In the back is a quick overview of post-bacc programs. Here are a few of the numbers:

Bryn Mawr
Year Started: 1972
Enrollment: 75
Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.5
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100% (Past 5 years 99%)
Linkage: Brown, Dartmouth, Drexel, George Washington, Jefferson, SUNY Downstate, SUNY Stony Brook, Health Sciences Center, Temple, University of Rochester

Columbia
Year Started: 1955
Enrollment: 427
Acceptance Rate: 50-60%
Average MCAT (of those sponsored): 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 92%
Linkage: Ben Guiron, Brown, Jefferson, Drexel, National University of Ireland, New York Medical College, SUNY Brooklyn, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Trinity - Dublin, UMDNJ - New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ - Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Goucher
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 20 - 30%
Average MCAT of Sponsered: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School (2003): 100%
Linkage: Brown, George Washington, Drexel, SUNY Stoney Brook, Temple, Tulane, Pitt

Harvard Extension
Year Started: 1980
Enrollment: 200+
Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average MCAT of Sponsored: 32
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 89%
Linkage: N/A

Johns Hopkins
Year Started: N/A
Enrollment: 25 - 30
Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, UMDNJ - Rober Wood Johnson, University of Rochester

Mills
Year Started: 1979
Enrollment: 60
Acceptance Rate: 75% (Varies Considerably)
Average MCAT of Grads: 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 87.5%
Linkage: Tulane

Scripps
Year Started: 1994
Enrollment: 12 - 15
Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average MCAT of Grads: 31.2
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: Pitt, Drexel, George Washington, Temple, Western University, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific

Tufts
Year Started: 1988
Enrollment: 40
Acceptance Rate: 30 - 40%
Average MCAT of Grads: 30 - 31
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 90%
Linkage: Tufts, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine

Penn
Year Started: 1977
Enrollment: 50 - 70
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Average MCAT of Grads: N/A
Acceptance Rate into Med School: 100%
Linkage: George Washington, Jefferson, Drexel, Temple, UMDNJ - Robert Wood, Pitt

I hope this helps in terms of numbers. Though I think the bottom line is that grades are much more important than the program you go to. One thing I noticed is that because the school is a better name doesn't mean the program is better.

Colin
The acceptance rates mentioned here are probably deliberately deceiving. They are the acceptance rates for those that *complete* the program, not for those that *begin* the program--an important distinction for those assuming admission to many of these is like a ticket to medical school. If they factored in the folks that that began and eventually dropped out, the acceptance rates would be much lower. That's the case for Bryn Mawr and Columbia, at least--I imagine it's true for the others as well.
 
The acceptance rates mentioned here are probably deliberately deceiving. They are the acceptance rates for those that *complete* the program, not for those that *begin* the program--an important distinction for those assuming admission to many of these is like a ticket to medical school. If they factored in the folks that that began and eventually dropped out, the acceptance rates would be much lower. That's the case for Bryn Mawr and Columbia, at least--I imagine it's true for the others as well.

Bryn Mawr's attrition rate, though significantly higher in raw number than say a school like goucher, is still not that high. columbia, from what i understand though, has something like 50% attrition.

also- Bryn Mawr now offers a linkage with U of Chicago.
 
Just spoke with their office today.
 
Quick question:

I just graduated this May and am looking to attend a post-bacc (preferably Harvard Ext. School in light of my location). However, I only need to take Org 2, Phys 2, and A+P to fullfil my pre-req's. Do you suggest I just do-it-myself and take those courses while raising my GPA, or should I attend a formal program where as to get sponsership?

My plan was to take the classes, study for MCAT, and eventually take MCAT and apply to a SMP (Drexel, etc..)

Help me out, thanks! 🙂
 
I went to the Tufts post-bacc program and there is now a linkage to Boston University Med also...
 
I have spoken to students and the Ext School Health Careers Office. For those that begin the program, about 1/3 to 1/2 drop out of the program. I also heard, though not sure how valid, that the sponsorship committee can refuse to sponsor you and give you your money back if they think that you can't make it into medical school. That's why their acceptance rate is so high. If they don't think you will make the cut, they won't even sponsor you.

Thanks for all the great data on the other post-bacc programs! Great research!
 
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i heard that too and not only is that the reason their acceptance rate is so high its the reason they have such good stats on admissions to med schools
 
Well as for UPenn Post Bac having a 100% med school admission rate that doesn't surprise me because worse comees to worse they could always put their students in any number of Penn Affiliated Health Care Hospital/Teaching hospital.....

