Post-baccalaureate: where to begin?

[shibboleth]

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Currently, I am a fourth-year undergraduate at a top-25 university, pursuing a B.A. in linguistics. Now, though, I plan to apply to some formal post-baccalaureate programs, but I'm unsure where I should apply given my stats. I hope some of you can offer some guidance.

I'm a first-generation college student from an economically disadvantaged family. I am a resident of an extreme upper-Midwestern state which is likely to be underrepresented, but I attend school on the East Coast.

Frankly, I entered college utterly unprepared and with no knowledge of what to expect; as a consequence, my cumulative GPA is around 3.3. I did take general chemistry and biology; unfortunately, I received a C in both. My SAT score was 1400 (800 verbal), and I expect to do reasonably well on the GRE. I haven't taken the MCAT. I have research experience in a field completely unrelated to medicine and have begun volunteering at a children's hospital.

My current list, which is open to suggestions, includes:
Bryn Mawr, which seems like a long shot given my GPA
Penn Pre-health
UVM
Drexel

Any insight?

 

[panthera]

Currently, I am a fourth-year undergraduate at a top-25 university, pursuing a B.A. in linguistics. Now, though, I plan to apply to some formal post-baccalaureate programs, but I'm unsure where I should apply given my stats. I hope some of you can offer some guidance.

I'm a first-generation college student from an economically disadvantaged family. I am a resident of an extreme upper-Midwestern state which is likely to be underrepresented, but I attend school on the East Coast.

Frankly, I entered college utterly unprepared and with no knowledge of what to expect; as a consequence, my cumulative GPA is around 3.3. I did take general chemistry and biology; unfortunately, I received a C in both. My SAT score was 1400 (800 verbal), and I expect to do reasonably well on the GRE. I haven't taken the MCAT. I have research experience in a field completely unrelated to medicine and have begun volunteering at a children's hospital.

My current list, which is open to suggestions, includes:
Bryn Mawr, which seems like a long shot given my GPA
Penn Pre-health
UVM
Drexel

Any insight?

Hey I am in a similar situation. I plan to load up on units this fall semester and ace those classes. I recommend you do the same. You can then apply to places once the semester is over with a better GPA, more volunteer experience, and possibly get some research done.

Your SAT score is good enough, don't bother taking the GRE.

You can check out other post baccs @ http://services.aamc.org/postbac/

 

[NewmansOwn]

I agree that your SAT would be fine.

Unfortunately, I say "would be" because if you've taken both semesters of Gen Chem and Bio, you are ineligible for most formal programs, especially Bryn Mawr. If you've only taken GC 1 and Bio 1, you might be in better shape. The GPA is a bit low but it doesn't hurt to apply, especially if you're coming from a school that eschews grade inflation.

 

[shibboleth]

Thanks.

I've only taken one semester each of chemistry and biology.

I took AP chemistry and biology, and I was planning to use my scores for elective credits toward graduation. Will this affect my eligibility?

 

[sketo43]

Did you take bio and chem while in college, or are the C's from your AP class in high school? If they're from high school, then it's fine to use these toward your graduation requirements. But med schools want you to take them at a college level - I'd wait for the postbac before retaking them, it will make more postbac programs available.

So you decided not to dedicate your life to studying optimality theory or generative grammar??? (I also have a B.A. in Linguistics )

 

[shibboleth]

I took AP Chemistry and AP Biology in high school, and then one semester of chemistry and one semester of biology while at college, but I'm under the impression that I am eligible for most programs nonetheless. I was wondering whether I should use my AP Biology exam score for elective credits. I may not need to do so, however.

My first reaction, admittedly, when I "meet" another linguistics major is astonishment: there really aren't very many of us. I'm actually still considering graduate school in the field, mostly because I think it will be rather difficult to give it up entirely. I feel as though linguistics is something one chooses out of a real fondness, not mere convenience.

What's your favorite linguistic subspecialty? By a wide margin, mine is syntax. Whenever anyone asks me what I'm majoring in, I usually tell them "grammar" in order to avoid the inevitable, "So, how many languages can you speak?" follow-up. I really despise phonetics.