Same goes for any other number of programs...

I'm just wondering from a layman's perspective what people think of someplace like Stockton in New Jersey? I could go to some place more recognized in local and national circles but that would be inconvenient to myself and my family... and being an older non traditional student.. I can't justify doing any sort of dance around to satisfy the musings of some US News and world report ranking system...

I'm just wondering if there is any feedback on this board or some other forum about Stockton and how it is regarded .. I should hope that a student's performance itself and personal credentials would outweigh some perceived notion of intellectual superiority... but yet the world may not have reached that point and certain "subjective" biases will always exist.
 
Help guys,

My dillema is simple, what can I do, I graduated with a 2.23 gpa? what can I do now? is there a post-bacc i can do or what steps should I take? help me figure out what I need to do. I have a Chem degree.
 
4 yr old thread recycling? and off topic at that?

Try the low GPA/repair GPA thread
 
.........................
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I am also in the same situation. Low GPA 2.6. Even though I got in couple of them I am rethinking if even I put my deposit. I am thinking simply go abroad to study medicine as US school may not be that forgiving with that low GPA even after post bacc . It is a lot of money to spend to do these post bacc programs if thats a hump and other option is to improve GPA that could take 4 years+ i.e. a loooong time.


Hmm interesting. Congrats on getting in some schools here in the U.S. So maybe abroad is a great idea huh? Well what schools will accept my grade? do you know? and if so, will I be able to come back to the U.S. to practice? and I agree 4 years is a long time lol. But oh well....
 
Going abroad should be a last option in today's climate. With steady increases in U.S. schools (both M.D. and D.O.) your chances of landing a solid residency (or any for that matter) as an FMG/IMG are greatly reduced. I would put in the time here to get that gpa, and most importantly your study habits, up to par. Seriously. Maybe a second degree or take some sciences classes at a local university (not a 2 year community college) and then apply to some formal post-baccs.

Anyhow, this is the wrong forum for such a posting. You should definitely be cruising the low gpa threads. There are people there with a lot of knowledge and great advice for situations like yours. Dr. Midlife and Robflanker are just a few I can think of off the top of my head.

Seriously consider staying here in the States until you have exhausted your other options. Carib and overseas are becoming increasingly risky choices. 5, 10 years ago, yeah they were decent choices, but I'd be careful today. Just my 2 pennies.

Good luck.
 
Going abroad should be a last option in today's climate. With steady increases in U.S. schools (both M.D. and D.O.) your chances of landing a solid residency (or any for that matter) as an FMG/IMG are greatly reduced.

Seriously consider staying here in the States until you have exhausted your other options. Carib and overseas are becoming increasingly risky choices. 5, 10 years ago, yeah they were decent choices, but I'd be careful today. Just my 2 pennies.

Good luck.

QFT. Can we sticky this? I'm not kidding.
 
Alrighty, so we're in a thread called "Post Bac Rankings" which has no overlap with GPA comebacks.

And we have two people with sub-3.0s looking to get into med school.

And we have a definitive why-not-Carib statement.

At the risk of making this thread receive even more misplaced traffic, let me address the sub-3.0s.

What you should do if you want to go to med school but your GPA is way below 3.0:

1. Best option, not kidding: find another career. Without a doubt, another career is a much, much better idea than pursuing medicine. You can't imagine how much work you have to do to get through med school at this point, and no, it's probably not worth it.

2. Assuming you're going to ignore #1: hold onto your fanny, this is going to get ragged.

3. Honest question: seriously, what, exactly, has you thinking you will survive med school, and that it will not suck for you? If watching House is your motivation, don't get anywhere near me because I will slap you: you have a basic fact vs. fiction problem and you are wasting everybody's time. If, however, your interest in being a doctor is based on some knowledge of what doctors have to be responsible for, and some knowledge of what it takes to make it through med school and residency, then read on. What have you done to change your study habits? Your work ethic? Your ability to tolerate profound levels of bullsh*t that are between you and a goal? Your ability to withstand debilitating life events without getting debilitated at your job which is school? Your use of mind altering substances? Whatever prevented you from getting good grades in college simply must be addressed. This is not optional. Figure it out. Don't find a med school that will let you in: you will fail and have a few hundred thousand dollars of federal debt that is not discharged in a bankruptcy. Getting a residency is never going to be your biggest problem.

4. You must get an A, in one class, math or science, at a community college or wherever you can take a class, before you do anything remotely like a postbac. If you get one A in one class, now get two A's taking two classes at a time. Now three. What's that? You are worried about some detail here? Shut up. Do it. What's that? You did it and you got all A's? Great! Proceed.

5. Your cumulative GPA is never, ever getting better. Unless you invest about a decade, and move to Texas (see 5a). You will never be a competitive applicant for medical school compared to 99% of medical school applicants. If you get into medical school, it will be because you have an incredibly compelling story that makes adcoms want to take a risk with you. You have to make your cumulative GPA a small detail. If you get into medical school, it will be because you did multiple consecutive fresh very full time years of hard science at some university that let you in, and you got a killer 3.7+ in those years, and you got an above average MCAT (28+ for DO, 32+ for MD). You also did every last thing you possibly could to demonstrate that you're in this for the duration: you volunteered, you were a leader, you are employable, you earned the approval of faculty and bosses, possibly you published.

5a. Texas has an academic fresh start, where for established TX residents, you can have a college record that is 10 years old wiped out so you can start over. Valid only in Texas: you have to stay there for med school.

6. Make no mistakes in the above. No withdrawals, no C's, no incompletes, no incidents.

Still reading? If you get the above right, then you've invested at least 3 years, you're broke, you can't borrow any more federal money for undergrad, your significant other is long gone, your parents are trying to get you to stop, and you can't remember why you wanted to do this. And you still have no guarantee of getting into med school.

If this all sounds like what you want to do, more power to you.

Best of luck to you.
 
Alrighty, so we're in a thread called "Post Bac Rankings" which has no overlap with GPA comebacks.

And we have two people with sub-3.0s looking to get into med school.

And we have a definitive why-not-Carib statement.

At the risk of making this thread receive even more misplaced traffic, let me address the sub-3.0s.

What you should do if you want to go to med school but your GPA is way below 3.0:

1. Best option, not kidding: find another career. Without a doubt, another career is a much, much better idea than pursuing medicine. You can't imagine how much work you have to do to get through med school at this point, and no, it's probably not worth it.

2. Assuming you're going to ignore #1: hold onto your fanny, this is going to get ragged.

3. Honest question: seriously, what, exactly, has you thinking you will survive med school, and that it will not suck for you? If watching House is your motivation, don't get anywhere near me because I will slap you: you have a basic fact vs. fiction problem and you are wasting everybody's time. If, however, your interest in being a doctor is based on some knowledge of what doctors have to be responsible for, and some knowledge of what it takes to make it through med school and residency, then read on. What have you done to change your study habits? Your work ethic? Your ability to tolerate profound levels of bullsh*t that are between you and a goal? Your ability to withstand debilitating life events without getting debilitated at your job which is school? Your use of mind altering substances? Whatever prevented you from getting good grades in college simply must be addressed. This is not optional. Figure it out. Don't find a med school that will let you in: you will fail and have a few hundred thousand dollars of federal debt that is not discharged in a bankruptcy. Getting a residency is never going to be your biggest problem.

4. You must get an A, in one class, math or science, at a community college or wherever you can take a class, before you do anything remotely like a postbac. If you get one A in one class, now get two A's taking two classes at a time. Now three. What's that? You are worried about some detail here? Shut up. Do it. What's that? You did it and you got all A's? Great! Proceed.

5. Your cumulative GPA is never, ever getting better. Unless you invest about a decade, and move to Texas (see 5a). You will never be a competitive applicant for medical school compared to 99% of medical school applicants. If you get into medical school, it will be because you have an incredibly compelling story that makes adcoms want to take a risk with you. You have to make your cumulative GPA a small detail. If you get into medical school, it will be because you did multiple consecutive fresh very full time years of hard science at some university that let you in, and you got a killer 3.7+ in those years, and you got an above average MCAT (28+ for DO, 32+ for MD). You also did every last thing you possibly could to demonstrate that you're in this for the duration: you volunteered, you were a leader, you are employable, you earned the approval of faculty and bosses, possibly you published.

5a. Texas has an academic fresh start, where for established TX residents, you can have a college record that is 10 years old wiped out so you can start over. Valid only in Texas: you have to stay there for med school.

6. Make no mistakes in the above. No withdrawals, no C's, no incompletes, no incidents.

Still reading? If you get the above right, then you've invested at least 3 years, you're broke, you can't borrow any more federal money for undergrad, your significant other is long gone, your parents are trying to get you to stop, and you can't remember why you wanted to do this. And you still have no guarantee of getting into med school.

If this all sounds like what you want to do, more power to you.

Best of luck to you.

Another sticky, please!
 
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